[colin bird]

hi gents,so ive been window cleaning for 18 years.back when i started in 2008 i had minimal customers that required a text prior to cleaning resulting in fewer cancelations.
what ive noticed in recent years more customers are asking for a text the night before cleaning,for me this has resulted in many more cancelations,ive also noticed in the last couple of years the cancelations have increased much more,i feel this is due to the customers  having less dispoable  income and also spending half there life with there phome in the hand.
what are your views ? would you agree with what im saying ?

[dd]

Possibly. If people mess me about too much I just drop them - does not happen often though.

[Splash and dash]

This is why we don’t txt customers , when quoting I explain in detail they are agreeing to a regular 4-8 weekly clean all year round and we work in all weathers within reason , if they hesitate we don’t take them on , again we don’t take on jobs with access  issues if the gate has a lock we will need a key  or a code or won’t do the job simple as that . Only valid reasons for not doing a clean would be things like building work or decorating going on . If they cancel a clean due to looks like it might rain or they aren’t dirty they are reminded what they agreed to at the quoting stage if they still say leave it they are dumped  immediately, but this vary rarely happens probably less than 5 jobs in 10 years .

[tonyoliver]

Text 10 get three  or four skips 
Now it’s spring the suddenly remember my phone number
I think they think we do this as a hobby  or
In between burglaries   

[tlwcs]

On the occasional skippers I added the line on my text that goes, “ your business forms my income and is appreciated”
Some people need a reminder we do this as a job.
It doesn’t stop them completely but once dropped if they ask to come back on I say my records show they were unreliable.
All mine get a text, they always have and rarely do I get a cancellation without good reason.
Tony

[AuRavelling79]

This is why we don’t txt customers , when quoting I explain in detail they are agreeing to a regular 4-8 weekly clean all year round and we work in all weathers within reason , if they hesitate we don’t take them on , again we don’t take on jobs with access  issues if the gate has a lock we will need a key  or a code or won’t do the job simple as that . Only valid reasons for not doing a clean would be things like building work or decorating going on . If they cancel a clean due to looks like it might rain or they aren’t dirty they are reminded what they agreed to at the quoting stage if they still say leave it they are dumped  immediately, but this vary rarely happens probably less than 5 jobs in 10 years .

This is the answer. Set out your stall beforehand.

I rarely pre-notify. The handful that do are because I said yes at the outset

No one cancels for a frivolous reason or it's warning and dump time.

[james peters]

I text about 15% , usually because their gate is locked... if they form a skiping habbit , they are gone, and i just stop without an explanation.
however , if they are in a run of houses , and I would rather keep them, I will increase their price  .

[PHILIP HARDY]

We text around 15-20% of our customers, its a very big pet hate of mine when they cancel with a weak  excuse after a text, I figure we get Zero cancellations on a day with our rota calls, yet excuses like, gates locked, its gonna rain, dogs in and will bark, I find inexcusable,
 The I'm on holiday, doesn't wash, as the house is still there and the fronts are accessible, but what really annoys me is, I spend the time messaging them and they are so ignorant that even when they know we are due (We keep a very strict rotation), they can't be arsed to pre notify me of building work, holidays, carpet fitter, gardening work (you get the drift) prior to getting my message.

My solution which reconciles my annoyance is £1 or £2 price rise every time they cancel at short notice, even if they just had one, a late cancellation results in another, That way regular cancellers drop off the rota or pay over the odds for the job !!

[dazmond]

hi gents,so ive been window cleaning for 18 years.back when i started in 2008 i had minimal customers that required a text prior to cleaning resulting in fewer cancelations.
what ive noticed in recent years more customers are asking for a text the night before cleaning,for me this has resulted in many more cancelations,ive also noticed in the last couple of years the cancelations have increased much more,i feel this is due to the customers  having less dispoable  income and also spending half there life with there phome in the hand.
what are your views ? would you agree with what im saying ?

The only skipped cleans i  get are customers who are having work done on their property (or away on holiday and can't unlock gate).

Customers who skip for no reason got dumped years ago. I dont need/want people like that on my round.

[Stoots]

I text 90% of them. Locked gates or not i prefer people to know im coming makes me feel less awkward.

I also always clean front windows first on every house, lets them know im there so they can get out of my way if they are round back or unlock gate if they have forgot.

Dont get many skips without a reason although you always get the odd day where its 2 or 3 and a couple of locked gates and you question your life.

I would say almost half of my jobs have a lock on or at least a latch that wouldnt be reachable if i didnt text them.