Should you offer rewards to your window cleaning customers?

Most window cleaners already do it

When PanePal asked window cleaners whether they offer rewards to their customers, over 70% said yes. Rewards aren't a gimmick for big companies — they're a normal part of running a round.

The reason is simple. Finding a new customer takes leaflets, knocking on doors or paying for adverts. Keeping one you already have costs far less, and a happy customer who tells the neighbours brings in work with no travel.

Referral discounts

The most common reward is money off for recommending you. When a customer sends a friend your way and that friend becomes a paying customer, the person who referred them gets a discount on their next clean.

Only give the reward once the new customer has paid for their first clean. That way you never pay out for someone who books and then cancels.

Loyalty rewards

A loyalty reward thanks customers for sticking with you — for example, a free clean or half-price clean after every ten paid cleans.

Customers are far more likely to stay when they can see a reward getting closer. Showing them their progress ("7 of 10") makes it feel real.

Monthly prize draws

A prize draw costs you at most one clean a month, however many customers you have. Each month one customer wins a discount or a free clean.

It gives customers something to look forward to and a reason to talk about you, without a discount on every invoice.

How to run rewards without losing money

Rewards only work if they're easy to manage. A few simple rules help:

• Only reward paid cleans, not booked ones.
• Give one reward per clean, so two rewards never stack up on the same invoice.
• Make the reward the window clean only — extras like gutters are still charged.
• Keep track properly. Promising a reward and then forgetting it does more harm than never offering one.