[H S and Son]

Im going to India with one of old custards in December.

[the bfg]

once a month I bake a cake for each and every customer,   this months cake is a nice lemon cheesecake

next month I'm baking brownies 

[H S and Son]

I cleaned one of my custards windows once.

[Frankybadboy]

I cleaned one of my custards windows once.

and never ripped um off.

[Ross G]

Occasionally do the bog window

[AuRavelling79]

I like to wash their cars or dig over their vegetable patch; though I do occasionally paint their window frames.

[Paul Coleman]

I know this might go against the grain on this thread, but I've actually found that things work better when I try to keep it more businesslike.
I just try to stick to a "do what it says on the tin" style.
When I did some of the stuff listed in this thread (mainly in my early years of window cleaning), I found that I was walked on more and that it was harder to set boundaries.

[lee_dewing]

How true Paul, not all but most.

People often see kindess as weakness :

I do have some custy's i would bend over backwards for.

But for most it's a case of i don't do favours but charge for everything i do.

Lost a lot of time and money in the past under charging or not charging

I love the custy's who say "i'l give you a couple of extra quid to clean out my gutters"

[Ian101]

Turn up regular.
Clean windows
Get Paid.

Do nothing for free.

Learnt my lesson by doing some big mirrors in a customers kitchen for free as thought it was just that time now they expect it every visit - which I do so as to remind what happens when you do something for free.

Years back in motor trade courtesy cars did not exist .... now ALL dealers run a fleet of em as the customer expects it for free.

We all have nice and not so nice customers but beleive me that a nice customer can turn so just do what was origianlly agreed and owt else is chargeable.

Im an Asda customer but they dont give me a free tin of beans. 

[Londoner]

I have found that with add ons, first its a favour soon it becomes part of the job.

Be friendly, thats the big one. I wish I had a pound for every time I have heard people complain about their old cleaner being a miserable git. A lot of these older customers don't see anyone to talk to for days at a time. Then you come along with a bit of rabbit and a big smile to brighten their day.

[AuRavelling79]

I like to wash their cars or dig over their vegetable patch; though I do occasionally paint their window frames.

Set up their satellite dish, re-point the chimney and sometimes if I'm in a really good mood I'll go back on a Sunday and put in a velux window or two.

[AuRavelling79]

I like to wash their cars or dig over their vegetable patch; though I do occasionally paint their window frames.

Set up their satellite dish, re-point the chimney and sometimes if I'm in a really good mood I'll go back on a Sunday and put in a velux window or two.

Put new bearings in their washing machine, install a ring main and do a loft conversion.

[H S and Son]

I once inseminated the daughter of a rich oil-sheik as his son-in-law was impotent and they wanted an heir to the families wealth 

[Londoner]

I once inseminated the daughter of a rich oil-sheik as his son-in-law was impotent and they wanted an heir to the families wealth 

Oh yeah, and that as well. Happens all the time. Part of the job.

[Rob_Mac]

Richy

This is part of what I do to stand out.

We workeed for Bowmer & Kirkland on about ten jobs last year. Bowmer & Kirkland are the largest privately owned construction company in the country and our works included their Sainsbury's account and their Morrisons account.

We were due to start works for them in March, at Nantwich and when we turned up they cancelled our works and had given it to someone else. (ask Huw at Seerclean - he was there). I lost my temper and told them they could stick all future work up their dark place and that I would never work for them again.

Six months later I knew that though the problem was nothing to do with us that there was work out there that could be ours. We were right in with the director level and had provided a level of service that they had not seen.

Now there are issues with will the same happen again and they will be discussed in the future between myself and the client.

I drove for three hours yesterday, with no meeting planned, purely speculative, from some works in Preston to Heaton in Newcastle (Geordie land) to try and catch one of the construction team. I did catch one of them, I then drove to Lancaster (where they have a project going on) and spoke to one of their directors I then drove back to the works in Preston and completed those works at three am this morning.

I now have a re established working relationship that will guarantee to give us work and lots of it.

Whilst I was in newcastle I saw another project going on with another construction company (international) and have just finished sending emails to all their regional offices.

Speculate to accumulate. Yesterday cost me over £120.00 in fuel and a full day of driving. There was no guarantee that anyone would be in Newcastle or Lancaster. Was it worth it - I am confident that it will be!!!!

Richy - think outside of the box and go the extra mile. If you back that with a high quality service you will succeed.

Good luck

Rob

[Dave Anderson]

I'll do little extra for the odd customer but I do things such as removing leaves from flat roof gutter holes, clean a gas/meter box etc...but these I do because it makes me feel good so the customer is not told...If a customer asks me to do something then I will charge as if you do not charge the customer will not see the worth of what you have done...

[ChrisOfNottingham]

I agree with the one about cleaning the front door really well. I think the first thing they notice when they come home is that the door is nice and clean so I always do the whole door including filthy cills and hope that it will give them a moment of pleasure. I do include time for doors in my quote but just that extra few wipes on the frame and cill I think make a big difference.

[AuRavelling79]

This thread still going?

Build an extension on the side of their house, purchase a Bugatti Veyron for their elderly mother, book them a 1st class six month World cruise.