[dai]

I had a month off during July and August so it's two months since I last serviced my round.
Seven customers have left without telling me and owing me money.
I don't normally clean for anyone if they haven't paid for three months, I lost a long standing customer recently who was indignant about my lack of trust in him, true he always paid up eventually in the past but 3 months is long enough to wait for your money.
It's been written on here by some, that they won't clean for anyone who haven't paid for the last clean.
If we practice this, it invites people not to pay, another way of saying leave them this month.
Does anyone have an answer to this problem?
We can't run a business by only cleaning for customers that are in, and have the money in their hand.
I had one customer pay in advance for the next 12 months yesterday, a bit presumptuous now I'm 66, I could do with a few more like that though.

[macmac]

I went over to SAE earlier this year for anything over 7 quid & who i would not be passing by anytime soon to collect. Worked a treat.

Tony

[gerard mcmanus]

Most customer I have do pay on the day, I give them a booking that suits them for that very reason, so you get a regular pay or at least paid for the work you do and dont spend time chasing money spending more money and time going back or if you wait it could add up.

Of course though I do have an odd couple that I dont catch in, but I go back rather than letting them mount up and just leave a note saying I will be back for collection, call me to arrange a more suitable time for you.

When I took a week off, I move some around that preferred not to be just missed and just did the rest in 8 weeks rather than four as a one off. I don’t know what you could do about taking a month off but as for the customer not happy with your lack of faith in him paying you later. Tell them "its not about faith, it about when I do work diligently and on time at your request its only fair that I get paid for the work in the same manor, if every customer did this one month however unlikely I would not make any money would not be able to pay bills and cost of running my business like the petrol I used to come out to you today. If you went to work and your boss told you I'll have to pay you two month next month, its not convenient this month would you be happy? So why should it be acceptable for me to be treated in this way?"

My second point to your post is about

it invites people not to pay, another way of saying leave them this month.
Does anyone have an answer to this problem?

If you do go by and they are always say not this month every now and then, just drop them and get people who want there windows done on a regular basis. Surely you would rather a book of customers who appreciate your regular service rather than one of people who are always wanting to dodge you. I think you might be trying to hard to please everyone mate, some people just cant be pleased.

All the best mate, I hope is of some use to you

Gerard  

[peter holley]

I had a month off during July and August so it's two months since I last serviced my round.
Seven customers have left without telling me and owing me money.
I don't normally clean for anyone if they haven't paid for three months, I lost a long standing customer recently who was indignant about my lack of trust in him, true he always paid up eventually in the past but 3 months is long enough to wait for your money.
It's been written on here by some, that they won't clean for anyone who haven't paid for the last clean.
If we practice this, it invites people not to pay, another way of saying leave them this month.
Does anyone have an answer to this problem?
We can't run a business by only cleaning for customers that are in, and have the money in their hand.
I had one customer pay in advance for the next 12 months yesterday, a bit presumptuous now I'm 66, I could do with a few more like that though.

yes ...you have to be strict.... they have to pay no later than 2 weeks , unless they have been away...its always the same ones who pay late    i am rigid and stop doing them.....!!!!!    suprisingly many of them hasve called and asked why i stopped coming.....and i am up front and say its because the payment was taking too long and that i need payment proptly as stated on my slip... and  they apologies and ask me to start cleaning again , and amazingly they start paying asap

[Chris Galloway]

Did you tell your customers you were not going to be able to clean their windows beforehand?

I always make sure im paid either by bank transfer, cheque via a SAE etc.

How would they like it if they dont get paid once a month on pay day?

Its included on my T&C's that payment is required promptly to keep finances in order, otherwise suspension of service.

[Window Cleaning Services]

I had a month off during July and August so it's two months since I last serviced my round.
Seven customers have left without telling me and owing me money.
I don't normally clean for anyone if they haven't paid for three months, I lost a long standing customer recently who was indignant about my lack of trust in him, true he always paid up eventually in the past but 3 months is long enough to wait for your money.
It's been written on here by some, that they won't clean for anyone who haven't paid for the last clean.
If we practice this, it invites people not to pay, another way of saying leave them this month.
Does anyone have an answer to this problem?
We can't run a business by only cleaning for customers that are in, and have the money in their hand.
I had one customer pay in advance for the next 12 months yesterday, a bit presumptuous now I'm 66, I could do with a few more like that though.

Once you get to know your customers you will find that you need to use a variety of ways.e.g. some i leave s.a.e if they are far out, some i leave a note to leave under door mat for collection next morning if ime passing, some i text or phone night before to leave cheque out for me, some are internet banking,and some i leave msg to phone me to arrange collection if all else fails because they are on holiday or something. Despite all this I still average a £100 owing to me at the end of any given week from different customers. Syd

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

Customers want a regular window cleaner. If you decide to take a month off in the middle of summer.......you are lucky to only lose a few.

How can you run a buisiness and then shoot off for a month??? Surely you could have found someone to cover for you.

If you were my cleaner and didnt service me for 2 month, you would be well dumped, owing or not!!!

Bob

[karygate]

we ring our customers night before . they leave money round the back 99% of time. normally only have to collect a couple a week and we leave them a card to leave the money out for when we call back. works a treat.

[dai]

Customers want a regular window cleaner. If you decide to take a month off in the middle of summer.......you are lucky to only lose a few.

How can you run a buisiness and then shoot off for a month??? Surely you could have found someone to cover for you.

If you were my cleaner and didnt service me for 2 month, you would be well dumped, owing or not!!!

Bob

Bob, even if some of my customers were a little peeved at me taking a month off, I think that moving out of their houses without telling me was rather an extreme reaction, in fact just as ludicrous as moving out just because they owed me money.
These moves were planned long before I went mate, they didn't sack me, they just left.
I didn't take a holiday last year, and it's hardly worth going all the way to Bali for a couple of weeks, it takes the best part of two days to get there.
I don't know how long you have been in this business, but I have learned over many years that the vast majority of domestic customers don't give a dam when you come, as long as it's not too often.
I take your point about taking a month off in the summer, I have decided that next time, we are going in the middle of winter, I doubt though if my customer will be any happier knowing that I am on the beach in Bali while they are freezing their bits off.
I have decided rather late in the day to ask all customers for their mobile numbers, at least then I can harass the hell out of them if they leave without paying.

[peter holley]

[quote au ;Dthor=dai link=topic=62379.msg536447#msg536447 date=1222370409]
I had a month off during July and August so it's two months since I last serviced my round.
Seven customers have left without telling me and owing me money.
I don't normally clean for anyone if they haven't paid for three months, I lost a long standing customer recently who was indignant about my lack of trust in him, true he always paid up eventually in the past but 3 months is long enough to wait for your money.
It's been written on here by some, that they won't clean for anyone who haven't paid for the last clean.
If we practice this, it invites people not to pay, another way of saying leave them this month.
Does anyone have an answer to this problem?
We can't run a business by only cleaning for customers that are in, and have the money in their hand.
I had one customer pay in advance for the next 12 months yesterday, a bit presumptuous now I'm 66, I could do with a few more like that though.

i hope you had a good holiday