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Phil J

  • Posts: 638
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #20 on: April 01, 2020, 05:09:38 pm »
I've text all my customers letting them know I've suspended trading until this madness has subsided. Everyone that replied said in the circumstances they totally understand and will be happy to continue once we're back up and running. 

Stoots

  • Posts: 6189
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #21 on: April 01, 2020, 05:10:28 pm »
Full day done today, no skippers....texts sent as normal no mention of virus seemed to do the trick, even picked up a new one.

Get on with it whilst you can, who knows when they might stop us completely.

Slacky

  • Posts: 8238
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #22 on: April 01, 2020, 05:59:05 pm »
She is trump in a frock compleat idiot😀😀😀

There’s an irony in those very words.

Shrek

  • Posts: 3931
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #23 on: April 01, 2020, 06:04:32 pm »
Physician Alfa Saadi, 68, came out of retirement (after a 40yr NHS career) to fight the coronavirus pandemic at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Welwyn, Herts.
Today, he became the 4th doctor in Britain to die after contracting the infection.
What an absolute hero. RIP.

richard connett

  • Posts: 300
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #24 on: April 01, 2020, 06:04:50 pm »
Full day today , bit knackered. Everyone’s seems really pleased to see us . Plus we picked up 2 new customers. I think more people are in and wanting jobs done.
Closest I came to being near anybody was in Sainsbury’s

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25286
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #25 on: April 01, 2020, 07:11:59 pm »
Okay. Long Gold post to follow so draw up a sleeping bag.

Today I though "I would test the water" and I chose a nice village in South Gloucestershire to test the response. I dropped this off to 17 houses with an average of about £30 per house.

Page 1 is my letter - on headed notepaper; page 2 is the relevant government guidelines.

April 2020
Dear ________________________
I am writing to you re: Window Cleaning under current Coronavirus guidance and ask you to contact me by text/email on the above mobile number/email address.

When the Prime Minister announced the current “lockdown” I made the decision to stop working immediately and to evaluate whether my work should continue.

Later in the week several residential customers had contacted me and asked what I was doing as they would like their windows cleaned if possible.

Over the last 10 days Government guidelines seem clear (attached copy of the relevant section) and I have seen clips on TV of Scotland’s  First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying  “gardeners and window cleaners should go to work” and on Monday evening at 8pm ITV did an interview of Coronavirus Q&A with one of its presenters asking the specific question “I am a self-employed window cleaner, should I get out to work?” and the answer came back that provided he maintained distance then he should do so and that people stuck at home might like clean windows to look out of.

However – despite the above I also see the overarching spirit of the guidelines and fully respect customers’ wishes in this regard and would not want them to feel pressure to have me on their property at this sensitive time.

I shall be working your area on Thursday the 2nd and Friday 3rd of April to clean the windows of customers who have asked me to call. I have planned to clean yours on one of these days but if you’d rather I did not then please text, phone or email me ASAP.

My plan of work is to wash hands, wear gloves, arrive, ring/knock and stand well back and start work. When finished I would put a slip in a fresh envelope in your letterbox. (For those few who do not use internet banking please feel free to send a cheque in the post or if you feel comfortable put it or cash of the right amount in an envelope on the doorstep after I arrive.)

At time of writing I have had no cold/flu like symptoms for at least four weeks.
Best wishes to you and your families and keep safe,

Malc Gold

This had attached to it page 2 (government guidelines and both were in a window envelope stamped "from M Gold Window Cleaning" so the customers' handwritten name could be seen.

4. Going to work
As set out in the section on staying at home, you can travel for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home.

With the exception of the organisations covered above in the section on closing certain businesses and venues, the government has not required any other businesses to close – indeed it is important for business to carry on.


Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working.

Sometimes this will not be possible, as not everyone can work from home. Certain jobs require people to travel to, from and for their work – for instance if they operate machinery, work in construction or manufacturing, or are delivering front line services.

If you cannot work from home then you can still travel for work purposes, provided you are not showing coronavirus symptoms and neither you nor any of your household are self-isolating. This is consistent with advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

Employers who have people in their offices or onsite should ensure that employees are able to follow Public Health England guidelines including, where possible, maintaining a 2 metre distance from others, and washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds (or using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water is not available).

Work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms. Again, it will be important to ensure that Public Health England guidelines, including maintaining a 2 metre distance from any household occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repairs, and where the tradesperson is willing to do so. In such cases, Public Health England can provide advice to tradespeople and households.

No work should be carried out by a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.
As set out in the section on closing certain businesses and venues, the Government has published guidance on which organisations are covered by this requirement. Advice for employees of these organisations on employment and financial support is available at gov.uk/coronavirus.

At all times, workers should follow the guidance on self-isolation if they or anyone in their household shows symptoms.

(Paragraph 2 in red highlighted)

In the next post I shall let you know the responses thus far.





It's a game of three halves!

Dave Willis

Re: Informing customers
« Reply #26 on: April 01, 2020, 07:28:32 pm »
Beat that Nathan!

NWH

  • Posts: 16952
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #27 on: April 01, 2020, 07:35:01 pm »
🤣 by the time they get half way through that book you’ve given em they’ll just say please clean my windows and go away lol,you should try my approach text and go and do em.

Dave Willis

Re: Informing customers
« Reply #28 on: April 01, 2020, 07:37:55 pm »
Malc, I was in the same position as you, my conscience got the better of me. I packed up work, wrestling with the poxy government guidelines and going round the twist reading the posts on here.

Today I had an office block to do, thinking it would be empty anyway off I went. Cleaning away and it was evident they had a skeleton crew inside. One woman came to the window, gave me the thumbs up and mouthed ‘thank you’. Took me by surprise to be honest so when I finished I thought I’d give the domestics a go.
No problem at all!
Most left payment and retreated back indoors, some stopped outside and chatted.
All good, just give it a try, nothing to lose.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25286
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #29 on: April 01, 2020, 07:38:13 pm »
House 1 - Retired couple, 70's, seem healthy. "Yes by all means continue"
House 2 - Empty, owner deceased continuing for family. - No response
House 3 - Retired GP and wife. 70's. "We would very much like to see you, we shall remain inside and stay 2 metres away"
House 4 - Elderly couple 80's - "No problem whatsoever, perfectly happy for you to clean my windows I will leave a cheque out"
House 5 - Elderly couple 80's - No response yet
House 6 - Couple 50's - No response yet
House 7 - Couple 60's Thank you for your letter I'm very happy for you to continue.
House 8 - Couple 50's - please leave for the duration of the Coronavirus, we feel happier that way and hope you understand.
House 9 - Hospital Doctor and wife 50's - Thank you for your well researched letter, do please continue.
House 10 - Couple 70's No response
House 11 - Widow 70's - Thank you for your letter, yes please.
House 12 - Couple 60's Yes please, thanks for your letter see you Friday
House 13 - Couple 50's That's  fine, I'm  home working and (wife) is on on furlough, we'll stay indoors when you arrive.
House 14 - Russian couple 40's - No response
House 15 - Couple 50's and family - I am very happy for you to carry on - they need doing!
House 16 - Couple 60's no response yet
House 17 - Couple 70's no response yet

I thought the two doctors response was interesting.
It's a game of three halves!

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25286
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #30 on: April 01, 2020, 07:47:14 pm »
🤣 by the time they get half way through that book you’ve given em they’ll just say please clean my windows and go away lol,you should try my approach text and go and do em.

I take your point but the awful truth is I only had about three of their phone numbers or email addresses and so I had a choice of turning up or dropping off letters (or posting I suppose).

It's a game of three halves!

Missing Link

  • Posts: 44565
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #31 on: April 01, 2020, 07:48:18 pm »
I thought the two doctors response was interesting.

Not really; it's to be expected. 

They're not hysterical uneducated types.

You've more chance of killing a pedestrian on the way to their house, than giving them the Chinese plague while cleaning the windows there.
Pronouns She/Her/Madam/Ma'am

NWH

  • Posts: 16952
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #32 on: April 01, 2020, 07:49:19 pm »
Be brave and carry on and explain when you are there I’m sure most people understand now,I had someone say to me today oh so your a key worker I hear now then.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25286
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #33 on: April 01, 2020, 07:52:19 pm »
I thought the two doctors response was interesting.

Not really; it's to be expected. 

They're not hysterical uneducated types.

You've more chance of killing a pedestrian on the way to their house, than giving them the Chinese plague while cleaning the windows there.

I said I found their responses interesting; I certainly didn't expect to be complimented on my letter.
It's a game of three halves!

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25286
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #34 on: April 01, 2020, 07:53:22 pm »
Be brave and carry on and explain when you are there I’m sure most people understand now,I had someone say to me today oh so your a key worker I hear now then.

Oh I shall. Re-reading my letter I note I ask them to respond at the outset but further down it could be read I only wanted a response if they don't want me there. Also as I was at one house  a gardener was working and I had a brief "socially distant" chat and he said most of his customers were fine but he had to work alone (he usually had a worker with him) due to social distancing .
It's a game of three halves!

Stoots

  • Posts: 6189
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #35 on: April 01, 2020, 08:16:43 pm »
If that was Nathan we would be saying far too much waffle.....

So im afraid it was far too much waffle  ;D

Guess you dont have many mobile numbers where you can just send a text ?

i sent a text that simply said "Hi. Your windows are due to be cleaned tomorrow if you can unlock any gates etc if required. Just to make you aware i am continuing to work following the latest government guidelines, however if you prefer to not have your windows cleaned at this time please let me know and i will leave it till next month. many thanks"

That seemed to work fine but then i got quite a few wanting to skip so i reverted back to my normal texts last 2 days and zero skippers.


dazmond

  • Posts: 23919
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #36 on: April 01, 2020, 08:39:34 pm »
ive got 21 jobs to clean tomorrow...not one needs a text the night before...ill just turn up and clean unless they come out and ask to skip.....

its the best way IMO...dont make a fuss...yes its bad whats going on but i bet your customers are sick to the back teeth of hearing about this virus....just smile,wave and carry on...if they come out for a chat,listen to them and ask them how they are,make them laugh,tell them a bit about your life...it all helps with customer relations.......
price higher/work harder!

KS Cleaning

  • Posts: 3947
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #37 on: April 01, 2020, 09:23:19 pm »
We all do things different, the fact that Gold has had a positive response from his well worded letter, and that in turn has given him the confidence to get back to work, then I would say he has done the right thing in asking his customers their views. I’m sure he knows his customers better than all of us.

dazmond

  • Posts: 23919
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #38 on: April 01, 2020, 09:28:54 pm »
Malc, I was in the same position as you, my conscience got the better of me. I packed up work, wrestling with the poxy government guidelines and going round the twist reading the posts on here.

Today I had an office block to do, thinking it would be empty anyway off I went. Cleaning away and it was evident they had a skeleton crew inside. One woman came to the window, gave me the thumbs up and mouthed ‘thank you’. Took me by surprise to be honest so when I finished I thought I’d give the domestics a go.
No problem at all!
Most left payment and retreated back indoors, some stopped outside and chatted.
All good, just give it a try, nothing to lose.

good on you dave..........the "disaster movie" mindset can really take hold  staying home and watching the news/reading some posts on here.......

yes its bad whats going on out there but you ll find most of your customers just want a bit of familiarity/normality........they are also sick of the doom and gloom and bad news too.....ive been pleasantly surprised at the attitude of most customers towards me over the last few weeks...ive had more open,heartfelt conversations and friendly chats than i would do under normal circumstances and also ive noticed more customers going out of their way to smile and wave who maybe otherwise would just ignore me......

another plus is quite a few customers seem to be paying me quicker than usual too.....

any customer who comes out and wants to skip or cancel thats fine by me too under the circumstances but ive only had 4  skippers up to now and that was last week.....
price higher/work harder!

G Griffin

  • Posts: 40745
Re: Informing customers
« Reply #39 on: April 01, 2020, 09:36:50 pm »
You've more chance of killing a pedestrian on the way to their house, than giving them the Chinese plague while cleaning the windows there.
Have you got a science-led stat for this?
You talk some rubbish. You shouldn't be dishing out false information like that.
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