[Simon Trapani]

Texting for access through software is slightly better than keys I find, especially with multiple vans as the keys can end up in the wrong van. Neither is ideal but what is?

Don’t give a time slot. You haven’t got time to respond to trivial texts.

Just explain & get to the bottom of it once & for all. If the outcome is not what you want then you have a decision to make. It’s your business. There’s no right or wrong. Just mind how you say it’s your reputation. No need to be rude, but likewise don’t be a pushover. Just say it as it is.

[Stoots]

I have had a certain customer for two years now and since I took her on she has needed a text for the gate

Every time I text her reply was what time and I used to try and work it out, about 11 or about 12 I'd say. Then after a while i got fed up with it and just replied the same everytime "about 11" and I'd just turn up whenever I got there sometimes 9-10 or in the afternoon.

After a while she stopped asking what time. She finally got the message, eventually after about 18 months on the round lol

[lee_dewing]

Thanks everyone

Got this text message ready in anticipation 😁

Feel free to edit, I think it is polite 🤔

Text
Hello Jackie,

Unfortunately I can’t give times,

A lot of customers give me a spare key to their gates

Alternatively I text for gates to be unlocked

If you’re not happy about leaving gate unlocked when you’re not in
Then you can hide a gate key outside for me.

Otherwise  may I suggest cleaning front windows only? If you’re out.

I’ll understand if none of these options work and you want to get another window cleaner

Regards lee

[G Griffin]

Thanks everyone

Got this text message ready in anticipation 😁

Feel free to edit, I think it is polite 🤔

Text
Hello Jackie,

Unfortunately I can’t give times,

A lot of customers give me a spare key to their gates

Alternatively I text for gates to be unlocked

If you’re not happy about leaving gate unlocked when you’re not in
Then you can hide a gate key outside for me.

Otherwise  may I suggest cleaning front windows only? If you’re out.

I’ll understand if none of these options work and you want to get another window cleaner

Regards lee

You can't be fairer that that, Lee.

[lee_dewing]

Thanks 

[Crystal-clear]

I feel it's important to note you are able to provide more to customers if you have help or employees. So things like working around the gate giving Her a time bracket even going back to the street later on just to fit her in. It's not you going back it's your colleague who's getting paid regardless the only thing that will matter in that instance is if the business is in profit for the extra mile you have decided to do.


This customer doesn't want to play ball and it's difficult one not to take this a little bit personally
Because you're putting a lot of unpaid work into this job for your customers and responsible for the cleaning and the admin
So 9 out of 10 customers are happy to open the gate or give you the key this one clearly doesn't want to

When you are self-employed working alone going home doing your water repairing your van checking out your route chasing debt creating invoices texting customers and you have a load of customers which are playing ball the way you want them to considering all the working hours associated with the job outside of actual window cleaning I think for the person working totally alone being responsible for the above and more.
Has the right not to increase his working hours unnecessarily. So I think your message is reasonable and hopefully the customer will understand it's the way you work and you have lots to think about rather than driving back specifically and wedging yourself in. I think you couldn't be fairer you gave her the options that suit your business give you a key or have your front cleaned or unlock your gate. If you want to go out of your way half an hour that would mean an extra half an hour when you go home sorting out your vehicle doing your admin.
The ball is in her court now.

[Slacky]

Have a business model. Decide upon it. Stick to it. (You can always change it should the need arise).

Some customers will fall within the parameters of this model, some wont.

This is life. Whatever your business model, there is no one business in the world that can entertain every potenial customer that approaches you.

If youre a high-end business the oiks wont want to pay your rates and if you’re a low end supplier the oiks will want you but the snooty ones won’t want your wagon on their drive.

Don’t be hesitant in deciding which ones are appropriate for this model and which ones aren’t.


My missus thinks Im too intolerant in my approach to how i interact with potential customers. I look at her and just say ‘whos business is this, theres or mine?.

[Jonny 87]

I also think a large part of this is supply and demand.

If you are building the business, and have spare time to fill, you can be more flexible. Especially if you have multiple employees.

However for the majority of us, we have more customers than we need, which is always a good situation to be in. Any messers get left, and they either change their ways, or find another window cleaner who may accommodate.

That results in the best possible work day for us as business owners.

 Maximising profit and minimising headaches. 

[G Griffin]

I also think a large part of this is supply and demand.

If you are building the business, and have spare time to fill, you can be more flexible. Especially if you have multiple employees.

Why would you have multiple employees if you were in that position?

[AuRavelling79]

I suppose that when you take on an extra employee you have a short period of time where you're building enough work for say 4 rather than 3.
So you might have work for more than three but not enough for four for a while.
I only give the above example so I could write a phonetic for three times in a row.

[Stoots]

Theres usually a process

You start out taking on every job  in sight, no matter how awkward or underpriced and as tine goes on you only take on certain jobs at certain prices.

Thats what everyone should be aiming for. If you are 10 years in and still have headache jobs then you are doing something wrong.

yesterday i dropped 3 potential new ones before i even cleaned them. One was a terraced with access through 2 back gardens, the other turns out she needed to be in for access and the other i had underpriced it over the phone and when i got there she wouldnt have the extra £5 that i wanted.

a couple of years ago i would have took all 3, not anymore

[Smudger]

I also think a large part of this is supply and demand.

If you are building the business, and have spare time to fill, you can be more flexible. Especially if you have multiple employees.

However for the majority of us, we have more customers than we need, which is always a good situation to be in. Any messers get left, and they either change their ways, or find another window cleaner who may accommodate.

That results in the best possible work day for us as business owners.

 Maximising profit and minimising headaches.

Why would you be more flexible with multiple employees?

Darran