[Davew]

First clean and they are amazed, second clean no problems but several of my customers get to number three and decide to get funny - can't afford it, got no money, not today it's going to rain, not today we are going on holiday tomorrow. Anyone else find this?

[Sir Squeaky]

Yes exactly what happened to me.

They give you a chance to start with, but they soon tire of it.
You get every excuse under the sun don't you?

I'm getting more than ever now after 6 months.
It's not my work causing the problem either.(or your's)

You're not doing anything wrong.
People just don't like it as much.

[Sir Squeaky]

I also find that a lot of those who were chatty and gave me a cuppa have changed.

Now they just hand the money over, grunt, and go back inside.
It's only time before they cancel.

[LWC]

i must admit, cups of teas are few and far apart and chats are less. but to be fair, thats what used to slow me down

we're only there 5 mins, they probably think its not worth making one. when before say we'd be there 20 mins

[Dean Aspects]

Although i have had few complaints i have noticed that i get very few tips now
Will have to see if that continues at xmas time

Dean

[Ravensford]

Have you considered that they look at the windows which are still clean, see how quickly you manage to clean them & how much they cost? They work out how much you are earning coupled with your eagerness to get them done & they start to want to slow you down a bit.

I did encounter a bit of what you are experiencing but explained to the ones that started to waiver that it was better to have clean windows all the time rather than let them get dirty & then have them cleaned. With trad they were probably a bit grubby when I turned up but now they still seem to be clean & I want to clean them again.

Customers do not, as a general rule, work out exactly when you last called but see that you are trying to clean an already clean window?

My explanation of a maintenance clean (a bit more articulately to the customer) done the trick most of the time.

Hope this helps  

[Sir Squeaky]

Although i have had few complaints i have noticed that i get very few tips now
Will have to see if that continues at xmas time

Dean

I'm not expecting much in the way of tips this year.

I usually get £350-400 from my 200-odd customers.
I bet I'll get about £50 this year. :

[Davew]

Tips? the theiving buggers owe me. Ive had several who didn't have the right money and I politely said ok pay me next time, yeah right. Out of a couple of hundred customers only four have a concience and would phone because they don't like owing money.

[Davew]

Squeak I reckon your van is working againt you, mine is signwritten, smart and tidy I even polish it on the weekend (silver) but all the locals think your earning too much. It goes against the trditional image of the poor scruffy windowcleaner who has no money. I would be very shocked to recieve tips. If your after commercial work then fine.
My wife works for Tesco and many of the staff won't even speak to a cleaner as they think they are lowlife! Although she is not a cleaner she started cleaning for an elderly couple, only to end up being treated as a servant.

[pingu]

Why not start thinking about 6 or 8 weekly .....you could increase your p.a income..( or there abouts)without resorting to silly day early tricks, would give you additional intrest in your business and at least your customers would 'feel' they are getting value for money....there is no way I would pay someone to clean my windows every 4 weeks....regardless of how much I was earning..

Try it out on your own house....I have my house in George and have been watching how dirty the glass is getting within  4,6,8 and 12 weeks....very little difference between 4-6-8 weeks...try it.

It could all be down to perception...they see you wizz round in minutes, hold out your hand and get the cash...in their eye's for what ?...4 weeks the windows are still clean to them...so when we all pull up in newish type vans and flash gear...they do not see our investment...they see there money paying for you to get flash gear/vans/holidays.....again all down to how they see it...

But yes 3 seems to be the magic number.

[Davew]

I give them a choice when I take them on - they can have what they like as long as it's regular. I tell them the norm is five weeks but they don't have to have it. If they want to change it they could phone me up and change it instead of waiting till I turn up and sending me away.    (I just can't get around the fact that the general public are such arse*oles)

[pingu]

Thats not like you DaveW....Try not to tar them all with the same tar brush....at the end of the day...all accounts are just that...accounts...

Try not to let them create a bitter streak within you...

Go out this week with the sole intention of replacing them and when you have found new accounts ....get rid....what a wonderful business we are in.....

Have 1 customer who has 'had' me for 2 cleans....ok so in total it is only 14 quid....but I have ceased to let this person bother me further...I have noted it as a bad debt and it will be in the end of year accounts as such.

I now work 'knowing' that I will have to wear the fact that I will be '****** over' a certain amount during the year....with this in mind I have one job where it take me 35 minutes (start to finish) and I bill 56quid and this is 4weekly....swings and round abouts.

The power of change is so great within this game that I wish I have left school and immeadiatly bought window cleaning gear and started there and then...

Think about all the fantastic aspects and do not let these upsets get out of balance...

No my round is not perfect...I get done just as much as the next man and I am no business guru either but life is just too short to let these things take up too mch brain time..

Find good new - replace sh-it

[Ian_Giles]

Phew! I am so glad I don't work in the same area as Squeaks!.....hang on....I DO

I don't have any of the problems that Squeaks has, certainly not with new customers, I have lost the occasional customer, who hasn't? And probably because of WFP, but equally I have those who want their windows cleaned specifically because IT IS WFP.
As for tips...well I get nothing like as much as Squeaks gets, but then I have an awful lot more commercial than Squeaks, and they don't tend to tip.

The van does make an image difference though, sometimes bad and mostly good.

I did lose a £50 commercial account because of the van, the guy really seemed to resent the fact that i could afford a new van...and he was a main dealer for Mitsubishi!!
Started by cutting the frequency of the clean, and actually told me he was ****** if he was going to help buy me a new van

but on balance, it has been a massive plus where getting new work has been concerned.

Ian

[Davew]

Thats not like you DaveW....

I get on a downer every now and again when I get treated badly or let down. I also have some lovely customers who I enjoy seeing and chatting to. Overall it's still a great job. 

[Sir Squeaky]

I don't have any of the problems that Squeaks has, certainly not with new customers...

I don't with new customers!

But I've only got about 4 "new" customers.

[pingu]

Squeak....If I were you I would give this game up and just become a chav and live off the state mate...Think it's all a bit too much for you....

Let those who can do and those who cannot....not...

You never seem happy....bin it...go on....quit...doss...go on the dole...you'll feel much better for it....and we would not have to listen/read your soul destroying ramblings.

[Sir Squeaky]

I'm fine goon.
I've always got cash on me, and I only do 3 days a week.
As soon as that becomes 5 I'll be coining it.

Afford a brand new big van and a car for the missus don't I?
Still manage to go out every weekend and buy games and dvds.

Why don't you stick to typing crap about your little fantasy world, and leave the real world advise to the people who been around in this game for a bit?

I'd put any money I'd be quicker than you, more accurate than you, and more skilled.
I've been there done that.

Too many newbies around here who are getting a bit above their station lately.

[gary999]

didnt realise their was a pecking order,or that you came from the aristocracy
of window cleaners.

thankyou for reminding us that we should bow and scrape to your every whim
you being blue blood and all

[dudek]

Sqeaks mate,

Since i have been coming on here all you have ever done is complain mate.

Its all about your attitude to what your doing in any walk of life.

We all get dealt the odd s**t hand in life, its just about how you choose to handle it.

Think about it

[Sir Squeaky]

...and another one.

You obviously haven't spotted that there's another section of this forum for "other topics"

I think you'll find most people will tell you I'm always cheerful and have a good laugh with others.

I get wound up by the crap that's getting spouted by the new members lately.
Most of whom don't even put their name or location, as they're so false.

Of course I'm going to complain when people give out bad advise and overhype things to make themselves look good.

I personally always speak the truth on here and live in the real world.

Not some £500 per day, everyone loves me, fantasy world.