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AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25404
Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #60 on: June 12, 2015, 12:29:05 pm »
Nothing to do with bank balance dazmond  :) i just dont think its worth losing good customers by insisting on working in the rain .
I had two customers today ( one 32 quid 6 weekly, one 50 quid 8 weekly) who asked me not to clean there windows today as there are thunderstorms due and their windows will be dirty again tomorrow.
Would you insist on cleaning them today and risk losing them customers whether you thought there point was valid or not?

You should train them when you take them on. So you explain what kind of weather conditions you work in and why. "Because you are removing 4/8 weeks worth of dirt" .

I would kindly explain that while I don't work during thunderstorms. I don't believe that generally one thunderstorm will make windows dirty. It is the accumulation over 4/8 weeks along with birds muck snails trails and spiders poo that gets removed.

The fact that you have 6 weekly and 8 weekly customers also indicates to me that you give too many options.

£32 or £50 doesn't come into it. (You say "nothing to do with the bank balance" but there it is for all to see) How long it takes and how much I get messed about does.

For the record I only work in a maximum of drizzle or showery conditions; not to keep my customers happy but because I do not have the desire to. I am lucky in that I am happy with my monthly income and that I can do it in 3 days a week average. If I were younger, fitter and wanting to earn 50K a year instead of 30K then I would work in the rain or have an employee or two who would have to work in the rain for me to make a profit on their costs.
It's a game of three halves!

martin hulstone

  • Posts: 323
Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #61 on: June 12, 2015, 05:01:28 pm »
Hi Granville,
I have to say i disagree with some of your points to me, customers that are my business and if they give a valid reason for me to call back i will.
Where i live one heavy rainfall with wind can make the windows dirty and customers are wise to this as they get a lot of sand on the glass, not all but some. I do explain about working in light rain etc but the fact is most customers dont like it and in an area like mine(Poole) which is saturated with window cleaners and canvassers you have to give some lee way.
The point about the money is would you insist on cleaning the windows on the chance you could lose them when you can call back when you are next in the area?
Business is business and whilst i understand we have to cull crap customers we also have to provide a service that isnt one way.
My opinion only of course, thanks for your feed back as well.

martin hulstone

  • Posts: 323
Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #62 on: June 12, 2015, 05:03:22 pm »
ps i offer 4 6 8 and 12 weekly service which is priced accordingly, if you didnt do that where i live you would struggle i think.

Dave Willis

Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #63 on: June 12, 2015, 05:13:22 pm »
I offer six weeks take it or leave it. I'm always late though because I won't work in bad weather. Don't like it and don't like the customer comments either. So for me it's walking a fine line trying to keep me happy and my customers. Today I only worked a few hours - forecast was dreadful. Never came to much but I have work booked Saturday and Sunday so a day off today didn't seem a bad idea.
One reason I don't fancy employing too. I understand some guys have to work in all weathers, fair play to them.

dazmond

  • Posts: 23984
Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #64 on: June 12, 2015, 06:26:00 pm »
Nothing to do with bank balance dazmond  :) i just dont think its worth losing good customers by insisting on working in the rain .
I had two customers today ( one 32 quid 6 weekly, one 50 quid 8 weekly) who asked me not to clean there windows today as there are thunderstorms due and their windows will be dirty again tomorrow.
Would you insist on cleaning them today and risk losing them customers whether you thought there point was valid or not?

id dump them mate seriously.every customer that has ever said "dont clean them today as its forecast rain later" have been struck off my round straight away.its never affected my income and im on course to earn £20,000 MORE a year than 5 years ago this year.

we all run our businesses differently.ive still not broke my new year resolution either!(working weekends).mon-fri then whatever doesnt get cleaned,gets done the week after. 8) love it.

fair play in regards to working in bad weather.most of the time i choose to work in it.i like to keep on schedule.of course i take the odd day off here and there if really bad but not usually. :)
price higher/work harder!

sunshine windows

  • Posts: 2361
Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #65 on: June 12, 2015, 06:28:34 pm »
Only work regular hours between 8am (ish) - 3.30pm (ish) Monday to Friday if you're mainly domestic. You can still get through all your work during the winter and have enough space for add ons in the summer.
To climb mount fuji you must first find a path
(Swindon, Wiltshire)

www.sunshinewindowcleaning.co.uk
www.sunshinesoftwashing.co.uk

dazmond

  • Posts: 23984
Re: Top Tips and things learned along the way.
« Reply #66 on: June 12, 2015, 06:50:00 pm »
also i very rarely lose customers.ive had parts of my round leafleted,canvassed and other guys trying to undercut me at least 10 times this year already.only lost one customer!happy days 8)
price higher/work harder!