[lee_dewing]

hi all

due to all probs i have had lately (see advice on van  )

I have drafted up this letter.

opions greatly recieved poitive or negative
lee

PLEASE READ
LETTER FROM LEE YOUR WINDOW CLEANER.

DEAR CUSTOMER,
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS LETTER.

I AM MAKING A FEW CHANGES IN HOW I WORK.

IN JUNE THIS YEAR I HAVE ENCOUNTERED A SERIES OF PROBLEMS RESULTING IN LOST TIME THROUGH HAVING THE FLU AND WORSE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY VAN.

THIS HAS LED ME TO RE-EVALUATE HOW I RUN MY BUSINESS.

I WILL NOW BE WORKING SATURDAY 10 AM ONWARDS, IN ADDITION TO MON-FRI 8.30AM TILL 6PM (WINTER TILL DUSK)

IF I CANNOT CLEAN A CUSTOMERS WINDOWS DUE TO BUILDING WORKS, DECORATION ETC
   THEN I CANNOT RETURN TILL THE NEXT CLEAN DATE 5 WEEKS.
ALSO IF GATES HAVE NOT BEEN UNLOCKED THEN I WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO CLEAN FRONT WINDOWS (IF I CAN GAIN ACCESS OVER GATE SAFELY, WITHOUT RISK OF DAMAGE TO A CUSTOMERS  PROPERTY OR MYSELF THEN OF COURSE I WILL)

BUT I CANNOT CALL OUT OF SEQUENCE AS THIS HAS A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON MY INCOME AND THE RELIABILITY ON THE SERVICE IN WHICH I PROVIDE.


WEATHER: I REALISE SOMETIMES THE WEATHER IS JUST TO AWFUL FOR ME TO WORK
HOWEVER: I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN LIGHT RAIN / DRIZZLE./SHOWERS ETC.

IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE FINISH ON YOUR WINDOWS THEN PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP,

SO I CAN RECTIFY ANY PROBLEMS.

I INTEND WORKING THIS WAY SO I CAN PROVIDE YOU MY VALUED CUSTOMER A RELIABLE SERVICE AND ENSURE MYSELF A RELIABLE INCOME.

KIND REGARDS LEE YOUR WINDOW CLEANER:
ADDRESS *******
*******
CONTACT MOBILE:*******

[cozy]

Sounds OK to me Lee. Letting your custies know what's going on.

[Mike 108]

Sounds OK to me, too.

[Pole 2 Pole]

"too" awful fella, not to awful 

[LSB]

i work exactly that way anyway , without sending out a letter !

i wouldnt use the first bit about bad luck / struggling to get round .

if you are going to send a letter , maybe you could also thank them for their continued support , mention all / any other services that you offer , remind them to reccomend you ( will help to compact your round ) , are they due a price increase ?

you may also find that everyone wants theres doing on a sat morning ,
best of luck ,
lloyd .

[EZclean]

cant believe you actually went back to do the backs of houses or after building work anyway lee, but fair play to ya
i think doing the letter is a good idea, are you wfp or trad?
if wfp, you could say " you may like to know that rain has no effect on the  quality of the clean with the system i use to clean your windows, just i dont like getting wet!"
or not?

[Helen]

hi all

due to all probs i have had lately (see advice on van  )

I have drafted up this letter.

opions greatly recieved poitive or negative
lee

PLEASE READ
LETTER FROM LEE YOUR WINDOW CLEANER.

DEAR CUSTOMER,
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS LETTER.
Thank you for your time in reading this letter
I AM MAKING A FEW CHANGES IN HOW I WORK.
Due to everchanging conditions and your continued support, I am now revising how I  schedule my work, so that I can provide you with a better service
Should you be having exterior building work carried out, please could you let me know if you think that it will coincide with your window clean. We can then work on a new schedule date for you whilst this work is being done.
Locked gates, whilst I appreciate the need for security, if you should have a locked gate please supply me with a telephone contact number and then I can call you prior to the clean in order that I can then have safe access to the backs. I shall re-lock/bolt the gate if possible when I finish. Note that should I not be able to gain access to the backs then I shall clean whatever is reachable and charge accordingly.
One of the major benefits of my service is that I clean all year round. I work in all weathers, but have to admit I stop in Thunderstorms and 10 foot snowdrifts!

If at any time of year, you may have any questions, issues or need further clarification of my services please do not hesitate to contact me.

Blah de blah


quote]

[/color]

Looking at your draft from a customer point of view, I wouldn't be impressed and most won't care if you have a reliable income or not, or whether you have had swine flu bird flu or any flu. Not being funny but your letter is so negative and this will rub off on your custies :)Mine isn't perfect, but more lighthearted and not so gloomy....to be honest they probably won't get past line 2 of any letter, but at least you have snt it, tha't the main thing and if they don't read it then that's their fault

[AJ]

DEAR CUSTOMER,
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM YOU OF IMPORTANT CHANGES TO WORKING PRACTICES OF   .........LTD.

I WILL NOW BE WORKING SATURDAY 10 AM ONWARDS, IN ADDITION TO MON-FRI 8.30AM TILL 6PM (WINTER TILL DUSK)

IF I CANNOT CLEAN A CUSTOMERS WINDOWS DUE TO BUILDING WORKS, DECORATION ETC
   THEN I CANNOT RETURN TILL THE NEXT CLEAN DATE 5 WEEKS.
ALSO IF GATES HAVE NOT BEEN UNLOCKED THEN I WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO CLEAN FRONT WINDOWS (IF I CAN GAIN ACCESS OVER GATE SAFELY, WITHOUT RISK OF DAMAGE TO A CUSTOMERS  PROPERTY OR MYSELF THEN OF COURSE I WILL)

BUT I CANNOT CALL OUT OF SEQUENCE AS THIS HAS A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON  THE RELIABILITY ON THE SERVICE IN WHICH I PROVIDE.


WEATHER: I REALISE SOMETIMES THE WEATHER IS JUST TOO AWFUL FOR ME TO WORK.
HOWEVER, I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN LIGHT RAIN / DRIZZLE/SHOWERS ETC.

IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE FINISH ON YOUR WINDOWS THEN PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP,

SO I CAN RECTIFY ANY PROBLEMS.

THESE CHANGES ARE BEING MADE SO AS TO CONTINUE PROVIDING A RELIABLE SERVICE TOO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
LEE YOUR WINDOW CLEANER:
ADDRESS *******
*******
CONTACT MOBILE:*******

Made a few alterations.
I don't think they want to know your problems, just tell them whats happening.

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

To be honest if I recieved that letter I would think "So what?"

It feels like you are making it your customers problem not your own business's problem.

I would try a different mindset something in the line of a "Relaunch" "Due to increacing demand etc etc" "To improve further the service you recieve.."

Try not to feel sorry for yourself because the customer dosen't care. they only respond to WIIFM "Whats in it for me".

You are going to make their life easier and here's how.....

Make a list and we will see how best to word it.

[simon knight]

All you've said makes sense (and you should have been doing it anyway) but sending out that letter is pointless and time consuming.

Just do it!

If your custies have any problems they'll be on the phone soon enough...then you can explain.

Windows are important to us, but to your average customer.....?

Frankly our customers don't really care mate as long as they get done before they're too minging

[macmac]

you could say " you may like to know that rain has no effect on the  quality of the clean with the system i use to clean your windows 

But he'd be lying & inviting close inspection after rainfall thus making a bigger rod for his own back in the long run!

Better not to even mention it.

[leapstallbuildings]

hi all

due to all probs i have had lately (see advice on van  )

I have drafted up this letter.

opions greatly recieved poitive or negative
lee

PLEASE READ
LETTER FROM LEE YOUR WINDOW CLEANER.

DEAR CUSTOMER,
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS LETTER.
Thank you for your time in reading this letter
I AM MAKING A FEW CHANGES IN HOW I WORK.
Due to everchanging conditions and your continued support, I am now revising how I  schedule my work, so that I can provide you with a better service
Should you be having exterior building work carried out, please could you let me know if you think that it will coincide with your window clean. We can then work on a new schedule date for you whilst this work is being done.
Locked gates, whilst I appreciate the need for security, if you should have a locked gate please supply me with a telephone contact number and then I can call you prior to the clean in order that I can then have safe access to the backs. I shall re-lock/bolt the gate if possible when I finish. Note that should I not be able to gain access to the backs then I shall clean whatever is reachable and charge accordingly.
One of the major benefits of my service is that I clean all year round. I work in all weathers, but have to admit I stop in Thunderstorms and 10 foot snowdrifts!

If at any time of year, you may have any questions, issues or need further clarification of my services please do not hesitate to contact me.

Blah de blah


quote]

[/color]

Looking at your draft from a customer point of view, I wouldn't be impressed and most won't care if you have a reliable income or not, or whether you have had swine flu bird flu or any flu. Not being funny but your letter is so negative and this will rub off on your custies :)Mine isn't perfect, but more lighthearted and not so gloomy....to be honest they probably won't get past line 2 of any letter, but at least you have snt it, tha't the main thing and if they don't read it then that's their fault

I must be a bit of a wimp then.  I stop when the snowdrifts reach8 feet.

[Clive McDonald]

No Lee, if you send this everyone who has building work done or has had locked gates or any other issue in the last year or so will think is this plank blaming me for his screwed up business! And will be very quick to tell you not to bother at all.

As others have said stress the positive.eg

due to customer requests i shall be now cleaning on saturdays on a regular and ongoing basis and finishing later on the week days

[lee_dewing]

thanks all for your feed back

lloyd, simon knight,  what you said is what i keep thinking do it and just deal with the odd custie when they winge.

helen thanks for your input i mpreciate the comments on negative overtone, and it's nice to get a female point of view as a w/c we are dealing with female customers mainly or even if not and is hubby on doorstep it's the women that has the say in wether we the w/c stays or go's.

I see helen, how your letter is more positive than mine, the only criticism i would have is over re-scheduling due to work, which means coming back again which is what i'm not prepared to do anymore as it costs me money, due to the fact that my works is in different areas.

sorry i did not mention i am wfp.
as some have mentioned custies wont give two shiney 5hits about my trouble's

I think letter or not i'm gonna have to be more firm.

Thanks for all  your input everyone
Lee

[BORBRYCE]

Windows are important to us, but to your average customer.....?

Frankly our customers don't really care mate as long as they get done before they're too minging

Says it all my man, we really are not too important to them....really. Just someone to give them a run over from time to time so they dont look bad to friends, family and neighbours. An easy job, a simple job. I wouldnt complicate things with a letter. Custies just wont care or want to care. I certainly dont think your mad, but honestly your wasting your time with this one.

[elite mike]

lee

dont bother with the letter mate

just do the the work as it comes normally  

if there is no access just do what you can , bill them

if they dont like it  tough

most of mine with difficult access give me a key ,if not they can go else ware

[lee_dewing]

ron, mike thanks.

Echoe's what my dad said today.

[Clive McDonald]

A guy who used to post called shiner, was ill. He made the mistake of telling his customers that he wouldn't be able to clean for a few months. Mostly his customers dumped him and the loyalty he had hoped was there wasn't.

So yes you are mad to give out a letter that could be seen as blaming customers.


I remember you posting on here from a public library in the day and having to wait 24hrs for a reply. I used to think what guts you'd got because it seemed to me you had nothing. To get where you are now must have been a huge stretch.It looks like now you've hit a few bumps in the road.Play to your strengths and don't take things personally.

[Clive McDonald]

Don't want to be your stalker but just read you musing about a van.

Yes get one, it will be the best thing you ever do, the newer the better.I used to drive bangers and it doesn't pay.

[lee_dewing]

thanks slumpbuster.

you've got a good memory

yes your right about van, minds turned into a banger shame it's not 10 yrs old (scrapage)
01 plate.

What happened to shiner i really enjoyed his posts.

has he thrown it in.

Do you ever get potential custy's calling and saying are you still doing the windows;  i do

what van have you got slumpbuster?

thanks lee