[Mike 108]

I don't usually clean windows when it is very windy but as I am so far behind I felt that I had to make a start in catching up.

Only managed 2 houses yesterday before I was rained off again. Then the wind really got up as well!

Was called back to one of the houses today because the occupier said I had missed some bird muck on an upstairs window (I hadn't - it had appeared after I had cleaned and left). Out of politeness, I asked if the other windows were OK only to be told that she could't really tell as they were all dirty again and she was surprised that I had even bothered to clean them at all considering the (bad)weather at the time.

I said that I would go and re-do the window with the bird muck on it-which I did. However, when I looked at the state of the other windows, I had to admit that my cleaning the previous day had been a complete waste of time.

I would't like to have paid out £7.50 only to find that the windows were worse the following day than they were the previous day - before I had cleaned them (it blew like hell during the night).

The result is that I cleaned the downstairs windows again for free (and the house next door!).

Was this a good customer relations exercise or was I crazy?

Need to go out now, but will read all your replies. Thanks

[marc al]

   You cleaned off the last months dirt not what gets on them after you have cleaned, you will never clean anything at this time off year if you don't do it because you are expecting bad weather.

   Marc

[simon knight]

Mike, once you've cleaned them it's job done and "£7.50 please...see ya next month."  Re-doing them because it was a bit blowy during the night and a bird pooed on the window is good PR but setting a dangerous precedent. She might expect it all the time.

[paul saunders]

I'd just finished cleaning one house amd was talking to the owner when it started raining. I said that I would come back and do them again, she said "it's not your fault that it's raining" and told me not to bother. Phew. 

[Ian_Giles]

I think you did the right thing personally, and I would certainly have done the same.

When the weather is this bad, lots of rain and heavy wind, cleaning windows is pointless.
Some will clean whatever the weather, I do the same where weekly and fortnightly shops and so on, but on domestic work I think you are taking the urine if you work in these conditions, within an hour or two they are as bad as before.

My conscience just won't let me work when it is that bad, not when I know that by the time I hold my hand out for the money, the first windows I cleaned will already be mucky again.
But I'll only re-clean them if I know I was in the wrong for cleaning them in the first place.
for instance, if the weather was ok at the time of cleaning, but turned really rough overnight, then tough tittie, providing I cleaned them in at least reasonable weather conditions they have to pay up.



Ian

[Trevor Knight]

Some will clean whatever the weather, I do the same where weekly and fortnightly shops and so on, but on domestic work I think you are taking the urine if you work in these conditions, within an hour or two they are as bad as before.

My conscience just won't let me work when it is that bad, not when I know that by the time I hold my hand out for the money, the first windows I cleaned will already be mucky again.

Your conscience might not be happy but your bank account will and so will your bills that have to be paid?

[Ian_Giles]

If a decorator turned up to paint your windows or your external walls in these conditions he could use the same arguement Trev, but there is no way you would let him do work that will instantly be sub standard, the same applies to many trades that work outdoors, not just us window cleaners, we are at the mercy of the weather.
In fact we are lucky in that we can work is a wide range of conditions that other trades could not.

I've worked in a deluge before now, and if the weather has turned on me half way through a house I've always completed what I started.

These are the times that justify those high prices, this is why you should price work higher rather than lower.

On a sunny day you might fly through this or that account, maybe you feel guilty cos you've just done a £15 house in less than 15 minutes and the customer makes some smart comment, but you have to cover times like these, some of us are weeks behind where they could be....
I've alluded to this kind of thing on other threads about income, some thing you are ripping customers off...but on days like this perhaps they'll realise that they are in fact not being ripped off at all....

Ian

[Mike 108]

Thanks to Mark, Simon, bbdl, Ian and Trevor for the replies - all of which have given me something to think about. I am pleased that at least one of you would have done the same - obviously, it would have been a much harder decision to make if I had managed to get 6 or 10 houses done before being forced to knock off.

Thanks again.

Mike

[Paul Coleman]

I don't usually clean windows when it is very windy but as I am so far behind I felt that I had to make a start in catching up.

Only managed 2 houses yesterday before I was rained off again. Then the wind really got up as well!

Was called back to one of the houses today because the occupier said I had missed some bird muck on an upstairs window (I hadn't - it had appeared after I had cleaned and left). Out of politeness, I asked if the other windows were OK only to be told that she could't really tell as they were all dirty again and she was surprised that I had even bothered to clean them at all considering the (bad)weather at the time.

I said that I would go and re-do the window with the bird muck on it-which I did. However, when I looked at the state of the other windows, I had to admit that my cleaning the previous day had been a complete waste of time.

I would't like to have paid out £7.50 only to find that the windows were worse the following day than they were the previous day - before I had cleaned them (it blew like hell during the night).

The result is that I cleaned the downstairs windows again for free (and the house next door!).

Was this a good customer relations exercise or was I crazy?

Need to go out now, but will read all your replies. Thanks

Ok then.  If you had cleaned the windows and the weather mucked them up TWO days later would you have re-cleaned them F.O.C. ?
Although this time of year it may seem awkward cleaning the windows, bear in mind that you are preventing a dirt build-up.  You could also think of your payment as a retainer of sorts - i.e.  if they want a regular, reliable W/C service, then they have to sometimes accept that conditions will not always be ideal.  If they don't want them cleaned when the weather may be unstable, they either go elsewhere or you have to impose a large price increase to compensate for down time.

[pjulk]

Ian Giles Said -

but on domestic work I think you are taking the urine if you work in these conditions, within an hour or two they are as bad as before

I agree with this and if the weather is bad i will not clean windows.
I price high so can afford a day off here and there.
I have worked in wet weather and windy weather on some occasions but im not happy about doing this as i know there windows won't be as good as they normally are.
And if im not happy im sure my customer's won't be either.

I do work in the rain often though cleaning out gutters so as you can see i don't mind the rain its just im not happy cleaning windows in bad weather.

Paul

[Jago]

I am with Shiner on this
but we all know when it is too bad to clean as you just do not want to be out in it at that point I stop butonly if it looks like it is in for the day

[Trevor Knight]

If a decorator turned up to paint your windows or your external walls in these conditions he could use the same arguement Trev, but there is no way you would let him do work that will instantly be sub standard,

I am not sure this is a fair comparison Ian, I am no painter but as I understand it a surface needs to be dry before you apply the paint so yes I would complain and question his actions?

However, when we clean windows we clean the months build up of dirt and grime off the glass and frames, I am postitive, and please put this to the test at home, when you have cleaned the windows they are free of all the dirt and grime that was previously on the windows, when you look out from inside the glass is clear and bright?

I understand peoples opinions regarding working in the rain, I respect all your views, lets face it, it doesn't affect my income or business what anyone else thinks. The only reason I keep harping on about this is because it makes me sad when people say I couldn't work because of rain, I am behind this month already with this weather.

Truthfully, and your all welcome to spend a day out with any of my vehicles, people appreciate we have to get our work done and that we can't control the weather. I honestly and truthfully have not had hardly any complaints at all over the years, lets face it, if I did i wouldn't be banging this drum.

My comparison Ian would be to ask this:

You clean a customer at 9am - its not raining - they are out so you ticket the customer.
At 9.15 it pours down and continues to do this until 4pm

What do you do now?

a) oh its rained all day since I cleaned them so I will not collect and they can have this FOC?
b) call back to collect, explain it wasn't raining when you cleaned if they ask and expect to get paid?

if your answer is b) then my final question is surely with your point of view the windows are now just as dirty as before so why collect?

Hope this makes sense Ian.

Speak soon,

Trev

[Mike 108]

Shiner,

No. I wouldn't let it bother me if the windows got mucked up through bad weather TWO days after I had cleaned them - it was just that these two customers will have left the house in the morning with slightly dirty windows and come back at tea-time to find (or discover first thing next morning)  filthy windows and a bill for £7.50.

I think that I would have felt it was a waste of money - although I wouldn't have blamed the window cleaner.

I am thinking about about altering my Terms and Conditions leaflets to include an explanation/disclaimer for such events in the future.

What do you think?

Cheers,

Mike

P.S. Going out now, while its not raining!

[Paul Coleman]

Shiner,

No. I wouldn't let it bother me if the windows got mucked up through bad weather TWO days after I had cleaned them - it was just that these two customers will have left the house in the morning with slightly dirty windows and come back at tea-time to find (or discover first thing next morning)  filthy windows and a bill for £7.50.

I think that I would have felt it was a waste of money - although I wouldn't have blamed the window cleaner.

I am thinking about about altering my Terms and Conditions leaflets to include an explanation/disclaimer for such events in the future.

What do you think?

Cheers,

Mike

P.S. Going out now, while its not raining!

I think a change of T & cs is a good idea.  I have recently done this as well.  So far, only for new customers.  I'm going to be mildly devious and wait for a better weather period before doing this with existing customers. 

[Jago]

T&C's what kind of things do you tell em or do you have like a contract?

Do the customers object?

Regards J

[Mike 108]

T & Cs - e.g.
 
Whether the clean includes frames and/or sills,
Prices first quoted are only estimates and may need to be amended (after 2/3 cleans) to reflect actual time taken,
When you expect to be paid,
When an annual increase in price will be applied
(Not responsible if the window becomes soiled later on the same day it was cleaned?)

Just a few ideas.

Mike

[Templar]

I was surprised by some of the comments. I intended to clean in the rain.I have not noticed that it has ever dirtied my windows.

I thought that rain water was clean, didn't spot, and also air quality was very good in squally conditions?

I don't have much experience admitedly. Perhaps some one who has could comment.

[AuRavelling79]

I was surprised by some of the comments. I intended to clean in the rain.I have not noticed that it has ever dirtied my windows.

I thought that rain water was clean, didn't spot, and also air quality was very good in squally conditions?

I don't have much experience admitedly. Perhaps some one who has could comment.

Templar, I think that generally you are right - but next to very busy roads with lots of spray, downwind of industrial areas and just occasionally freak conditions you can get mucky windows in a short time.

[dai]

Templar, I think that generally you are right - but next to very busy roads with lots of spray, downwind of industrial areas and just occasionally freak conditions you can get mucky windows in a short time.


That's true, but when you live on the coast you have the salt to contened with.
That blows around in the wind and can effect houses miles inland.
"I didn't think you would be round in this" I have had this said to me daily for the last month. I tell them that I have to earn a living. I also tell them a bit tonge in cheek, that I was thinking of putting my prices up 25% and having 3 months off in the winter. This usually shuts the up. Dai

[gmcs]

I'm with dai on this one being on the coast we have salt and sand to deal with ..........do they want them done or not