[supernova77]

Got a voice message today from a long standing customer...

"Hi Andy - We're going to have to cancel our window cleaning I'm afraid... Husband is self-employed and we are feeling the pinch fincancially so we are cutting back... Thanks for your service etc etc..."

Respect to them for being honest!

I remember her telling me last year that they borrowed to the hilt to buy their house... Now it looks like they are suffering.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

Andy

[NWH]

Feeling the pinch,the recession hasn`t even started yet havn`t they got savings.

[supernova77]

havn`t they got savings.

They have now - £15 every 2 months

Andy

[RO-Sheen]

I got a note through the door yesterday from a customer that wants to pospone their clean for a while due to finances. I also respect their honesty and will gladly take them back when they want.

[Neil Williams]

I've been waiting for someone else to post about this, as when I mentioned it some months ago people on here just laughed and went off on their usual rants about window cleaning being a real neccesity.
No it's not, it's something that is bottom of the customer's must have accessory to their outgoings.
The sooner some on here get this message the sooner there will still be 95% of us still existing this time next year.
Rant over
You were warned.

[sjm]

Got a voice message today from a long standing customer...

"Hi Andy - We're going to have to cancel our window cleaning I'm afraid... Husband is self-employed and we are feeling the pinch fincancially so we are cutting back... Thanks for your service etc etc..."

Respect to them for being honest!

I remember her telling me last year that they borrowed to the hilt to buy their house... Now it looks like they are suffering.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

Andy

Its not suprising really is it ?

[supernova77]

Its not suprising really is it ?

No its not!  I've been waiting for it to happen.

Andy

[dave0123]

Im worried myself! being only 22 i have never been in this situation before.

but all the time you hear about this credit crunch and  going out of business and selling up at what not! what do you think will have on the window cleaning industry? because to be fair were the first to go!

[mr D]

Im worried myself! being only 22 i have never been in this situation before.

but all the time you hear about this credit crunch and  going out of business and selling up at what not! what do you think will have on the window cleaning industry? because to be fair were the first to go!

hat off to you doode!! must be the youngest w/c on here! you work for your self?

not lost any yet but most are moaning bout prices of things. stops me putting my prices up for a bit!

[David Slater]

Channel4 news tonight -

"2 million homeowners predicted to be in negative equity by 2010"
"this recession could be as severe as The Great Depression"

Not my words guys!....this was the economist speaking on channel4 this evening.

As Mervyn King (governor of the Bank of England) said a few day ago in a speech
"The nice decade is behind us. Things are likely to get worse"

Interest rates are now predicted to start rising with two 0.25% rises already being factored into most banks models.

Anyone who is confidently laughing this situation off, really doesnt understand where we're at or where we're heading in the next few years. Its going to affect everyone whether you own a home or rent.

Things will get tricky and the only consolation will be that everyone is going to be in the same boat.

   

[LWC]

that is some honesty and i respect them for that! instead of "my windows are a bit fragile today and im worried about water getting on them"

hmmmmmmm

[LWC]

oops, and dont forget, when they ask for you to do them again 20% increase on their price due to the credit crunch

[dave0123]

hat off to you doode!! must be the youngest w/c on here! you work for your self?

not lost any yet but most are moaning bout prices of things. stops me putting my prices up for a bit!

Yer i work for myself and will be taking someone on this summer if things go well  . Iv not lost any yet still getting quite a few new jobs but will have to see what happens 


dave

[Sanity]

Got 6 new customers today....

BUT, they were mostly retirement age (probably with mortgage paid up), ex-council houses.

This is perhaps one of the advantages of cleaning council tennants houses.  They don't have mortgages to worry about, so the 'credit crunch' will effect them less in the medium term.  I suppose if it lasts a few years it may start to bite.

[nat]

I had 9 Domestic enquiry's yesterday and 2 gutter jobs. i will be going to price them up today. i have lost 2 in the last month so i'm increasing business all the time and not feeling any pinch...yet!!

[Walter Pole]

I have lost a few but I have also been able to hang on to some with the following sugestion....

Most people who have a window cleaner like clean windows (obvious), so rather than lose the customer because they cant afford £15 every 6 weeks I say that I can still call around every 3 months at a slightly higher price  -  £18.  Net result I get paid more for the same work, have space to take on more customers and the customer still has clean windows.

I am actively encouraging many of my new jobs to go 3 monthly at a slightly higher price for this reason.

Mark

[Sir Squeaky]

I've been waiting for someone else to post about this, as when I mentioned it some months ago people on here just laughed and went off on their usual rants about window cleaning being a real neccesity.
No it's not, it's something that is bottom of the customer's must have accessory to their outgoings.
The sooner some on here get this message the sooner there will still be 95% of us still existing this time next year.
Rant over
You were warned.

Spot on.

I get customers almost every week asking to go every other month, or cancelling altogether.

Most new jobs don't want it monthly either.

[supernova77]

Don't get me wrong... I am taking on new customers weekly as well, so I'm not too worried about loosing a £15 every 2 months customer.

Most of my customers are actually "well established families" if you know what I mean... They are cash rich, not just superficially rich... So long term I should be OK - Although like others I predict a bumpy ride over the next few years - loosing more customers because of the "credit crunch / house price crash".

Andy

[Tosh]

I don't think it's that bad; I've recently taken on a good few well priced accounts and I've also raised my prices on about 25 to 30 accounts; some by 30% as they were underpriced and I only lost one of those.

I would guess the majority of my customers are older types; kids have grown up and left home; mortgage paid off, so they're not feeling it as bad as someone with a mortgage and young family.

[DASERVICES]

The building trade has gone down hill.

Hanson have gone bust, several firms have laid off their staff Gladedale, Wimpy etc..

A financial advisor advised one firm to take all their money out of the Royal Bank Of Scotland.

Things are going to get worse, nows the time to start saving.