[Paul Coleman]

I had something happen today that's not happened for a few years.  A customer told me that was the last clean until next Spring.  I just told him that I don't work that way.  He reckons he's going to phone me in the Spring to re-start the window cleaning.  I think he's wasting his time don't you?   
I only did the first clean for him last time around (6 weeks ago).  I worked hard at it and did a nice job (and charged appropriately).  We agreed on the 6 weekly service and the amount.  Today he wants to alter the agreement already and expects me to go along with it.  This sort of thing used to happen quite a bit when I first started but no-one has asked for this in years now.  I did have someone ask for every other time in Winter last year but I turned them down as well.  I take the view that people who want me to work that way are doing it on the back of other customers.  I say this because if every customer did it, I wouldn't have a business.
Now here's the interesting thing.  I must be getting a nose for this because my intuition told me on the first clean that he would be a messer.

[windowwashers]

I had something happen today that's not happened for a few years.  A customer told me that was the last clean until next Spring.  I just told him that I don't work that way.  He reckons he's going to phone me in the Spring to re-start the window cleaning.  I think he's wasting his time don't you?   
I only did the first clean for him last time around (6 weeks ago).  I worked hard at it and did a nice job (and charged appropriately).  We agreed on the 6 weekly service and the amount.  Today he wants to alter the agreement already and expects me to go along with it.  This sort of thing used to happen quite a bit when I first started but no-one has asked for this in years now.  I did have someone ask for every other time in Winter last year but I turned them down as well.  I take the view that people who want me to work that way are doing it on the back of other customers.  I say this because if every customer did it, I wouldn't have a business.
Now here's the interesting thing.  I must be getting a nose for this because my intuition told me on the first clean that he would be a messer.

I would say this: I cannot say you will be able to get back on our window cleaning round in spring as we have peopke waiting to come on our books you maybe able to but I cannot say, one thing that will change is the price in the spring as you are paying a loyal customer price and will continue to do so as are charges go up every year., we clean all year round as windows get dirty all year round, I can offer you a 2 monthly service and this cost 50% more than monthly. if he takes the later you will earn more, if not find another to replace

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

Take him back on in the spring but at a nice new rate say 25% more and of course charge appropriately for the first time clean in the spring.  Of course if he's likely to be a messer then just don't go back.

Simon.

[Paul Coleman]

I had something happen today that's not happened for a few years.  A customer told me that was the last clean until next Spring.  I just told him that I don't work that way.  He reckons he's going to phone me in the Spring to re-start the window cleaning.  I think he's wasting his time don't you?   
I only did the first clean for him last time around (6 weeks ago).  I worked hard at it and did a nice job (and charged appropriately).  We agreed on the 6 weekly service and the amount.  Today he wants to alter the agreement already and expects me to go along with it.  This sort of thing used to happen quite a bit when I first started but no-one has asked for this in years now.  I did have someone ask for every other time in Winter last year but I turned them down as well.  I take the view that people who want me to work that way are doing it on the back of other customers.  I say this because if every customer did it, I wouldn't have a business.
Now here's the interesting thing.  I must be getting a nose for this because my intuition told me on the first clean that he would be a messer.

I would say this: I cannot say you will be able to get back on our window cleaning round in spring as we have peopke waiting to come on our books you maybe able to but I cannot say, one thing that will change is the price in the spring as you are paying a loyal customer price and will continue to do so as are charges go up every year., we clean all year round as windows get dirty all year round, I can offer you a 2 monthly service and this cost 50% more than monthly. if he takes the later you will earn more, if not find another to replace

Good answer apart from the 2 monthly bit.  2 monthly wouldn't work with my schedule as I do 6 weekly (with possible 12 weekly if valued at £50+).  I wouldn't offer 12 weekly for this one as it's a £15er.
Another issue with this is that if I were to re-start in April, I would be justified in charging the first clean rate again.  I feel that replacing the job is my better option really.

[windowwashers]

I had something happen today that's not happened for a few years.  A customer told me that was the last clean until next Spring.  I just told him that I don't work that way.  He reckons he's going to phone me in the Spring to re-start the window cleaning.  I think he's wasting his time don't you?   
I only did the first clean for him last time around (6 weeks ago).  I worked hard at it and did a nice job (and charged appropriately).  We agreed on the 6 weekly service and the amount.  Today he wants to alter the agreement already and expects me to go along with it.  This sort of thing used to happen quite a bit when I first started but no-one has asked for this in years now.  I did have someone ask for every other time in Winter last year but I turned them down as well.  I take the view that people who want me to work that way are doing it on the back of other customers.  I say this because if every customer did it, I wouldn't have a business.
Now here's the interesting thing.  I must be getting a nose for this because my intuition told me on the first clean that he would be a messer.

I would say this: I cannot say you will be able to get back on our window cleaning round in spring as we have peopke waiting to come on our books you maybe able to but I cannot say, one thing that will change is the price in the spring as you are paying a loyal customer price and will continue to do so as are charges go up every year., we clean all year round as windows get dirty all year round, I can offer you a 2 monthly service and this cost 50% more than monthly. if he takes the later you will earn more, if not find another to replace

Good answer apart from the 2 monthly bit.  2 monthly wouldn't work with my schedule as I do 6 weekly (with possible 12 weekly if valued at £50+).  I wouldn't offer 12 weekly for this one as it's a £15er.
Another issue with this is that if I were to re-start in April, I would be justified in charging the first clean rate again.  I feel that replacing the job is my better option really.

replace it anyway, but you are right first clean charge defo, then but the price up, he can only say no, I would try for the 12 weekly and add 50% on makes it £22.50 and will take you no more than 5 mins extra  (thats a good hourly rate if you think of it like that

[Dean Aspects]

This for me would depend on the job/customer if its a larger job or a nice customer then i will bend in the wind and accept it but if its a low priced job or a pain of a job then i would probably just drop it and replace with better then wait till spring to let them know they need to find another w/cer 

Dean

[Wayne Thomas]

I had my first of very few winter cancellations today and I was very quick off the mark in agreeing with the customer whilst increasing the price which they agreed to for when I re-start in the spring. Don't mind a few winter cancellations to keep up with my round during inclement weather providing it's to my advantage

[rugby]

 i just simply dont worry about customers like this any more,i just take them off george that night and forget about them,and if they ask me next spring they get a one word answer  NO!

[Andy@w.c.s]

I have the same problem at the moment ,
A nursing home i started at a six weekly clean has phoned and said they would now like it cleaned every three months  
don't think i will be going back there  
i new it was going to be one of those jobs when i met the owner ,she haggled over the price and then took three months to sort out the first  invoice ,
some people have no idea
BINNED who's next

[john tomkins]

Sort of had one last week that said" moneys getting tight (£8 house every 4 weeks" can I have it done every 3 months for £8 :
See ya in the new year.....maybe

[windowwashers]

I have the same problem at the moment ,
A nursing home i started at a six weekly clean has phoned and said they would now like it cleaned every three months  
don't think i will be going back there  
i new it was going to be one of those jobs when i met the owner ,she haggled over the price and then took three months to sort out the first  invoice ,
some people have no idea
BINNED who's next

Andy I am shocked by that comment m8, that is bad business sence m8, all extra on for 3 months like 50% if they take it result if not you was going to bin them anyway, come on dude, money is money hence the reason we work in the first place 

[Londoner]

I wouldn't be too bothered but I would just say OK phone me in the spring. If they do they do. Most times they don't. Problem solved.

It sounds to me like "clean window syndrome" Once their windows are clean they lose interest in having to pay you to maintain them like that.

[windowwashers]

I wouldn't be too bothered but I would just say OK phone me in the spring. If they do they do. Most times they don't. Problem solved.

It sounds to me like "clean window syndrome" Once their windows are clean they lose interest in having to pay you to maintain them like that.

I personally I would never just say ok call me in spring, you have to be: sales man, customer services, quality analyst if your business is ever going to sustain continued growth.

[Village Gleam]

Your worst customers cost you money. Shiner is right, and the nurseing home is not priced well, she wants to debate and haggle everything and doesn't pay without time and attention.

As Vince says shiners customer wont ring in the spring. It will be late summer for a regular clean, and he will try the same again.

[simbag]

Sort of had one last week that said" moneys getting tight (£8 house every 4 weeks" can I have it done every 3 months for £8 :
See ya in the new year.....maybe

HA HA! Don;t you just love people like that?? .....NOT!!!

I had a customer a couple of months ago call me up, asking for a quote saying her windows hadn't been done in ages, and I mean ages!! She said she hadn't been able to find a window cleaner, now this area is out of my way slightly, but she said she had a few friends that were also in need so I went along and did them all to make it worth while.

Now stupidly, I forget to ask how frequently they wanted doing, but assumed it'd be 4 weekly coz she'd moaned about last one. How wrong was I?! Well bearing in mind the job is only a tenner, I got an email that night, asking me if I could come back in..... wait for it............ 6 months!!!!! Hmmmmm........ just over £1.60 a month, I think I'll pass on that one thankyou!!

[windowwashers]

Sort of had one last week that said" moneys getting tight (£8 house every 4 weeks" can I have it done every 3 months for £8 :
See ya in the new year.....maybe

HA HA! Don;t you just love people like that?? .....NOT!!!

I had a customer a couple of months ago call me up, asking for a quote saying her windows hadn't been done in ages, and I mean ages!! She said she hadn't been able to find a window cleaner, now this area is out of my way slightly, but she said she had a few friends that were also in need so I went along and did them all to make it worth while.

Now stupidly, I forget to ask how frequently they wanted doing, but assumed it'd be 4 weekly coz she'd moaned about last one. How wrong was I?! Well bearing in mind the job is only a tenner, I got an email that night, asking me if I could come back in..... wait for it............ 6 months!!!!! Hmmmmm........ just over £1.60 a month, I think I'll pass on that one thankyou!!

email back and say it will be £30 a quarter

[Village Gleam]

One got me on the school gate. Will you do mine you charge a tenner don't you?
I did them by detailing the frames off a ladder with a nails brush to bring them up and make my job easier in the future. I did a really good job and didn't charge any extra because as she was so enthusiastic she would be a regular customer and I like to keep in with the school mums.

Firstly, she complained about my leaving it wet,(I had spent about 35mins bringing it up), and then when I asked how often she wanted it doing, she said vaguely oh every three or four months.

[simbag]

Sort of had one last week that said" moneys getting tight (£8 house every 4 weeks" can I have it done every 3 months for £8 :
See ya in the new year.....maybe

HA HA! Don;t you just love people like that?? .....NOT!!!

I had a customer a couple of months ago call me up, asking for a quote saying her windows hadn't been done in ages, and I mean ages!! She said she hadn't been able to find a window cleaner, now this area is out of my way slightly, but she said she had a few friends that were also in need so I went along and did them all to make it worth while.

Now stupidly, I forget to ask how frequently they wanted doing, but assumed it'd be 4 weekly coz she'd moaned about last one. How wrong was I?! Well bearing in mind the job is only a tenner, I got an email that night, asking me if I could come back in..... wait for it............ 6 months!!!!! Hmmmmm........ just over £1.60 a month, I think I'll pass on that one thankyou!!

email back and say it will be £30 a quarter

Hmmm, I like your thinking 

[Wayne Thomas]

Tip:
Always charge extra for 'initial clean' regardless of how convincing your potential customer is for a regular cleaning service to at least cover the extra time spent on initial cleans.

Customers are getting more devious nowadays like taking down and hiding the 'For Sale' sign in the shed just to get their windows cleaned prior to selling as a lot of window cleaners stop cleaning once they see the 'For Sale' sign go up

[Paul Coleman]

As stated, the main point for me is that if everyone cancelled for the Winter, I would be bankrupt and homeless.  Customers who cancel for the Winter are just feeding off the ones that don't IMO.  Of course the other potential problem is that if you agree to it for one, you sometimes get others doing it too.
A bit different but I was getting an epidemic of "Not today thankyous" on another small part of my round.  In the end I dropped one of them permanently who stopped me for a BS excuse.  Problem sorted.  Not one of them has stopped me since.  It could have gone the other way whereby they all cancelled but it had got to the point where I felt I would rather they all cancel than carry on with sending me away on a whim.
Some customers ask me where all the good reliable, regular window cleaners have gone.  These days I tell them that they have all gone to commercial work because the domestic market is too prone to customers messing around (not strictly true of course but it is a partial truth).