[Smudger]

90 customers is barely 4 days work - its no great shakes to inform them you will no longer text

I used to collect on the door step - but it became apparent that I spent hours travelling around for a few quid - usually in the cold and wet for people to still not have the cash - at this stage I had maybe 400 customers

they were given 'notice' either verbally or letter that no more door collections would take place - bank transfer - dd - standing order were the options if they could not pay on the day .

I maybe had to chase the odd 2 or 3 die hards but they then faced a choice pay remotely or not get cleaned  your business is evolving - don't continue down a route that's causing you problems - be the bigger man and take on board the good  advice being handed out ( its free ! where else are you going to get help like this )

Darran

[dazmond]

Iv never texted a customer, back in the day when I needed whatever work/custom I could get I used a folding multi position  ladder to get over a locked gate, when I no longer needed that type of  custom I stopped.
I have always believed that the less contact we have with our customers the better.

really?......so all your customers have gates that are unlocked or do you have keys?more and more customers are choosing to lock their gates these days ive found......i have lots of electronic/combination gate numbers,use ladders or a step to unbolt a few and text the night before for the others....

[CleanClear]

90 customers is barely 4 days work -

You (personally) can clean 22 houses a day ?

[James Styles]

Does anyone else on this forum text their customers the day before the clean is due and been successful using this method?

[CleanClear]

Does anyone else on this forum text their customers the day before the clean is due and been successful using this method?

Yes i do and i know first hand others that do too. Initially i didn't want to do it, for the reasons you have outlined.... you can get a cancellation. But i got over that, at the end of the day if they don't want you to clean their windows for one reason or another then "sneaking up on the house" unnanounced as a means to circumvent this..... was a pretty crap way to push your (mine) business foreward. I have zero tolerance for messers, the text enables gates to be unlocked if neccesary, enables them to leave cash out and under a pot if they aint gonna be in, and in general lets them know that someone is coming to their property on that day. There is no shortage of window cleaners that "just turn up when they want" , i never aimed to be one of them. Its my USP i suppose..... I couldn't even imagine just going out to clean some windows when no one knows i'm coming... Just wouldn't feel like i had any sort of business. I'm aware thats not for everyone and i know exactly why they do otherwise.

 James, you can do it anyway you like take no notice to anyone telling you what way to do it. Do it one way and stick to it. Its hard when you need the cash at first but if/when i ever get a "can you leave us this time" i leave them. If i get it a second time i don't contact them again. If they contact me i offer a premium priced clean at a time to suit them. You'll never change messers, push foreward and keep seeking people who want a regular service of the type you offer.

[Splash & dash]

90 customers is barely 4 days work -

You (personally) can clean 22 houses a day ?

Depending on size my guys do modern 3 bed semis at the rate of 30-45 per day each on compact work , I personally can do 7 per hour so if someone cannot do 22 in a day they would find themselves sacked very quickly

[Slacky]

Does anyone else on this forum text their customers the day before the clean is due and been successful using this method?

It doesn't matter what others do. Its causing YOU problems, change the method.

[CleanClear]

90 customers is barely 4 days work -

You (personally) can clean 22 houses a day ?

Depending on size my guys do modern 3 bed semis at the rate of 30-45 per day each on compact work , I personally can do 7 per hour so if someone cannot do 22 in a day they would find themselves sacked very quickly

Thats not the question i asked (what "your guys" do ) . But fair enough , you can do 7 semis in an hour . 

[James Styles]

Does anyone else on this forum text their customers the day before the clean is due and been successful using this method?

Yes i do and i know first hand others that do too. Initially i didn't want to do it, for the reasons you have outlined.... you can get a cancellation. But i got over that, at the end of the day if they don't want you to clean their windows for one reason or another then "sneaking up on the house" unnanounced as a means to circumvent this..... was a pretty crap way to push your (mine) business foreward. I have zero tolerance for messers, the text enables gates to be unlocked if neccesary, enables them to leave cash out and under a pot if they aint gonna be in, and in general lets them know that someone is coming to their property on that day. There is no shortage of window cleaners that "just turn up when they want" , i never aimed to be one of them. Its my USP i suppose..... I couldn't even imagine just going out to clean some windows when no one knows i'm coming... Just wouldn't feel like i had any sort of business. I'm aware thats not for everyone and i know exactly why they do otherwise.

 James, you can do it anyway you like take no notice to anyone telling you what way to do it. Do it one way and stick to it. Its hard when you need the cash at first but if/when i ever get a "can you leave us this time" i leave them. If i get it a second time i don't contact them again. If they contact me i offer a premium priced clean at a time to suit them. You'll never change messers, push foreward and keep seeking people who want a regular service of the type you offer.

That’s good to hear mate. I am the same I would rather they know I am coming that day and to expect the bill of the clean, also I’d imagine the ones who wanted it to be left this time could just turn you away (waste of petrol & time) or their could be issues getting payment.
I think it’s been making me question my system today as I had a big amount of cancellations for the first time but thinking about it more I’m going to get messers either way as I am building my round still.
I am going to stick to my method and if I get ones that cancel or mess about I will give them an ultimatum and then if it happens again I will dump them.
Eventually I should have a nice reliable round with a good system in place.

[CleanClear]

I put up with messers when i needed them. As i'd imagine a lot of us did. as your business grows you won't need them, it happens naturally. You won't even make a concious descision about it...........

[James Styles]

Does anyone else on this forum text their customers the day before the clean is due and been successful using this method?

It doesn't matter what others do. Its causing YOU problems, change the method.

I wanted to know if others have built a successful round with the system I am using, to see if it can work out well.
I feel more comfortable letting customers know I am coming the next day.
I am still building and I think I’d be getting problems with messers no matter what in the beginning.
I am working out what is best for me going forwards and I am still ultimately leaning towards the way I am doing it with texts, I will just have to weed out the messers.
If it still causes issues down the line then I will have to change it.

[Crystal-clear]

Ok. 90 customers and WFP
Yes plenty of us text but we're so used to messers and most been on glass for years so already been through your stage. Texting does cause problems which ever way you look at it if you wish to do it thats your choice..

So Things to take away and consider today.

Number one Stop texting from now on try just turning up plenty of very successful guys with multiple Van's on road work in this manner
later on text the ones worth it when you hit say 200..

Two if its WFP try and double the price its half price later for as long as they're happy to have you.
Doubling will make a difference in messers.

These two things should improve the retention rate why dont you give these a go and see how you get on?.

[CleanClear]

Your problem isn't so much texting as it is picking up new work, new work is always like this until it settles down.

^^^^^
Nailed in the first few responses..........................

[James Styles]

Ok. 90 customers and WFP
Yes plenty of us text but we're so used to messers and most been on glass for years so already been through your stage. Texting does cause problems which ever way you look at it if you wish to do it thats your choice..

So Things to take away and consider today.

Number one Stop texting from now on try just turning up plenty of very successful guys with multiple Van's on road work in this manner
later on text the ones worth it when you hit say 200..

Two if its WFP try and double the price its half price later for as long as they're happy to have you.
Doubling will make a difference in messers.

These two things should improve the retention rate why dont you give these a go and see how you get on?.

Hi mate, I think for now I will keep using the text system but be sterner with messers, give them an ultimatum if they mess a 2nd time and if they do it a 3rd time dump them.
I believe a lot of what I’m experiencing is just crap messer customers in building and it would happen with or without texting, I am not doubting though that texting can be problematic and if it does carry on causing issues even after dropping messers then I will change the system.
I charge price plus 50% on first cleans, I will try doubling the price just hope I can pick up customers this way as it does make the price quite high lol, I will try it for a few weeks with canvassing.
👍

[nathankaye]

When you receive a text back saying to miss, how do you respond?

[Stoots]

I personally never charged double on first cleans.

When I was building a round I wanted to give myself the best chance of picking up work not putting them off with inflated first clean price. And yes it did put quite a few off...

[Shrek]

For the past few months Iv been giving 3 frequencies and charging the 3 monthly frequency for 1st cleans. Iv not had 1 refusal so far and wish I’d have done it years ago!

[zesty]

James as I’ve said, I’ve never text customers before turning up, and I’m telling you straight it’s very rare for anyone to turn me away, most customers are out...

Add to that the fact that it’s much harder to turn someone away once they are there, and you’ll find it’s not an issue.

Once you’ve sent a text, it’s all too easy for the customer to think ‘ah not this time, I’ll save the money’

I suppose it’s what suits you mate, but for me, I just don’t see any reason to text customers before turning up. I like to keep the customers at arms length in that sense. Not giving them opportunity to dictate.

Horses for courses I suppose! There’s no right or wrong way, but maybe, just maybe, it’s worth giving the ‘no text’ version a go... as long as you’ve clearly told them you’ll be round every ‘x’ amount of weeks, all should be ok....

[Dave Willis]

I rarely text. If your customer has seen the forecast for today for example they will try and skip (don’t blame them).  Customers like to control you, can’t allow this, it’s your business your running not theirs.
When starting out you need every scrap of work.
Suck it up for now then eventually drop the messers. Most of them will drop you anyway after three months. You soon realise why they didn’t have a cleaner.
Your customer base will ebb and flow, might take a year or two then hopefully it will snowball.

[capn sparkle]

Does anyone else on this forum text their customers the day before the clean is due and been successful using this method?

Yes - Been doing this for 9 yrs and experienced exactly what you are going through - persevere, it'll get better.