[slap bash]

I agree whole hearted with you Daz its business at way you want it.  I have lost a few customers because of having a need replacement so that I have done for a long time and have put up and shut up so I just decided those days are over all business is not good business.
 I have given all my p.i.t.a customers the boot and I could not give two als if they like it or not. AS from today i will not tolerate not more sh3t its my way or no way as far as I go.  Some folk think you must suck up sh3t because you a are a windy. \if we all became a bit more particular we would be treated with a little more respect. So think if they throw quid on the ground you should grovel. No me. I have been in many businesses and the ones I was full of sh3t I go the best deal.

[robbo333]

This is going to sound odd but I'm getting fed up with big massive houses (especially with large electric front gates).
I'll text them the night before, go round the next day and no-one is home. I'm knackered.
I've usually got a bit of spare work I can throw in, but that's not the point. With some of these houses, their attitude stinks!
Having said that I do have large houses with very nice custys.
On the whole, I'd rather have small compact work, over large posh houses any day.
Perhaps that's just me though.

[Walter Mitty]

There is possibly some sort of customer dependent access issue at 5% of my work - a bit less maybe.  That 5% produces 95% of any problems.  It can even be a problem if they are reliable at leaving access, because sometimes it's difficult to estimate how far I will get the next day.

[Ian101]

Same here turning more away than im taking on these days.
Taken me 5 years but got round almost perfect now and wont take anyone on that's going to slow me down by being too far away from current work or crap access.
Think I have my phone technique for weeding out the ones I don't want down to a fine art.

Example this morning.

Hi I need  a window cleaner.

Yeah great where about are you

Tells me an area I do so all ok up to now then in a friendly pally tone I ask
"do you want a one off or a regular clean"
just a one off says he.
"sorry too busy for one offs these days so cant help you" - apologetic tone
oh ok then I will have you regular then
"no sorry cant help you too busy"
then he got all snotty and pushy insisting I call around and give him a quote

I think next time they say a one off will just say we start from £30 upwards for a 3 bed semi and will get to you within the next few weeks - is that any good to you  but you need to pay by BACS before any clean is booked - less antagonistic and more helpful so long as they will pay the price 

[samson]

Same here turning more away than im taking on these days.
Taken me 5 years but got round almost perfect now and wont take anyone on that's going to slow me down by being too far away from current work or crap access.
Think I have my phone technique for weeding out the ones I don't want down to a fine art.

Example this morning.

Hi I need  a window cleaner.

Yeah great where about are you

Tells me an area I do so all ok up to now then in a friendly pally tone I ask
"do you want a one off or a regular clean"
just a one off says he.
"sorry too busy for one offs these days so cant help you" - apologetic tone
oh ok then I will have you regular then
"no sorry cant help you too busy"
then he got all snotty and pushy insisting I call around and give him a quote

I think next time they say a one off will just say we start from £30 upwards for a 3 bed semi and will get to you within the next few weeks - is that any good to you  but you need to pay by BACS before any clean is booked - less antagonistic and more helpful so long as they will pay the price 

They make me smile when you ask them if they want one off or regular, and they reply they want price for both 

[dazmond]

This is going to sound odd but I'm getting fed up with big massive houses (especially with large electric front gates).
I'll text them the night before, go round the next day and no-one is home. I'm knackered.
I've usually got a bit of spare work I can throw in, but that's not the point. With some of these houses, their attitude stinks!
Having said that I do have large houses with very nice custys.
On the whole, I'd rather have small compact work, over large posh houses any day.
Perhaps that's just me though.

get their gate codes mate.i have around 20 of them.put them on your little notes on their address(if you use round software).problem solved.

[dazmond]

most of the large accounts i clean are good as gold once they know my routine.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

Oh and I forgot to mention gardens /yards full of dog poop is a pet hate of mine too.

We get a lot of urban foxes roaming the estates in our area. Pulling your hose through their waste is dreadful, especially if you get it on your hands or clothes. Stinks the car out!

Can you explain the aroma, is it like normal dog faces,  or more like cat poo

Dog muck, cat muck and tar mixed together. That's the way it smells to me anyway. Vile!

The first barney I recall having with a customer was over his failure to clean up after his Alsatian and then expecting me to work round it. It seemed to me that every square foot of his garden had faeces in it.  It was disgusting.

[robbo333]

This is going to sound odd but I'm getting fed up with big massive houses (especially with large electric front gates).
I'll text them the night before, go round the next day and no-one is home. I'm knackered.
I've usually got a bit of spare work I can throw in, but that's not the point. With some of these houses, their attitude stinks!
Having said that I do have large houses with very nice custys.
On the whole, I'd rather have small compact work, over large posh houses any day.
Perhaps that's just me though.

get their gate codes mate.i have around 20 of them.put them on your little notes on their address(if you use round software).problem solved.

Cheers Daz i'll give that a shot.
Robbo

[Phil J]

Text the night before, if you can't access the rear of the property when you clean, just deduct accordingly and move on to the next job. Works for me

[Dave Willis]

had a call yesterday

3 storey townhouse.i quoted him £20 8 weekly(i clean a similar property round the corner).he was happy with that.he then phoned me back 2 mins later and said "oh by the way  no access to the  back you ll have to climb over the neighbours 6 ft  wall!"i politely declined the job.

this morning i had a walk up so i called round as it was just around the corner where i was working.large 5 bedder with a few 3 storey windows.awkward access round the side.quoted him £40 8 weekly.he was thinking 8 weekly was too frequent and could i do 12 weekly.sorry no i said as i wanted to fit his in with the 2 £40 properties around the corner which are both on an 8 weekly frequency.

next minute he flys off the handle and says "why did you bother knocking on my door then!" GOODBYE!i said.his windows were absolutely filthy!i think he was only after a one off clean anyway.arrogant cockney geezer!

i seem to be turning more work away than i take on at the moment!i just cant be bothered with one offs or P.I.T.A jobs.too busy cleaning my regulars.

i d like to hear your reasons for not taking on certain new enquiries please chaps!

What's a walk up call? Is that when they walk up to you or when you walk up to them