[Mr Sparkle]

Hi guys i've had quite a few calls lately asking if i'll come do there windows and they all say do you do the frames and i say yes
I tell them i come once a month to clean them and they say yes that sounds about right.
So i go do them and really scrub the frames and sills and they look amazing. Some are absolutley filthy when i go to clean them but nontheless i spend ages making them look like new, sometimes i spend over an hour on 1 house just to impress them
Then when i've done them they say thanks brilliant job but i'll give you a call when i want them doing again.
This really tee's me off. Do any of you guys get this and is there a way round it?
(Post modified, swearing is NOT allowed)

[Steve CM]

i sign them up for a minimum of 3 months. at least i can get 2 more months worth of money out of the messers. they will akways be there

[Helen]

Hi guys i've had quite a few calls lately asking if i'll come do there windows and they all say do you do the frames and i say yes
I tell them i come once a month to clean them and they say yes that sounds about right.
So i go do them and really scrub the frames and sills and they look amazing. Some are absolutley filthy when i go to clean them but nontheless i spend ages making them look like new, sometimes i spend over an hour on 1 house just to impress them
Then when i've done them they say thanks brilliant job but i'll give you a call when i want them doing again.
This really p**sys me off. Do any of you guys get this and is there a way round it?

There will always be some somwhere out there
The first thing you should be explaining is "I only take on regular cleaning and not one offs" make sure they have heard that.
Then charge higher on the first clean, if they play up it doesn't seem so bad.
Don't just "tell" them your terms, send a written confirmation setting out your terms. Most people don't hear or take in everything from a phone call. Written terms do not insure that they will behave, but at least you then have someting to refer to when they say "i'll call you when I want you next"
As we all learn, there are warning signs to look out for when you go to quote. How dirty are the windows? filthy? then why? perhaps they have always messed their window cleaners about

[Steve CM]

How dirty are the windows? filthy? then why? perhaps they have always messed their window cleaners about

or perhaps they haven't been able to find a decent window cleaner for a long time?

One thing i've found is you can never judge a book by its cover. its the nature of the beast unfortunatly. sorting the wheat from the chaf. but as was said by Helen if you charge a little more for the first clean then it doesn't feel as bad. I outline i have a 3 month minimum term. i still have on the rare occasion someone trying it on. its part of the job unfortunatly

[matt]

when i take on new customers

i allways point out that the first clean will be a bit hit and miss, AND the frames will start to come up clean after a few cleans

it weeds out the " i will phone you " lot

but it still happens, and i guess allways will

[chrisyg]

double regular clean price - maybe more if really dirty on the first clean - ask do they want a regular or one off - if its reg i advise my price for 4 weekly and say if a month is missed extra next month by them saying no thanks, or just do them when they want and they pay the one off fee, when they want them done.

If it takes you an hour charge for an hours work.. Dont mug yourself off.

[mikethechamois]

yes it happens, nothing you can do about it im afraid

i inc frames but i dont do a big clean up on first clean, i explain that it takes several cleans to get them clean and several more to get them gleaming

i also explain that if the frames have been neglected by their previous wc they can look worse before they look better

with more wcs offering frames as standard, wfp always do frames ,  people are expecting it now andwill sack a wc in favour for one that includes frames in their  price

if they want a big frame clean up to start with thats an extra one off payment, once they know this they opt for the inc frames option  and wait for their gleaming frames. i havent done a frame clean up yet

[stfc]

yeh ive had that b4 now terms and conditions ONLY if they dont like it they go

[ftp]

I've got one coming up - it hasn't been cleaned for eight years. I heard from a good source that they want to sell up soon.  :
End of tenancy cleans are a classic too - clean them once and they bugger off a week later.
Beware of customers asking for a clean on a specific date too. I had one a couple of weeks ago wanted a clean because she was throwing a dinner party (husband let it out).

[sageorgeta]

If i have a bad feeling about a new customer but still would like to do the job i tell them that due to people booking me and then telling me they will call me back at a later date i charge 3 x the monthly charge and will do the next two months without calling for payment.Nearly all understand why and those that dont well i dont want them anyway.
Of course if they ask for a one off that is a differant proposition....i never get them coz i charge way to much as i hate doing one offs...

[Lee Pryor]

I think its a matter of being very clear to people like that, i always say the line " at the end of the day it boils down to price, after all if it was free you would be happy to have it once a week right?" rather than price per job i prefere to reduce the frequency of the cleans, that way they save money over the year but you will still earn as much each day. you will just need a few more cust to fill those gaps.

[Davo]

I think its a matter of being very clear to people like that, i always say the line " at the end of the day it boils down to price, after all if it was free you would be happy to have it once a week right?" rather than price per job i prefere to reduce the frequency of the cleans, that way they save money over the year but you will still earn as much each day. you will just need a few more cust to fill those gaps.

Spot on.

Mark

[STEVE-UK]

If i have a bad feeling about a new customer but still would like to do the job i tell them that due to people booking me and then telling me they will call me back at a later date i charge 3 x the monthly charge and will do the next two months without calling for payment.Nearly all understand why and those that dont well i dont want them anyway.
Of course if they ask for a one off that is a differant proposition....i never get them coz i charge way to much as i hate doing one offs...

i bet it would annoy you if they dont ask you back after the 3rd clean ?

[Tosh]

Mr Sparkle,

It's tough when you first start up and will continue to be that way for a few years.  Your lack of experience on the tools don't help and you end up with a lot - a lot - of timewasting customers.

Until you get your work load established you'll find you will get messed about.

My advise is to drop bad customers as soon as you can; there's a window cleaner near me who gets messed about all the time and he just accepts it because he won't drop or be firm with his bad customers.

[sageorgeta]

If i have a bad feeling about a new customer but still would like to do the job i tell them that due to people booking me and then telling me they will call me back at a later date i charge 3 x the monthly charge and will do the next two months without calling for payment.Nearly all understand why and those that dont well i dont want them anyway.
Of course if they ask for a one off that is a differant proposition....i never get them coz i charge way to much as i hate doing one offs...

i bet it would annoy you if they dont ask you back after the 3rd clean ?

Well luckily that has never happened,but i would rather be cancelled after 3 cleans rather than after one when you have done the first clean which we all know takes a lot longer.
My point was that if they are willing to pay for the first 3 cleans then they are hardly likely to be messing you about.

[lovewindows]

It happens , dont beat yourself up about it , we would all prefer regular custys but if and when they ring fit them in when it suits you , charge more if you want , at the end of the day it's still money.

[MSTAV]

I dont agree with charghing more for first cleans(no wonder some cancal afterwards being charged double for first clean) as after the first clean it is a walk in a park. come on doing monthly customers we are getting paid to clean alreaady clean windows. If customer say's they want a 1 off then by all means i charge at least double but as regulars i never charge over the top for the first clean. ie a 3 bed terrace house on first clean will take about 20mins max if dirty, after the first clean your only talking 10 mins for the house, if you have 5 in a row or close to van so no need to move then id say its taking the p a bit. anyway thats just me on first cleans.

[mikethechamois]

i take the same approach mstav and share your view on this, the  idea is to retain their custom long term and a good first clean helps ensure this as well as making your life easier

we now have to think about how to retain new clients as there are so many new wcs starting right now

when knocking last week one lady said to me your like  buses , dont see anyone for months and now you all turn up at the same time, well your too late ive got a wc now

[johnny_h]

tell them if you take them on its on a 3 month minimum or for a one off its 3x your normal rate as someone else pointed out there are more new boys about at the min most will fall by the way side when they find its not as easy as it looks there is still plenty of work about i turned 3 down yesterday as i saw they were going to be problems with locked gates 3 years ago i would of taken them on i dont need the hasstle now

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

it happens i am afraid, but as long as you got some cash out of it then you are ok, unlike me this morning, i took a booking last week for a 4th floor flat with 9 huge windows all filthy, anyways an hour later they are sparkling and i was pleased that it looked so good after all my hard work, now only thing to do is collect the 55 bucks i quoted her at the time, no answer, cool i will just pop a ticket in and wait til the paypal money comes in as thats the arrangement i came to, anyways as i was putting the last of the poles etc into the van the lady at the bottom flat came out and says

 "i watched you do all the window there but i think you did the wrong flat as thats my sisters flat and she didnt organise a window cleaner as i foned her work while you were working"

okay no problems i said (NOT).....fuming....talk about taking the mickey, now i am planning on taking a deposit before i do these kind of jobs.