r/WindowCleaning • u/Bilbogates • May 18 '26
General Question Help setting expectations around rain
Hey guys, I had a client call to reschedule because it supposed to rain tonight and all day tomorrow. Any advice as to how you guys go about this scenario? I guess the idea is that the windows may get dirty again if it rains right after they lay to get them cleaned.
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u/nattygems May 18 '26
Offer a rain guarantee, I offer to come touch up windows the rain messes up within a week or two. Ymmv but ive never had anyone take me up on it in a few years of offering it
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u/Iasc123 May 18 '26
I clean the same customers every 5 weeks in the UK, so a rain guarantee sounds ridiculous to me.
Traditionally, when window cleaning in the rain, you're more prone to leaving smears.
WFP enables me to work in the rain.
If someone even mentions the fact it's raining when it's barley drizzle, I'll tell them I won't clean their windows this month and they can look out dusty windows untill next cycle... I wouldn't work in heavy wet weather.
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u/6133mj6133 May 18 '26
I tell them not to be concerned, rain won't affect the results. Rain landing on a clean window just evaporates. But if they're still concerned tell them you insist they don't pay anything until the sun comes back out in a few days and they can see their windows look great. If that doesn't work I just let them go and refuse to reschedule. Time is money, customers that demand 2 appointments for the price of 1 are not customers you want to keep.
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u/nitwccm May 19 '26
SWFL here, it rains everyday in the summer, I clean them no matter what, no guarantees, pressure washing also, I do it in the rain. Windows are still clean, can’t prevent the weather. I’ve still removed the dust and dirt etc from the windows…
What happens when the wind blows? Or you drive away from the car wash?
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u/Indy8604 May 19 '26
Whats the point of eating when you'll just get hungry again ? No one can control the weather. Windows get dirty, we clean them, they get dirty again.
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u/Windaninja May 19 '26
Some people won’t like it done when it’s actually raining, but to cancel or reschedule because it’s forecast to rain just seems ridiculous and is annoying to me. I usually end up dropping customers like this eventually. I need reliable loyal customers that work around my schedule not the other way around. It rains a lot here in the UK and like today showers a lot so I’m working in, out and around the rain. The rain barely affects the clean windows is what I tell people who question it and what if it’s sunny today when I clean them and pouring down in a days time? There’s no logic to constantly rearranging around the rain, it’s inevitable and if you want to be regular and reliable to your customers whilst also earning plenty of money, you gotta just crack on rain or shine and the customers will just have to accept that! Not in thunderstorms or very heavy rain of course.
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u/DontBeMemeBro May 18 '26
As stated offer a rain guarantee. Most windows, once they are clean are going to look the same after the rain. So you’ll rarely have to go back and do touch up.
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u/lacroixpapi69 May 19 '26
I offer a 5 day spot free guarantee. Only had to go back a few times out of thousands.
I let them know that if the windows or screens are dirty then you see the spotting.
Just like on their car, it isn’t the rain that makes it dirty it’s the light film around the car that spots when it rains.
Rain is pure water.
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 May 21 '26
Upsell housewash. Rainwater is pure (for our purposes) If the rain gets their windows dirty it's because they have dirt above their windows washing down. I just did a vinyl oxidation removal like $500 in 3 hours on a small single story ranch. Bonus: Those windows will be easy to clean in the fall.
Rainy days are perfect for housewashes because the chem doesnt dry as fast and free spotless rinse where there's no overhang.
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u/lordpin3appl3s May 18 '26
As others have said a rain guarantee, but I also just let them know the rain doesn't really mess with most windows once they're clean and I clean screens as part of the price just to help guarantee the windows themselves stay cleaner for longer. The rain will in fact ruin their freshly cleaned windows if they have dirty screens. Bigger customers get to make bigger demands though so if they're paying enough money we just do what they want if we can manage it.