[Stoots]

I get this all the time, lot of canvassed work and a lot of messers coming my way, just having to ride the storm and take the hit its all part of the process.

[Splash & dash]

£25 fior 1 hour 15 that's very cheap

[Bungle]

Customer after first clean:

Hello!
 
I have just transferred £18.00 into your account for cleaning the windows today at 15 %%%%%% Avenue.
 
If it is OK with you, we have decided to make it a one off job.
 
Thanks,
 
Mrs Jackson

My reply:

No problem, I will send you an invoice for the difference. One off jobs are 3 x regular price.
 
Regards,
 
Steve

Her reply a few days later:

Wow – you should have told me that.
 
The reason we are not going ahead is because we weren’t happy with the job. The outline of the bird was still on the bedroom window, the ground floor windows had streaks on them were lines of drips had dried and the front door was covered in smeared dirt which we thought meant it was just quickly wiped over.
 
We have cleaned up now but that was not what we were expecting so I think we will call it quits.
 
Thanks

My reply:

I asked whether you wanted a regular or one off and priced accordingly. Had you mentioned faults I'd have popped back to inspect and recleaned without quibbling.

I look forward to receiving settlement in full. The first clean requires at least three times as long as a regular maintenance clean which is why my first question to you and all enquiries is do you want a regular or one off clean. You said regular.



Regards,

Steve

Their reply:

If you are happy to come back without quibbling if we are not satisfied with the job then we will see you in 8 weeks.

As before, I guess you will text Janice so we can leave the side gate open (the gate was swinging wide open last time when I got in – please could you make sure it is closed before you go next time).

Thanks

.....................................................

What would you do.

Incidentally I'm pretty thorough on first cleans and I did this one. I doubt what they are saying but in any case I'd have gone back.

So it was a £15 job plus VAT?

Probs thought paying VAT on top was a p take.

[chris turner]

£25 fior 1 hour 15 that's very cheap

That's my point. If I knew it was a one off the price would have been £50.
She seemed nice, genuine and very keen on a regular service and I was keen on getting the job as it was close to another house I cleaned regularly. So i went ahead with the regular clean price for the first clean as I didn't want to put her off.
Then I got screwed over.

[Frankybadboy]

never know a first clean to take 3 time longer 

[8weekly]

never know a first clean to take 3 time longer 

Who rattled your cage.

[Frankybadboy]

never know a first clean to take 3 time longer 

Who rattled your cage.

three times as long and you still damn it up,so that suggest you took same  time as a normal clean


shocking 

[Simon Trapani]

We just charge a slightly higher rate for first clean (when I remember to) but some figures talked on here are ridiculously high.  Maybe you're in London or something. I think you gotta take a slight hit on first cleans but it depends quite how filthy they are. It's the chance you take when trying to grow.
It's hardly the end of the world if you're there 1hr 15mins for £25!

If I get a price I'm happy with for a first clean then I find them quite satisfying.

[chris turner]

We just charge a slightly higher rate for first clean (when I remember to) but some figures talked on here are ridiculously high.  Maybe you're in London or something. I think you gotta take a slight hit on first cleans but it depends quite how filthy they are. It's the chance you take when trying to grow.
It's hardly the end of the world if you're there 1hr 15mins for £25!

If I get a price I'm happy with for a first clean then I find them quite satisfying.

When you take into account the time, effort, amount of water of used, chemicals used, fuel to get to the job then £25 felt like a slap in the face.
It was a hit I was willing to take at the time in order for it to be a regular job.

[Simon Trapani]

Sorry Chris I skipped over it & missed the bit about the conny roof & sponges etc. Thought it was just regular pole work.

Yes I would be peeved too. Just one of those things I guess. 

Note to self: Gotta remember a fair first clean price.

[chris turner]

Sorry Chris I skipped over it & missed the bit about the conny roof & sponges etc. Thought it was just regular pole work.

Yes I would be peeved too. Just one of those things I guess. 

Note to self: Gotta remember a fair first clean price.

I suppose even adding £5 onto all first clean prices at least covers the chemicals and extra water used to bring the windows up to scratch.
Some really minging first cleans can easily take 2 or 3 times longer and use a similar amount of water.
Most, if not all customers would certainly not be willing to pay 2 or 3 times as much though so we have to compromise, take a little hit but try to find some middle ground that keeps the customer happy and stops us losing out if the customer turns out to be a Messer.

I always thought I was a good reader of people but one thing this business has taught me is that my instincts are often wrong. It's probably best to treat all new customers as Messer's until proven otherwise. Be professional but be cautious, no matter how genuine the customer"may" seem.
Today's society are trained to get the most for nothing and switch services on a whim for a cheaper price.

[Simon Trapani]

Spot on.

[Shrek]

Sorry Chris I skipped over it & missed the bit about the conny roof & sponges etc. Thought it was just regular pole work.

Yes I would be peeved too. Just one of those things I guess. 

Note to self: Gotta remember a fair first clean price.

I suppose even adding £5 onto all first clean prices at least covers the chemicals and extra water used to bring the windows up to scratch.
Some really minging first cleans can easily take 2 or 3 times longer and use a similar amount of water.
Most, if not all customers would certainly not be willing to pay 2 or 3 times as much though so we have to compromise, take a little hit but try to find some middle ground that keeps the customer happy and stops us losing out if the customer turns out to be a Messer.

I always thought I was a good reader of people but one thing this business has taught me is that my instincts are often wrong. It's probably best to treat all new customers as Messer's until proven otherwise. Be professional but be cautious, no matter how genuine the customer"may" seem.
Today's society are trained to get the most for nothing and switch services on a whim for a cheaper price.

That's very true , on a side note - where can I buy some cheap resin 😂

[tlwcs]

As spruce says we should all probably charge more for first cleans. Sometimes I just can't bring myself to do it though as I don't want to frighten off potentially good, regular customers.

Hey Chris, I think potentially good reliable customers appreciate there is more work involved in a first clean and expect to pay more. Obviously the glass needs to be perfect after the clean.
If people don't pay extra for my time on the first then they're not the sort of customer I want on my book.
Tony

[dazmond]

if the windows havent been cleaned in years then i always charge more.at least 50% more,usually double.

im at the point where i dont care whether i get a new job or not these days.if i do ,great.if not then i can finish earlier!

ive never had a new customer complain on a first clean so i cant comment on 8 weeklys first post.

[NWH]

I didn't think you bothered with small jobs like that these days I would just say I think you need to get someone else jobs like that after the first clean,there is no way you'll be able to turn up clean ticket through door and expect the money to go in withtout some sort of ongoing problems. The less they pay I find the more they won't-expect,I would try and concerntrate on the better paying work if I was you rather than faff about with jobs like that.

[ian m]

I usually charge extra for a first clean, I explain this to them once they have agreed on a price and cleaning frequency.

When they are signed up and there is lots of goodwill in the air I just say something like " I'll probably need to charge you an extra few pounds first time just to get them up to scratch" 
I can actually work towards gaining the respect of your new customer as it shows them you are experienced.

However X 3 is ripoff and most customers know it too.

I generally charge an extra 50%.

One off cleans are double.

When it is safe to do do I generally work off the ladder and scrape every window off and scrub up the frames with a micro fibre cloth. That way I can walk away with no worries about spots, drips or whatever on those nasty new cleans.

[windowswashed]

it's easier just to charge double on a first clean if really bad and say price will be whatever the next time around. Just ask if it's a tenancy clean or one off before you start so you minimise being conned thinking it's going to be regular.....ask the right questions before you start to get a feel.

[Johnny B]

Why not treat every first clean as a one off and charge accordingly. Don't mention or ask about frequency until after the job has been done and the delighted customer has paid. Then you could quote your subsequent price for whatever frequency.

John

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

funny how time changes things 25 year ago window cleaners did what they liked with customers, some on here still try and do it , with the influx of new window cleaners every week , all with new vans and pro fitted set ups they have on tick fighting for work  when will the tipping point come when the custmers as all the say ? I think that time is coming quicker then most think it will