[Rob_Mac]

Does everyone clean in the rain

[Philip Hanson]

Yes, but not if I can help it.  You reach a point where you have so much work you dont have the choice anymore and commercial work has to be done no matter what the weather's doing.

Its not pleasant, so if I'm not behind I'd rather not.  You need to get some good quality weatherproof gear.  If its really chucking down, I usually try and do some inside work, but sometimes you just cant.

Having said that, if it is bad weather and I have some paperwork to catch up on, I'll do that instead.

Its one of those things you need to educate customers about, explaining that rain doesn't make windows dirty.

-Philip

[billozz]

very difficult to do that, convince customers that its ok to clean their windows in the rain. i know of a few that have actually stopped having a guy that did some windows in the rain....wouldnt be so bad but he wasnt even doing their windows, their argument was if he was doing someones in the rain he would do theirs too.....bye bye windowcleaner
customer is always right ....even when they are wrong, right ....i think

[kcc]

Over 14 years doing this and customers still convinced YOU caused it to rain and it made their windows dirty, DESPITE the fact that I tell them they get a FREE final rinse and they complain ! Answer : tell them better to rain on clean windows than dirty. Oh to get into commercial work where you can work NO matter what ( In reason )  

[replacement]

I dont clean in the rain its bad for business and like someone has already said.

I do clean in little drizzy , spitting and explain this to customers and all of them apart from one or two are more than happy with that. I did have one tell me it might rain later and she did not want her windows cleaned, i told her she needs to find another window cleaner then.

Justin

[Rob_Mac]

Yes cheers for the responses ive been doing this for just over 3 years now but its getting wetter by the month and ive never cleaned in the rain but i'm developing some carpet cleaning to do when its raining.

Sods law when its raining no carpet cleaning when its sunny all the carpet cleaning in the world

[easycleanwindows]

I also clean windows when its raining. I've had customers ask me if i only clean in the summer as the old cleaner didn't clean in the winter? Obviously not a professional window cleaner i told them i clean all year round come rain or shine I didn't invest all my money not to  clean when the weather was bad. If you get a customer who tells you not to clean because it looks like rain they aren't worth having. Once you've built up your confidence with them go back time and time again they don't mind if its spitting or drizzle. How many of you have cleaned in the heat then 5 hours later thunder storms make it rain. Do you all get phone calls saying come back tomorrow and do them again because its rained? I don't think so. If they tell you not to do them tell them you'll see them in four weeks and let them know that servicing 300 customers a month have to be done in all weather if they don't like don't do you'll get someone who has them done any time.I have only one customer who said looks like rain come back  tommorrow.Travel 17 miles to do one house the next day?i dont think so

[matt]

i had someone who complained it looked like rain, so dont bother

i argue'd that it might not rain

they said

"customer is always right "

i said

Fair enough, your wrong and your no longer a customer        

made me laugh

[billozz]

the only time cleaning in the rain is a problem from our point of view, is if the windows are the leaded type, which are leathered and buffed with scrim...if the rain, or drizzle, for that matter, is hitting the window they cannot be done

[dean stewart]

I agree with one of the above comments it's not neccesarily rain alone that makes windows dirty it is a combination of elements.  One of the main reasons that customers don't want you doing their windows in the rain is that they don't belive you have actually done them!! The business/customer relationship is a two way thing.  They need to be assured that you are there doing the job all year round just as you expect to be paid on time.  I don't bow to the pressure of doing them again if it was raining. I would rather just have the customers who appreciate me turning up on time come what may.  

[Duke]

We clean in the rain. Obviously not if it's p***ing down, even I dont want to get that wet...but if it's just spitting or drizzly, then yeah. We promise a reliable regular service to our customers, and that's what they get. I've been sent away by the odd one, but most are fine, in fact they are mostly out at work, and my system is to leave a stamped addressed envelope and invoice, I'm paid mostly by cheque.
At the end of the day, I'm removing a months build up of crap off of the glass...which is exactly what I promised to do in the customer charter, which they all get.

[pjulk]

I clean someone's windows a long time ago when it was foggy and they moaned about that.

Some people you just can't win with