[dazmond]

Not wanting to sound militant but my policy is the price is for the whole or part of the house.  I run 8 weekly, after each clean the invoice is sent with the following date on the invoice, t&c's on each invoice.

We don't txt prior to cleaning, the following date is on the invoice, means they have around 7 weeks and 6 days to forget.  I am very clear, responsibility for access is the customers, not mine.

Everyone like to put the responsibility on others, why ? Its easy, I just make it very clear its not mine.

My advice this way is to do what you say.... First time gate/access to not available bill them. 

This may not work for you but having a scheduled service does mean if I cannot clean, I lose money on the day and cannot make it up.

I am friendly and polite but I run a business and the vatman wants his money as does the wife and a hundred other people each month.

I schedule the date, customer ensures what they want cleaned is accesable....its a fair system. In the event the customer really wants me to return, I am happy to do so provided time and travel costs can be met.

Again this is not meant to come across all bolshy, merely have learned what works best for me. I have tried the cheeky-chappie 'doormat' approach .....give an inch and they'll take a mile was what I found.

Cheers Dave.

How can you possibly keep to a next clean date esp 8 weekly work year after year?

I think it's absolute madness to set up a work schedule the way you do...

What about bank Holidays?,xmas,van in garage for a service/MOT,holidays abroad,long weekend breaks,sickness or injury,etc,etc.....🙄😄

[EnglishDave]

Been doing 8 weekly schedule since 2006.... it works, just have to be organised but aworka enables it.

Am lucky I now work 3 days per week on a 8 wk cycle, 8th week off..... in the main most work gets done on the day stated.  In the event bad weather, sickness, mot's etc well these are exceptions and treated as such.

Haven't actively sought new work for approx 5 years, most work is customer recommendations and the points that customer tell me are important, in no order.... regular/reliable on the day stated, GC payments, good job done. 

I appreciate that for many, being 'free' is their goal but for me being 'too free' would not be good, I like order, schedules, frameworks. Without, I would not function well.

I started in 2006 saying I would go with 8wk sched, take bank payments only and wfp everything.... plenty told me it would not work, yet here we are.... 6 years till my pension.

* ps I don't work in the UK, these Dutchies would have no issues telling me their thoughts & feelings.

Cheers Dave.

[KS Cleaning]

Not wanting to sound militant but my policy is the price is for the whole or part of the house.  I run 8 weekly, after each clean the invoice is sent with the following date on the invoice, t&c's on each invoice.

We don't txt prior to cleaning, the following date is on the invoice, means they have around 7 weeks and 6 days to forget.  I am very clear, responsibility for access is the customers, not mine.

Everyone like to put the responsibility on others, why ? Its easy, I just make it very clear its not mine.

My advice this way is to do what you say.... First time gate/access to not available bill them. 

This may not work for you but having a scheduled service does mean if I cannot clean, I lose money on the day and cannot make it up.

I am friendly and polite but I run a business and the vatman wants his money as does the wife and a hundred other people each month.

I schedule the date, customer ensures what they want cleaned is accesable....its a fair system. In the event the customer really wants me to return, I am happy to do so provided time and travel costs can be met.

Again this is not meant to come across all bolshy, merely have learned what works best for me. I have tried the cheeky-chappie 'doormat' approach .....give an inch and they'll take a mile was what I found.

Cheers Dave.

We all do things differently and the most important thing is that your approach is working for you…..however if I were your customer I would probably be looking for a new window cleaner.

[dazmond]

Been doing 8 weekly schedule since 2006.... it works, just have to be organised but aworka enables it.

Each to their own but I like a bit of breathing space/flexibility in my schedule for all of the above mentioned reasons,also sometimes its just not possible due to torrential rain on that scheduled day

[Stoots]

Far too much going on in my life to decide what jobs im doing on the 10th January 2 months earlier, i cant even guarantee what day i will get to jobs this week, if i even get to them this week.... I might decide on weds im having a couple of days off or be forced to who knows what will happen.

[Bungle]

Not wanting to sound militant but my policy is the price is for the whole or part of the house.  I run 8 weekly, after each clean the invoice is sent with the following date on the invoice, t&c's on each invoice.

We don't txt prior to cleaning, the following date is on the invoice, means they have around 7 weeks and 6 days to forget.  I am very clear, responsibility for access is the customers, not mine.

Everyone like to put the responsibility on others, why ? Its easy, I just make it very clear its not mine.

My advice this way is to do what you say.... First time gate/access to not available bill them. 

This may not work for you but having a scheduled service does mean if I cannot clean, I lose money on the day and cannot make it up.

I am friendly and polite but I run a business and the vatman wants his money as does the wife and a hundred other people each month.

I schedule the date, customer ensures what they want cleaned is accesable....its a fair system. In the event the customer really wants me to return, I am happy to do so provided time and travel costs can be met.

Again this is not meant to come across all bolshy, merely have learned what works best for me. I have tried the cheeky-chappie 'doormat' approach .....give an inch and they'll take a mile was what I found.

Cheers Dave.

How can you possibly keep to a next clean date esp 8 weekly work year after year?

I think it's absolute madness to set up a work schedule the way you do...

What about bank Holidays?,xmas,van in garage for a service/MOT,holidays abroad,long weekend breaks,sickness or injury,etc,etc.....🙄😄

I have to agree. Didn't cleaniac work this way too?

[Smudger]

I do - always have done - very straight forward but then I don't have the hang up of "I work for myself"

if it rains then work it caught up late that week or Saturday

Holidays - bank holidays Christmas are hardly a surprise event so the schedule is moved accordingly on CP

I only need to move once a year and thats Christmas either  1 or 2 weeks - otherwise everybody's clean is pretty much on the date given  ( we have only had 3 days in the last year where weather has stopped cleaning FYI )

Darran

[NWH]

Can’t think of anything worse than saying I’ll be round on a definite date in any particular month unless it’s a half or an  all day job,I text ahead yes this has been mainly due to Covid and has continued and works well but only a day or 2 before and again not small jobs.
It would do my head in having jobs mapped out for weeks in advance.

[dazmond]

I do - always have done - very straight forward but then I don't have the hang up of "I work for myself"

if it rains then work it caught up late that week or Saturday

Holidays - bank holidays Christmas are hardly a surprise event so the schedule is moved accordingly on CP

I only need to move once a year and thats Christmas either  1 or 2 weeks - otherwise everybody's clean is pretty much on the date given  ( we have only had 3 days in the last year where weather has stopped cleaning FYI )

Darran

If work is caught up on a sat then you need to notify the customers as you can't keep to your promise of turning up on the date stated on your last cleans invoice....

Rather you than me mate....its madness  in my book

[Smudger]

I do - always have done - very straight forward but then I don't have the hang up of "I work for myself"

if it rains then work it caught up late that week or Saturday

Holidays - bank holidays Christmas are hardly a surprise event so the schedule is moved accordingly on CP

I only need to move once a year and thats Christmas either  1 or 2 weeks - otherwise everybody's clean is pretty much on the date given  ( we have only had 3 days in the last year where weather has stopped cleaning FYI )

Darran

If work is caught up on a sat then you need to notify the customers as you can't keep to your promise of turning up on the date stated on your last cleans invoice....

Rather you than me mate....its madness  in my book

not madness - common sense esp if its heavy rain on the day customers know they will be a day late or the Saturday - no issues
the customers prefer it to some random future day you may or may not turn up at all.....

I come from a an engineering background where everything is scheduled so its just a natural progression

Darran

[NWH]

Ah working Saturdays they were the days.

[Bungle]

Working on a Saturday? I like my weekend too much 👍

[Slacky]

Working on a Saturday? I like my weekend too much 👍

Same when it comes to afternoons too...

[robbo333]

Most of my customers are really good, so not really a problem for me.
On the odd occasion, if it happens, I just do what I can and charge accordingly.
Customers are always apologetic and usually it never happens again.
I'm a bit like Daz, can't be bothered to stress over stuff any more.

As for working Saturday mornings, I love it. The alternative, is to do the food shopping with Mrs Window Cleaner, which consists of: making a list, Aldi, then Sainsburys or M&S, then butchers, home, unpacking, tidying etc etc.

[jay moley]

Im having a bad run of it.

Majority of gates locked after text is sent the night before last week. Some are in and open it after being asked but its a time waster no doubt. Two today where had to do front only. Definitely switching to full price if they don't leave it open from January.

Also - as I'm still building im taking on stuff with potentially locked gates and garages. Don't feel I can discriminate completely. Don't do through the house or round the back of terraced house. Seems a lot on here just don't bother if access is a bit tricky. Can you afford to be if you really want to build the business beyond one van?

If the customer asks for a front only I normally just half the price but a minimum cost of £15 in the main. Anyone else do something different in this circumstance?

Cheers

[Splash & dash]

Im having a bad run of it.

Majority of gates locked after text is sent the night before last week. Some are in and open it after being asked but its a time waster no doubt. Two today where had to do front only. Definitely switching to full price if they don't leave it open from January.

Also - as I'm still building im taking on stuff with potentially locked gates and garages. Don't feel I can discriminate completely. Don't do through the house or round the back of terraced house. Seems a lot on here just don't bother if access is a bit tricky. Can you afford to be if you really want to build the business beyond one van?

If the customer asks for a front only I normally just half the price but a minimum cost of £15 in the main. Anyone else do something different in this circumstance?

Cheers

Depending what they  are charge £12 for the fronts only nice little earner easily do 8 fronts an hour if in a row

[jay moley]

Im having a bad run of it.

Majority of gates locked after text is sent the night before last week. Some are in and open it after being asked but its a time waster no doubt. Two today where had to do front only. Definitely switching to full price if they don't leave it open from January.

Also - as I'm still building im taking on stuff with potentially locked gates and garages. Don't feel I can discriminate completely. Don't do through the house or round the back of terraced house. Seems a lot on here just don't bother if access is a bit tricky. Can you afford to be if you really want to build the business beyond one van?

If the customer asks for a front only I normally just half the price but a minimum cost of £15 in the main. Anyone else do something different in this circumstance?

Cheers

Depending what they  are charge £12 for the fronts only nice little earner easily do 8 fronts an hour if in a row

I do the front only, just better to get the whole lot done obviously.