[NBwcs]

As little contact with the customer as possible, it just gives them an opportunity to mess you about. Texting before you go because of access issues is unavoidable but we all know these are the customers that are  likely to  mess you about, that in itself should really be enough to teach you that opening unnecessary lines of communication is asking for trouble.

That's too far the other way, IMO.

99 out of 100 of my customers are no issue whatsoever.

The one per cent get trained or dumped.

All customers get pleasant civilities including thanks at usual times until my Spidey senses tell me they need training or dumping.

Customer sticks their head out and says 'I've paid you on line' I say thank you.

A new customer says thanks for cleaning the windows. I say thanks for the work.

Simples.

I'm quite happy to converse with a customer whilst with them, in fact I do far too much of it these days but  before a clean, only contact those I have to, and after a clean, only to reply to any texts telling me they've paid me, thats just courtesy. I get the "training" bit but avoiding the issue in the 1st place by not contacting  them unnecessarily just makes life easier.

[AuRavelling79]

Training should be done as you set out your stall to begin with.

Further training when there is a 'strike' issue.

Sometimes it's straight to Strike 3 and dump. Occasionally a Strike one or two reminder.

We all have different nuances.

For example Vin seems to indicate that a 'not this time' skip is a normal occurrence that he is content to tolerate and work with.

I tell customers at the start that I don't accept doorstep cancellations.

When it happens they go on the strike 1/2/3 and re-training radar.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

What I have came to realise is this. My friends and relatives don't believe window cleaning is a real job they believe its a hobby. Same with some of my customers. I have never came across a career like it. I eventually stopped talking about it and just got on with the job. As long as the money keeps coming in them I'm a happy camper the moment it stops then I stop cleaning their windows.

I'm not going to be able to buy a new van unless the money comes in. So I quietly pick up new customers and try and dump the time vampires. In the end all we do is keep it simple and every week we should see our business grow, that's what I have found out. fwiw. 😉

[Perfect Windows]

For example Vin seems to indicate that a 'not this time' skip is a normal occurrence that he is content to tolerate and work with.

I tell customers at the start that I don't accept doorstep cancellations.

I wouldn't accept doorstep cancellations but then I don't get them, because I tell the customer I'm going the evening before so any cancellation means I have time to put in another job.

Vin

[Stoots]

would i negotiate as a rule no, however theres no need to cut off your nose to spite your face sometimes, if it had took me 20 mins to clean it i may just say yes.  Depends really

[Tam1872]

Never, it's a thing i never, ever do.  If I was getting work done and they dropped the price, I'd automatically think they were trying to do me to begin with, as why try charge me higher if they were prepared to do it for less.

I've walked away over a pound before.

[Bungle]

Maybe she thinks you are a tad insecure by asking if she was happy with the clean. So she has came back trying to save a fiver every few months. This reminds me of when I started up 6 years ago. I would worry about new customers continuing with my service. Now I have 100 loyal customers and plenty of handyman stuff I don't really care anymore and have as little contact with my customers as possible bar talking away with them about politics.

If they try to get me to do things cheaper then its time to distance myself from them, I know my worth.

100 loyal customers? What frequency are you cleaning? Four weekly and you're cleaning 6 houses a day ish. You've got to be charging £40 a house to be doing any good.

You will learn that not all of them will be loyal!

I lost a long standing client this week to a 'family member is starting up' I've heard them all. They think we're fecking daft some of them.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

Maybe she thinks you are a tad insecure by asking if she was happy with the clean. So she has came back trying to save a fiver every few months. This reminds me of when I started up 6 years ago. I would worry about new customers continuing with my service. Now I have 100 loyal customers and plenty of handyman stuff I don't really care anymore and have as little contact with my customers as possible bar talking away with them about politics.

If they try to get me to do things cheaper then its time to distance myself from them, I know my worth.

100 loyal customers? What frequency are you cleaning? Four weekly and you're cleaning 6 houses a day ish. You've got to be charging £40 a house to be doing any good.

You will learn that not all of them will be loyal!

I lost a long standing client this week to a 'family member is starting up' I've heard them all. They think we're fecking daft some of them.

Totally agree, my customers can turn on a dime but I undertake other tasks so they don't just lose a window cleaner. 3 of my customers are care homes with plenty of customers in them. I don't have all my eggs in one basket. Next week I go on a one day tower scaffold course for the plumbers I help out. Have a conny clean on Saturday where I need my scaffold which will make it a lot safer and easier to complete.

In the end, we stick cleaning windows or we diversify and do add-ons. Its up to us we get what we put out. I was in the new Crafter the other day and I have focused myself to buy one so I need to work hard and save up.

Like I did with the van system, I saved up for a few months and went down south and got Oliver to fit it. The sense of pride I had when driving back up was great until the next day when I went to use it. The hot water failed to start up and I thought I was back to square one. Didn't get angry and stuck with it and it all came good in the end. When you save up for something then you usually take care of it.

In the end, I have found out if you want to do well in this game then be flexible and add other services like conservatory cleans, solar cleans, SFG cleans because we have the kit in the van. Just a quick spray with hypo and scrub away then rinse with our wfp and job done. It works for me so it will work for anyone else.

[Pete Thompson]

Text her last week asking if she was happy with the clean.

Lol!

Just why.

They accepted your price, you did the job. Stop insecurely pestering them and get on with your life.

[Stoots]

Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.

Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.

[jay moley]

Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.

Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.

This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.

I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.

I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.

It's called customer service. 

Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?

Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.

I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.

As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.

I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):

“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”

[AuRavelling79]

Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.

Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.

This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.

I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.

I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.

It's called customer service. 

Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?

Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.

I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.

As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.

I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):

“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”

That bit in red is a rather supercilious assumption, don't you think?

[Don Kee]

This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.

I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.

I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.

It's called customer service. 

Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?

Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.

I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.

As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.

I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):

“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”

I’ve only skim read this thread but if I’m getting this right, did you (in your OP) ask everyones opinion on something you did and then subsequently go off on a rant at everyone when they gave their opinion (that you asked for)?

Did you learnt this technique from your sales background?

[EandM]

That bit in red is a rather supercilious assumption, don't you think?
[/quote]


Yes, extremely.

[Stoots]

Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.

Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.

This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.

I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.

I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.

It's called customer service. 

Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?

Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.

I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.

As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.

I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):

“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”

Im not saying you are insecure im saying you may have come across that way.

Personally i have better things to be doing than asking customers after a clean if they are happy or not.

I get the customer service thing and after a one off job like a pressure wash you should follow up and ask for a review that makes sense as this isnt repeat work and they will remember that, but not a ten a penny window clean its too much for a simple cheap service. Window cleaning is different we dont have to constantly market ourselves like you would one off services, just be reliable and do a good job is all you need to do. They will soon drop you if they are not happy.

End of the day you asked and she wanted a fiver knocking off, if you hadnt she probably wouldnt  thats some effective sales right there i will have to start doing this. 


 

[lal]

She has paid a lot of money for a Loft conversion,
now she is trying to knock you for a fiver, on an 8 weekly clean ?      Her old Windy won't call her back ?   I would walk away   

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

I did a conny clean yesterday and she said thanks and gave me the money. Today I did a first clean and refitted a downpipe with the help of 2 screws so it stays there. I thought see was selling but now she wants a monthly clean so winner winner chicken dinner, I thought. An hour later received a text saying payment is in my bank and thanks for the clean. I replied saying happy Easter. I have found, folk like short and sweet answers so I stick to this simple format because it works for me.

[KS Cleaning]

I did a conny clean yesterday and she said thanks and gave me the money. Today I did a first clean and refitted a downpipe with the help of 2 screws so it stays there. I thought see was selling but now she wants a monthly clean so winner winner chicken dinner, I thought. An hour later received a text saying payment is in my bank and thanks for the clean. I replied saying happy Easter. I have found, folk like short and sweet answers so I stick to this simple format because it works for me.

Maybe you should stick to this simple format on the forum😜

[Slacky]

What I find odd about posts of that nature is  'I have found, folk like short and sweet answers'.

How have you found that out?

Have you done a survey of your customers to come to this conclusion or is it just an assumption you make because you just reply with short sentences to your customers and no-one has replied asking you to lengthen your reply or asked you to use more syllables?