I repaired my cousin's computer once (several hours retrieving architectural drawings/projects from a dying hard drive) - I wasn't going to charge him and said "It's OK, it didn't cost me anything. It's only time" - He got really serious and told me "Don't ever value your time as worth nothing. If you think your time is worth nothing, so will everyone else" - He then paid me really well to make his point. Taught me a good lesson.
Estimate Work order agreements are the way I roll. I specify all to be done, I explain my work order is an estimate. I take photos during walk though. I review the work order with them -- (some don't care and become agitated and annoyed -- which I note on my copy of the work order). then I review the work we DO and DON'T DO. I also identify under "disclosure" we are not responsible for "normal wear and tear" (I have a paragraph or two what that means) - not responsible for cleaning mold, mildew beyond the norm; cleaning discolored caulk. During cleaning process I video myself cleaning (it helps me know the amount of time I spend doing the task) -- it also helps when the customer accuses me of "being too slow" -- or "not cleaning" an area -- when the video is the backup and support. And, yes, I backup my work with a satisfaction guarantee (24 hours) and NO REFUNDS; At the end, I ask customer do post-walk through and have them sign off they received the services they paid for and it is to their satisfaction. I once did a job on a Friday for a Saturday party. Monday I got a call from the same customer telling me my work "didn't hold up well for their party -- demanded I come back and reclean their house -- post party." The client signed off the work was done to her satisfaction so I offered her a new appointment and a new walk-through. She replied, "Your going to charge me?" "Yep" I said. I have your sign-off the work was done to your satisfaction. She just hung up. Also, NOT responsible for other contractor's leaving a mess for me to clean up -- I don't clean up after contractors unless homeowner understand they are going to pay me to do so. And, then the other lady who kept picking at my work and her husband kept asking me if I worked for free. Of course, I charged them for my time. And so it goes. I love your vidoes. Very helpful. Thank you.
So so True! With Learning Curves! And as you said before, “TAKE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES.” So have made a huge difference With the (Worksheet). Love you girl! Keep up the Good Work! 🤗
Hi Angela, yes is important that we speak up, some clients tell you o this rooms no need to be clean evrytime you come. and when you are there the rooms are dirty and they want them clean😯. speak up or they will get free work. also i have a ?? Angela is it right to clean out doors patios and porches. i will said is extra but some client said is part of the house your respond will be very well appresiate Thank you!!😊
Add these jobs in your pre agreement as part of a deep clean package. We've just started doing price work after a year of hourly rates. Realised we're not making enough off the hourly rate alone. So making general clean and a deep clean packages with full details of what's involved , helps keep the customer clear on what to expect for their money
Had this happen to me once with a mansion. They owed us $375 was not much of cleaning needed done but took us four hours and the main room they needed cleaned was under construction and was suppose to be done when we arrived and it was not. Sums it up we said we’d come back tomorrow but my dumb ass did not have the card on file which then was why I couldn’t charge the client and we lost the money. Always have the card on file and make sure you have terms and agreements in your favor so this can never happen.
I have a issue with clients disappearing without paying. Things like move out cleaning, or a neighbor let's us in to clean. Then they don't respond to calls and just stiff us. I know i need to get payment up front but that sounds impolite or something. I like telling them we'll worry about payment "when I'm done and your happy."
This is why you always ask for payment up front, or if you're going to demand payment afterwards; use a contract. I know this from my days of freelancing.
You can offer a re-clean, instead of a redund. But sometimes the client will want to fight it with the credit card company in order not to pay or cancel the check payment.
Check out this playlist of similar videos we made on billing - collections. More great info. ua-cam.com/play/PLh1fKdNH3piQgMORmaK4VgGw0UpbD6eO8.html
I repaired my cousin's computer once (several hours retrieving architectural drawings/projects from a dying hard drive) - I wasn't going to charge him and said "It's OK, it didn't cost me anything. It's only time" - He got really serious and told me "Don't ever value your time as worth nothing. If you think your time is worth nothing, so will everyone else" - He then paid me really well to make his point. Taught me a good lesson.
Time is so much more valuable than money. Thanks for sharing this. :-)
Estimate Work order agreements are the way I roll. I specify all to be done, I explain my work order is an estimate. I take photos during walk though. I review the work order with them -- (some don't care and become agitated and annoyed -- which I note on my copy of the work order). then I review the work we DO and DON'T DO. I also identify under "disclosure" we are not responsible for "normal wear and tear" (I have a paragraph or two what that means) - not responsible for cleaning mold, mildew beyond the norm; cleaning discolored caulk. During cleaning process I video myself cleaning (it helps me know the amount of time I spend doing the task) -- it also helps when the customer accuses me of "being too slow" -- or "not cleaning" an area -- when the video is the backup and support. And, yes, I backup my work with a satisfaction guarantee (24 hours) and NO REFUNDS; At the end, I ask customer do post-walk through and have them sign off they received the services they paid for and it is to their satisfaction.
I once did a job on a Friday for a Saturday party. Monday I got a call from the same customer telling me my work "didn't hold up well for their party -- demanded I come back and reclean their house -- post party." The client signed off the work was done to her satisfaction so I offered her a new appointment and a new walk-through. She replied, "Your going to charge me?" "Yep" I said. I have your sign-off the work was done to your satisfaction. She just hung up.
Also, NOT responsible for other contractor's leaving a mess for me to clean up -- I don't clean up after contractors unless homeowner understand they are going to pay me to do so.
And, then the other lady who kept picking at my work and her husband kept asking me if I worked for free. Of course, I charged them for my time.
And so it goes. I love your vidoes. Very helpful. Thank you.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share these stories. 👍
So so True! With Learning Curves! And as you said before, “TAKE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES.” So have made a huge difference With the (Worksheet). Love you girl! Keep up the Good Work! 🤗
Thank you so much for watching my video and for taking the time to write me a comment. ❤️
Hi Angela, yes is important that we speak up, some clients tell you o this rooms no need to be clean evrytime you come. and when you are there the rooms are dirty and they want them clean😯. speak up or they will get free work. also i have a ?? Angela is it right to clean out doors patios and porches. i will said is extra but some client said is part of the house your respond will be very well appresiate Thank you!!😊
Add these jobs in your pre agreement as part of a deep clean package. We've just started doing price work after a year of hourly rates. Realised we're not making enough off the hourly rate alone. So making general clean and a deep clean packages with full details of what's involved , helps keep the customer clear on what to expect for their money
Had this happen to me once with a mansion. They owed us $375 was not much of cleaning needed done but took us four hours and the main room they needed cleaned was under construction and was suppose to be done when we arrived and it was not.
Sums it up we said we’d come back tomorrow but my dumb ass did not have the card on file which then was why I couldn’t charge the client and we lost the money.
Always have the card on file and make sure you have terms and agreements in your favor so this can never happen.
Always have a form of payment on file, sorry this happend to you. It happens to the best of us, lesson learned.
@@AskAngelaBrown how do you do a card on file?
Check lists are important!
If a client wants a free clean or a free hour I just leave it and never respond to their calls or texts.
I have a issue with clients disappearing without paying. Things like move out cleaning, or a neighbor let's us in to clean. Then they don't respond to calls and just stiff us. I know i need to get payment up front but that sounds impolite or something. I like telling them we'll worry about payment "when I'm done and your happy."
This is why you always ask for payment up front, or if you're going to demand payment afterwards; use a contract. I know this from my days of freelancing.
Can we say no refunds
You can offer a re-clean, instead of a redund. But sometimes the client will want to fight it with the credit card company in order not to pay or cancel the check payment.