[ftp]

How important do you think this is to the residential customer?
When I started I used to tell any new customer I was reliable - easy when you don't have any work and for the first year easily achievable. Do your custies fret if you are late, do they understand that bad weather sets you back do they really care?
Who's lost work by being late?

[elite mike]

never

[chris@c.m.s]

Depends how they value your work I guess, I have a few customers who ring me up if I'm running late, some are fussy some not so, I did have a friend on my books who had OCD and she was always moaning if I was late       

[macmac]

Most normal, realistic customers understand that w/c'ing is a weather dependant job. Never lost a job by being late, one or two might mention I'm late every so often, I just tell them it's the weather.
I started on a rigid 4 weekly round, now it's more like 6 weeks. To be honest I got more comments that 4 weeks was too regular!!!!!! Don't get that anymore.

[cozy]

All of our Brit custies are 6 weekly, I tell them when we start that we can be upto a week late for different reasons, but not to worry, we will get to them. Had 1 custy that asked why we were 4 days late once.

New custies just want to know if you will be back I suppose, and not just some cowboy that is trying out a way of earning a few bob. It has to be pretty bad weather to make us a week or more late.

Had a 3 week period in Febuary a couple of years ago where it was minus 20c, but otherwise no real probs.

[matt]

dave, you know when i had all that time off with my hernia

i didnt lose 1 job, some of my work was 8 weeks late yes i had a few ask me " where have you been ? ?? ?? " but thats it

its only windows afterall 

[daz1977]

custy dont seem to mind if you are late, its when you turn up early they dont like it

[GWCS]

some people may have had bad experiences in the past with unreliable WC's..

so do require a relaible one that turn up on time or at least lets them know..

I have one customer who before me had 4 WC's in the space of 12 months - no one was reliable..

The only way you really know what your customers expect or would like is to ask them!

[DAVID WARD]

been cleaning now for 25 years well astablished  . i find that custys nowing me for so long understand the weather can somtimes put you behind but i do say if they need windows cleaning and im late , if its realy important ring me and i will get to you .

[leapstallbuildings]

How important do you think this is to the residential customer?
When I started I used to tell any new customer I was reliable - easy when you don't have any work and for the first year easily achievable. Do your custies fret if you are late, do they understand that bad weather sets you back do they really care?
Who's lost work by being late?

I did lose a fair bit of work for being late some years ago.  Mind you, I was VERY late as I found it hard to work for quite a while due to an illness.  However, these days so long as I get there within a couple of weeks of when I'm meant to, nobody seems to concern themself about it (I aim for 6 weekly but tell customers 6 - 8 weekly these days to cover my back).

[martinsadie]

the only people who keep on time are those short of work ,and the customer isnt bothered about you being late