[Ian_Giles]

Good reply from Lizzie there!

I agree with Squeaks on his first reply, apart from the silly WFP comment.

customer care is important, there are times when I feel as you do Tosh, but I find I just can't stop myself doing a thorough job.
Was doing a bungalow yesterday (an elderly couple) and I was on a mission yesterday too, I needed to do ££££ of work to not just get a record week (I'd achieved that already) but to reach a certain target turnover for a weeks work.

"Do you want a cup of tea dear?" Asks the old lady.
"NO! No way! can't you see how busy I am!" Says I......

But all she hears are the words, "Oh ta very much, I'd love one!" 

So my 8 minute bungy turns into a 30 minute job ....mind you, I came away with 2 lovely cabbages out of her garden

The customer is so important, if they like you they are also likely to recommend you too.

I was £32.50 short of my target too 
It poured down with rain, was just to heavy to continue...sigh..got soaked completely through as it was...but that cup of tea cost me £15 as I had to leave one account uncleaned.

but if that bloody rain hadn't come down I'd have smashed my target by about £70.........sigh!

I do have customers that I let drift by the wayside though...they become just too much effort to do somehow.....

Ian

[Londoner]

Never the less its good to set yourself targets and try to achive them. In this game its all too easy to get distracted and drift along.

[Toff]

i broke my leg and have been waiting to go back to work (16 weeks) this is when all that good will stands you in good stead its like your insurance and all that banter you bothered with pays its dividends, my customers have been great, so don't become distant from them.

[AuRavelling79]

If it's not too personal - was your broken leg work related?

[Toff]

yes iam very careful on the ladders, but i was stepping over this 2 foot wall not consentrating fell broke my leg in two places   and the first thing that went through my head was how am i going to clean windows

[s.hughes]

Toff did you go round and explain to your customers the problem (although they would see) and let them know how long you would be off work.
This is something that worries me, as it would the rest off us.

Steve

[dai]

Iam in the same position as you Tosh, really losing the battle to keep up.
There is another little thing that comes into the equasion. We read on here about other guys earnings which are far greater than mine. Then you can easily begin to resent your customers because they won't pay the £10 minimum charge. what many don't tell us is that they have to travel a mile to the next job. In the time it takes them to travel, you have done your next house.
One newby W/C actually stopped the other day and began preaching about my low prices. If I was to adopt his suggestion and double my prices, I would have earned £360 for the day.

I don't think it's the amount of work we have, it's not that on it's own. I think that sometimes our customers lack of consideration plays a big part. Locked gates, dog poo, putting the barbie next to the patio door and saying good morning as they leave without paying, knowing we have to call back.
All these things make us feel a bit negative about the job, and in retaliation we let our standard slip a little. Dai

[windows_chepstow]

I don't think it's the amount of work we have, it's not that on it's own. I think that sometimes our customers lack of consideration plays a big part. Locked gates, dog poo, putting the barbie next to the patio door and saying good morning as they leave without paying, knowing we have to call back.
All these things make us feel a bit negative about the job, and in retaliation we let our standard slip a little. Dai

Dai, that's an extremely perceptive post.

[Toff]

Steve
        what i did was  a letter drop explaining but saying if they need their windows cleaned in the mean time i  might beable to get somelse to clean them, then if they moan you can quote this to them. this worked perfect. I was surpriced how many sent me get well cards.But its been very hard keeping my shops going, i have to go around with my brother ( who as'nt done alot of window cleaning)in the van telling him what to do.Its then when you realise how good you are and that there is more to window cleaning than you thought.But my brother likes it so much he's builing his own round up.