[Steve Newres]

I wouldn't pay to get my windows cleaned through winter. It's dark when I set off in the morning, dark when I get home. I work 6 days a week, why would I bother paying for someone to clean something I will hardly see till April?

Do you shut for the winter then?

No, we clean windows for folk that want them done. If they don't want them done this time of year that's fine. Not about to throw my toys out of the pram.

There are plenty folks that see a benefit, if they don't, they don't. Why should they pay for something they don't need for my benefit? I wouldn't do that for anyone.

I just don't take them back. It's very few and I just don't want customers that can't afford the service all year round. There's plenty that can.

[NWH]

I always say to any new customers I’m not a fair weather WCleaner I work all year round regardless if you want me you want me all year,it only works out they have to put up with having them done 2-4 times at the most in the darker months. Once you start the slippery slope of saying that’s fine all there friends will be texting you too,I would just say it’s all year or not at all that’s why I always make sure I have more work than I can handle as anyone is bound to get these kind of people loaded or not,if it was a nice big quick 1 I’d just negotiate going to 3-4 monthly and say that’ll only give you 1 winters clean 2 at the most.

[Bungle]

I've had one so far. She sent a text just before she was due saying can we leave the windows until next April and rediarise then  . I clean all year round I texted back. She replied yes but can you rediarise for next April? I didn't bother replying. She even skipped a clean during the summer texting me saying she had visitors staying over. Like WTF has that got to do with anything 

Dumped!

[nathankaye]

I wouldn't pay to get my windows cleaned through winter. It's dark when I set off in the morning, dark when I get home. I work 6 days a week, why would I bother paying for someone to clean something I will hardly see till April?

The ones who are in during the day will very rarely gaze through their window and say " wow arent my windows lovely n gleaming today! 
Most people have their windows cleaned for the outward appearance of the general house rather than being able to look through their window on the rare occasions like washing pots for instance.

[Arnold Palmer]

I wouldn't pay to get my windows cleaned through winter. It's dark when I set off in the morning, dark when I get home. I work 6 days a week, why would I bother paying for someone to clean something I will hardly see till April?

The ones who are in during the day will very rarely gaze through their window and say " wow arent my windows lovely n gleaming today! 
Most people have their windows cleaned for the outward appearance of the general house rather than being able to look through their window on the rare occasions like washing pots for instance.

I wash pots so I've got a clean pot, not for general appearance. Why else would anyone clean a pot?

[Marc Stock]

I just say to them they are paying to keep their windows clean and in good condition. Not to pay to have them cleaned when they are filthy and cant see out of them again.

[nathankaye]

I wouldn't pay to get my windows cleaned through winter. It's dark when I set off in the morning, dark when I get home. I work 6 days a week, why would I bother paying for someone to clean something I will hardly see till April?

The ones who are in during the day will very rarely gaze through their window and say " wow arent my windows lovely n gleaming today! 
Most people have their windows cleaned for the outward appearance of the general house rather than being able to look through their window on the rare occasions like washing pots for instance.

I wash pots so I've got a clean pot, not for general appearance. Why else would anyone clean a pot?

Think that may have been misunderstood.
The thought is people dont generally look out their windows other than perhaps standing at the sink washing pots and looking out the kitchen window for instance

[AuRavelling79]

I tell them when I take them on what my terms are.

Regular. No doorstep cancellations. No "leave it this times". No "I'll text to make sure your gate is unlocked". No "Leave it 'til spring." No "It's raining/might rain."

So when they then ignore my  terms its goodbye from him. No drama. Just don't need them.

[windowswashed]

I've only had one.

No worries I said.

I simply deleted them from the round, if they ring back in spring and want to start again no problem but I won't  chasing them or asking . As far as I'm concerned they are no longer a custy, if they want to be one again balls in their court. Out of sight out of mind.

I've found best thing to do with all non committal customers, I'll think about it, I'll ring you next time, I'll let you know, I'll be in touch when the gates fixed,  I will be in touch in spring or I'll let you know when the garden finished. Any of these are a cancel and that's what I do, if they get in touch fine but we all know they rarely do.

Customers like that I take off my round and tell them to contact me when they are sorted even though I don't expect them back. If they do come back and it's been a while I tell them I've put my prices up since they were last a customer of mine and if they want back it's extra with the new price 

[Walter Mitty]

First one today.  A text from a customer to put on hold cleans until the spring.

How do you reply?

I sent a text back telling them it's fine. But I couldn't guarantee a spare slot in the spring due to being very busy now.

The last time someone did this was two years ago.
She asked, "Is that alright?"
I said, "It depends how much work I have by next spring."
I never went back.  If I had lost work over that winter, I would have returned - and re-quoted (probably would have upped it by one third or one half).  So either way, the job was over because I couldn't see her paying that.  My view is that if someone wishes to break the verbal contract, I can too.

[Arnold Palmer]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

[Steve Newres]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

There is and the competition are welcome to them. I’m seeing new vans regularly besides. To me these are sub prime customers.

[Arnold Palmer]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

There is and the competition are welcome to them. I’m seeing new vans regularly besides. To me these are sub prime customers.

Then you are treating them incorrectly.

Before you can afford to throw a hissy fit and bin perfectly good customers, for no good reason, you have it too easy.

[Steve Newres]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

There is and the competition are welcome to them. I’m seeing new vans regularly besides. To me these are sub prime customers.

Then you are treating them incorrectly.

Before you can afford to throw a hissy fit and bin perfectly good customers, for no good reason, you have it too easy.

If they were perfectly good customers I wouldn't bin them. That's the point!

It's a two monthly service - 6 cleans a year - if they skip 3 they are only half a customer. If they tell me when I sign them up they get told it's an all year service. When they sign up every customer is clearly told it's a clean every 8 weeks, so they are also less than straight,

[Slacky]

Its remarkable how personally people take it. I find the comment about space on the round next year not being guaranteed odd as well. I think thats just an opportunity taken to try to get 'one' back on the customer.

I had a text from an old, unreliable customer about a week ago about coming back to clean her windows and gutters. I just haven't replied.

Just get on with the day to day business of doing what needs to be done and enjoy the fact you're doing okay. Petty games are just petty.

[Slacky]

I've had one so far. She sent a text just before she was due saying can we leave the windows until next April and rediarise then  . I clean all year round I texted back. She replied yes but can you rediarise for next April? I didn't bother replying. She even skipped a clean during the summer texting me saying she had visitors staying over. Like WTF has that got to do with anything 

Dumped!

Years ago I had one say, when I'd turned up 'You always clean them when the dog groomer is here, can we leave it this time'.

[Arnold Palmer]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

There is and the competition are welcome to them. I’m seeing new vans regularly besides. To me these are sub prime customers.

Then you are treating them incorrectly.

Before you can afford to throw a hissy fit and bin perfectly good customers, for no good reason, you have it too easy.

If they were perfectly good customers I wouldn't bin them. That's the point!

It's a two monthly service - 6 cleans a year - if they skip 3 they are only half a customer. If they tell me when I sign them up they get told it's an all year service. When they sign up every customer is clearly told it's a clean every 8 weeks, so they are also less than straight,

Again, you are looking at that all wrong.

Surely 16 weeks could cover most of winter, (24 certainly can) someone you cleaned the end of Oct would be back on mid to late Feb, ready for the spring.

You have missed them once.

[Steve Newres]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

There is and the competition are welcome to them. I’m seeing new vans regularly besides. To me these are sub prime customers.

Then you are treating them incorrectly.

Before you can afford to throw a hissy fit and bin perfectly good customers, for no good reason, you have it too easy.

If they were perfectly good customers I wouldn't bin them. That's the point!

It's a two monthly service - 6 cleans a year - if they skip 3 they are only half a customer. If they tell me when I sign them up they get told it's an all year service. When they sign up every customer is clearly told it's a clean every 8 weeks, so they are also less than straight,

Again, you are looking at that all wrong.

Surely 16 weeks could cover most of winter, (24 certainly can) someone you cleaned the end of Oct would be back on mid to late Feb, ready for the spring.

You have missed them once.

If it was just one clean I wouldn’t mind. It would be April/May and easily half the annual income. Not worth it and not the message I want to give anyway.

[Walter Mitty]

One day there might be enough competition in this game that you lot are forced to get a grip.

Sure thing. If supply and demand changes sufficiently, I guess I'll have to adapt. Indeed, that has already happened to some degree with the increased roll-out of WFP.

[nathankaye]

If its one customer who's house is say £80 a clean and they ask to skip winter and then I can understand some being upset.

Or if it was 15 - 30 odd customers all cancelling till spring, again Incould understand some not being happy.

But one or two customers............get a grip folks.             Like someone said to me a while ago, how many new customers have you gained leading upto winter??  So in actual fact to where you were a year ago from now,,,,,,your actually doing well so its no real true loss.      Stop taking it so personnally people as if you have some claim of righy to how they spend their income and to how they choose to employ