[C & S]

If somebody cancels like you say a £100 booked in job on the day.

Ask you to reschedule.

You have lost £100 that day. (presuming you cant crack on with any other work)

So effectively if you do that same job say the following week you are doing it for free!

Bye bye Blocked

[JandS]

I could quite easily drop it for a different day and still get a full days work in.
I rarely have problems with messers but I won't clean in anything above drizzle.
Can't think of the last time somebody said "leave them this time" without a good reason,  usually because they are replacing them the week after.

[Arnold Palmer]

From experience that’s what I have found , over the years I have dumped ones like this and the issues have not reoccurred so it works for us , perhapses you could share your experience?

If a customer is a 'messer' (read as - not having the service offered explained to them properly by their window cleaner (we're all guilty of it)) and their issue comes to a head like this; I've found that it's often the case that having wasted their time with lesser window cleaners, they become more appreciative of proper window cleaners (read as - couldn't give a toss if it's raining because cleaning windows is their livelihood). Reliability becomes their priority and as such they are some of the most loyal customers you can have (assuming of course that reliability is also your priority).

[Splash & dash]

From experience that’s what I have found , over the years I have dumped ones like this and the issues have not reoccurred so it works for us , perhapses you could share your experience?

If a customer is a 'messer' (read as - not having the service offered explained to them properly by their window cleaner (we're all guilty of it)) and their issue comes to a head like this; I've found that it's often the case that having wasted their time with lesser window cleaners, they become more appreciative of proper window cleaners (read as - couldn't give a toss if it's raining because cleaning windows is their livelihood). Reliability becomes their priority and as such they are some of the most loyal customers you can have (assuming of course that reliability is also your priority).

Lol totaly confused by this reply but still stand by my other post that before we take a customer on I explaine that we work in all weather if they dont want that then that’s fine I walk away and they can find someone else to do the job , if they accept my terms cleaning in rain then they don’t want it doing beacause it’s raining they get dumped simple as that I remind them of the original terms for the job if you say ok I’ll leave it this time there are weeks where we would not work at all if everyone said the same thing , if there is a genuine reason for not doing them ie building work going on : decorating : new windows about to be fitted that’s fine , I had one woman say to me years ago leave the windows this time it looks like it might rain !!!! Then phoned up 3 months later complaining that I hadn’t been I wasn’t rude but told her straight that I wouldn’t do much work each year if I didn’t work when it looked like it might rain , don’t need customers like that there are plenty  of good customers out there that are happy to be reasonable and happy to receive a regular and professional service that’s what we supply as I said once they start messing you about they usualy continue to be that type of customer

[JandS]

A professional service that cleans with a mixture of pure and rainwater that may or may not have dirt in it.

[Stoots]

End of the day you can either not clean in rain and earn less money per year.

Or you can find customers that don't mind you cleaning in the rain and earn more per year.

It's entirely up to you.

Some customers mind some don't, find the ones that don't... simple

[G Griffin]

last year i did the bamboo slither ,probably for the last time.

I thought I saw you do it on Strictly but I never realised it was a farewell performance.
Such a shame we'll never see it again.

[harv deek]

last year i did the bamboo slither ,probably for the last time.

I thought I saw you do it on Strictly but I never realised it was a farewell performance.
Such a shame we'll never see it again.

    i take it youv not done the bambooing ever?

 so whats your tonic to the messers?

   messers, the messer phenomenom ,,,,,whats this all about?  think about it.

think,,, about  IT
 its about eating sh/t ,over and over .   wev all done it in this trade ,stood in some too-

 thats
another sign !     we are good targets,the window cleaner he can take a hit and the hitter feels good inside .

[Arnold Palmer]

From experience that’s what I have found , over the years I have dumped ones like this and the issues have not reoccurred so it works for us , perhapses you could share your experience?

If a customer is a 'messer' (read as - not having the service offered explained to them properly by their window cleaner (we're all guilty of it)) and their issue comes to a head like this; I've found that it's often the case that having wasted their time with lesser window cleaners, they become more appreciative of proper window cleaners (read as - couldn't give a toss if it's raining because cleaning windows is their livelihood). Reliability becomes their priority and as such they are some of the most loyal customers you can have (assuming of course that reliability is also your priority).

Lol totaly confused by this reply but still stand by my other post that before we take a customer on I explaine that we work in all weather if they dont want that then that’s fine I walk away and they can find someone else to do the job , if they accept my terms cleaning in rain then they don’t want it doing beacause it’s raining they get dumped simple as that I remind them of the original terms for the job if you say ok I’ll leave it this time there are weeks where we would not work at all if everyone said the same thing , if there is a genuine reason for not doing them ie building work going on : decorating : new windows about to be fitted that’s fine , I had one woman say to me years ago leave the windows this time it looks like it might rain !!!! Then phoned up 3 months later complaining that I hadn’t been I wasn’t rude but told her straight that I wouldn’t do much work each year if I didn’t work when it looked like it might rain , don’t need customers like that there are plenty  of good customers out there that are happy to be reasonable and happy to receive a regular and professional service that’s what we supply as I said once they start messing you about they usualy continue to be that type of customer

I agree with all that.

What I'm saying is once it's come to a head like that and you've walked away (or stomped off or flounced or whatever)  having explained your position in clear no-uncertain terms, in 6 months or a year if this person asks you to come back they are unlikely to now be a 'messer', they've seen firsthand the consequences of 'messing' (they got some halfwit ape with a ladder and a bucket who did them twice for 36p and never came back, now they're stuck with grubby windows and the mother in law is coming round on Saturday). Most folk just want a reliable window cleaner and don't look at it from your point of view, why would they?

Once a messer not necessarily always a messer.

[John Mart]

A professional service that cleans with a mixture of pure and rainwater that may or may not have dirt in it.

Look up the definition of professional. 

[AuRavelling79]

last year i did the bamboo slither ,probably for the last time.

I thought I saw you do it on Strictly but I never realised it was a farewell performance.
Such a shame we'll never see it again.

You owe me a new keyboard Griff.  I was drinking coffee when I read that! 

[G Griffin]

last year i did the bamboo slither ,probably for the last time.

I thought I saw you do it on Strictly but I never realised it was a farewell performance.
Such a shame we'll never see it again.

    i take it youv not done the bambooing ever?

 so whats your tonic to the messers?

   messers, the messer phenomenom ,,,,,whats this all about?  think about it.

think,,, about  IT
 its about eating sh/t ,over and over .   wev all done it in this trade ,stood in some too-

 thats
another sign !     we are good targets,the window cleaner he can take a hit and the hitter feels good inside .

I stop cleaning their windows and try not to think about them again. If you do that, then they are not a messer.
Course I lose money occasionally but I don't have many big, well priced jobs (well I don't have any well priced jobs) and if I sense someone could cause problems I don't let the problems mount up. 
It's very rarely personal so don't think that it is. I doubt many set out to get one over the window cleaner to feel good inside.
I don't think we are that important.
Don't let them be that important to you either. You are not eating sh/t so don't resort to criminal damage.

[Arnold Palmer]

i take it youv not done the bambooing ever?

 so whats your tonic to the messers?

   messers, the messer phenomenom ,,,,,whats this all about?  think about it.

think,,, about  IT
 its about eating sh/t ,over and over .   wev all done it in this trade ,stood in some too-

 thats
another sign !     we are good targets,the window cleaner he can take a hit and the hitter feels good inside .

And.... the dreaded window cleaner's inferiority complex strikes again.

Get over it, we aren't as important to these people as we sometimes think we are.

[dazmond]

i agree soupy SOME messers can turn into good customers once they know you dont suffer fools gladly and are the "real deal" professional window cleaner working to actually make a living out of it.....

[Arnold Palmer]

i agree soupy SOME messers can turn into good customers once they know you dont suffer fools gladly and are the "real deal" professional window cleaner working to actually make a living out of it.....

Yup. I've not disagreed with that. My issue was with "once a messer, always a messer".

Most messers are completely unaware that they've done anything to annoy you. They've no idea what a delicate bunch you lot are.

[dazmond]

i agree soupy SOME messers can turn into good customers once they know you dont suffer fools gladly and are the "real deal" professional window cleaner working to actually make a living out of it.....

Yup. I've not disagreed with that. My issue was with "once a messer, always a messer".

Most messers are completely unaware that they've done anything to annoy you. They've no idea what a delicate bunch you lot are.

its nothing to do with being "delicate" mate...i just dont like being messed around thats all.....the NO 1 immediate dump has got to be "not today as its forecast rain later!" ....not had one of them for a few years now though........

[Arnold Palmer]

its nothing to do with being "delicate" mate...i just dont like being messed around thats all.....the NO 1 immediate dump has got to be "not today as its forecast rain later!" ....not had one of them for a few years now though........

Sure, snowflake. 

[P @ F]

Had my first messer from the leaflet drops today , went like this .

C . How much to clean the windows please ?
M . £12 every month .
C . I will ring husband to see if ok .
 C . Husband wants to go ahead and just ring as and when needed.
M . Sorry I dont work like that , 2 monthly is the biggest lapse I do , or Im wasting my time .
C . Ok , I will ring him again to see .

She never came back out to let me know , and I sure as poop wasnt ringing the bell to find out   

[Splash & dash]

Had my first messer from the leaflet drops today , went like this .

C . How much to clean the windows please ?
M . £12 every month .
C . I will ring husband to see if ok .
 C . Husband wants to go ahead and just ring as and when needed.
M . Sorry I dont work like that , 2 monthly is the biggest lapse I do , or Im wasting my time .
C . Ok , I will ring him again to see .

She never came back out to let me know , and I sure as poop wasnt ringing the bell to find out 

Classic waist of time : these people think that you are sat by the phone praying for it to ring so you can go and clean there windows : the one that cracked me up is we would like our windows cleaned Thursday at 2pm , what planet are these people on we are booked up solid at least 4 weeks ahead all year for extra jobs and will only do one offs if it’s neer where we are working and we will fit it in when we can I certainly am not going to put jobs like that ahead of good regular customers

[nathankaye]

Not that its the same at all, but a light change of subject.

I got a new customer today whom house I used to clean up until last year when the old dear died.
I was cleaning the neighbours house when the new owner came out and asked if I used to clean her house.? It turned out she was the sister in law of the deceased.
Anyways, she asked if I could start cleaning for her and I said I could and that I can start today for £x amount and she paid cash and is signing up (has signed up tonight) for go cardless later.
So I finished the clean and she came out to pay me and gave me a whopping pound tip because I was able to clean it today