[nathankaye]

If you're running at capacity in July, you can't expect to service the same volume of customers in January without further investment and extra staff. Not reliably and to a decent standard anyway. Especially up here.

This is why I finish my days not long after 3 pm, so I'm not struggling to get all the work done during winter months.

If any of my customers do this, it depends who they are if I accommodate them or not, but it's rare that it happens.
However I do have one customer who stops for a couple of months, from Dec to march and she has done for years.  But she's a good customer and has got me more work etc and so I don't mind her doing tbis

[Slacky]

If you're running at capacity in July, you can't expect to service the same volume of customers in January without further investment and extra staff. Not reliably and to a decent standard anyway. Especially up here.

This is why I finish my days not long after 3 pm, so I'm not struggling to get all the work done during winter months.

So you deny yourself income to be sure your customers don't have to wait for you should you get behind in the winter?

[robbo333]

My customers want a regular, reliable window cleaner.
I want regular, reliable customers; it works both ways.
So for me, I’m afraid the answer is no.

[Shrek]

I just had a weird one - a woman txt me for a quote, gave her my prices and she agreed to £18 once every 2 months ( 6 cleans a year) .
She paid after the first clean , did the 2nd clean yesterday and get a txt last night

Saying ‘thanks for cleaning my windows and can I just check that I paid £18 in September , was that not for 2 month - 2 cleans? ‘

I said no and sent her the quote again

She replied

Oh right I’ve not read that right. That’s really expensive, my mum only pays £9 a month for a 4 bed house with a conservatory. Sorry for the misunderstanding, can you not clean them again thanks 

Iv never had anyone before that can’t understand a quote .... and she hasn’t paid this time

[p1w1]

If you're running at capacity in July, you can't expect to service the same volume of customers in January without further investment and extra staff. Not reliably and to a decent standard anyway. Especially up here.

This is why I finish my days not long after 3 pm, so I'm not struggling to get all the work done during winter months.

If any of my customers do this, it depends who they are if I accommodate them or not, but it's rare that it happens.
However I do have one customer who stops for a couple of months, from Dec to march and she has done for years.  But she's a good customer and has got me more work etc and so I don't mind her doing tbis

That seems crazy to me

[Oliver James]

Hopefully you will have done a good job for this customer, and they will have at least some feelings of goodwill towards you. While this goodwill may NOT be enough to get them to PAY YOU through the winter, leave on good terms and they  MIGHT remember you next time one of their friends / family needs a window cleaner.

Perhaps you know, or perhaps you could make a connection with an up and coming window cleaner who WANTS one off work or is happy to work long days in the summer to service seasonal customers.

If you hand your 'summer only' customers (or less reliable customers) to this person, then you've found a solution for the customer, and you haven't burnt any goodwill, and this means you might get referrals further down the line (maybe from the 'summer only' customer you've helped out, and possibly from this 'up and coming' window cleaner, especially if he is trad only, and there are certain houses he cleans that need wfp.)

Alternatively, perhaps try saying:

The fact is that the service is year round. I'm feeling concerned because I'm needing to cover my expenses through the winter. Would you be willing to accept that I will need to find a customer to replace you now, and I might not have room on the rounds for your home in the spring?

Or, turn the fact that you work year round into a benefit for the customer

eg.

The benefit to you of us working all year round, is that you get a quality, reliable service for a competitive price, AND you'll have nice clean windows if your friends and family visit over Christmas.

[KS Cleaning]

Doesn’t happen very often but if anyone requests this I tell them I don’t offer a seasonal service.

[dazmond]

I only have one customer who goes 2 monthly in winter.thats it.....

I clean the same amount of work all year round.i don't work any harder or longer in the warmer months than I do in the depths of winter....

I always finish work before 4pm.who wants to work any later?I don't....5 or 6 hours a day  is enough 4 or 5 days a week all year round....

[dazmond]

i had a customer once say to me "what do you do in winter?sign on?"(id only been cleaning her windows all year round for around 10 years!!) .....

some customers are strange/stupid(or both!)

[nathankaye]

If you're running at capacity in July, you can't expect to service the same volume of customers in January without further investment and extra staff. Not reliably and to a decent standard anyway. Especially up here.

This is why I finish my days not long after 3 pm, so I'm not struggling to get all the work done during winter months.

So you deny yourself income to be sure your customers don't have to wait for you should you get behind in the winter?

Not at all because I price my jobs well and like to be home  before four.  Plus as some know my kids are back at school but different schools and wife isn't well. So it's more of a need to be finished by this time as well. But the advantage is my routine and schedule doesn't get mucked up due to the weather or the darker nights.   
If my life was more normal then yes I could work longer and work five days n loose my long wknd in winter if needs be, but they don't and it isnt

[Splash & dash]

If you're running at capacity in July, you can't expect to service the same volume of customers in January without further investment and extra staff. Not reliably and to a decent standard anyway. Especially up here.

This is why I finish my days not long after 3 pm, so I'm not struggling to get all the work done during winter months.

So you deny yourself income to be sure your customers don't have to wait for you should you get behind in the winter?

Not at all because I price my jobs well and like to be home  before four.  Plus as some know my kids are back at school but different schools and wife isn't well. So it's more of a need to be finished by this time as well. But the advantage is my routine and schedule doesn't get mucked up due to the weather or the darker nights.   
If my life was more normal then yes I could work longer and work five days n loose my long wknd in winter if needs be, but they don't and it isnt

I think that’s why we choose to be self employed we can start when we want and finished when we want , there is no Wright or wrong it’s a personal thing how long anyone wants to work ,good on you

[Stoots]

Ive had just one so far who said, we are going to leave it till the spring, will be in touch.

I cant even be arsed anymore arguing with customers or reading them the rule book.


I just said no problem. deleted them off the round and of my mind. If they ask to come back next year I might if it suits me or I might not if it doesn't.

I couldn't care less either way, I just focus on picking up new work

[Johnny B]

With less daylight hours at this time of the year and the run up to xmas means I'm overrun with work, so the occasional one dropping out until the spring actually does me a favour. I am usually happy to resume cleaning for them when they are ready.

John

[John Mart]

Nowadays I say no problem. First clean will be double to clean 5/6 months of dirt off. 

[capn sparkle]

I have and have heard many answers but my favourite one is as follows.

Ah! You need one of those hibernating window cleaners - I think I've got a card in the van for just the fella - I'll go and get one for you.

Cheery smile - never go back.

[callum99]

Make sure that if they do contact you, the price is going to be higher,,

[NWH]

Slippery slope offering 4-5 months off cleaning,you say that’s ok to 1-2 of the wrong customers ie the big stuff they’ll all think they can do it when they get talking.
I say to begin with I don’t offer 1 offs and I clean all year round and I’ll clean unless it’s pouring like stairods,if they’ve ever said I’ll call you or I’ll have you back to continue from spring I say I’ll call the supermarkets and shops to see if I can still have food and clothes and pay them in the spring too. They have to give a little in the winter so they can have you in the better times of the year,if you say this from the start you won’t have problems if you don’t your leaning yourself wide open, I had 1 2 weeks ago she said loads of access wanted it done every 2 months when I got there it was like plant pot island with no parking.

[Shrek]

Plant pot island 😂😂😂 flipping hate it when I quote over the internet because it’s an easy house and then when I get to the back garden, for some strange reason, they’ve got a plant pot on every bloody flagstone!!

[NWH]

Yeah lol she said loads of access and parking,one side of the house the house next door was so close there was no space to get a ladder up let alone a pole. I knew I wasn’t cleaning it as I looked round I had 3 phone calls from her saying when are you coming when are you coming,I knew my instinct was right when you’ve been doing this job for years your instinct always tells you within a couple of minutes of looking at a job if they are present when you are looking round.
It amazes me people still think you can quote and clean there and then,I’ll only ever do that if the job is gonna be more than worth my while from there in. She was the kind of woman that must get what she wants but I could tell long term within a couple of minutes we weren’t gonna get on in the long term so it was a no from me 😂 sometimes you’ve got to just let em go.

[NWH]

Another thing I only ever do with bigger jobs is arrange to clean on a certain time and day,I very very few jobs with bad access and parking 95% is off road parking for me. The only other thing I’ll do now and again if they are out is do front only but that’s rare for me