[Feen]

Do you feel we have a "right" to earn a living cleaning windows? The weather round here has been awful ( as it probably has been wherever you are). Whilst cleaning this morning in fine, dry overcast conditions, I got a "not today, it's going to rain this afternoon." I resisted asking whether it would have been fine to clean them yesterday, if it was going to rain this afternoon. I also resisted pointing out that my kids still eat, my electricity bill still comes etc etc. I didn't clean them and I won't again, but it got me asking myself the question - do we have a right to earn a living? Should we expect loyalty from the customer in return for our loyalty to them? I know how I 'd answer. How about you?

[LWC]

a customer of mine said she didnt mind me cleaning in rain the other day and i was saying that some people have said not today and she said "i woner how those people would cope if they didnt earn any money because it rained"

made me smile

[john tomkins]

I've got the "you better hurry up and get them done before it rains" if only they were all like that.
At the end of the day though, it's their money and you can't tell them they must be done.
Should be immediately dumped all the same.

[kris martin]

i think it has to work both ways and if a customer continually tells me not to clean in the rain she is gone, people do have to realise we live in a wet country and we need to feed the kids all year round...   the best one is that were meant to know on a dry day that we shouldnt clean the windows because it might rain tomorow and if it does its our fault...

[NWH]

A good test of your customers loyalty would be to clean in bad weather regardless,they will soon show you with there reaction if there loyal or not.As the weather seems to get worse year on year i have said that i will clean unless it`s absolutley pouring with rain although i don`t more often than not as i get enough done on drier days but it gives me the option saying this to them.A good thing to do is to point these things out on dry sunny days that you will need to carry on cleaning if the weather is bad bills to pay etc,it`s no good unless you prepare them for you turning up no matter what within reason.I think most if not all will understand and the ones that don`t when the weathers good they`ll have to wait won`t they.When you think about it customers are not the sharpest tools are they,i mean what`s the difference between it being fine when you clean and when you get down the road and it starts to pour with rain we`ve all been out working when it`s done that a few times.

[matt]

the idea imho is to earn your money on dry days, i allways think that in the winter i will lose 1 out of my 3 days due to rain, if i dont, its a bonus, if i do, then i expect it

im sure a fair % of my customer would accept that if i was desperate to earn the money i would have to work in the rain, i know they wouldnt accept it week in week out

[NWH]

I agree that you should easily earn enough on dry days.

[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

I collect and use rainwater for `trad`and WFP.I live and work
In the industrial north.I know it`s nothing like what it was say
50 years ago before the clean air act came into force.When the
Rain starts I recon it`s about 003ppm.When it belts down it`s
000ppm.What I`m saying is,rainwater is pure really anyways.
Sometimes,not always but it can be an advantage when it rains
When ya cleaning


Lewis  Doubtfire Gleem Clean ( The Blade Runner )

[Sir Squeaky]

I agree with that last bit Matt, you can get sympathy here and there, but you can't take the mick. It's their money, they are your bosses.

Of course you don't have a "right" to earn money. :

Does a roofer force you have a new roof?
If no-one wants a new roof he doesn't work.
The same applies.

Window cleaning isn't a guaranteed earner every day.
Most self-employed jobs aren't.

Get a shop job.

[Oakley Windows]

Of course you have a right to earn a living, just like everyone else.

But you'd be naive to think that that might be possible every day of the week throughout the year, bearing in mind the location of the island we live on.

It rains here, sorry, but didnt you know that before you became a window cleaner?

[Clive McDonald]

We don't have a constitution as america does. We do not have the right to drive a car, or to earn a living. We are not born or created equal either.

Luckily the government does allow us to drive work and hold a passport, but these are not rights.

[Tim82]

One thing is more sure than death or taxes on this island: It'll probably rain tomorrow! When you first take on a customer you tell them you're gonna come monthly (or similar). That's an agreement. Therefore we have a right to come and clean their windows and earn our money when its raining or not as (with wfp anyway) it doesnt effect the result of the window, youre still removing the grime. Believe me, I love getting the day off , but I've got bills to pay.

[seandyer2003]

I agree with that last bit Matt, you can get sympathy here and there, but you can't take the mick. It's their money, they are your bosses.

Of course you don't have a "right" to earn money. :

Does a roofer force you have a new roof?
If no-one wants a new roof he doesn't work.
The same applies.

Window cleaning isn't a guaranteed earner every day.
Most self-employed jobs aren't.

Get a shop job.

And the way things are gonna go money wise after xmas why start upsetting custys now, you wanna be in their good books, not "oh he only comes when its raining sack him" ive heard people say that when im canvassing about there cleaner...no thanks!

[Moderator David@stives]

We earn every day , rain or shine.

If they moan we sack them, we now have a round of non moaners, they know we have to work and dont take the mick.

They all appreciate our business and know if we are to survive they occassionally have to have there windows cleaned in the odd bit of bad weather.

We have not lost one day this year due to bad weather and we are running bang on time.

[Paul Coleman]

Do you feel we have a "right" to earn a living cleaning windows? The weather round here has been awful ( as it probably has been wherever you are). Whilst cleaning this morning in fine, dry overcast conditions, I got a "not today, it's going to rain this afternoon." I resisted asking whether it would have been fine to clean them yesterday, if it was going to rain this afternoon. I also resisted pointing out that my kids still eat, my electricity bill still comes etc etc. I didn't clean them and I won't again, but it got me asking myself the question - do we have a right to earn a living? Should we expect loyalty from the customer in return for our loyalty to them? I know how I 'd answer. How about you?

The really funny thing is that the ones who complain about you working in the rain are often the same ones that complain if you are running late.  Some want their cake and eat it.
I think my line would be that if I had to stop working in rain, I would have to charge a lot more to cover the downtime.

[mark dew]

I think a customer has the right to say not this time as long as it is the exception rather than the rule.
If they do it too much i don't go back and don't tell them.

[ftp]

Did you all have your cars washed today in this filthy weather just to keep the car valeters employed? Of course you didn't! Having said that too many refusals and i'll dump them but only if i have enough work.

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

guttersarus


Are you simon123?


Bob

[Feen]

Wrote a longer reply that went down with my computer Basically I am fine with people calling off for holidays or whatever, but not when I am there and the weather is fine and it "might" rain later. Squeaky - shop job Matt & ftp- did you actually read my post

[ftp]

I did, and no you can't expect too much loyalty from a customer, you're only cleaning windows - hardly essential really.