[simon knight]

3 months ago did the customers house for the 1st time. Really old leaded glass both sides of house (which I hate doing). Takes an hour to finish then it's "show me the money" time.

Customer: How much do I owe you?
Me: £18 please
Customer (looking shocked): Seems a lot.

....she gets out her purse and gives me 4 £20 notes

Me: How much do you think I said?
Customer: £80
Me (laughing): No eighteen...1....8...

She's delighted and gives me £20 and we arrange for bi-monthly cleans and part best of friends.

This morning.

Me: Hello Mrs Customer, sorry I'm a bit late but I'm in the area this afternoon is it ok for me to drop by and do your windows?
Customer: They look ok for the time being, can we leave it this time round?

GRRR Should have kept her £80.

[Easyclean Windows]

Drop her there are plenty of people who will have you clean their windows and pay you every time.I don't even tell them im cancelling until they call then i spout of about not being able to do them any more because i only do regular customers

[steveaqua]

i have one thats expecting me to do her windows this month, i do 3 of her neightbours and all worth £17 each, she said in november leave it till february, this month i'm gonna tell her that my run is full with my reliable customers so i can't fit her in...see how she likes that 

[simon knight]

Rest assured she is 110% dropped. Looking forwards to her phoning me when they're really dirty and she has the family coming for sunday lunch and wants them cleaned for the occassion.

[simbo]

I am actually enjoying this at the moment, getting the odd not this time "not ever again for me" having a bit of a cull ready to go get better work from next month. You only get the odd annoying ones, but they really spoil your attitude towards the  others in a way so get rid and have the last laugh
its a great job that can become a real headache because of a few crap custy's they do not see how easily they are replaced
simbo

[Sir Squeaky]

I was asked to do 4 new ones today, and after cleaning them 3 out of the 4 said they wanted it every other month.
That's annoying too.

From now on I'll ask the frequency first. :

[scrimit2]

I had one the other day, the guy comes out and says "can you leave them for a few months?" I said yes of course, then went home and crossed them out of the book,
if they dont want there windows cleaned at this time they dont really want them doing at all, bonus is the next day I picked up two new ones within walking distance.

for me its like walking into a bar ordering a pint then waiting until its served, then saying err! no thanks Im not that thirsty! and not paying, how many bars could you do that in and then expect to get served next time?

scrimit

[Chris - CBWC]

Scrimit that's an excellent way of putting it.  One of my client's I recently dropped used to leave the gate open for me.  This time it was 'oh my husband doesn't like to leave it unlocked anymore, I'm in and out all day, if I'm not here just do the fronts'.  Yea ok and charge you my minimum £10 for it!

It bugs me when I do a first time clean on a really dirty house and we've arranged the usual 6-weekly clean, only for me to get the cheque in the post with 'please take me off your books', makes me want to reach for the eggs......

There must be so many stories on this!

Chris

[Tosh]

I was asked to do 4 new ones today, and after cleaning them 3 out of the 4 said they wanted it every other month.
That's annoying too.

From now on I'll ask the frequency first. :

Squeaks,

I can't believe after ten years of window cleaning, that you're not clear on your terms and conditions before hand!

I reckon this is because you bought a 'ready made round' rather than built one up yourself from scratch.

You've got to be firm (but friendly) with your customers, particularly your new ones.

[spotless2000]

I tell all new customers that they are agreeing to a minimum of three cleans or I reserve the right to charge them double.  Those that want a regular service don't mind.  Those that are thinking of trying to get me to do a one off clean suddenly think twice.  It's not fool proof but does eliminate some.

Steve

[Tosh]

One business near me, advertised as South Wales's Biggest Window Cleaning Company makes their new customers pay double for the first clean; and they get their forth clean for 'free'.

A local guy to me always charges an initial cleaning charge on top of his normal monthly bill; just in case they bin him after his first clean.

I don't do any of this.  I'm just clear on the fact that I call once per month, every month; or with other properties that I don't really care if I get or not (mostly large stand-alone properties), I'll give them a high price and give them the option of having me every month or every-other-month.

About 50% of them go for the every-other-month option, 30% say 'no thank you at all' and 20% say, 'every month will be fine'.

I still get time wasters mind, but not too often these days; and the few I get I don't mind.

You've just got to get on with it.

[TVCS]

got a letter through the door this morning basically saying that every month is too often, these are the months I would like you to call.

I know why too.  When I did this property this month the neighbour ( an old chap) popped round and said could I do his too.  Did the clean got the money and he said could we make it every 3 months. 
A bit annoyed with myself for being caught out I agreed.   Now I bet that this fine young lady has had a natter to this old so & so and thought 3 months is good for me too.

[AuRavelling79]

I charge extra for a first clean. Depends on the state of the windows/frames. Usually 50% - 100% more.

[steve k]

I had a cracker just before Christmas...
I have 3 terraced in this little street each at £10 every 4 weeks.
The alleyways have locked gates on them so I said the usual:

"I cant guarantee what day I will come to clean but it will be approximately every 4 weeks. If you are out and I cannot access the rear, I will just clean the fronts for £5 and leave an addressed envelope to send me a cheque"

1 of them has always had the alarm bells ringing...bit of a moaner in the making...after doing the top of her house WFP and moving onto the tops of the other 2 houses, she would come out, stand in the road and stare at the top windows shaking her head...that type of thing.

Anyway, in November, she was out when I cleaned, so did the front and left the envelope with calling card requesting £5 be sent by way of cheque.

Come December, still no cheque and its time to do the road again.
With it being Christmas, I just get on with it and she is out again.
I always collect in person in December for the tips (they do come in handy after all)
I knock at this womans house and say:
"Thats £10 please, £5 for the fronts in November and £5 for today...."

"I didnt think you would have done them last month as it was raining" (it wasnt by the way!)

"well, you are paying for a regular service so I make sure your windows are cleaned every 4 weeks"

Handing me the money, she says:
can you leave them till March or April to get the bad weather out of the way as there is not much point cleaning them in Winter"

" no way...you will have to get another window cleaner...I have to pay my bills every month and I clean every month"

At this point I started walking away...and this part really tickled me given the fact that it was about the 22nd or so of December and I had a pocketful of tips from other customers...as I am heading back to the car, I just heard her bellowing voice shouting from her doorstep:

"AND A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO..!"

I`m back there this week and as she lives pretty close to the River Mersey, all her windows will be filthy afer the recent storms..

[tightswerve]

Great stories guys!

Think we get spoilt with majority of the general public who are good as gold.

Then we get complacent and assume that regular cleans won't be a problem
and then some joker trots out the same old things about, there are builders over the road or
they don't look dirty or leave it this month etc etc!

I give them one chance at these excuses then drop them!

If and when they get back to me i politely tell them i may be able to re-schedule
but only on a regular basis. But some i just tell them to try some other cleaner.

It's never black and white but some people your just glad to be rid of!

Steve 

[Paul Coleman]

Great stories guys!

Think we get spoilt with majority of the general public who are good as gold.

Then we get complacent and assume that regular cleans won't be a problem
and then some joker trots out the same old things about, there are builders over the road or
they don't look dirty or leave it this month etc etc!

I give them one chance at these excuses then drop them!

If and when they get back to me i politely tell them i may be able to re-schedule
but only on a regular basis. But some i just tell them to try some other cleaner.

It's never black and white but some people your just glad to be rid of!

Steve 

That's right.  It's not always black and white.  You get to work out when someone is taking the pee.  One customer was doing a DIY extension to their house.  We agreed that he would phone me when he had finished it.  Took him 6 months.  I charged a lot more for the first clean due to the mess - then we were back to normal afterwards.  He never messed me around before or since.  He had a good reason for suspending the service.  I have no problem with situations like that.

[AuRavelling79]

Some custy's are brilliant! Check this one out. (Shortened down version if you think I'm being short with her!  )

(I'm putting all my new stuff to two-monthly by the way.)

End of Nov. she collars me and says gimme a quote etc.

Go down to large detached with conservatory which is all upvc but minging.

Me:- "£50 first clean then £25 every two months and I can't do it till day after tomorrow."

Her:- "Fine, let me pay you now!"

So I take money (cash) call back two days later and do the job.

Two months later (Day before yesterday) I call, no one home and although I'm a bit nervous about it, it feels right and I do it and leave bill saying please send £25.00 and I'll call again end of March..

Today cheque arrives for £50.00! Note says thanks v. much, here's the dosh for this and next clean!

I love some customers cuz they're lovely!

[Paul Coleman]

Some custy's are brilliant! Check this one out. (Shortened down version if you think I'm being short with her!  )

(I'm putting all my new stuff to two-monthly by the way.)

End of Nov. she collars me and says gimme a quote etc.

Go down to large detached with conservatory which is all upvc but minging.

Me:- "£50 first clean then £25 every two months and I can't do it till day after tomorrow."

Her:- "Fine, let me pay you now!"

So I take money (cash) call back two days later and do the job.

Two months later (Day before yesterday) I call, no one home and although I'm a bit nervous about it, it feels right and I do it and leave bill saying please send £25.00 and I'll call again end of March..

Today cheque arrives for £50.00! Note says thanks v. much, here's the dosh for this and next clean!

I love some customers cuz they're lovely!

Some of them are just ace aren't they?  One guy was going to the USA for six months.  He paid me up front for 6 cleans (I did monthly back then).  When he got back and tried to pay me for the next clean I explained to him that I had got a bit behind while he was away and he had already paid me for the clean I was doing.  He paid me anyway and said to regard the extra money as an Xmas box as he had been away at the time.
What a guy !!

[AuRavelling79]

But, Shiner don't you see - he may have also been subconsciously responding to your honesty!

You reap what you sow!

[marc al]

 I have a customer who works in the middle east for 3 months at a time, he always pays in advance, and gives me an extra tenner every time.