[Clean Cloth]

Luckily I have not had many of these customers.
I clean 4 properties in 1 road and 2 of those are neighbours.
I was cleaning  windows and the neighbour was going out in his car and he shouted over "miss ours out this time". I had already written out the business card to drop in as I usually do not see them.
I asked why he wanted me to miss them out and he said "because it rained after last time you came".

How do you deal with this situation?

[matty72]

yea i just had one yesterday drives me crazy, my one i do the business they work at and they taking advantage, at the moment i need the work so have to bite my lip, buts it difficult, all the ones on here with loads of work will say dump

[jonboywalton75]

That's true, if you have loads dump, I know I bit the bullet until I had a big enough round

[CleanClear]

Not sure how that works , dumping someone who told you not to clean them ? Its not really a job is it ? Its just like a prospective customer each time you go. I'd leave them until he asked me to do them, then give him a price accordingly when he asks.

[Perfect Windows]

Luckily I have not had many of these customers.
I clean 4 properties in 1 road and 2 of those are neighbours.
I was cleaning  windows and the neighbour was going out in his car and he shouted over "miss ours out this time". I had already written out the business card to drop in as I usually do not see them.
I asked why he wanted me to miss them out and he said "because it rained after last time you came".

How do you deal with this situation?

Change your mindset.

Assuming they are otherwise OK, treat people like that as bonus customers.

That way they're a benefit when they do want doing  and you have time rather than an annoyance when they don't.

Vin

[NBwcs]

Luckily I have not had many of these customers.
I clean 4 properties in 1 road and 2 of those are neighbours.
I was cleaning  windows and the neighbour was going out in his car and he shouted over "miss ours out this time". I had already written out the business card to drop in as I usually do not see them.
I asked why he wanted me to miss them out and he said "because it rained after last time you came".

How do you deal with this situation?

Change your mindset.

Assuming they are otherwise OK, treat people like that as bonus customers.

That way they're a benefit when they do want doing  and you have time rather than an annoyance when they don't.

Vin

That very much depends on where they're situated Vin, if it's in the middle of an estate surrounded by other cleans you could be making a rod for your own back, these neighbours will no doubt talk, quite possibly have a neighbourhood WhatsApp group, and if you let one dictate when you should clean, others may feel they can do the same. I would have a conversation with them, explain you can miss it this time but in future if your to keep them on the books it has to be every time,, "I never start a job in the rain but can't be accountable for what happens afterwards, weather forecasts unreliable etc etc. I remember making a similar mistake in my early days, there was a huddle of people talking and one came over and said can you do mine every other time, to which I reluctantly said yes, she went back to the huddle and with that 3 others neighbours requested the same, it  wiped off £500 from my turnover because I was growing the round and eager to please. Its not easy when your growing your business but you'll see the benefit in the long run, your way or no way.

Edit.. I've  had a few not today's and I've let it ride because of the present climate but if someone were to use the weather as an excuse, particularly the weather after I've been then they're definitely not the sort of customer I want. It's a ridiculous excuse, if it rained whilst you were doing it then  you can see where they're coming from but we're in the UK, it WILL rain on their windows after you've been sometime, guartenteed.

[SB Cleaning]

It would be a instant dump for me , customers like that are a waste of time...plenty more good ones out there.

[NWH]

The thing is though you might end up dumping a lot of customers over the next year then,one thing I’ve learnt is that loyalty means very little in this job the ones you think are yours forever aren’t and the one a you think will jump ship stay with you.

[dazmond]

I'm £130 down today due to building work on 2 properties and an office block that's locked up and empty(new tenants haven't moved in yet).

So my super duper earning day is just above average but I really don't care as I'll be finished earlier!

[dazmond]

The thing is though you might end up dumping a lot of customers over the next year then,one thing I’ve learnt is that loyalty means very little in this job the ones you think are yours forever aren’t and the one a you think will jump ship stay with you.

Your thinking is skewed....no job lasts forever.just be grateful for the jobs you have got for now but never take them for granted....

And always take new jobs on to replace  the natural shedding....

[Smudger]

the comment like that would put me in the OK - FU - mode - I may not dump but wouldn't clean until asked and then a new price issued.

I have no issues with a not this time for valid (what I perceive as such) reasons - building - repairs - painting - landscaping - funerals
and wouldn't worry.

those that do it regular do get dumped

Darran

[AuRavelling79]

It rained the next day?  Is it a failure to train them? If so then try to train them. My go to reminder is that I am there to remove the previous 8 weeks of dirt. If they won't be re-trained then have a few firm but polite parting of the ways phrases ready.

Mine in this situation after an attempt to retrain is an instant dump. (Because I explain at the outset my terms which they or their spouse accepted otherwise I wouldn't be there) They don't value your service.

Now if you DID accept it this time then I wouldn't go back. If they later asked me why I would tell them it's because I believe they don't value my service. If they then agree to start afresh under the reminded terms then fine.

[DJW]

He’s probably skint and hasn’t had his monthly pay cheque. It would pee me off. I’d probably ‘forget’ to do them next time around.

[AuRavelling79]

Luckily I have not had many of these customers.
I clean 4 properties in 1 road and 2 of those are neighbours.
I was cleaning  windows and the neighbour was going out in his car and he shouted over "miss ours out this time". I had already written out the business card to drop in as I usually do not see them.
I asked why he wanted me to miss them out and he said "because it rained after last time you came".

How do you deal with this situation?

Change your mindset.

Assuming they are otherwise OK, treat people like that as bonus customers.

That way they're a benefit when they do want doing  and you have time rather than an annoyance when they don't.

Vin

That very much depends on where they're situated Vin, if it's in the middle of an estate surrounded by other cleans you could be making a rod for your own back, these neighbours will no doubt talk, quite possibly have a neighbourhood WhatsApp group, and if you let one dictate when you should clean, others may feel they can do the same. I would have a conversation with them, explain you can miss it this time but in future if your to keep them on the books it has to be every time,, "I never start a job in the rain but can't be accountable for what happens afterwards, weather forecasts unreliable etc etc. I remember making a similar mistake in my early days, there was a huddle of people talking and one came over and said can you do mine every other time, to which I reluctantly said yes, she went back to the huddle and with that 3 others neighbours requested the same, it  wiped off £500 from my turnover because I was growing the round and eager to please. Its not easy when your growing your business but you'll see the benefit in the long run, your way or no way.

Edit.. I've  had a few not today's and I've let it ride because of the present climate but if someone where to use the weather as an excuse, particularly the weather after I've been then they're definitely not the sort of customer I want. It's a ridiculous excuse, if it rained whilst you were doing it then  you can see where they're coming from but we're in the UK, it WILL rain on their windows after you've been sometime, guartenteed.

Well said. The OP's (hopefully ex) customer didn't want him this time because it rained the day AFTER he cleaned them LAST time!

[Perfect Windows]

That very much depends on where they're situated Vin, if it's in the middle of an estate surrounded by other cleans you could be making a rod for your own back, these neighbours will no doubt talk, quite possibly have a neighbourhood WhatsApp group, and if you let one dictate when you should clean, others may feel they can do the same. I would have a conversation with them, explain you can miss it this time but in future if your to keep them on the books it has to be every time,, "I never start a job in the rain but can't be accountable for what happens afterwards, weather forecasts unreliable etc etc. I remember making a similar mistake in my early days, there was a huddle of people talking and one came over and said can you do mine every other time, to which I reluctantly said yes, she went back to the huddle and with that 3 others neighbours requested the same, it  wiped off £500 from my turnover because I was growing the round and eager to please. Its not easy when your growing your business but you'll see the benefit in the long run, your way or no way.

Edit.. I've  had a few not today's and I've let it ride because of the present climate but if someone where to use the weather as an excuse, particularly the weather after I've been then they're definitely not the sort of customer I want. It's a ridiculous excuse, if it rained whilst you were doing it then  you can see where they're coming from but we're in the UK, it WILL rain on their windows after you've been sometime, guartenteed.

I see this regularly on here about customers having chats about their window cleaner and ganging up on them. I can say with 100% honesty that the subject of window cleaners never, not once, came up in any of the thousands of conversations I had before starting out in the business. Not once*.

Maybe everyone else's customers have nothing else to talk about but it does seem odd.

Vin

* [edit] I think I may have asked a neighbour once after we'd moved who they used.

[SB Cleaning]

The thing is though you might end up dumping a lot of customers over the next year then,

Well you have been harping on about this for ages now and none of us have seen a dramatic loss of customers..

You worry about it cause im not.

[robbo333]

It's a dump from me too.
If he doesn't want his windows cleaned, then he doesn't need me.
If he asks me again when I'm next in the area, I would very politely say I'm too busy.

[Stoots]

I had one like that years ago, chap  came out and turned me away saying its going to rain tonight.

Of course i never went back.....

Its one thing to skip a clean via text with some made up reason but to come out whist you are there pole in hand and turn you away because it might rain at a future date,  totally disrespectful.

[Splash & dash]

It would be a dump from me , cannot base staff wages on customers like this if 10% per day did this ware would we all be , plenty of good customers out there .dump and move on

[Clean Cloth]

Interesting to read the different replies the way you all handle the situation.

The other 3 in the road I have had for 3 to 4 years, they all gave a generous Christmas tip, the one that turned me away yesterday I have been doing for 10 months, not even a "have a good Christmas".
The neighbour (whose drive I park in while I do them all) asked why I did not clean them and I explained he did not want me to because it rained after I came last time, they said "that is not your fault".

I would like to stop cleaning there, they pay by bank transfer (sometimes need reminding). If he wanted to take revenge could he do anything with my details, name, bank details etc?