This winter I’ve lost 2 pre-scheduled clients due to weather and have had to convince a couple more to let me do the work when scheduled. Even had a monthly restaurant request me to wait. For the restaurant I’m going to mention I will have to raise their rates if they can’t keep the schedule due to extra dirt / grease and my time “swinging by”.
I have rolled with the weather, and I am willing to freeze a bit in order to do the work. Trying to figure out a way to close my clients a bit better for the nasty but still workable weather days.
So far I push my 5 day weather and quality guarantee and the fact they can call me back, it’s helped a bit.
Considering taking deposits on resi for “calendar spots” during the cold season months.
Yeah it’s texas, everything shuts down here in the cold - except me lol!
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When they ask, isn’t it too cold to clean windows. I have a couple humorous lines I use:
Yea it’s cold, but your hands are only cold till they turn numb, then you can’t feel them anymore.
They Cringe, then I say no not really. We have gloves, dress warm and use a non freezing solution in our water. The 400 or so Storefront accounts we have go every month thru chilly winter. We’ll be fine, besides my guys like the cold.
They cringe again, and say really. Then I say, yea just ask them, personally I prefer the warmth Sometimes they ask and my guys tell them I’m full of sht, but in nicer words.
Me and Justin are in the same part of the great northwest so we deal with cold winters.
You need to handle those situations like the weather doesn’t matter if its raining freezing or snowing they can count on you being there.
Like last week when I was doing one of the local coffee shop at 5am 20 degrees,the manager said to me Steve we can skip this time.
I chuckled a little and said, Im awake, Im here, theres one more peice of glass to do, I think I’m good, so Kristy how are the window at your Home? She busted up laughing.
When I was done she had a large hot coffee waiting with the check and a piece of paper with her address on it she wanted an estimate. (JOB BOOKED)
I think its about how comfortable you make the customer feel with the situation.
It’s a bit nipply out init? Or is it cold in here? Ohhhh you mean what’s my cold pick up line for cancelations…gotcha…these thing happen. It hard to change the mentality of a person. If I hear in their voice that they’re concerns are about me I reassure them that I’m good. And if there concerns are about the windows, even though their assumptions are wrong about the results it is their money being spent and ill reschedule them like its no big deal. Make them feel comfortable and don’t come off too pushy. My .02
I usually give a big smile and say: “Well even in the cold we still have to feed our families and keep shoes on my kids’ feet.” Then usually make a joke about I could benefit from a few skipped meals myself
It’s important though to remind some people in a kind way we aren’t just performing a service we are paying our bills and putting food on our families tables too.
Jeremiah, Advantage Window Cleaning
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I have never had a storefront tell me its to cold don’t do my windows today. I’m the one that says it was to cold last week it was nearly impossible to get everything done, if there cool they say ya I don’t blame you. If they give me a hard time I either dance my way around it or I say its ok we will credit you. That’s it I don’t stress about not getting to everything if its unbearable.
“what’s your ‘there’s a rain icon on my phone’s weather forecast a week from now so let’s reschedule’ pickup line?”
(the point being there’s just about gonna be a rain icon in the 7-10 day forecast for the next 4 months, whether they materialize or mostly not is another issue)
I always watch the weather situation for the week on Sunday. If I figure it will be safe, I never even let the customers get to the point where they might cancel on their own. (Also most of them wait till the last second to cancel anyway!) I send them a reassuring e-mail or call letting them know we are ready to work and in spite of the tough weather we are prepared to professionally and safely clean their home. I also let them know that we take all precautions to protect their home and we will ensure the interior of their home remains nice and clean in spite of all the bad weather outside.
Sometimes they ask and my guys tell them I’m full of sht, but in nicer words.
