[AuRavelling79]

I have a rule that cleaning is "all year round" not seasonal. When people ask/tell me not to come back until spring they are "explained to" and if necessary, dumped if they don't comply with said rule.

However two things have come together recently in that I am trying to trim my round a little and have recently passed off about £250 of my poorer work and am now quite happy to do a bit less during winter too and so while I hold to my rule I am thinking of letting this one have their way without making them go through my explanation as "it suits me, thanks."

It's nothing major - just a £22, 3 bed semi with conservatory which takes about 25 minutes every 8 weeks but the guy also owns a set of four flats which I do quarterly at £65.00 for less than an hours work which DO get done in the winter.

So I am going to graciously accept the request to stop until March "as it suits me thanks."

My lesson? Don't stick to a rule just for the sake of making a point. If it fits my plan even when it comes up by chance I'll think about it before reacting.

Have you any rules that you occasionally allow to be broken? And if so, why?

[NWH]

That is different all together though tbh,you say you do a block of flats that keeps you going all year and is because of this customer,that’s no where near the same as saying to ok I’ll see you in the spring to a regular job you can’t compare it.
I know what you are saying and I’d do the same but what about if most of you’re customers did the same you’d have no work to do for 6 months,I’ve had them before and I’ve simply said if you don’t want them done just a couple or a few times to keep us both going over the winter months I won’t be coming back when the weather suits you.
Some customers try and treat you like a hedgehog m8 I’ll see you in the spring lol,no you won’t pal.
It’s a slippery slope when customers start to hear you offer these terms.

[PHILIP HARDY]

As with every question on CIU, this cannot be answered in a Black & White manner, No-one can say "Dump em all" and its also wrong to say, let em dictate when and how they want to work, In certain circumstances (and I would think this is one of them),  its right to give them leeway, tomorrow a £15 stand alone job will say leave em until Spring and you will walk away and forget they exist, We all have to be flexible as there are always circumstances to take into consideration with every decision.
There are many more than 50 shades of grey in this business.

[NWH]

You obviously run your business differently to me and many others it’s your right to be your customers bitch,I’m not.
You are not being flexible you are being mugged off because they want a fair weather window cleaner and you are willing to run along till it suits THEM,what I’ve said to them many years ago is yeah that’s fine I’ll call the bank and ask if they can wait 6 months for me to continue paying my mortgage,do you think they’d be ok with that yeah 😉

[NWH]

This is exactly why Window Cleaners get no respect even to this day,bit like the bloke that turns up at your door and asks if you need any tools sharpening this spring 😂.
If they think you are that flexible you’ll have plenty of time on your hands for the next 4-5 months m8.

[Smudger]

You obviously run your business differently to me and many others it’s your right to be your customers bitch,I’m not.
You are not being flexible you are being mugged off because they want a fair weather window cleaner and you are willing to run along till it suits THEM,what I’ve said to them many years ago is yeah that’s fine I’ll call the bank and ask if they can wait 6 months for me to continue paying my mortgage,do you think they’d be ok with that yeah 😉

you are a real card Nigel !!

a great answer by Phil - yes we ALL run differently and each case needs to be taken into account - by your response I should tell by multi millionaire customer to shove it as he doest want his house cleaned from November to March while he's away in his homeland (New Zealand) and in doing soon longer gutter clear his portfolio of factory units that bring in £8k per year ?

personally, it's best for each person to judge their business and what way they want to run it... I would NOT take notice of those who flippantly say just dump, get rid blah blah,  ( because I bet in the real world they wouldn't have the balls to it themselves )  also these VERY same posters them wings about spending a quid or two on a new brush, flyers, postage etc....

A good opening post to this thread Mr Gold

Darran

[KS Cleaning]

The customer in question quite obviously isn’t the sharpest tool in the box....cancels the window cleaning on his own personal property but continues to pay for the cleaning of 4 other properties that he rents out? I would think that you will shortly be getting a phone call to suspend cleaning on the 4 flats as well.....unless the guy is a complete berk!

[NWH]

Obviously if it’s a domestic that brings in 2-3k a year then yes you would accommodate that makes perfect sense and I do that,what my point was is that if you start letting small jobs start telling you to come back in April or May or I’ll skip this month,how can you run or survive like that.
IMO they are crap customers to have on your books.

[P @ F]

If there is something  in it for me they get told no problem , If not I just tell them to ring me when a re start is wanted , if they call sorry I’m full , I have not dumped them so should be no hard feeling !

[NWH]

My philosophy has always been have more work than you can handle I don’t care when people text me and say where are you they need cleaning badly,having more than enough you are putting yourself into a position of choice. If you are banging there door down every 4 weeks- month you will get not today thanks it seems like you’ve only just done em.
A lot of my work is 6-8 weekly but I have a lot also at 3-4 months,it’s knowing your customers and what they’ll put up with,using your head like not turning up when it’s ping with rain and being bang on time when 20 minutes work gets you a quick 50 lol.
It’s not all about using cleaner planner software and go cardless,it’s called using your head and looking after the ones that look after you.
Dump the dross of 10-15quid when they say not today thanks.
👍

[dazmond]

i only have one £20 job thats goes to 8 weekly from 4 weekly in the winter...thats it...every other job gets cleaned as normal all year round....

some window cleaners are happy to lose a few in the winter months because of the shorter days but i only work short days all year round so it makes no difference to me....in fact my highest earning month this year has been january!

[Richard iSparkle]

we just say we are happy for them to come back in the spring but that we are getting booked up and there may not be space on the round for them because we have to prioritise customers who want cleaning all year around

[Johnny B]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

[nathankaye]

Im guilty of this and so many more on here are as well and thats is, we think we are more than what we are.
Yes we run our own business and can to a point offer our working conditions.
However, it is ultimately up to our employers to say YES or NO to what we have to offer.  The amount of people who throw their dummy out at this simple but truthful fact is unbelievable.  Hahah saying that someone can be their window cleaning bitch is ridiculous!   
On the flip side,  if the client/employer does not respect the outline roles of the offered service, then you can also decide to continue with the service or terminate it.  Yet so many times people are moaning because they dont like the character of the person............talk about cutting your nose of dispite your face!

I have 2 or 3 customers that have stopped for various reasons over winter and continue in the new year.  They are returning customers and so they like my service and Im happy for them to do so.  Yes, when it comes to price increases, these ones will be the first to go up.. but come the darker nights, im glad I have a couple less to clean.

[Stoots]

I am guilty of breaking a few of my self imposed rules.

But here's the thing I will only break them IF it suits ME.

A few examples.

As I rule I don't do "through the house jobs" . I don't take them on. But I do have 1 only like this because it's a well priced job that's worth the extra effort and she is always in. She is also on go cardless so never messing for payment and if not in its front only.


I only allow one clean without payment but on the odd occasion I will let it slide to 2 , if I particularly like the job I may put up with a slow payer as long as they are a payer eventually.

I also don't haggle on price, the quote is the quote....apart from last week when i quoted someone 12 and they said Could you do it for 10. I almost said no but then thought hey I can actually, it's right next to a few others  why not.

Sometimes your stubborn pride can shoot you in the foot. Nothing wrong with having exceptions to the rule as long as they suit you.

[Stoots]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

What's a Christmas clean ? You mean you take on a load of one offs at Christmas?

See that's another rule I have. No one offs. I want to be slowing down at Christmas not taking on a load of one off cleans.

[Smudger]

Ahhh the good old Christmas cleans.....

Yes madam, of course I can do you a special one off bespoke clean that will be £60 please

Darran

[Soupy]

I have a rule that cleaning is "all year round" not seasonal. When people ask/tell me not to come back until spring they are "explained to" and if necessary, dumped if they don't comply with said rule.

However two things have come together recently in that I am trying to trim my round a little and have recently passed off about £250 of my poorer work and am now quite happy to do a bit less during winter too and so while I hold to my rule I am thinking of letting this one have their way without making them go through my explanation as "it suits me, thanks."

It's nothing major - just a £22, 3 bed semi with conservatory which takes about 25 minutes every 8 weeks but the guy also owns a set of four flats which I do quarterly at £65.00 for less than an hours work which DO get done in the winter.

So I am going to graciously accept the request to stop until March "as it suits me thanks."

My lesson? Don't stick to a rule just for the sake of making a point. If it fits my plan even when it comes up by chance I'll think about it before reacting.

Have you any rules that you occasionally allow to be broken? And if so, why?

Especially when that rule is idiotic.

[Soupy]

Have you any rules that you occasionally allow to be broken? And if so, why?

My lads bend and break rules all the time.  People will always take the path of least resistance, it's human nature. As an example; if louping a gate stops a woman phoning up every month moaning, then that's what they tend to do, despite it being contrary to company policy.

[Crystal-clear]

Guys please remember we're here for one thing not to be emotional not to teach customers how we work not to buy £25,000 Van's we are here to make a PROFIT... if you have a commercial customer that's bringing you in a 3 or 4 figure sum but wants to cancel his house till March obviously that's totally fine.

Now If you have a customer that wants to cancel his house till march that's also fine but there will be a minimum 3x the clean extra charge and we'll book you in today.

Regarding Christmas I absolutely love it
In fact I can't wait During Christmas all cleans are minimum three times. No talking about regular in anyway we all know what they want.
So profit first no need to get customer upset if a customer's house wants to cancel but he brings in xxx-xxxx per year in commercial
It's a no brainer

[Granny]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

What's a Christmas clean ? You mean you take on a load of one offs at Christmas?

See that's another rule I have. No one offs. I want to be slowing down at Christmas not taking on a load of one off cleans.

I think John is in Ireland. Most on here don't know how lucky they are and just how easy and simple window cleaning in urban areas in the UK is.
Most wouldn't last a week in Ireland. Christmas cleans are an important part of your income just like Easter.
I left Ireland some years ago so I don't know exactly how it's going now but in the 1980's and 1990's the concept of a window cleaner on the west coast of Ireland was virtually unknown, and a window cleaner who kept coming back every month or so was unheard of except among the few Irish who had worked and lived in England.
You would pick up a clean at Christmas and if you were lucky they would say "Sure you'll be back at Easter", or "We have a confirmation or a wedding in June" You would note it down and return because that was the nearest you could get to a 'certain' job.
Every day was put the ladders on (no WFP) and go out knocking on doors hoping to pick up some jobs.
Driving up to 30 miles radius to find enough houses.
It took years to build up to a decent amount of work.
Cleaning windows in England is a piece of p**s.

[Stoots]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

What's a Christmas clean ? You mean you take on a load of one offs at Christmas?

See that's another rule I have. No one offs. I want to be slowing down at Christmas not taking on a load of one off cleans.

I think John is in Ireland. Most on here don't know how lucky they are and just how easy and simple window cleaning in urban areas in the UK is.
Most wouldn't last a week in Ireland. Christmas cleans are an important part of your income just like Easter.
I left Ireland some years ago so I don't know exactly how it's going now but in the 1980's and 1990's the concept of a window cleaner on the west coast of Ireland was virtually unknown, and a window cleaner who kept coming back every month or so was unheard of except among the few Irish who had worked and lived in England.
You would pick up a clean at Christmas and if you were lucky they would say "Sure you'll be back at Easter", or "We have a confirmation or a wedding in June" You would note it down and return because that was the nearest you could get to a 'certain' job.
Every day was put the ladders on (no WFP) and go out knocking on doors hoping to pick up some jobs.
Driving up to 30 miles radius to find enough houses.
It took years to build up to a decent amount of work.
Cleaning windows in England is a piece of p**s.

Jesus.

That's sounds like a complete farce.

[Johnny B]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

What's a Christmas clean ? You mean you take on a load of one offs at Christmas?

See that's another rule I have. No one offs. I want to be slowing down at Christmas not taking on a load of one off cleans.

Some are regulars who may want an extra clean before xmas. Some are the 'ring me when needed' type and others may be new calls which may fall into one of the former categories or be one offs/once a year cleans. The weather can be poo in December but it doesn't deter many because they must have their windows clean for xmas! As long as I'm making money from them it doesn't worry me. I would rather be flexible and please myself than to have a regimented set of rules which stress me more than my preferred ethos of going with the flow.

John

[Stoots]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

What's a Christmas clean ? You mean you take on a load of one offs at Christmas?

See that's another rule I have. No one offs. I want to be slowing down at Christmas not taking on a load of one off cleans.

Some are regulars who may want an extra clean before xmas. Some are the 'ring me when needed' type and others may be new calls which may fall into one of the former categories or be one offs/once a year cleans. The weather can be poo in December but it doesn't deter many because they must have their windows clean for xmas! As long as I'm making money from them it doesn't worry me. I would rather be flexible and please myself than to have a regimented set of rules which stress me more than my preferred ethos of going with the flow.

John

It would worry me if I could fit in extra cleans or or do a load of one offs etc as that would mean I don't have enough regular work the rest of the year....

[AuRavelling79]

Update...

I forgot to mention the reason for the request which is the lucky pair are off to Oz for four months.

However I sent a text saying I normally require customers to be regular all year round but in the circumstances I will accommodate their request but that the clean in March will be 'appreciably more' as I will be removing six months dirt.

Reply: That's fine thank you for being understanding.

[Smudger]

There is a big difference between being FULL and having ENOUGH

if you need to fill every minute of every day then your outgoings are exceedingly high or your not earning enough

you can have enough work on a regular basis that allows you, as and when you choose to do extras

Darran

[NWH]

Tbh I would say that if you are right up to date on a regular basis you don’t have enough work,if I ever look like I might catch up anywhere near to being on time something happens like weather or single jobs over the course of the week that may take a day or half a day to do.

[Stoots]

There is a big difference between being FULL and having ENOUGH

if you need to fill every minute of every day then your outgoings are exceedingly high or your not earning enough

you can have enough work on a regular basis that allows you, as and when you choose to do extras

Darran

Quite right.

You could be full at 4 days then choose to do extras when it suits


But sounds like these guys rely on this extra work which is different.

[dazmond]

Tbh I would say that if you are right up to date on a regular basis you don’t have enough work,if I ever look like I might catch up anywhere near to being on time something happens like weather or single jobs over the course of the week that may take a day or half a day to do.

rubbish!why would you not want to be on time?less dirt to clean off the windows then....also who wants to work more than 5 hours a day?i dont,not these days...i havent got the stomach for it .....

[Stoots]

Tbh I would say that if you are right up to date on a regular basis you don’t have enough work,if I ever look like I might catch up anywhere near to being on time something happens like weather or single jobs over the course of the week that may take a day or half a day to do.

rubbish!why would you not want to be on time?less dirt to clean off the windows then....also who wants to work more than 5 hours a day?i dont,not these days...i havent got the stomach for it .....

Dont you have days or weeks off though Daz?

Im always behind schedule, i`ll catch up a bit slowly over a couple of months then a few missed days or a week off and im behind again.

Currently a week behind, was 2 weeks behind a month ago so hopefully i wont be far off up to date by christmas to then have 2 weeks off and be behind again 

Its always a good idea to be slighty behind, that way cancellations or skippers never effect me i simply get on with whats next due.

If i was always up to date i would stress, i much prefer being behind i feel like i have an abundance of work that way.

[Shrek]

I work on a monthly basis so I’m always up to date by the end of the month 

Hard work though if I’m ill or want a week off 

[Johnny B]

My rule is to not have hard and fast rules. I have a variety of types of customers from weekly shop fronts, 6 weekly 'turn up and cleans', and others who ring me as and when they need me. I get a few 'not todays' from the regulars, and they tend to be the same ones who say it, but not all at the same time. I don't find that it restricts me as I have enough work to ride it. I could dump them, but I keep them on as long as they are making me money, and if they do it too often, I just put them into the 'ring me when needed' category.

In the winter I find it does me a favour for some to leave it for a couple of months. The days are shorter and I'm inundated with xmas cleans. In January the weather is poo and I'm wrecked after the xmas rush, so again, I am happy to take my foot off the gas and coast through, while still having enough to keep going through till March when things pick up in earnest again.

John

What's a Christmas clean ? You mean you take on a load of one offs at Christmas?

See that's another rule I have. No one offs. I want to be slowing down at Christmas not taking on a load of one off cleans.

I think John is in Ireland. Most on here don't know how lucky they are and just how easy and simple window cleaning in urban areas in the UK is.
Most wouldn't last a week in Ireland. Christmas cleans are an important part of your income just like Easter.
I left Ireland some years ago so I don't know exactly how it's going now but in the 1980's and 1990's the concept of a window cleaner on the west coast of Ireland was virtually unknown, and a window cleaner who kept coming back every month or so was unheard of except among the few Irish who had worked and lived in England.
You would pick up a clean at Christmas and if you were lucky they would say "Sure you'll be back at Easter", or "We have a confirmation or a wedding in June" You would note it down and return because that was the nearest you could get to a 'certain' job.
Every day was put the ladders on (no WFP) and go out knocking on doors hoping to pick up some jobs.
Driving up to 30 miles radius to find enough houses.
It took years to build up to a decent amount of work.
Cleaning windows in England is a piece of p**s.

Jesus.

That's sounds like a complete farce.

Nope. When I arrived here 8 years ago it was like the way Granny described. I learned to adapt to the change in culture here and now have, as I said, regular and ad hoc customers. I rarely 'dump' anyone without a good reason, but merely reassign those whose needs may change into one of the above categories. It's very simple, stress free and it maintains good relationships with customers who all get a personalised service.

John

[dazmond]

Tbh I would say that if you are right up to date on a regular basis you don’t have enough work,if I ever look like I might catch up anywhere near to being on time something happens like weather or single jobs over the course of the week that may take a day or half a day to do.

rubbish!why would you not want to be on time?less dirt to clean off the windows then....also who wants to work more than 5 hours a day?i dont,not these days...i havent got the stomach for it .....

Dont you have days or weeks off though Daz?

Im always behind schedule, i`ll catch up a bit slowly over a couple of months then a few missed days or a week off and im behind again.

Currently a week behind, was 2 weeks behind a month ago so hopefully i wont be far off up to date by christmas to then have 2 weeks off and be behind again 

Its always a good idea to be slighty behind, that way cancellations or skippers never effect me i simply get on with whats next due.

If i was always up to date i would stress, i much prefer being behind i feel like i have an abundance of work that way.

of course i take holidays  and get behind but i only take off around 4 or 5 weeks a year.the rest of the time you can (almost!)set a watch by me....

[dazmond]

I have a rule that cleaning is "all year round" not seasonal. When people ask/tell me not to come back until spring they are "explained to" and if necessary, dumped if they don't comply with said rule.

However two things have come together recently in that I am trying to trim my round a little and have recently passed off about £250 of my poorer work and am now quite happy to do a bit less during winter too and so while I hold to my rule I am thinking of letting this one have their way without making them go through my explanation as "it suits me, thanks."

It's nothing major - just a £22, 3 bed semi with conservatory which takes about 25 minutes every 8 weeks but the guy also owns a set of four flats which I do quarterly at £65.00 for less than an hours work which DO get done in the winter.

So I am going to graciously accept the request to stop until March "as it suits me thanks."

My lesson? Don't stick to a rule just for the sake of making a point. If it fits my plan even when it comes up by chance I'll think about it before reacting.

Have you any rules that you occasionally allow to be broken? And if so, why?

ive got a domestic job i only clean once a year for £35 next door to a couple of 8 weekly jobs,she was straight with me from the start saying she could only afford me once a year.....the job takes me around 40 mins,shes very nice(primary school teacher) so i just tag it onto the 2 jobs next door when its due.....

[NWH]

Blimey Daz she must be crumpet on that hourly rate.

[dazmond]

Blimey Daz she must be crumpet on that hourly rate.

why?......£35 to clean her windows then 20 mins to clean next doors for £25 so £60 for an hours work then 20 mins to clean next door to that at £22.....im ok with that......👍

[H2GoKent]

Do whatever suits you, not the customer., or rather do whatever you are prepared to as long as they are willing to pay for it.
Otherwise you're letting the tail wag the dog.
I'm very flexible up to a point but will charge extra for every extra thing, longer between cleans,texting the day or whatever.
I am service provider that's how I make my money, so I provide a good service and charge extra for it.
I aim to work  a certain number of hours each week and to make the most money possible per hour.
And that's it really

Actually I do have a rule I won't deal with ignorant people or if I do I charge a LOT more

[Slacky]

rubbish!why would you not want to be on time?less dirt to clean off the windows then....also who wants to work more than 5 hours a day?i dont,not these days...i havent got the stomach for it .....

Sometimes you dont get a choice in the matter Daz. Especially if you havent got the back for it, let alone the stomach.

[NWH]

If you can have 5 weeks off work and you are still up to date you don’t have a huge amount of work imo,I am nearly always 10 days behind or so I like it like that always loads to do when and where I want.
5 whole weeks off I would have to say sod it I’ll start again on all my work till it was on some sort of schedule again,although I don’t have a strict schedule where I go I usually look in the book the evening before and think I’ll go there tomorrow unless I have a job booked in.

[dazmond]

If you can have 5 weeks off work and you are still up to date you don’t have a huge amount of work imo,I am nearly always 10 days behind or so I like it like that always loads to do when and where I want.
5 whole weeks off I would have to say sod it I’ll start again on all my work till it was on some sort of schedule again,although I don’t have a strict schedule where I go I usually look in the book the evening before and think I’ll go there tomorrow unless I have a job booked in.

of course i get behind....but its only a week usually (after a holiday) but on some work ill be 2 weeks behind this time (on certain jobs) due to a holiday last month and being laid up with my back this week......

i dont want to be bursting at the seams with work....i have around 340 jobs at present and its manageable....i dont want any more work TBH.....

but some window cleaners are running 3 or 4 weeks late all the time all year round.....i dont see the point.....you d be better selling some off and getting round more often,theyll be less dirt on the windows and your customers will be happier.

[dazmond]

I work on a monthly basis so I’m always up to date by the end of the month 

Hard work though if I’m ill or want a week off 

you d be better off financially if you switched to 4 weekly then some months you ll clean some of your jobs twice in the same month but not really lose out when you have a week off here and there(in other words you ll still get 12 cleans done a year instead of 11)this is what i do.....most of my jobs are either 4 weekly or 8 weekly......more money over the course of a year and less dirt to clean off the windows with the extra clean.......works for me

we all take at least a month off a year for holidays,sickness,injury,etc so your only getting 11 cleans in(monthly) or 5 cleans(2 monthly)compared to 12 cleans(4 weekly)and 6 cleans(8 weekly).......

[NWH]

Clean twice in a month eh,I would say get more work if you are having to switch people so you can fit them in twice lol.
More work is needed if you ask me,if you are taking off 5 weeks a year and still turning up on time somethings wrong or you have just enough work to get by on and by that I mean you have 25-30 days worth of work a month,that means if you get good weather you’ll get round it all.
If the weathers good I still wouldn’t get round all my work that’s the way I like it I can put prices up and if there were to be any trouble with I’m not having that,fine plenty more work for me to do.
Being a bit sporadic and not turning up bang on time gives you more flexibility they aren’t expecting you on any particular week-day,this in itself gives you the chance for time off.
We all run things the way it suits us but to have 5 weeks off and say I have plenty of work is right in your book but I’d soon chop through it Daz lol.

[Spotfree]

If you running 5 weeks behind all the time and your happier that way then it doesn't sound like your actually behind to me, it sounds more like it's your normal MO.

I like to be on time, my customers like me to be on time so we're right for each other. I picked one up today because the now old window cleaner " can't keep it together " and turn up when he says he's going to.

I would think someone like that has "bitten off more than they can chew"!

I have an abundance of work and earn very well, I work 4 days mostly and am only ever late if the weather is too bad to work in (rarely).

I wouldn't say I'm absolutely bob on with my everything but from reading here I can see I'm far from doing bad, there's always room for improvement is my attitude, suppose that's why I don't do bad.

I would hate for all my work to be in a complete mess and have people wanting to know when I'm coming and not having an answer. Imagine being weeks behind then needing to take time off on top of that, flippin heck my head would crumble.

Each to their own though, there's a customer for every window cleaner!

I do respect the guys that couldn't give a flying monkeys about things I take seriously

[NWH]

We all have customers where clean windows is life or death to them I do keep them happy but I also have a lot that know I will get to them when I get chance,they say to me we know you will get to us eventually you won’t let us down they are the customers on the whole I love.
You aren’t rushed to get there you don’t need to think they’ll get someone else,if you are on time they are happy if you are late they are still happy,good customers to have imo.
I say to customers if I’m late give me a nudge with a text I’ll then try and get to you sooner if you are desperate,at the end of the day it’s cleaning windows it’s not a leaking roof,it’s such a stress free job why make it stressful by doing all your work bang on day bang on month,some days you can just get up and say I’ll cherry pick a few today earn fantastic money and be home by 2 and sit in the garden in summer when the suns out.
Sub consciously some people are letting there customers run there business and the hours they work,when you’ve been doing this job a few years you can see this.

[dazmond]

If you running 5 weeks behind all the time and your happier that way then it doesn't sound like your actually behind to me, it sounds more like it's your normal MO.

I like to be on time, my customers like me to be on time so we're right for each other. I picked one up today because the now old window cleaner " can't keep it together " and turn up when he says he's going to.

I would think someone like that has "bitten off more than they can chew"!

I have an abundance of work and earn very well, I work 4 days mostly and am only ever late if the weather is too bad to work in (rarely).

I wouldn't say I'm absolutely bob on with my everything but from reading here I can see I'm far from doing bad, there's always room for improvement is my attitude, suppose that's why I don't do bad.

I would hate for all my work to be in a complete mess and have people wanting to know when I'm coming and not having an answer. Imagine being weeks behind then needing to take time off on top of that, flippin heck my head would crumble.

Each to their own though, there's a customer for every window cleaner!

I do respect the guys that couldn't give a flying monkeys about things I take seriously

im the same...i like a work routine/schedule to keep to and usually i turn up around the same time on the same day for most work every month,there are days where i dont though and ill chop and change longer frequency jobs to suit me that particular week.....

most customers number 1 complaint about their other window cleaners they ve had in the past are unreliability....time and time again....i try and make sure i dont end up one of them!

[NWH]

Sod that way of working out that’s not freedom to do what you want.