We had rain last week and it kept me in from walking and handing out cards, but I would have been out washing windows. It got me to thinking about where the weather has to be to keep window washers inside or what you do when the bad weather comes to try and offset the affect on your business?
How do you settle this with your customers before hand? Do you talk about it when you set up the account, do you push you day’s work back, do you skip it, do you call them to tell them?
I never say anything to the customer about weather. We say we will show up on a schedule that they pick. Every 28 days or every 14 days. The customer will learn that you are not effected by weather. Residential is another game.
So if it is an all out white out with snow just coming down and storming so bad you have to drive ten miles per hour everywhere you still do the job. Is that right?
I never had it snow yet for a residential job. For commercial, if its bad and I know the forecast before, I will try to do it before. If not, I can notify the owner if its a more corporate store or franchise that we would have to post pone it another day. If its a mom and pop shop, all of my shops are reasonable and they know if the weather is bad, they wont expect you to come out that day. Some may close up shop for the day. Just get your work done early, on time or dont be more than slightly late. Once it starts stretching out, it can start worrying the storefront owners.
Well said Jacob. That’s how we operate our route.
Agreed @Jacob! If we do miss service for some reason we call or email the client and notify them.
We have a lot of clients that want the windows cleaned no matter what. So snow, cold, rain ect dosent interrupt their service.
If it’s raining and I’ve scheduled appointments I always ring them, most are happy to delay the clean until the weather clears. Secondly, I just don’t like getting wet and always have office jobs, scheduling to do or just take a day off and get some RnR.
When its cold (ie freezing) then I start later just cos it’s real hard on the fingers…
@Johnlee is def right, res is a bit different. If it’s up to me, I’m out rain, sleet, or snow. I will step back with lightning. (Aluminum ladders and lightning don’t mix for me!)
When I expect to get soaked on a job though I try to be mindful to do all inside work first and keep from tracking mud.
Some people will insist though that you not work on their homes in bad weather.