[simon knight]

There was a time when I thought some who posted on here dumped customers too readily and my attitude was to cut custies a load of slack.

I was wrong...so wrong.

I've found there's basically 2 types of customers.

1) Those who genuinely want their windows cleaned regularly...monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly...I'm not fussed as long as they stick to the arrangement!

and 2) Those who really just want them cleaned as and when they're filthy...perhaps twice a year and want to call me.

Those who fall into category No.2 are being dumped and this is effectively halving my customer base so lots more canvassing required.

I know that from time to time I'll get calls from dumped customers wanting a clean....but what's a nice way of saying "you're dumped"?

[Neil_A]

"I/We run a all year round service  I/we cant afford to have customers choosing when they do and when they dont want there windows done'  I/We clean on a weekly or monthly arrangement'

I would and have said something like that

[Davew]

Someone said to me "if your boss told you to take two months off without pay you wouldn't like it would you?" It's the same for us we need a regular income we have mortgages to pay the same as everyone else.

[dave0123]

I have had alot saying to me oh i want it doing every 2 or 3 months etc and say so  i will ring you then....

but i allways try and get them doin on paper well george so if they want every 3monthly clean fine.. but i dont let them ring me i allways get them down on george and i just come when george tells me.

I had one that i said ok give me a ring when u want them cleaning near when i first started what  a big mistake!

Dave

[cybersye]

It must be great being so successful and minted from window cleaning that you can dump customers as you feel like. Sure most my customers are regular but the ones who do only want windows cleaned when they call I rarely refuse, I just explain my pricing( more than a regular clean obviously )  at that it will be' x 'amount at pre arranged time with instant payment. They do call me back and I dont have a problem with this. Work is work and so is money. If I've the time and its worth my while doing I never turn a job opportunity down.
Thats not a dig at you Simon or anyone else, just I'm not a wealthy window cleaner, I get by fine but until which time I've too much work I'll continue to adopt the same approach to my work.

[Neil_A]

It must be great being so successful and minted from window cleaning that you can dump customers as you feel like. Sure most my customers are regular but the ones who do only want windows cleaned when they call I rarely refuse, I just explain my pricing( more than a regular clean obviously )  at that it will be' x 'amount at pre arranged time with instant payment. They do call me back and I dont have a problem with this. Work is work and so is money. If I've the time and its worth my while doing I never turn a job opportunity down.

Everyone is different in many ways

I to wouldn't turn a job down, but we are talking about customers that arrange to have it done weekly/monthly  then change there mind and mess u about

[cybersye]

It must be great being so successful and minted from window cleaning that you can dump customers as you feel like. Sure most my customers are regular but the ones who do only want windows cleaned when they call I rarely refuse, I just explain my pricing( more than a regular clean obviously )  at that it will be' x 'amount at pre arranged time with instant payment. They do call me back and I dont have a problem with this. Work is work and so is money. If I've the time and its worth my while doing I never turn a job opportunity down.

Everyone is different in many ways

I to wouldn't turn a job down, but we are talking about customers that arrange to have it done weekly/monthly  then change there mind and mess u about

Oh I see, sorry
In my case what I've said above still applies I'd just slap some extra pricing on them and explain that what they want is different to a regular clean and let them decide.

[simon knight]

It must be great being so successful and minted from window cleaning that you can dump customers as you feel like. Sure most my customers are regular but the ones who do only want windows cleaned when they call I rarely refuse, I just explain my pricing( more than a regular clean obviously )  at that it will be' x 'amount at pre arranged time with instant payment. They do call me back and I dont have a problem with this. Work is work and so is money. If I've the time and its worth my while doing I never turn a job opportunity down.

Everyone is different in many ways

I to wouldn't turn a job down, but we are talking about customers that arrange to have it done weekly/monthly  then change there mind and mess u about

...and that's the whole point. Do you want regular guaranteed work or a book full of as and when punters?

All of my custies when first cleaned agreed to a regular basis...1, 2 or 3 monthly...then come the month some gave it the old "well they're ok at the moment can we leave it for another month or can I call you?"

I agree money is money but I don't want the situation where custies tittle-tattle in the street and Mrs Jones says: "Oh I just call him when I need them done"...and Mrs Smith thinks "Mmmm..I'll do that as well."

[Stephen Dwyer]

I have had problems with customers doing similar things to what others have described in this thread.  As I am not doing too well I can't really afford to drop them so I just grin and bear it for the most part but it is very annoying. 

[d s windowcleaning]

hi simon just tell them dave aint sent me any scrims yet so you cant do the job with out them . no seriously mate custom like that aint worth having i had custys like this a few years ago and just stopped going when they seen me a few months later and asked why i hadnt been i just told them that the way they wanted didnt fit in with my plans . they soon realized it was my terms or no window cleaner ( im the only 1 in this area ) minght be diffrent for you . i did take these back on and they are now good custom and have had me as a cleaner for the last 5 years . they are even waiting until i return to work . so just play it cool mate .

[supernova77]

I think that if you want to build a successful round/business in window cleaning you need to have a solid customer base.

I've been going neally 2 years now. When I first started I would take on almost any job because it was work and money.

But, then I got to a stage where I had work due all over the place... For example I would clean 1 house that was every 8 weeks but clean their next door neighbour every 12 weeks or something silly like that... In the end it just didn't make sense working that way.

Now all of my customers except 3 very large and expensive ones are every 8 weeks. It works like a dream now!

Anyone who wants to break from the 8 week cycle is dumped! As an example the other day I cleaned a house. It was a £35 house which I do every 8 weeks. Customer pays me and says could you just come to me every other time (every 16 weeks) instead... My answer was NO, and she's now deleted from George... I don't want customers who don't want to fit into my round and my way of working!

Andy

[matt]

i allways explain i need a round full of regular customers who i know will have them cleaned when i come around, i have bills to pay aswell

[windowwashers]

I think that if you want to build a successful round/business in window cleaning you need to have a solid customer base.

I've been going neally 2 years now. When I first started I would take on almost any job because it was work and money.

But, then I got to a stage where I had work due all over the place... For example I would clean 1 house that was every 8 weeks but clean their next door neighbour every 12 weeks or something silly like that... In the end it just didn't make sense working that way.

Now all of my customers except 3 very large and expensive ones are every 8 weeks. It works like a dream now!

Anyone who wants to break from the 8 week cycle is dumped! As an example the other day I cleaned a house. It was a £35 house which I do every 8 weeks. Customer pays me and says could you just come to me every other time (every 16 weeks) instead... My answer was NO, and she's now deleted from George... I don't want customers who don't want to fit into my round and my way of working!

Andy

Andy, you should have said yes but it would be £50/£55 every other time. Money is money at the end of the day and that is the point of having a business and thats to make money.


Simon, number to on your list: why dump them if they want to call you every six months that another customer thats charged a one-off cleaning fee that fits in when you are in the area when they call and it will be a bonus for that clean, think about it.
people that just dump customers I think are mad or richer than me, fair enough it they are a total nightmare, but a good house and good paying customer they can call me when ever they like but they pay a high price for this service and they are told this, then they have three choices either say the way they are (result), call me as and when (result) say no then I have tried to turn the customer to money 2 ways and they said no not my fault, cant talk badly about me 

I am not saying I never dump a customer, there are many reasons I do but not in the way above anymore, I must have lost loads over the years listening to that info.

even if you only convert 1 of them out of 10 to call every six months it is still money you would not have had if you just dumped them.

[twt]

i had one like this . a few months ago she asked me to clean them i asked if she wanted them cleaning regularly she says yes. do windows takes long time cos their filthy but i dont mind cos it woud be a good price for a regular clean. when im finished she says can you come every two months and can you ring before you come so i can leave gate unlocked yes thats fine i said.

two months later when i phone her she says oh no can you miss me out this time ok i said. next month i was in the area so i knocked on the door and she said oh no thanks not this time ok i said.

 next month tried calling her on three seperate days before doing the area she is in no answer so i decide not to bother anymore.

 about six months have passed and on thursday she sees me cleaning in her area and asks if i will clean her windows i said that im very sorry but im sticking to my regular customers she says but i only said i didn't want them cleaning one time i overlooked this and just said sorry but i priced the job up to be cleaned regularly and now the windows will be filthy again so i am sticking to my regular customer.

i dont want this sort of customer they are a waste of time i want to know that i have a regular income from customers if they are hit and miss i would rather not bother cos theres always someone whos had a window cleaner mess them about and just wants someone to clean their window regular.

[NWH]

Tell them you will increase the price if they don`t fit in with the time scale your after,i don`t let the customer dictate to me anymore.I had 1 customer that was every 4 weeks and then she said that she would ring me every 3 months or so when they needed doing,she looked amazed when i said ok the windows will be in a much worse state therefore the new price will be X,can you imagine what state your round would be in if all your customers decieded they wanted to do this,i refuse now point blank about this way of cleaning and say that every 2 months is the longest i`ll leave them apart from the few 3 monthly big paying jobs,once customers know you won`t be messed around they won`t even bother trying it on as they`ll know you just won`t bother coming anymore.The key is to be firm but fair and in my opinion if they want there windows cleaned any longer than 2 months there taking  the P***.

[Russell Macdonald]

There was a time when I thought some who posted on here dumped customers too readily and my attitude was to cut custies a load of slack.

I was wrong...so wrong.

I know that from time to time I'll get calls from dumped customers wanting a clean....but what's a nice way of saying "you're dumped"?

I'm one of them, i have a quality round because my round is 4 weeks only & my custys know that. I dumped 2 this year because of not this time because i dont offer that service. All mine know what day i will turn up even in the rain & they accept that or find another wc. I set my service & they have the choice if they want it.

If i turn up & they have a good reason either work is being done or about to start that's fine, other wise they get cleaned or they are off my round.

Also if i drop a custy they don't get back on my round.

Macc

[alan andrewswestsi]

i.ve had a couple of customers said come back in the sping , i have decided that i will not go back it,s much better to give a service to your loyal punters , just knock a few doors and find someone that appreciates you , oh and one of them was a £50.00 job , forget them its their loss

[Wayne Thomas]

Prior to an initial clean for a new customer, IF the windows and frames are in a really bad state I will charge double the price to reflect the extra time spent cleaning the job. I ensure the customer is happy with this prior to taking on the work otherwise I won't take on the job, because if the customer is deceitful about wanting their windows cleaned at regular intervals then at least I am not out of pocket because of the extra time spent on the initial clean.
I find this method weeds out the deceitful customers who are only after a quick first & only wash and are simply taking advantage of our trusting nature nowadays.
With regards to dumping customers, I give them all two opportunities to mess me around and on the third time they are dumped because working in small villages word of mouth soon spreads that you are a soft touch and before you know it you would have a full round of customers messing you around with every excuse under the sun. Be firm but be fair. It works both ways but at the end of the day you are running your business, not your customers.

[pingu]

I have no where near a full round but it is in an area where I no longer use my saving's to live and buy treats..

If I were to turn up to a job and was turned away (silly excuse like rain) I would explain the situation that I do not work like that ,should the customer still wish to continue their objection..I would walk away....and then try to gain a replacement customer.

I have been very lucky so far....only had 2 try this...1 has been dropped (pita customer) and the other saw my point and is still with us.

For those of us who are not full and each individual customer is really needed ....we need to be very careful not to get too quick off the mark ....I dropped 10 a\c's this year...made some very basic mistakes with customer care....

We need customers and our reputations can be tarnished very easily...Word of mouth spreads faster when it's a slagging off....


Dave.

[bluez]

I don't operate a round system. I have a customer list made up of everyone who has ever used me wheather thats once or every 4 weeks and I try to fit in everyone who calls my phone for Interior, exterior and gutters. I have probably said this on here before but there just isn't a tradition of domestic window cleaning rounds in my area. I find that it gives me a bit more control on price, i can change it whenever I want and depending on how busy I am I can upsell interiors. Downside is that I have to market continually to keep busy particularly in the winter( about 15/20 hours a week flyers and door knocking). I do have commercial rounds that keep me going year round. I can see the points being made but in my area I would be a very quite w/c if I relied on only serving my regular customers.