[Clive McDonald]

I've only ever dropped a couple.What i have found is that i lose 25% of customers i take on.

I'll say that again 25%.

It may be that they only wanted a one off in the first place, but often after the first clean has brought the windows up they feel subsequent cleans don't offer the same value.I had one just recently who hasn't dumped me yet, on the second clean they complained of marks. I was a bit annoyed about this because these windows were minging and had been so for years untill my first clean.

I went back and the marks were long standing varnish from an above wooden balcony.My point being that minging was okay for years, but once i'd cleaned them the slightest blemish became an issue, my fault or not.

So you can call me a rubbish window cleaner if you like, but i think this 25% figure probably applies to nearly all of us.

[ftp]

Slumpy that's a huge rejection rate. Are you doing something wrong? May we ask what reasons they give?

[Window Washers]

there are ways to cut that down Clive, but 25% is not far wrong.

getting a clean contract is one way and it does work to cut out the one off cleans being done at a regular customer price.

[pingu]

Slumpbuster...do you feel that some of the customers are looking to take you for a mug..now please do not take me wrong I am not trying to cause offence.

How long have you been building your round?

Cheers
Dave.

[Gleaming windows]

I lose 90% of my custards but thats over a 10 year period.

What length of time do you measure your 25% loss over Clive?

It is high, too high IMO, I would feel that things wernt working well if I lost 10 % within a year (The only reason I say the figure of a year is that ANYTHING can happen in that length of time, move house, become redundant, mother-in-law moves in and brings her shiner with her, undercut and possibly get sacked by custard but NOT if doing a good job)

[Window Washers]

Slumpbuster sounds like you need to make sure you and the customer are clear on the service you are providing; one in every four is far too high.

Ewan that would depend on how many you are getting in.
thats from canvassed work thought I better add that some change mind, other one off clean, others bad payers, others nightmare to workfor ect etc, I think slumpy is being brutaly honest and fair play to him.

[pingu]

Slumpbuster could you be a little more specific about the losses...

I have found that keeping records helps...who I dump, who dumps me, those who move in each area etc, etc...these figures help in trying to find patterns..have you really looked into your figures?

Cheers
Dave.

[ftp]

is there a way of bringing up percentage lost on george?

[pingu]

I do not think you can...but it could be to do with how you 'work' your customers within it..obviously live customer are 'live' but do you suspend them when they are dumped or run them as completed?

For me I have found that using a spreadsheet to 'drill' certain information is the only way...being a bit anal about these things I like to see how I am working and how certain actions affect other items such as costs, hours worked etc, etc...

Personally George & WCP could do with farmore thought in the reporting and information handling area's.

Cheers
Dave.

[john tomkins]

I'm sure it was slumpbuster that posted a video of him cleaning someones house once, he was literally running around like a blue arsed fly cleaning the windows.
Maybe the customers like value for money and charging £25 or whatever for 15 mins work gets up their noses a little, however good the standard of work is.

This isn't having a go at slumpbuster it's just what some customers think, especially these "credit crunch days".

[Window Washers]

I'm sure it was slumpbuster that posted a video of him cleaning someones house once, he was literally running around like a blue arsed fly cleaning the windows.
Maybe the customers like value for money and charging £25 or whatever for 15 mins work gets up their noses a little, however good the standard of work is.

This isn't having a go at slumpbuster it's just what some customers think, especially these "credit crunch days".

customers that stop watch you are really not the customers you want in a great amount, the ones that are happy with the job and pay are the ones you really want have toi say £25 every 15mins is good going, i'm sat here listening 

[Clive McDonald]

That was groundhog, and i thought he was okay. Actually ,watching the ionics vid of the glider, he works pretty much as i do so i'm in good company.


But does any of it matter?

We all have different ways of working, and we all think our way is better.I accept that i will lose some customers, and i work on the premise that i will lose one in four over time.But don't feel sorry for me, my business is off planet.

The reason i stopped offering advice is that no one ever listens to me

[Window Washers]

That was groundhog, and i thought he was okay. Actually ,watching the ionics vid of the glider, he works pretty much as i do so i'm in good company.


But does any of it matter?

We all have different ways of working, and we all think our way is better.I accept that i will lose some customers, and i work on the premise that i will lose one in four over time.But don't feel sorry for me, my business is off planet.

The reason i stopped offering advice is that no one ever listens to me

some listen and some say nothing, talking back does not mean people are not listening

[john tomkins]

That was groundhog, and i thought he was okay. Actually ,watching the ionics vid of the glider, he works pretty much as i do so i'm in good company.


But does any of it matter?

We all have different ways of working, and we all think our way is better.I accept that i will lose some customers, and i work on the premise that i will lose one in four over time.But don't feel sorry for me, my business is off planet.

The reason i stopped offering advice is that no one ever listens to me

Beg your pardon

No it doesn't matter.... except to the customers.

I'm not criticising, just giving an opinion as to customers viewpoint, although god knows what they are sometimes :

If you can live with keep replenishing work at that rate good for you, I'd hate all the 1st cleans