[Paul Coleman]

I had a phone call earlier.  It was from a potential customer who wanted a quote for herself and her neighbour's house.  Two by 4 bedroom detached houses.  Decent size jobs I suppose.
I offered to do the quote tomorrow which was fine except for one thing.  They both keep their garden gates padlocked.  I did ask how I would be able to clean if no-one was home and she seemed to have an expectation that I would be around on a set day each time.  No way can I keep to such a schedule.  I'm often several days out one way or another and apart from that, I decide when I want a day off - not the customer.
I put it to her that if the padlocks were near the tops of the gates I would need spare padlock keys or if they were unhappy about that, they could use combination locks and let me know the combination.  Anyway, she wasn't interested so I politely declined to quote on the grounds that access would be an issue.
Years ago when I first started I had all sorts of issues with this.  It was a complete pain in the rear trying to schedule my business around customers' insecurities so I decided that I wouldn't work that way again.
So that's 2 x 4 bedroomed detached houses that I might have got but didn't even bother looking at.

She told me earlier in the call that previous window cleaners had been unreliable.  I did put it to her that maybe the unreliability was caused by the access problems but she didn't seem to think so.

Basically, I work on trust - like most Shiners.  If I leave a bill I have to trust that I will be sent a cheque.  If they want me to clean for them then they have to have a certain amount of trust that I will not abuse the access.
I suspect that this person will jump from one window cleaner to another over the years as they build their businesses and decide that poor access jobs are not for them.

On a brighter note, I had a call from an old customer today who wants me back.  He ditched me for being unreliable a few years ago.  At the time this was fair comment as I had some severe health problems so I don't have any grudge about it.  I thought a little more compassion might have been in order but at least he notified me with courtesy that he was going elsewhere for his window cleaning.  Anyway, I didn't take that one personally.

[supernova77]

Any houses that I have that have padlocked gates I just call the customer the day before to ask them to leave it open. I don't have any problems with this at all and neither do any of my cusomers.

Andy

[sair]

hi paul
 i stick to scheduled bookings rain or shine if they want that service they pay for it most do, i allways e mail friday week before cleans,  if the gates not open they recieve a bill whether i clean or not ,i never have  had an issue with these terms.  these are the terms they agree to .

[[GQC] Tim]

Any houses that I have that have padlocked gates I just call the customer the day before to ask them to leave it open. I don't have any problems with this at all and neither do any of my cusomers.

Andy

Yea, that's what I do aswell....maybe do a bit of acrobatics if they do forget it.....getting over it is easy, getting the ladder with you is more difficult 

[S_RICHARDSON]

Personally we are not that organized to extent of having customer's phone number's so we just basically jump over! At great hassle!

[Paul Coleman]

One of the problems I have encountered with this type of job before is that a customer who requires this level of security is often quite controlling about me not working in the rain.  This means that they want me regular but not when it rains.  It's the same as saying "Clean other peoples' windows in the rain but don't clean mine".

[Paul Coleman]

Personally we are not that organized to extent of having customer's phone number's so we just basically jump over! At great hassle!

Not so easy as you get older and fatter 
Also, with WFP, it's a muchg more difficult process.  I suppose I could try pole vaulting 

[[GQC] Tim]

Personally we are not that organized to extent of having customer's phone number's so we just basically jump over! At great hassle!

But.....how do you take your ladder with you? 

[S_RICHARDSON]

Good idea I think i'll give that a go!    lol

[Paul Coleman]

hi paul
 i stick to scheduled bookings rain or shine if they want that service they pay for it most do, i allways e mail friday week before cleans,  if the gates not open they recieve a bill whether i clean or not ,i never have  had an issue with these terms.  these are the terms they agree to .

Good point Tony that if they want that kind of service then they must pay a plus premium rate for it.  Something that I didn't mention in my original post was that she started stressing that cost was an issue too.
So basically, I had to make an appointment AND keep the price down.
The more I think of it, the more I feel OK about declining to quote.

However, where the customer will be prepared to pay a higher rate, maybe I should start thinking about charging it.
I have found that there is always a greater risk of "not this time" from such jobs.

[[GQC] Tim]

hi paul
 i stick to scheduled bookings rain or shine if they want that service they pay for it most do, i allways e mail friday week before cleans,  if the gates not open they recieve a bill whether i clean or not ,i never have  had an issue with these terms.  these are the terms they agree to .

Good point Tony that if they want that kind of service then they must pay a plus premium rate for it.  Something that I didn't mention in my original post was that she started stressing that cost was an issue too.
So basically, I had to make an appointment AND keep the price down.
The more I think of it, the more I feel OK about declining to quote.

However, where the customer will be prepared to pay a higher rate, maybe I should start thinking about charging it.
I have found that there is always a greater risk of "not this time" from such jobs.

Another 5 for her....this job isn't ment to be stressful, we make the rules, not them!

[JM123]

Shiner - she's having a laugh mate.  Seriously, a lot of (now please nobody take this the wrong way) housewives don't understand a thing about business, they don't understand that by showing up and not being able to clean the windows because of access probs costs us money, I have a few houses that I have to ring forst - if they aren't in when I come round they pay for the work regardless, some don't like it but I don't give them a choice.

[pylofm]

I have in my terms & conditions that reasonal access to the windows is the responsibilty of the customer and should I not be able to access the windows then they are not cleaned....however the full price will be charged.

We running business's and as such we deserve to be treated as such and not as the 'bloke' down the road who does this for 'laughs'

Cheers
Dave.

[dai]

But.....how do you take your ladder with you?  Wink

Split it to two and make a style. If the gates next to the wall it's a lot easier. DAI

[[GQC] Tim]

Ah yea, my ladder can do that.....sweet