A while back I wrote an article entitled "A successful window cleaning business requires follow-up, follow-up, and more follow-up!". That article was geared more towards following up with window washing prospects who haven't made a decision to use your services yet. This article focuses on getting your current window washing customers to use you again and again.

The beauty of the window washing business is that it is a repeat business. Glass is always getting dirty. So all you have to do is sell people on your service one time, and if you do it correctly, you should have that customer until he or she moves or dies.

I would hate to be in the appliance business. Sell 'em a refrigerator one time and then wait 20 years and sell 'em another one. Bummer.

In the window washing business, your residential customers will generally want you back every 4 to 9 months. This assumes of course, that you do a good job. Commercial customers are more frequent-every two weeks, every month, etc. I recently spoke to one of my system owners who does the front entrance to a water park every day. So again...the commercial customer frequency is going to be different.

Since the title of my manual is called How to Start Your Own Residential Window Washing Business, we're going to talk about residential customers.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to follow-up with customers. Window washing is generally at the bottom of most people's thoughts, so it's your responsibility to provide them a courtesy call when they're due to get their windows cleaned again and bring the issue of window cleaning to the front of their mind.

But first, you need to know how often they prefer to get their windows done, right? I would always ask my first-time customer this when the initial job was done. The conversation would go something like this:

Mrs. Jones, protecting your windows on a regular basis with a professional window cleaning is important, not too mention the fact that you'll have clean glass all the time. Most of my customers have their windows cleaned every 5 or 6 months, but when would you prefer that I service your windows?

See what she says. If she's not sure, make a note of that and still call her back in 5 to 6 months. People need prompting. As I stated earlier, you're probably at the bottom of her thoughts.

Then when it's approaching call-back time, give her a call. I prefer phone calls over sending a reminder notice because it's too easy to disregard a reminder notice. A phone call forces the customer to make a decision--Yes, no, or I'm not ready yet.

Of course, our desired response is a "Yes", but as strange as it sounds, any answer is a good answer. Every single contact we make with our customer strengthens the relationship for future business. This is one of the reasons I always sent various greeting cards throughout the year. It lets my customers know that I'm still around. And doing this also keeps your competition at bay. Your customer will think twice before talking to one of your competitors due to your relationship building efforts.

When you call a customer back, here's how the phone conversation should go:

Hi Mrs Jones, this is Steve Wright with Sparkleclear Window Washing Service. I noticed that I cleaned your windows back on November 16th, so it's been about 6 months. I was wondering if you're ready to get the sparkle back in your windows again.

That's it. Easy. If you know what you're going to say and say it with confidence, your customers will thank you for calling them and you'll increase your business. It's really easy. Heck...if I had the time, I'd do it for you. Because there's no better feeling then when a customer says "Yes, come on back" to you on the phone.

And here's the best part. Repeat business is free! Getting the initial customer requires time and money spent in marketing, but getting a repeat customer requires a measly little phone call.

So..the moral of the story is to make the phone calls.

'til next time. Happy cleaning!

Regards,

Steve

Steve Wright is the author of How to Start Your Own Residential Window Washing Business, and has started hundreds of individuals on the path to success in their own window washing business. Mr. Wright has also developed a revolutionary online web-based system called The Customer Factor to assist all window washing business owners in maintaining and growing a successful business. Using both of these resources provides the one-two punch needed to catapult anyone from zero to six figures per year in the window washing business. For more information, give Mr. Wright a call at 256-546-2446 or visit either of the websites posted.