[robbo333]

Jay

If it were me, and I was starting from scratch, I would:

1. Keep these customers. If you bin them, then you won't earn anything more out of them.
If you keep them and next time round only half want it done, then it's still money you wouldn't have had.
Keep them until you can afford to bin them off.

2. More importantly, change YOUR attitude, DON'T take it personally!
The reason these people are a problem is because YOU are letting them be a problem.

They are just numbers and addresses in a book that could potentially earn you money.

Yes, you did a good a first clean, gave them a good price and made sure they were happy with your work...and now you feel they've let you down.
Welcome to window cleaning 

Think positive, think how you can use these crappy customers to your advantage (possible rainy day, when a decent custy may whinge, or on a Saturday where everyone is home and you may get 2 other enquiries from people seeing you in the same street).

You have to be positive; the hour you've spent getting annoyed and coming on here, you could have been out canvassing and leafleting.

Get it sorted!


Having said all that I still get annoyed with custys; (poxy stick on bird feeders) what's all that about! 

[Smudger]

nice post GOLD


its really important that you do what is best for you - many of the suggestions are great but coming from the perspective of those who have cleaned for years many not require the work as much as you do.

I don't think its so much you get dross or messers early on but the fact many 'sense' your new and that you can be plyable - as you go on your natural confidence will shine through  and people are less likely to skip or mess you around

unlike most - my customers are given a next clean date - they are always cleaned on the same day of the week 4 or 8 weeks apart - I run through this with them, I also check access and its agreed that we get a key or code or the gate is left with a draw bolt on only - we DONT climb over locked gates and 50% is charged for front only - these days no one bats an eyelid at this - I am lucky that we are rural and only about 1 in 10 actually has a bolt on the gate and something like 1 in 50 has a lock

Darran

Hey Darran,
Don't you ever get rained off? Surely you don't send your lads out if it's lashing down and blowing a gale?

very rare to be rained off out this way - it does happen - but we have always been back upto date within 2 to 3 days - no need to work in the rain

as per post locked gates are few and far between here

Darran

[jay moley]

Jay

If it were me, and I was starting from scratch, I would:

1. Keep these customers. If you bin them, then you won't earn anything more out of them.
If you keep them and next time round only half want it done, then it's still money you wouldn't have had.
Keep them until you can afford to bin them off.

2. More importantly, change YOUR attitude, DON'T take it personally!
The reason these people are a problem is because YOU are letting them be a problem.

They are just numbers and addresses in a book that could potentially earn you money.

Yes, you did a good a first clean, gave them a good price and made sure they were happy with your work...and now you feel they've let you down.
Welcome to window cleaning 

Think positive, think how you can use these crappy customers to your advantage (possible rainy day, when a decent custy may whinge, or on a Saturday where everyone is home and you may get 2 other enquiries from people seeing you in the same street).

You have to be positive; the hour you've spent getting annoyed and coming on here, you could have been out canvassing and leafleting.

Get it sorted!


Having said all that I still get annoyed with custys; (poxy stick on bird feeders) what's all that about! 

Some good points, cheers.

[dazmond]

It's not normal to NOT get paid for a first clean though.....

It's never happened to me in 26 yrs of window cleaning

[Shrek]

It's not normal to NOT get paid for a first clean though.....

It's never happened to me in 26 yrs of window cleaning

Not everyone looks like a bouncer like you daz 

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

I send a few texts to ask for the gates to be unlocked. The rest are easily reached with an A frame ladder and a pole with a 6" squeegee on the end - great for unbolting and lifting floor bolts. Any that I can't access are done fronts only at 50% of the price. The text tends to be along the lines of "I'm on your street tomorrow, could you leave your gate unlocked for me please". If anyone asks me to leave it this month then that's strike one. They don't get a second strike, just straight to the bin. As has been said lots of time before, if you let someone think it's an as-and-when service they'll have you dancing to their tune and making it harder for you to make a living. It's your business not theirs and when your round is established they are very easy to replace.

garden hoes are best for gate bolts

[Ooooooog]

I use a pole with a gutter profile tool. Works nicely. You can even get the bolt back in after!

[AuRavelling79]

I use a pole with a gutter profile tool. Works nicely. You can even get the bolt back in after!

I can't imagine that. More description please?