I know that this topic has been through the mill on just about every forum out there on the www. I have not offered this guarantee to any clients in my 18 years in the business.
I was cleaning a residential for a long time customer of mine on Friday and thick black rain clouds started rolling in 3/4 of the way into the job. The clients husband is a little perturbed at the fact that we are still going ahead with the job despite these nasty looking clouds that have moved in and covered the sun up. The client (wife), says to me: “I wish that we could have rescheduled for today. My windows are going to get wrecked because of this weather”.
I then opened my mouth and said " If they spot up, just call us back and we will re clean them. No charge". She gets this big grin on her face and thanks me. I get into the office today to see a Post It that says she called and wants them redone. Its only a $100.00 out only. Its no big deal. I know that there are quite a few companies on here that offer this and have had only one or two come back on them. Its just so funny that I threw this guarantee out there the first time and got taken on the deal. I’d have to say that in the future, I will be offering a guarantee solely on my workmanship - not Mother Nature. My .02 cents.
Dont feel like the “Lone Ranger” stud;) its been my luck too that i always get a stickler here & there!
Just nature of the beast,whats kills me is these rain pick ups if you get a few really kill the profit margin. Thats why i offer “Rain Insurance” they pay a % percentage of the over-all job total,this way…im at least covering the gas being burned to go back!
Just nature of the beast,whats kills me is these rain pick ups if you get a few really kill the profit margin. Thats why i offer “Rain Insurance” they pay a % percentage of the over-all job total,this way…im at least covering the gas being burned to go back!
Craig, Maybe thats the answer… Tell them that in the event of having to come back for a touch up, maybe advertise in small print: for a small trip fee, we will return to touch up, (to cover fuel ect.) ???
winderwarsher, I have been asked about this often, but quickly explain that the windows should not spot because of our methods of cleaning, which involves “proper screen cleaning” That tends to sloooow down the chance of them calling, makes them think about it…
Thanks for the replies. Like I mentioned before, I have never offered this type of guarantee and have gotten along quite well without it. I’ve never had a call back after I’ve finished a job and it rained. I know that certain types of weather will not affect them. This storm on Friday was a pretty decent one with wind and driving rain. From now on, I will leave it up to the client to make the call. Its not so much that im giving them a free cleaning, Its just a real pain to fit them into the schedule to do it. We are booked 7 days a week (minus Mothers Day and Memorial Weekend). through late June.
If the weather forecast calls for possible rain, I’ll call up the client and explain what’s on the horizon, usually the day before, and ask them if they’d like to reschedule, or if they would like us to come rain or shine.
That way, if they commit, they have no refund recourse.
I push them to reschedule, though, as I hate the idea of my guys climbing up and down slippery, wet ladders.
And although professional methods can not quickly be undone by rain, in most cases, around here anyway, the windows are dirtier after a rain storm, so its not really a smart move for someone to say “go ahead anyway”.
Rent some movies and make some hot chocolate instead!
If the truth be known…out here in Calif.people are spoiled they would rather “re-schedule” then have there windows cleaned if its raining or a chance of,at least that’s been my experience.
As for adding a fuel surcharge i don’t think so…i’d rather just sell them on rain insurance and leave the particulars for why out!
Rain wont spot clean glass but…it’s the sliders that get tagged from rain bouncing off the ground or windows where the screens weren’t properly cleaned that lead to spotting issue’s. Or…better yet a “dirty house” horizontal rain & dirty water runs down the side of the house & spots.
Nevertheless…i like what Paneless said,thats normally what i try & do!
Kevin,
I agree w/you and Craig 100%. The next 36 hours is going to be a soggy one in my area. If it looks like a total wash, I usually have my office girl call customers first thing in the morning. She tells them that it looks like the weather isnt going to co-operate with us today. 90% of them will reschedule. She also writes down on a dry erase board in the shop all of the gutter cleaning jobs that are on the schedule and we start picking them off. It opens up the schedule later in the month for us and gives us work on that day.
CFP,
In the past years (before the gas gouging), I would do the same. Do the insides and try to catch the outsides on another day. I have to weigh out that option now. I have to double check to see if we will be in the area. Sometimes I will bite the bullet just to get it done and closed out. Gas just went up 40 cents yesterday in my area. What a joke.
Rain wont spot clean glass but…it’s the sliders that get tagged from rain bouncing off the ground or windows where the screens weren’t properly cleaned that lead to spotting issue’s. Or…better yet a “dirty house” horizontal rain & dirty water runs down the side of the house & spots.
Amen.
I agree with those who are reconsidering the whole “we’ll come back and finish that off tomorrow” mentality too.
I’ve abandoned that whole concept now. Too much gas, labor costs, and headaches overall. No work on rain days, basically. At all, unless the client is begging for us to do the work, and even then, only if its safe to do so.
Its not worth it. I can’t win big, playing that game.
People generally appreciate the consideration too. Wins their valuable respect and loyalty.
I will call the day before to confirm our appointment and if rain is predicted, I will discuss rescheduling. If it is raining the day of appointment, again, I discuss rescheduling…that way it is their decision. I have been asked many times when finishing up if I guarantee against rain…I tell them I guarantee the window cleaning until my truck leaves the property.
For me it’s really a “play it by ear” situation to work on rainy or possibility of rain days. Many times my clients have cleared their schedule to be home on a particular day, either by taking the day off or canceling other plans. To bail out on the clean because of some drizzle would make it a wasted day for some.
It also depends on how tight your schedule is. If I were to cancel an appointment today, I wouldn’t be able to make a return visit for a couple of weeks. That’s fine for some customers but others have functions coming up that they need the windows cleaned for.
The argument about a poorly washed screen or dirty water running off from the house shouldn’t even enter into it. A poorly washed screen will wreck a window (the next time it rains) whether the windows were cleaned on a sunny day or a rainy day. And dirty water runoff will wreck your windows whether you cleaned the windows on a sunny day or rainy day. The window cleaner can’t be responsible for everything.
The other day I was cleaning some windows and a passerby yelled up to me [I]“Great weather for window cleaning. Too bad it’s going to rain later.”[/I] I yelled back down to him [I]“It’s always going to rain later.”[/I] And continued on with my work.
The other day I was cleaning some windows and a passerby yelled up to me “Great weather for window cleaning. Too bad it’s going to rain later.” I yelled back down to him “It’s always going to rain later.” And continued on with my work.
I can understand when people make comments about you cleaning in the rain. But It’s sorta silly when people tell you not to clean because it’s going to rain later. Than when can you clean? If the windows are going to be wrecked by the rain, then they are not really worth cleaning at all.
And how can you trust the weather forecasts, on Saturday it was supposed to be rainy, dark day. Except for about 30 minutes of rain, it became a very sunny, beautiful day. So you can’t put blind faith in weather forecasts, unless you don’t like to work.
I think it depends on your location & if weather is an on going issue or not. In my area primarily So. California people are"SPOILED" they would rather re-schedule.I’ve even had days where dark clouds are looming over and got cancellations due to it.
It’s a REAL PITA for the schedule but…most consider it a waste of money or…at least that’s been the general consensus when I’ve asked a few.
Clean windows wont spot that’s a fact (unless a slider or window close to the ground) gets splash back and even though a dirty house is out of our control people take all these particulars into consideration believe it or not!
Yes but it rarely rains in California. It rains about 10 days a month in Toronto. Now of course some of those days it might be raining overnight. But it still rains quite a bit more here.
