[Splash 4 Cash]

I read with interest the problems customers we come into contact in our walk into the business day.I cannot help but feel a lot of these could have been avoided if the business was set up the right way in the first.
WE rush around getting the right van and equipment but never seek advice on the structure and practices of our business. E G Getting some terms and conditions right from the start and communicating these to the customer.
After all if you don`t look like a professional business how does one expect the customer to treat you like one. We set the pace and responses to our business in the way we project it. Most of the time the customer never really ever know us, so there for all they have to, is the image we project.What I am saying is we get paid late and badly is because we set the allow it from day one.The sign of a true professional is not just how well we clean window, wear a nice neat uniform and a fancy van.
It has a lot to do with the way we allow our customers to respond to us.
I am interest to hear your views on this matter.   
 

[GB Window Cleaning]

may i make a suggestion please sir....

...paragraphs! 

[Mike #1]

LOL nice one george  . Mike

[GB Window Cleaning]

at least he uses full stops though to be fair! 

[supernova77]

I read with interest the problems customers we come into contact in our walk into the business day.I cannot help but feel a lot of these could have been avoided if the business was set up the right way in the first.
WE rush around getting the right van and equipment but never seek advice on the structure and practices of our business. E G Getting some terms and conditions right from the start and communicating these to the customer.
After all if you don`t look like a professional business how does one expect the customer to treat you like one. We set the pace and responses to our business in the way we project it. Most of the time the customer never really ever know us, so there for all they have to, is the image we project.What I am saying is we get paid late and badly is because we set the allow it from day one.The sign of a true professional is not just how well we clean window, wear a nice neat uniform and a fancy van.
It has a lot to do with the way we allow our customers to respond to us.
I am interest to hear your views on this matter.

I think you're right... A lot of people think that setting up a window cleaning business is easy, but it's actually a big learning curve.

With regards bad paying customers, I am really clamping down on it now... My payment slips say to pay within 3 days, if they haven't paid after 5 or 6 then I text / email or phone them and normally within the same day their payment pops into my account - As a result a lot who used to be bad payers now pay on time because they know I will chase them otherwise 

Andy

[Mike #1]

Good idea andy about the 3 day notice on payment slip , Might try that but most custys pay within 2 days .

Being organised and having a structured work plan is also key in my early days when my round was a lot smaller i was not all that organised,  And that carried on as the business grew and over the years things such as keeping all my paperwork in order became a mess and a real headache .

But now i have it sorted i keep everything in files and and i keep all my receipts ,  invoices and bank statements   in envelopes with each month written on the front ,

And now i use www.aworka.com   which helps me track my round and cashflow and expenses at a glance i see how much i have earned each week and month along with outgoings and how much tax i will have to pay on my earnings each month.       Mike

[Splash 4 Cash]

Yes Sir M&M and GB. I will stand in the corner and write out lines on your backsides. Who died and appointed you two gits in charge of English grammar. I thought its the content that would count. Come on boys focus focus!

[bobplum]

some times we are so busy working we neglect the business

[mister bit]

lot's of questions and no question marks in that last post too ... tut tut 

[GB Window Cleaning]

I read with interest the problems customers we come into contact in our walk into the business day.I cannot help but feel a lot of these could have been avoided if the business was set up the right way in the first.
WE rush around getting the right van and equipment but never seek advice on the structure and practices of our business. E G Getting some terms and conditions right from the start and communicating these to the customer.
After all if you don`t look like a professional business how does one expect the customer to treat you like one. We set the pace and responses to our business in the way we project it. Most of the time the customer never really ever know us, so there for all they have to, is the image we project.What I am saying is we get paid late and badly is because we set the allow it from day one.The sign of a true professional is not just how well we clean window, wear a nice neat uniform and a fancy van.
It has a lot to do with the way we allow our customers to respond to us.
I am interest to hear your views on this matter.

I think you're right... A lot of people think that setting up a window cleaning business is easy, but it's actually a big learning curve.

With regards bad paying customers, I am really clamping down on it now... My payment slips say to pay within 3 days, if they haven't paid after 5 or 6 then I text / email or phone them and normally within the same day their payment pops into my account - As a result a lot who used to be bad payers now pay on time because they know I will chase them otherwise 

Andy

  thats just it ... i cant bloody focus on that bunched together load of words, its tiring to read! 

[rosskesava]

I read with interest the problems customers we come into contact in our walk into the business day.I cannot help but feel a lot of these could have been avoided if the business was set up the right way in the first.
WE rush around getting the right van and equipment but never seek advice on the structure and practices of our business. E G Getting some terms and conditions right from the start and communicating these to the customer.
After all if you don`t look like a professional business how does one expect the customer to treat you like one. We set the pace and responses to our business in the way we project it. Most of the time the customer never really ever know us, so there for all they have to, is the image we project.What I am saying is we get paid late and badly is because we set the allow it from day one.The sign of a true professional is not just how well we clean window, wear a nice neat uniform and a fancy van.
It has a lot to do with the way we allow our customers to respond to us.
I am interest to hear your views on this matter.  
  

Crickey.

However did I get to be running a sustainable business and making money without a business structure, the right terms and conditions from the start and without setting the pace to our business in the way we project it.

What the heck is a 'we come into contact in our walk into the business day'

As for 'After all if you don`t look like a professional business how does one expect the customer to treat you like one' - I seem to have absolutely no problems what so ever. I have a decent sign written van and that's about it as far as looking professional.

What I'm obviously missing is the correct modern day vocabulary and all that funny way of talking and all the problems that it seems to generate.

Sorry if I sound rude but please write plain and simple English and cut out the useless twaddle language that sounds great but means very little.

[Window Washers]

Good idea andy about the 3 day notice on payment slip , Might try that but most custys pay within 2 days .

Being organised and having a structured work plan is also key in my early days when my round was a lot smaller i was not all that organised,  And that carried on as the business grew and over the years things such as keeping all my paperwork in order became a mess and a real headache .

But now i have it sorted i keep everything in files and and i keep all my receipts ,  invoices and bank statements   in envelopes with each month written on the front ,

And now i use www.aworka.com   which helps me track my round and cashflow and expenses at a glance i see how much i have earned each week and month along with outgoings and how much tax i will have to pay on my earnings each month.       Mike

have been using 48 hours for years on payment slips, people tend to forget after this time

[dazmond]

the truth is that we come low down on the the list of priority  when it comes to paying bills.your will NEVER get all your money in!its always rolling from one month to the next.in fact the debts get larger the more work you get!!

BUT at the end of each month my takings are roughly the same as what ive earned that month.sometimes more,sometimes a bit less.customers that havent paid after 30 days on bigger 2 monthly work get a phone call.i usually find they have forgot,been on holiday,SAE got lost under other mail etc.

im finding its the online payments that seem to be getting put off.i preferred cash or cheque!its a pain to keep having to check bank account and reminding customers.less and less customers have cash on them these days!!

i do some collecting still on my compact estate work which is good for CASHFLOW!!which is important for any business.

regards


dazmond

[Ian101]

some times we are so busy working we neglect the business

deep .... very deep 

[g.brookes]

sorry to be anal but the man did use paragraphs?! he just didnt use double spacing between paragraphs

[GB Window Cleaning]

sorry to be anal but the man did use paragraphs?! he just didnt use double spacing between paragraphs

very true i stand corrected sir!

[C o z y]

the truth is that we come low down on the the list of priority  when it comes to paying bills.your will NEVER get all your money in!its always rolling from one month to the next.in fact the debts get larger the more work you get!!

BUT at the end of each month my takings are roughly the same as what ive earned that month.sometimes more,sometimes a bit less.customers that havent paid after 30 days on bigger 2 monthly work get a phone call.i usually find they have forgot,been on holiday,SAE got lost under other mail etc.

im finding its the online payments that seem to be getting put off.i preferred cash or cheque!its a pain to keep having to check bank account and reminding customers.less and less customers have cash on them these days!!

i do some collecting still on my compact estate work which is good for CASHFLOW!!which is important for any business.

regards


dazmond

Good post, well said that man.

[Granny]

im finding its the online payments that seem to be getting put off.i preferred cash or cheque!its a pain to keep having to check bank account and reminding customers.less and less customers have cash on them these days!!



regards


dazmond

Finding the same dazmond
Thought BACS would be the answer to collecting woes but some just don't get round to it without a reminder and some I haven't a phone number for yet.
Got to remind myself - new customers -  get a contact number especially if they want to pay by BACS 'cos its looking like they WILL need a reminder at some point.
G.

[Ian101]

Slow payers are slow no matter how they pay ... End of.

[Paul H]

I read with interest the problems customers we come into contact in our walk into the business day.I cannot help but feel a lot of these could have been avoided if the business was set up the right way in the first.
WE rush around getting the right van and equipment but never seek advice on the structure and practices of our business. E G Getting some terms and conditions right from the start and communicating these to the customer.
After all if you don`t look like a professional business how does one expect the customer to treat you like one. We set the pace and responses to our business in the way we project it. Most of the time the customer never really ever know us, so there for all they have to, is the image we project.What I am saying is we get paid late and badly is because we set the allow it from day one.The sign of a true professional is not just how well we clean window, wear a nice neat uniform and a fancy van.
It has a lot to do with the way we allow our customers to respond to us.
I am interest to hear your views on this matter.   
 

I consider myself a professional (like the rest on here)

I have T&Cs - this consist of 3 sheets of paper 1. Customers details no email etc.. agreed price & frequency etc... and is signed
                                                                           2. These are the T&C , about payment late payment charges cleaning in the rain blah blah
                                                                           3. explains about the methods we use pure water sysytem etc..


Not sure if other have the above but it 2 fold in that you have all you custys details for database etc.. and BOTH parties know where they stand with the service cancellation policy late payments etc...

works for me in my short time in this field