[dai]

If the gates are still locked after you have text them, you should be entitled to charge them the usual price just for the fronts.
I sent all my customers a letter explaining that having reached pensionable age I was cutting down on my working hours.
It made no difference, they will still go out to work in the morning , "see you later." They still expect me to be out collecting after they have done their day.
Long standing customers don't know what it is to have really dirty windows, or if they did they soon forget.
Many will forget all about you as soon as you have gone. I have customers of 10 years standing, who still ask
" who do I make the cheque out to"? Or just fill out the amount and leave the name blank.
It's the lack of consideration that hurts, I would never treat others like some of my customers treat me.
But that's life, and it ain't going to change any time soon.

[Tosh]

they will still go out to work in the morning , "see you later." They still expect me to be out collecting after they have done their day.

Dai,

Ruddy hell! 

On seeing them about to depart, why can't you just say...

'Mr Smith*, I'd appreciate it if you would pay me before you go; or is this a bad time?  It'd just save me a return journey.'

They'll pay, unless they've got no cash and don't know where the cheque book is. 

*Use you're customers name, not 'Mr Smith', unless he's actually called Smith!

[Wayne Thomas]

my bad day was yesterday, a stupid old fart who's house should be 3 times the price came out and seen the wfp for the first time and instantly disagred, there was no reasoning with this guy and when i said its health and safety he said its your own fault if you fall of your ladder not mine, then said he is going around all the neighbours to see what they think

Instant drop for that alone ... 

You beat me to it. Definitely drop customer before he makes it worse for you.

[nat]

they will still go out to work in the morning , "see you later." They still expect me to be out collecting after they have done their day.

Dai,

Ruddy hell! 

On seeing them about to depart, why can't you just say...

'Mr Smith*, I'd appreciate it if you would pay me before you go; or is this a bad time?  It'd just save me a return journey.'

They'll pay, unless they've got no cash and don't know where the cheque book is. 

*Use you're customers name, not 'Mr Smith', unless he's actually called Smith!

in this day and age surely there is no need to collect? its a job in itself

[kris martin]

i bet 9 out of 10 window cleaners at least still collect

[Tosh]

i bet 9 out of 10 window cleaners at least still collect

I collect from my local estate areas; but I don't collect from rural accounts, or anywhere that's a pain in the arse to go to; I leave envelopes for these.  But for my routine collections, I can just park up and walk round most of the accounts; it's mostly compact work.

When you've got bills, rent or mortgage and stuff; I need something that keeps my cash-flow good.  Maybe the guys that aren't so 'needy' can wait for the cheques, but I can't.

[kris martin]

i collect for 2 hours 2 nights a week

[NWH]

i collect for 2 hours 2 nights a week

I find talking to different people that they wouldn`t want this,i let them send it at there leisure if your banging there door down everytime you clean it makes them more inclined to say can you call every other time etc,IMO if you collect you need to add the hours it takes you into your working week.Add this time spent collecting up over the month and it will surprise you,and don`t forget you don`t get paid for collecting.

[kris martin]

nwh do you not collect at all?

[Clive McDonald]

i collect for 2 hours 2 nights a week

Along with WFP this another big change.
Pleade tell me you've got George?

[kris martin]

i dont have george, what is it all about heared a few things on here about it but go on tell me...

[Clive McDonald]

Start with some business basics.
You've been doing this longer that me, Ive been at a little over a year so feel free to get angry with what I tell you.
Firstly the service industry is expanding, not just us but ironing,gardening, home delivery pizzas etc. It is driven by the dual income syndrome where if they both work even an average household can bring in 60k. So why should she cook or iron? Why should he spend his saturday cleaning the windows?

Secondly with the advent and rise of UPVC cleaning windows has gotten easier, while there is also now greater demand for clean gutters, cladding, and conservatories.

Thirdly H&S rules and technology in the form of WFP and computers and the internet has completly transformed how we work. There is no longer any need to collect. In fact normal people regard it as a nuisance. They can pay online via bacs or post a cheque. George makes it possible for you to track all this. George costs £50.

[kris martin]

you have just gone through everything that i already know apart from george i have a well established business and i know under no circumstances could my business go from collecting to no collecting, i have about 1300 custys a lot of them being old and would not have a clue how to surf the net let alone want to do it but i understand where your coming from... firstly convert a little at a time, a bit more and a bit more until collecting is 1 hour a week.... if you could give me some advice on where to get this software i'd be greatfull because im all for the future ..

[kris martin]

discount do you want me to tell you something..........     

Thankyou, infact thankyou to everybody on this site who has offered sound advice which has made me go from dodgy ladders (sorry to all you ladder users nothing against it) to wfp, i have a huge round and have big lans in the next couple of months, george... i have just been looking at it on the web, looks good and im gonna give it a go, i know converting collecting will be a long process but a bit at a time i say... anyway cheers people

[groundhog]

I never collect, I leave envelopes. I hardly ever get the 'leave it till next month' line because I'm normally half way round the house before they even realise I'm there!! I'm not afraid of dogs, so don't get that problem, and if the gates locked, I hop over it!!!
Just get on with it, and stop creating problems for yourself!!! 

[dai]

Collecting in the mornings! no chance they are all in a mad rush to get to work.
I have printed my bank details on my cleaned your windows slip for the last 2 months, up to now I have converted just 4 customers to pay on line.
I have 6 days work on one estate alone, I only collect on Thursday nights. As Tosh said, I need a certain amount of cash flow too. On some estates I leave envelopes and get a good response.
One interesting fact with these, If I write the customers name and amount owing on the inside of the envelope flap, I get 90% response, if I just leave my cleaned your windows slip in the envelope, I get nowhere near the same success rate.
I believe this is because you are placing the onus to pay on the named person, you address them personally. If you just leave your slip, she will leave it for him to pay, and he will leave it to her.

[dai]

! I'm not afraid of dogs, so don't get that problem, and if the gates locked, I hop over it!!!
Just get on with it, and stop creating problems for yourself!!! 

You obviously haven't got the same dogs that I have, one has 3 nasty rottweilers.

[kris martin]

i dont have problem with people saying leave them this month, well maybe one every 2 months, dogs i have never had a problem with until 4 weeks ago when i was speaking to a customer of about 5 years at the door and i never ever noticed he had a dog, i asked him when he got his dog he said he has had her 13 years she is getting on now, i went to stroke the dog (Weimaraner) it chomped on my hand that hard and put 3 holes in my thumb.. i have been bit a few times off dogs but this really really hurt more than any of the others.. now im wary about dogs..

[mark dew]

dogs bite through fear. If they can sense nervousness from you it will automatically put them in defensive mode.
Dogs that don't seem to like you are best totally ignored with no eye contact.

[kris martin]

i wasnt worried at all, i was shocked when it chomped on my hand and the guy was in total disbelief... my thumb nail is still totally black and about to drop off from the wounds..