[Caleb Morley]

This topic comes up fairly frequently on the forum.

I txt a little bit id say 30% of customers and absolutly hate it as you do get messers.

I was thinking of stopping all texts in Jan 2014.

Has anyone gone from texting to no texting?

Or will it always be a mix?

Cheers,

Caleb

[Pro-Smart]

I prefer to text (it's quicker) than call those who need to unlock their side access.

Get the occasional messer but now all those that I've done more than 3/4 times seem okay and don't mess about...

[matthewprice]

Only text a few to close windows mostly ,been using a trick someone recommend on here ,tell them it is an automated text and no to reply as won't be answered .100℅ success 

[supernova77]

Caleb

Do you only text them when you need access?

If so how will you get access if you don't text the night before?

Also - what do you say in the text?

Andy :-)

[Simon Mess]

Some parts of my round I have to text or email a lot, other parts, hardly any. I don't mind really.

[H20cleaning]

i text about 25% of my customers.
now and again i get a '' not today''
i simply ask what the reason for skipping this month is?
they usually buckle under pressure and say '' the windows arnt dirty'' or '' you come to often'' so i then give them the words of warning but nicely.

i usually say, our business works on a 1X a month cleaning service to all our customers who agreed this, therefore we try to keep this for 12 months a year, if you do not require our service any longer please let us know.

and you will be surprised the difference it makes! this year i have only lost 1 customer but they were messers and only wanted it when it suited them, they would rather spend their money on alcohol judging by their recycle bins

[Herve garrot]

Does it really work? Lately I got a lot of once every 4 weeks switching to every 6 or 8 weeks . I didn t dare to say anything as I thought they would just walk away and I would loose their custom!!

[Total shine cleaning services]

I text all customers, upon canvassing we do state that we have no terms and conditions but the only thing we do ask is not to be cancelled on the courtesy text service

if they try it on we say quite strongly- that due to the lack of notice we will still have to clean as it is now not possible to fill the time slot (with someone off the waiting list) that has been allocated to you, if however you do feel that the frequency of cleans come around to quickly then call us to discuss our two monthly tarriff

don't get me wrong I have still have a few who try it on but you have to get thru the bad ones to get to the good ones, if you're feeling panicky about losing work then have a bit of tolerance until you're upto full capacity, you will find that once you have enough good work your tolerance of messers becomes less

hope this helps

Graham

[dazmond]

i text a few here and there.no more than 5 -10 a week.i very rarely get a not today.

its handy to text some customers as gates get left open and it saves time getting the ladders off the van(which i hate! ).

the simple fact is IF they mess me about without a valid reason they get dropped.very simple really.

i would never text ALL my customers the night before as its too rigid a schedule.most work is " turn up and clean".it allows you to be more flexible in your working day.

[bobplum]

Does it really work? Lately I got a lot of once every 4 weeks switching to every 6 or 8 weeks . I didn t dare to say anything as I thought they would just walk away and I would loose their custom!!

then let them walk and replace with people who comply to your BUSINESS PLAN not their plan

[dazmond]

herve garrot charge them more if they want to go on a longer frequency.thats what i do.even if its only £2-£5 then when that job comes around you ll make more money for time spent cleaning upping your hourly rate.works for me.

[Caleb Morley]

I have some customers I text who are good as gold, so I will keep texting them.

The ones that I have issues with are probably just messers in general. Come January I will tell them we are not texting anymore and so if they leave I've only lost a messer.

Thanks for all your comments. May well use the "this is an automated txt" trick too.

Andy - my text is hi mr. X, I am coming to clean your windows tomorrow please leave your side gate open if you are going to be out. Thanks, Caleb

Thanks

Caleb

[James Bulton]

Texting is not a bad for my customers to me and wise verse . This allows me to see  what it is and call when i am finished my days work so interference in my work. But any cancellations of service must be a call so maybe I need to respond to it quickly. Folk are reluctant to cancelling to your face.

[H20cleaning]

Dont worry about loosing custom you will replace them with better.
I personally need to keep everycustomer i have im only a small busuiness but i dont let customers pick and choose.
The reasons i allow- holidays and work on property.
My customers get 3 strikes and there gone for good

[James Bulton]

I way I bypass the messers with a access message.I state at the end of the message and I always use the same text wording." We will be around tomorrow to service your windows and will needs access through your garage or service gate so leave unlocked and windows closed. As this is an automated message no response will be required.Thanks for your time."

[supernova77]

I only text customers when I need them to leave a gate open... Which is only about 5% of my customers...

My text just says "Window cleaning is due tomorrow. Please leave side gate open for access. Thank you."

I can't remember the last time someone said "not this time".

Andy

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

binned most of ours now just 6 left , we wont take on anybody that needs txing ahead hate them

[Caleb Morley]

I don't take on any that need a text now, that's why I need to weed out those that need a txt. Fact is with ladders that most rear of homes should be accessible

[Chris - CBWC]

Mine is "Hi, it's the window cleaner, I'll be over tomorrow can you leave the gate unlocked for me please. Thank you".  Some reply, some don't, some unlock the gate, some forget!  Sometimes I turn up and they say oooh I forgot you were coming - yeah thanks, way to make me feel special....!  I prefer texting to ringing them and asking the same question every 6 weeks!  I regularly see most of my customers so generally don't get any problems with this, but I much prefer not having to contact at all as it increases the flexibility of your day.

One customer always makes me laugh - "When will you be over roughly?", "In the afternoon I think", "So after 12 then?"  Er yes love, that's commonly known as the afternoon.  Or "late morning I think", "so about 12?"  er no love, coz that's the afternoon/lunchtime !

Is it just me that gets irritated when people on the phone recite what you say?  I call to ask them to unlock the gate (if I didn't get their mobile number) "Hi it's Chris the window cleaner", they reply "Hello Chris the window cleaner" every time, for years.  People are weird

Thanks for the tip about closing windows, that's not something I would've thought of until I'd squirted water into their bedroom haha.  As a trad I just close them with my A frame, carefully apparently, a lady walking past recently commended me on the care I'd taken 

[Herve garrot]

I text all customers, upon canvassing we do state that we have no terms and conditions but the only thing we do ask is not to be cancelled on the courtesy text service

if they try it on we say quite strongly- that due to the lack of notice we will still have to clean as it is now not possible to fill the time slot (with someone off the waiting list) that has been allocated to you, if however you do feel that the frequency of cleans come around to quickly then call us to discuss our two monthly tarriff

don't get me wrong I have still have a few who try it on but you have to get thru the bad ones to get to the good ones, if you're feeling panicky about losing work then have a bit of tolerance until you're upto full capacity, you will find that once you have enough good work your tolerance of messers becomes less

hope this helps

Graham