So since we give superior service! At the end of each residential account no matter if its window cleaning/gutter cleaning/house wash etc… we are very confident to ask the customer to sign a “service aggrement” and signing on the same day we grant them 20% off the next service! We also send them info about our referral program, glass do’s and dont’s(helpful tips), and a new customer letter with business cards and info on all of our services! Our sign up percentage is around 80%! What do you guys do? And whats your percentage?
I give them a quality job at a fair price. The referrals come almost automatically. I do give them info on the benefits of more frequent cleanings and make sure thye have the website address so they can get more info on us and our services w/out having to leave alot of paperwork.
The only “paperwork” we send them is a letter in the mail! Everything else is via email, even the invoice! But we also clean mirrors for free and change any high light bulbs for free as well. Always trying to go above and beyond there experience with us!! We recieve alot of referrals from this!
so your sign up percentage is 80%. How many people actually have you back to clean the windows? What does your agreement consist of?
As for us, we get regular customers from delivering extraordinary service.
We give them a card with a 10% discount if they schedule within the next 6 months. Not a great system as most people are opting to do it just once a year. I think it’s cause we are pretty expensive. It’s a blessing and a curse.
Manny, I would like to hear more either publicly or privately about your service agreements and so forth.
Our Service agreements consist of having our company service the customer’s home on a monthly, quarterly, bi annually or annually schedule, it’s up to them! They sign the agreement on how often they would like the service. If they break the agreement it’s a 100 dollar fee. But usually I don’t charge them the fee. It’s all about having the service in writing! It’s a commitment between the company and customer. Since I give the discount and great customer service 90% fulfill there side of the agreement!
I’ve never had any of my customers ( residential or commercial)sign a contract. If theyre satisfied with my service theyll have me back. I do have alot of monthly/every other month residential customers and I continue service until they tell me not to. When I get a new customer I give them the option of how often they want serviced. I explain the pros on having regular cleanings and I have the choices on the bottom of my invoices. A satisified customer will be a repeat customer. What happens if they sign a contract then arent happy with the results? Are they stuck with us? I would say no…so what good is the contract? Jmo…
I believe it keeps me one up on the competition. I don’t know about Ohio but here in DFW/Texas there are a lot of window cleaners. So I take it as a challenge not to lose a single customer. I set my standards high and goals high. Every year I am in business my goal is to double from the year before. There is no “if they are satisfied”. My customers will always be happy with the results of our services…guaranteed I treat every customer like it’s my last. I am very thankful for everything I have. It keeps me grounded and hungry for more.
I agree with your thinking. Many window cleaners do not believe in discounts. I am usually one of them. But I also see potential in a wisely planned out approach to it. Big business does it all the time to get people into a contract. From car dealerships to gyms, the device is sometimes the best way to go. It works for these companies (I’m not saying it always works for them), and in the long run it can work for us. It is all about how it is implemented.
But at the same time, many w.c.'s use the discount bait at the wrong time or somehow in a way that doesn’t benifit them at all. Thus, I do understand w.c.'s avoidance of discounting.
I don’t think you are somehow doing a bad thing to the customer by putting them under a contract and I do not think that you are doing this because they will soon find out that your work is subpar.
Starbrite:
You do advertise. You have a website. You’ve invested time into it. Time is money. I’m sure you get customers from it. It is putting your name out there, it is advertising.
I like your thinking!
It sounds like contracts would work for you then,but it also sounds like the service you provide and the way you treat and feel about your customers, they’re going to stay with you anyway:)
I know many window cleaners that operate on referrals only. It works just not as fast as putting the word out through advertising.
Driving home a higher price is fine. I know for a fact though that being the highest priced hurts during tough times. I charge a healthy price also but not the highest in my area. I now do more business that used to belong to my biggest competitor during thriving economic times. He has laid off several workers. (One of which works for Seth & I) I fully intend upon bringing the pricing back up once things are better for people overall.
I dunno how to perceive that comment Doug. Because guess what happens to those that do not advertise? Nothing. If one plans to expand and grow, prosper and flourish or just generally become a business with many hands…you must advertise wisely. Many guys I know have went about things by living off referrals and such. If you want a lion’s share of the pie you have to pay to put your name out there.
how many window cleaners do you know that make 6 figures who do not advertise? I am not cleaning windows to be a millionaire, i like to work my 5 or 6 hours a day and make 6 figures, if i wanted to make alot more money i could, but i dont want to work 8 + hours a day and have employee headaches and deal with customer complaints.
as for the highest pricing goes, in my area Orange County, this town is filled with soooo may rich peopele that it does not matter about pricing, either they are going to have there windows cleaned or they are not.
About keeping your customers happy, let me tell you this, i have been in a wheelchair since March2009 and i wont be able to walk until mid july do to a motorcycle accident. 99% of all my clients who are calling to make appoinments are just waiting until i can walk and work again. That tells you something about how i operate my business. I am not your average window cleaner, like i said i offer a service that is better than my compitetion at a price thats slighty higher, My clients are not afraid to pay a premium price for premium service.
Number one:
You do advertise. “to advertise” does not mean “to pay for advertising”. A monetary investment is irrelevant to the definition. The fact that you have a website (and have done such a great job at SEO-cheers!) means that you are wanting more customers.
Number Two:
No one is saying anything about your retention abilities. You may be right- you may just be one of the better in the county (I think you are a great guy and a hard worker). But that doesn’t devalue manny’s points. Is tooting your own horn really proving anything. Maybe your clients are richer, and don’t need an incentive to continue with you. The factors that affect why manny’s customers need such an incentive may be endless. Did you ever think that maybe his customer service and job quality may not be lacking. Maybe they are, I don’t know that, but I don’t assume it either. You are directly telling him: “Have customer service and work quality like me and and you won’t need a written agreement. Period.”
You are ignoring the possibility that he may be just as good (or better) than you at quality and customer service.
What?! I wasn’t discussing Manny or his customer service/service contract anymore; I was responding to Dwight’s post. I don’t know Manny, his service area or his job quality, I was just commenting on what works in my area and how loyal customers are when they receive a good service.
I treat every customer like it’s my last. I am very thankful for everything I have. It keeps me grounded and hungry for more.
