[paul beckett]

if the customer says its no point in doing windows in winter,
whats the best responce you give to custy, to keep them as a custy because its a good earner. 
put it this way, not everyone can afford to lose custys so easily.
kind regards
paul

[ftp]

I just say give me a ring next year and if I can fit you in I will. Last year I had plenty of room, next year will be cheerio to anyone who trys it.

[matt]

i allways say " i might not be able to fit you back in, as i need to earn all year round and if a new customer comes in, they might take your place on my round, BUT i expect to be slightly longer between cleans because of the weather "

most say, oh ok then carry on as normal

some say, can you do it every other time during the winter

a small % say " i will take the risk " ---- these i allways say when the phone up " oh sorry i am very busy and dont have the space "

[paul beckett]

i have heard on here that the windows get dirtier in winter,{ i havent noticed this really,} but if it does, how do you explain why they get dirtier in winter to the custy, you know technically.
kind regards
paul

[ftp]

Mine were filthy within three days this week!

[martinsadie]

if the customers wants rid of you whats the point in convincing them otherwise,let them go till they come back of thier own choosing

[leapstallbuildings]

Another response is to let them know in advance that the job will be re-priced in accordance with how you will be pricing jobs at that time.

[martinsadie]

Another response is to let them know in advance that the job will be re-priced in accordance with how you will be pricing jobs at that time.

Blackmail tatic 

[mark dew]

I look at each job i do and get paid for as a bonus.
So unless they have been troublesome or the job has been a pain, i would just tell them to call me when they want me to start again.
But the reality for me has been that i haven't had customers cancel for the winter.
Whenever i get a call to resume (for other reasons) i always makeit a point of being a few weeks away. I  never reclean promptly, cos i don't want to give the impression that i am just a phone call away. I have converted a couple of customers to being a regular clean by doing this.

[pingu]

I have a couple that go from 4 wkly to 8 during the winter months..but to be honest alot of decisions are base on 'do  I like the person/job etc' then it seems on what is being asked.

In general I suspect that the best way forward for me is to say 'ok' but but I'll try to fit you in in the spring.  But in reality I would try to fill that space and come the time they call...re-price the job and think about putting on a 1st clean price.

Cheers
Dave.

[simon knight]

I say you need to have them cleaned more in the winter to let as much light in as possible.

[Londoner]

I just say OK fine I will schedule you for the next clean in March. That way they are happy and I still keep the customer. Then I alter their date on George.

Its to my advantage to be able to lay off a few customers in the winter because with the shorter days I can't get round quickly enough anyway.

Its a win-win solution

[ajs]

i had a custy yesterday that i have been doing her windows every two weeks at her request say to me come again in two weeks then as weather gets rough go to once 4  every wks, but i dont think i need to worry of losing her as i think i would do the same.

[Sean Dyer]

Good replies , it annoys the hell out of me, but i do take them back on becasue mostly my work is compact and it pays to have them in there, but i do try charge more, or put them up if thats how they play the game 

[Tosh]

I found in the early years of starting up window cleaning, I had a small number of customers who've said to leave them till Spring, and I told them then that I did it all the year round, or not at all.  I can't remember any saying, 'Okay then, keep comming'.

But now, it must be about four years since someone has asked me to stop cleaning till after Winter, so it's not really an issue.

[simon knight]

I had a customer a few years back who said "can we leave it until the spring".

I explained that my bills come in every month not just over the summer. She actually started laughing. Needless to say she was dumped on the spot.

The ones who want to stop until spring are just fair weather customers who don't give a stuff if you starve over the winter months....no room for these sorts on my books thanks

[lee_dewing]

as said if i get a custy say this my reponse is,

"oh, the trouble with that is if someone else asks me i'l have to give them your space"

if they ask why's that as some do because they are just intrested in them i just add.

"The trouble is the RBS want the mortgage money every month"

Most will leave, unfortunately for the first couple of years you seem to pick up all the work other window cleaners don't want

lee

[lee_dewing]

i suppose if you really needed the work then tell custy ok see you in spring but i will have to put up price 30-50% as windows will be dirtier and to make up for lost income.

Your still lose them,
some custy's are often honest and (up front) say i don't want in winter which leaves you the above option.

I have had many problems majority are always down to my people skills, and in the beginging being to accomadating.

I realise finally i can't please all the people all the time and don't beat myself up trying.

I find being honest the best approach, if someone wants me to bend over backwards for me i.e  don't do today can you come back, then sorry NO, if their insistant then i tell them i'l have to put call out charge on top as working out of sequence has negative effect on my income

I it one of my custy's i really like then i would fit in, usually on saturday as i go out some saturdays as i nick a few extra ££s if weather's been unkind

lee

[martinsadie]

ive never had it happen to me apart from when i first started a big guy said to me in october,is that it till next spring but i explained i cleaned all year and he was fine,he must have had cowboys in the past

[simon knight]

I realise finally i can't please all the people all the time and don't beat myself up trying.

And this hits the nail on the head.  I work the way I work, clean houses that I'm comfortable with and have customers who I'm happy to serve at the frequency I'm also happy with.  I don't expect all of my jobs or customers to be 100% satisfactory all of the time but occassionally I get the odd one where it's just not really possible to make a living from...so I dump it rather than raise my blood pressure.