[Wc Solutions]

with so many customers mucking us about with payments, not this time etc ... is it giving wcs a bad name??

reason i say this is because there must be a huge % of the public saying i cant find a good reliable wc!!

this is because they muck us about and we are trying to run a business and earn a living so we cut our loses with them.

but in their eyes: we are just not reliable and just diappear etc ...

[Pope vader]

just say ok no problem and move on to the next and then go knocking if you run out of work

[Wc Solutions]

just say ok no problem and move on to the next and then go knocking if you run out of work

more work than we can handle at the mo and looking for another part time chap but i just wanted to know what other wc thought if duping was doing any damage to our wc profile

[Pope vader]

no remember we only do this to top up our dole

[SunShineCleaning]

The secret is to price them out of complaining. Simply put the price up to a value that makes it ok for their messing.

ie, a £15 job that is a pain becomes ok at £25. Plus they will be the ones that say no thankyou.

[TomCrowther]

I saw it from a new customers view today. She had the same wc for 16 years {every four weeks}. For the first time ever she asked him "can we leave it this month" last November and as many of us would do, he hasn't been back. The reason she asked was simply because she was stressed/hassled with a sick dog, three grand kids running around, a frozen pipe etc and she was feeling overwelmed with stuff.
I explained to her that it is a business we are running and half the costs are our time and actually turning up and to be told to leave it is not really on if there isn't a good reason. Because she didn't explain the reason she got dumped.
She would have been happy to pay him, but I guess it is just one of those things.
Anyway, the good news is I now have five in a row on that road  

[Wc Solutions]

I saw it from a new customers view today. She had the same wc for 16 years {every four weeks}. For the first time ever she asked him "can we leave it this month" last November and as many of us would do, he hasn't been back. The reason she asked was simply because she was stressed/hassled with a sick dog, three grand kids running around, a frozen pipe etc and she was feeling overwelmed with stuff.
I explained to her that it is a business we are running and half the costs are our time and actually turning up and to be told to leave it is not really on if there isn't a good reason. Because she didn't explain the reason she got dumped.
She would have been happy to pay him, but I guess it is just one of those things.
Anyway, the good news is I now have five in a row on that road  

so what would you do if she started to muck you about?

yes she has a little story about the last wc but shes not gonna say 'oh i was mucking him about and didnt think/care hes trying to run a business'

we seem to have weeded out all of ours and the business is far better for it imo. still have too much on and working seven days at the mo

[Johnny B]

If I get a 'not today', (very rare) I just say 'OK no problem' and will see them next time. I almost never get the same thing from the same customer twice in a row. If I do, then I would ask them if they would like to let me know when their circumstances change.

I only dump customers who continually mess me around over payment. When I finally have had enough, I just walk away without telling them I won't be back. The way I see it is that I have done what I was paid to do and the payment wasn't forthcoming. I don't feel the need to explain myself for that.

I don't believe it undermines our reputation. If word did get about, it would come out that it is the customer's reputation which would be more damaged, especially if their neighbours got to know about it. I have never had any negative reaction from customers whose neighbour I have dropped.

John

[TomCrowther]

After 16 years, I would give her the benefit of the doubt.

[john tomkins]

I saw it from a new customers view today. She had the same wc for 16 years {every four weeks}. For the first time ever she asked him "can we leave it this month" last November and as many of us would do, he hasn't been back. The reason she asked was simply because she was stressed/hassled with a sick dog, three grand kids running around, a frozen pipe etc and she was feeling overwelmed with stuff.
I explained to her that it is a business we are running and half the costs are our time and actually turning up and to be told to leave it is not really on if there isn't a good reason. Because she didn't explain the reason she got dumped.
She would have been happy to pay him, but I guess it is just one of those things.
Anyway, the good news is I now have five in a row on that road 

full house then

Or even a straight

[bobplum]

i feel you should give every one a chance but if i turned up a second time then i would just find a new customer

[dave f]

i think that a lot of custys still view us as stan ogden types they dont seem to realies the amont of effort that goes into building our bussines and all the crap that gose with it they just dont move with the times ,when i changed over to wfp one of my custys said your getting lazy with that thing i replied do you have a washer/ dish washer  tumble dryer etc she just looked dint no what to say. as for dumping i tell my custys if they dont want windows cleaning on that day to contact me the day before or they will still get charged works for me, that way no bad feelings

[the bfg]

one thing Ive learned in this game is when a potential new custy tells you the last w/c just stopped coming then alarm bells ring in my head.   now yes some of those have turned out to be really good reliable customers  but a great many have proved to be problem custies.


I dumped 3 x £10 cleans back in jan,   they are all next to each other and were on a 8 wk clean  but every 8 wks 1 or 2 of them would give the can you leave it this time.    I put up with that through all of 2010 but started the new year as I do every year by dumping the previous years messers.

one of them called me yesterday and asked when I was round next as her windows need a good clean    I rest my case

[AuRavelling79]

The problem is that the average windy simply doesn't care about educating their customers.

How many times have you seen a problem mentioned on here followed by the advice "dump 'em"?  Hundreds.  Well, the people who advise that are imbeciles.  

The correct advice is "Tell the customer that you don't accept that kind of behaviour".  That way the customer gets to know what might happen rather than another window cleaner just failing to turn up.  My experience is that if you tell them that their behaviour causes you problems, they generally stop doing it.  If not, I tell them that I won't be coming again and why.  It's not always a pleasant conversation to have but it's better than your customer just telling people you stopped coming.

If you just stop coming because someone says "not this time" do you think they know it's because of that or do you think they just tar you with the brush of being another window cleaner who gave it up?  Answers on a postcard, please.

Top post Dave Mills.

That bit in red - I reckon the "average" - or certainly somewhat below average - windy doesn't know how to educate their custies.

That bit in green - yup - I'm a "dumper" and being a fraction above average (in my opinion  ) I take on board your advice and give them an explanation and a second chance.

Rarely tho' - my "below average, imbecilic" self comes out and if I don't like them I don't give an explanation and don't come back.

[bumper]

What i do now if anyone ask me to clean there windows i say £000  so much, if they say can i pay frid i say ohh im to busy ill do it next time im round ,had a load say that,when  you cleaned them thats the last you see of them.baskets they are freeloaders,clampetts,messers around.
  bumper

[the bfg]

I can honestly say I haventt dropped a customer and not not felt really good for doing it.      I'm never nasty to a customer but Ive got my patronising skills down to a tee whenever they call me 

[Frankybadboy]

cant say i've ever had a problem with a bad payer.


i surpose it must be my charm and good looks.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

as you say mates its a give and take situation, once they start to p you about replace or have a backlog to fall on.like today a garden customer dropped us for a cheaper quote and the chap as not turned up for a while. so do you think i will be running back with a thanks for have us back note.

[Ian101]

reason i say this is because there must be a huge % of the public saying i cant find a good reliable wc!!

this is because they muck us about and we are trying to run a business and earn a living so we cut our loses with them.

but in their eyes: we are just not reliable and just diappear etc ...

very very true ... picked up a new customer 5 months ago on a monthly clean on a road i do 12 houses ... told me he had been looking for a window cleaner for ages as last one cleaned once and never came back.

month 1 cleaned and paid as he was there
month2 and 3 cleaned ... no payment so went around on a sat to collect ... said he had posted it ages ago (lie)
month4 .... cleaned and no payment

month5 due this week .... will be texting nb4 to leave money under doormat ... no payment no clean .... then will go around to get outstanding and will be dropping him and telling him why 

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

The problem is that the average windy simply doesn't care about educating their customers.

How many times have you seen a problem mentioned on here followed by the advice "dump 'em"?  Hundreds.  Well, the people who advise that are imbeciles.  The correct advice is "Tell the customer that you don't accept that kind of behaviour".  That way the customer gets to know what might happen rather than another window cleaner just failing to turn up.  My experience is that if you tell them that their behaviour causes you problems, they generally stop doing it.  If not, I tell them that I won't be coming again and why.  It's not always a pleasant conversation to have but it's better than your customer just telling people you stopped coming.

If you just stop coming because someone says "not this time" do you think they know it's because of that or do you think they just tar you with the brush of being another window cleaner who gave it up?  Answers on a postcard, please.

If they do 'not this time' twice in a row we say that we'll be treating this as a cancellation, call us if you want them doing in the future. Most of them using them excuse actually don't want you to turn up again - it's just (in their eyes) an easier way to get rid of you than actually saying the words. They just say 'OK then'.  That's probably happened 4/5 times in the last year and every single one was obviously relieved. They were obviously skint because all their windows were still minging when we've driven past since.
When I first started with the other half I thought dumping customers was a dreadful thing to do and would never consider it, now I think that with certain customers you can save your self a whole load of hassle with just taking the hint and not going back.