[gto]

i bought a days work back in august with all customers paying on the day bank transfer or sending cheque.
this one customer being every 2 months. i did the first clean in september.
i received a cheque about 3 weeks later, made out to the wrong name. i returned it when i next passed by.
i did the next clean. and put a slip in for double. that was november.
december i put a slip through asking for payment before the january clean.

and today i finally got a cheque with don't clean again until april, we don't bother between october and april.
so 8 weekly is now 3 times a year.

[slap bash]

The wayI stopped this type of nonce is to put a sticker on my invoice stating all payment are due on completion all payment must be made within 10 days or this account attracts an admin fee £4 pound per  month and every month thereafter. Then they can take their own time and pay me for mine.I never had any problem since. Customer sense  your business atertude and adjust to it.

[Scrimble]

ring them up and tell them you clean all year round, ask them do they want to stay on the round or not. I have just done this to 2 customers who thought I would accept a miss us til April

[SeanK]

Drop while your ahead as they are messers plain and simple, if they had paid on time then it might have been
worth trying to come to some sort of arrangement.

[gto]

its a business as well.
its a 3 storey residential house on a highstreet with a business in the bottom.
so you would think they would want it kept clean.

its also right next to a monthly.  i will give it one more chance in april. if its a problem then its gone

[advanced]

Don't waste your time  they are messers  have some dignity  for yourself.

[Johnny B]

My rule is if I get 3 consecutive 'not todays' from the same customer, I relegate them to my 'call me if you need me again category'.  If they call me again,  I fit them in if it suits me to do so. I would treat any 'leave until Aprils' the same way.

John

[8weekly]

My rule is if I get 3 consecutive 'not todays' from the same customer, I relegate them to my 'call me if you need me again category'.  If they call me again,  I fit them in if it suits me to do so. I would treat any 'leave until Aprils' the same way.

John

Ruthless. 

[stevon]

its funny you should mention that!!!"we don't bother either "with customers who don't want a clean  between October and april.good luck in finding a new window cleaner

[Walter Mitty]

My rule is if I get 3 consecutive 'not todays' from the same customer, I relegate them to my 'call me if you need me again category'.  If they call me again,  I fit them in if it suits me to do so. I would treat any 'leave until Aprils' the same way.

John

Three?  Blimey, that's lenient.  If the job has a lowish price or is a bit out of my way, once can be enough for me, depending on circumstances.  Much depends on the customer's history.

[8weekly]

One not today is a drop for me. But I have a slightly complicated one at the present.

She's in her 80s and I clean her daughter's house. Both are early customers and both a little under priced. The old lady sent a cheque the other day saying "no more until April". It's actually only one clean and would normally just be dumped, but if I dump, I'd have to dump the daughter too. It will look unprofessional. I've tried calling the old lady a couple of times, but she's not been in. - just to tell her that normally I would just drop her but because of the daughter I'm giving her a chance to change her mind.

[james peters]

I have a few of these .  it is annoying .  for me it just depends on the type of job it is . if it is a well priced job and they are always at home and pay cash or cheque  on the day , and if they are in an area where i have many other customers , I am happy to keep them on.
if they are not worth the hastle in keeping I let them go. 
it all depends on whether it is of a benefit to keep them . I have no set rules   

[Johnny B]

My rule is if I get 3 consecutive 'not todays' from the same customer, I relegate them to my 'call me if you need me again category'.  If they call me again,  I fit them in if it suits me to do so. I would treat any 'leave until Aprils' the same way.

John

Three?  Blimey, that's lenient.  If the job has a lowish price or is a bit out of my way, once can be enough for me, depending on circumstances.  Much depends on the customer's history.

Being in Ireland, where window cleaning isn't very high on most peoples' priorities,  I need to be flexible with the requirements of my customers. I have enough work to be able to withstand quite a few 'not todays', whilst still keeping them on the books as I make enough from them when I do clean them. I just stop calling on them and wait for them to call me.

I only 'drop' customers from my books who have gone a year without a clean. Some of these still phone me  and I clean them at my convenience even after this time lapse. It probably sounds like a load of hassle, but believe me, it really isn't and I keep busy enough.

John

[SeanK]

One not today is a drop for me. But I have a slightly complicated one at the present.

She's in her 80s and I clean her daughter's house. Both are early customers and both a little under priced. The old lady sent a cheque the other day saying "no more until April". It's actually only one clean and would normally just be dumped, but if I dump, I'd have to dump the daughter too. It will look unprofessional. I've tried calling the old lady a couple of times, but she's not been in. - just to tell her that normally I would just drop her but because of the daughter I'm giving her a chance to change her mind.

My god that's strict, for the sake of one clean could you not let this one go I mean she is in her eighties, trust me it will be
one less link in the chain you will be dragging behind you in the afterlife.

[8weekly]

One not today is a drop for me. But I have a slightly complicated one at the present.

She's in her 80s and I clean her daughter's house. Both are early customers and both a little under priced. The old lady sent a cheque the other day saying "no more until April". It's actually only one clean and would normally just be dumped, but if I dump, I'd have to dump the daughter too. It will look unprofessional. I've tried calling the old lady a couple of times, but she's not been in. - just to tell her that normally I would just drop her but because of the daughter I'm giving her a chance to change her mind.

My god that's strict, for the sake of one clean could you not let this one go I mean she is in her eighties, trust me it will be
one less link in the chain you will be dragging behind you in the afterlife.

I think to be honest I do at times struggle with the rejection. I'm getting better at it as I get more work but I still don't like it.

[Stoots]

3 not todays and gone - via text

if i get turned away on the day unless there is a very good reason, i.e death then is dumpy time

[Walter Mitty]

The problem with 'not today' is that the short notice of it can actually cost money if the next due jobvs require pre-notification.  Also, if the next work is in an area a few miles away from the previous one.  With a bit of warning, it might have been possible to adapt around it and avoid losing money.
Try giving your dentist an hour's warning to cancel and see what you get charged.

EDIT:  Mind you, the OP is about cancelling in winter - with warning so not the same thing.
I do have a couple of half yearly jobs but they are worth it due to size.  They were always half-yearly so I priced appropriately.  Maybe the best way for the OP is to try appropriate pricing if he wants to keep the job on - or just drop if he doesn't.

[Walter Mitty]

My rule is if I get 3 consecutive 'not todays' from the same customer, I relegate them to my 'call me if you need me again category'.  If they call me again,  I fit them in if it suits me to do so. I would treat any 'leave until Aprils' the same way.

John

I say that sometimes - and hope that they've lost my phone number.

[Leeds]

My rule is if I get 3 consecutive 'not todays' from the same customer, I relegate them to my 'call me if you need me again category'.  If they call me again,  I fit them in if it suits me to do so. I would treat any 'leave until Aprils' the same way.

John

Three?  Blimey, that's lenient.  If the job has a lowish price or is a bit out of my way, once can be enough for me, depending on circumstances.  Much depends on the customer's history.

Being in Ireland, where window cleaning isn't very high on most peoples' priorities,  I need to be flexible with the requirements of my customers. I have enough work to be able to withstand quite a few 'not todays', whilst still keeping them on the books as I make enough from them when I do clean them. I just stop calling on them and wait for them to call me.

I only 'drop' customers from my books who have gone a year without a clean. Some of these still phone me  and I clean them at my convenience even after this time lapse. It probably sounds like a load of hassle, but believe me, it really isn't and I keep busy enough.

John

The thing with "Not Today" custys is that now a £10 house has gone from being worth £120 a year, to £110. If it happens a few times, and with several customers, your round isn't really worth say £1000 a month anymore. More like 950 or 900 even. These type of customers are deceptive to the value of your round. It's like you have to get more work than you want just to make up for them.

Better to leave them soon as you can.

[AuRavelling79]

Don't waste your time  they are messers  have some dignity  for yourself.

This.