[Richard Groves]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

[paul alan]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

[Richard Groves]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

Maybe, but you only need to read some threads on here to realise one persons recommendation is anothers condemnation. Some peoples expectations can be higher than others.

[nathankaye]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

Maybe, but you only need to read some threads on here to realise one persons recommendation is anothers condemnation. Some peoples expectations can be higher than others.

Yep, your on your own with this line of thinking.

Window cleaning is a service which continues and people kinda expect it to be so.  It's not a one off service like pressure washing for instance (though yes it may be repeated yearly or bi yearly).  Same for bin cleaners and gardeners for instance.
So when approached for a price etc, I also ask if they want a 4 or 8 wkly service with every new enquiry and the first clean is always extra unless they are relatively clean. If they don't like it, they have the right to cancel the service as I have the right to cancel the service if I don't like them either

[Richard Groves]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

Maybe, but you only need to read some threads on here to realise one persons recommendation is anothers condemnation. Some peoples expectations can be higher than others.

Yep, your on your own with this line of thinking.

Window cleaning is a service which continues and people kinda expect it to be so.  It's not a one off service like pressure washing for instance (though yes it may be repeated yearly or bi yearly).  Same for bin cleaners and gardeners for instance.
So when approached for a price etc, I also ask if they want a 4 or 8 wkly service with every new enquiry and the first clean is always extra unless they are relatively clean. If they don't like it, they have the right to cancel the service as I have the right to cancel the service if I don't like them either

We've recently taken on a gardener Nathan. Not once did he lay down any terms regarding a regular service. We made a booking and said we'd see how it goes and how regular we would need him. As it goes, we really like him. Found him friendly, knowledgable and a hard worker at a fair price . We've called on his services twice now in last 3 months and feel him to be trustworthy enough to leave him with a key to access through the garage next month.  And thats my point really.
I think we need to take ourselves out of the mindset of a window cleaner and ask  if we would agree to a strangers terms to do any work on our homes without them first having proven themselves.

[Richard Groves]

[/quote]

Yep, your on your own with this line of thinking.


[/quote]
Apart from cookie 

[John Mart]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

Maybe, but you only need to read some threads on here to realise one persons recommendation is anothers condemnation. Some peoples expectations can be higher than others.

Yep, your on your own with this line of thinking.

Window cleaning is a service which continues and people kinda expect it to be so.  It's not a one off service like pressure washing for instance (though yes it may be repeated yearly or bi yearly).  Same for bin cleaners and gardeners for instance.
So when approached for a price etc, I also ask if they want a 4 or 8 wkly service with every new enquiry and the first clean is always extra unless they are relatively clean. If they don't like it, they have the right to cancel the service as I have the right to cancel the service if I don't like them either

We've recently taken on a gardener Nathan. Not once did he lay down any terms regarding a regular service. We made a booking and said we'd see how it goes and how regular we would need him.

That's because he's a gardener and not a window cleaner.

[Shrek]

I know a gardener and he gets so peed of when asked to cut grass etc when the owner feels like it rather than sticking to a regular schedule and then expect him to charge the same amount when it’s overgrown again, either because they are stingy or because they don’t give a toss that it’s a lot more work. Try mowing your lawn once a week compared to once a month , it takes longer .

[AuRavelling79]

BK said ... "I think we need to take ourselves out of the mindset of a window cleaner"

I think not. I am a window cleaner.

[Richard Groves]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

Maybe, but you only need to read some threads on here to realise one persons recommendation is anothers condemnation. Some peoples expectations can be higher than others.

Yep, your on your own with this line of thinking.

Window cleaning is a service which continues and people kinda expect it to be so.  It's not a one off service like pressure washing for instance (though yes it may be repeated yearly or bi yearly).  Same for bin cleaners and gardeners for instance.
So when approached for a price etc, I also ask if they want a 4 or 8 wkly service with every new enquiry and the first clean is always extra unless they are relatively clean. If they don't like it, they have the right to cancel the service as I have the right to cancel the service if I don't like them either

We've recently taken on a gardener Nathan. Not once did he lay down any terms regarding a regular service. We made a booking and said we'd see how it goes and how regular we would need him.

That's because he's a gardener and not a window cleaner.

Nathan compared gardeners to window cleaners as being regular work not me.

[Richard Groves]

BK said ... "I think we need to take ourselves out of the mindset of a window cleaner"

I think not. I am a window cleaner.

...and so, what about your answer to the second half of that sentence ?

[John Mart]

Am I alone in finding it strange that some wc's expect new customers to agree to regular cleans without first having even cleaned their windows ? ....... We are , after all , strangers to them and invited to work on their properties without any previous experience of our ability or personality other than a recommendation.

A recommendation should be enough

Maybe, but you only need to read some threads on here to realise one persons recommendation is anothers condemnation. Some peoples expectations can be higher than others.

Yep, your on your own with this line of thinking.

Window cleaning is a service which continues and people kinda expect it to be so.  It's not a one off service like pressure washing for instance (though yes it may be repeated yearly or bi yearly).  Same for bin cleaners and gardeners for instance.
So when approached for a price etc, I also ask if they want a 4 or 8 wkly service with every new enquiry and the first clean is always extra unless they are relatively clean. If they don't like it, they have the right to cancel the service as I have the right to cancel the service if I don't like them either

We've recently taken on a gardener Nathan. Not once did he lay down any terms regarding a regular service. We made a booking and said we'd see how it goes and how regular we would need him.

That's because he's a gardener and not a window cleaner.

Nathan compared gardeners to window cleaners as being regular work not me.

That was daft then as actually gardeners struggle in the winter.

[nathankaye]

My point was simply that some services are expected to be offered on a regular basis and not as a one off service.   Window cleaning services being one of them

[Slacky]

My point was simply that some services are expected to be offered on a regular basis and not as a one off service.   Window cleaning services being one of them

Not according to everyone.

[Ian Lancaster]

I couldn't be bothered with all the to-ing and fro-ing - life's too short, especially from my perspective .  Someone enquires, I ask: "Would you like a one-off or a regular service?"

If they say "One-off" I give them the number of a window cleaner who will do it for them.

If they say "Regular" I say "We offer 4 or 8 weekly at the same price.  We don't do one-offs which is why I ask that question to start with.  We don't charge extra for the first clean because we want an ongoing arrangement with you." 

Once I've established these terms, I then quote the price.  It's on a 'take it or leave it' basis' - I don't negotiate.

We don't charge differently for 4 or 8 weekly - the actual accumulation of extra dirt is indistinguishable.

Works for us, keeps it simple

[Richard Groves]

My point was simply that some services are expected to be offered on a regular basis and not as a one off service.   Window cleaning services being one of them

Not according to everyone.

Just tried to illustrate a point that was all.
"well we would like you to do a clean and see how it goes from there!"
Nothing really wrong with the above imo, like I've said why should anybody agree to regular window cleaning before you've even cleaned a pane of glass ?
You might be utterly crap at it or even smash one of their windows giving them deep psychological trauma ! 

Marc I'm struggling myself to see how you thought £165 was justifiable just because they wanted to see how things go.
They probably had £50 in their head because of the recommendation. However thats still nearly 3 times what you'd charge them for a quarterly clean ! How long did you think the job would take in this instance ?

[G Griffin]

I think what you should do is agree to a regular clean and cancel if you're not happy.
Or pay the extra for one-off(s).
My worry would be why were the windows so bad.
I try and guage how much of priority their windows are to them. It very often it tells me what sort of customer they are going to be.

[DeLuce]

"well we would like you to do a clean and see how it goes from there!"- Strike 1 for them as far as i'm concerned

For me, the above words from the op and conversation do it for me. It rings alarm bells in my head.
In my experience, people that say the words , "........and we'll see how it goes from there!", tend to be messers. And want cleans on a whim.  Which is fine if you price accordingly and don't mind slotting them into your round whenever THEY require it. But, if you have regular customers, albeit, monthly, 8wkly or quarterly, you might not want the faff of irregular work which could screw your busy schedule up.

[dazmond]

a "one off" clean is no problem if their honest from the start and i have the time to fit them in.i do charge at least double the normal "maintenance clean" price though.

i have a few regular window cleaning customers who have rental properties i clean from time to time and i charge a "one off" clean price every time(they usually havent been cleaned for at least a year!)

[AuRavelling79]

BK said ... "I think we need to take ourselves out of the mindset of a window cleaner"

I think not. I am a window cleaner.

...and so, what about your answer to the second half of that sentence ?

I think you mean this bit?

and ask  if we would agree to a strangers terms to do any work on our homes without them first having proven themselves.

If so then I expect them, at the outset to agree in principle; i.e. that if my window cleaning is up to standard they will have me as a regular window cleaner as per the terms agreed.