[markhalliwell]

 :-\The other day i posted some flyers through on estate near where i live. Somebody had told me that the window cleaner had left,because he had a bad attitude and he had recently put his prices up,the next day I had lots of interest, went round and priced jobs, got some jobs,that night received a phone call from the window cleaner,forgot too say that i am a WFP window cleaner and power washer, he is a traditional window cleaner, he wasnt happy and used threatening comments, wondering how too handle it..............Customers dont want him back and my prices are dearer

[Bertie Boo]

what were the threats?

Can you ignore them?

Clearly he DOES have bad attitude

Cheers

Bertie

[ValueValeting]

So business is business, why on earth some people think that they are "entitled" to a customer absolutely astounds me.

[Bertie Boo]

Well quite.

You dont lose customers for no reason. I only ever lost one client on bad terms. The few others no longer needed (or could afford) help, or they moved house.

Stephen

[Bertie Boo]

I dont know where my window cleaner is 

I wouldnt say he's that good either but for a while he was at least reliable. I've never upset him, i think he must be working closer to home. I only know he's coming when i hear the ladders crash against the window frames and of course the dogs go mental.

I'm sure he thinks that you dont have to clean frosted glass either...

Cheers

Stephen

[Neil_A]

:-\The other day i posted some flyers through on estate near where i live. Somebody had told me that the window cleaner had left,because he had a bad attitude and he had recently put his prices up,the next day I had lots of interest, went round and priced jobs, got some jobs,that night received a phone call from the window cleaner,forgot too say that i am a WFP window cleaner and power washer, he is a traditional window cleaner, he wasnt happy and used threatening comments, wondering how too handle it..............Customers dont want him back and my prices are dearer

Tell him sorry if you have upset him but buisness is buisness ... ask him to come and see you to have a chat about it... then tell him if he calls you one more time he will no longer be able  to climb a ladder!      ...

How can he just ring you like that... it makes me mad. im just happy it wasnot me...who got the call

[Paul Coleman]

don't be threatened by him!I think window cleaners have a bit of a ferocious loyalty to each cleaner having his own patch!
when I posted a post on another cleaning website, mentioning no names! I mentioned I wasn't happy with current window cleaning, was thinking changing to wfp, would anyone want the work? instead of people being pleased and offering services like you would think all window cleaners turned on me like I was a pregnant dog saying what a bad client I am and disloyal!! hehe and I thought we had freedom of choice in this country!

I took part in that thread.  You have clearly misinterpreted some of what was said.  I am 300 miles from you but my nephew lives near you.  I even offered to arrange a one off clean for you when I visit him but you didn't respond.
OK I agree that some of the responses were a bit unfriendly but keep it in balance.  I'm not after an argument but really, window cleaning schedules can be hard to arrange and you wanted a window cleaner to turn up on set days.  For a job of about a fiver, that is just not viable.  It's not just about fitting the work around one customer.  Until you have tried to organise a busy window cleaning schedule, it can be very difficult to appreciate the problems involved.  I even made some suggestions about how to get around the access issues - though it was dfficult to be specific as I don't know the exact layout of your property.
You have either misrepresented what was said or misunderstood it.
Although it is a service industry, a window cleaner who tries to look after every customer's individual needs in the way that you requested would quickly find that their business was uneconomical to run.
I don't believe in "patches" either.  No-one "owns" an area.  If someone approached me to clean for them because their current service was unsatisfactory then I would quote for the job - assuming access was OK.  However, if someone approached me and said how much their current window cleaner charges and asked if I could do it cheaper, I wouldn't be interested.  We could all end up working for silly money in those conditions.

Here is a link to the other thread so people can make their own minds up if they can be bothered to look at it.

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=39113.0#msg310009

  I think that the stuff written there is pretty fair comment myself and there was an attempt to help you which you seemed to spurn.  Of course you may be referring to a thread on another forum.  If you are, could you post a link to it so that I can read what was said please?

[Dean Aspects]

All fair comments on that thread even some real good advice that i will use in my business

[dg-cleaning]

This wasn't the thread I was referring to and I didn't actually realize that this post had a response as I didn't remember posting this on this site hence me not replying to your post shiner.This was another lesser forum where some comments turned nasty.I don't think that I should feel bad about changing to wfp if that is the method I think would clean my windows better, after all they will not clean the side windows as they have now said its not possible to reach so obviously I need a service which is able to accommodate what I need.
Since the floods up here are on and off and weather so bad there is no point searching for wfp window cleaner at moment anyway but I think it should be clients choice if they wish to change their window cleaner.
Also someone made a comment on the thread you mentioned as follows....

"She lost faith in them because they didn't do the back, and STILL wanted £5.
But when challanged they did settle for £3.
Some people?"

The fact of the matter is that they charged the full price for 3 windows (which were not particularly well cleaned anyway. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THEY DID TRY TO CHARGE ME FULL PRICE DESPITE DOING HALF A JOB THEN ONLY WHEN I QUESTIONED THEM THEY ADMITTED TO DOING ONLY 3 WINDOWS AND ONLY CHARGED FOR HALF THE JOB THEY HAD DONE....AND YOU EXPECT ME TO LEAVE MY HOUSE KEY OUT FOR THEM!!!!

I think that cowboy window cleaners give the good ones a bad image.

I have since got my bro in law to do my windows when he comes up to visit.

[Paul Coleman]

I would like to make a few notes on your posts to (hopefully) clear up any possible misunderstandings.

OK.  A different thread on another forum.  I didn't read that one and I'm sorry to hear it turned bad.  There's no need for that to happen.

The remark that somebody made about "some people" I believe was a reference to the window cleaners rather than about yourself.  As I didn't write that I can't be certain though.
I have recently introduced Terms & Conditions for new customers where, if I am unable to get full access, I charge 75% of the full clean and get to all the windows that are reachable from the front.  I see nothing wrong with that if it's agreed to in advance.  I do agree with you that your window cleaners were wrong to charge full price as they had no previously agreed arrangement with you.
I also agree with you that you have the choice to use a window cleaner who supplies a method of cleaning that can access all the windows (where possible).

I wasn't suggesting that you supply them with a house key - just a gate key.  However, I find a combination lock is better because it allows certain people access but ensures no keys get lost.

I appreciate that it is difficult to realise how disruptive access problems can be if you've never tried to operate a window cleaning schedule.  My workload is never identical each time around so it's easy to get a couple of days out with the scheduling.

It sounds to me like your W/Cers weren't fully equipped to do the whole job.  That's one of the advantages of WFP.

[dg-cleaning]

yes this thread wasn't the one I referred to. In fact I forgot that I posted this post here as after the hoohaa made from asking if anyone wanted to do wfp for me on the other forum I decided to delete the same post from other cleaning forums, obviously forgot about this one!
I am sorry if I miss read the "some people" comment but when the £5 was in bold I thought the comment was made at myself in a sarcastic tone as if why argue when it only costs £5 anyway.
I do believe wfp is going to be the best solution.
The comment I made to the original thread before we got on to this subject is that window cleaners are very touchy about their rounds. Whether its right or wrong many of them do believe that they own an area.I am not saying this relates to all window cleaners but it is a common thing and this is prob why markhalliwell had a run in with the original cleaner.(who does sound like he has an attitude problem)
I had same problem many years ago when I used to deliver avon catalogues, avon reps also belive they own rounds and customers.I got a call on my mobile whilst in slow labour and in hospital from a avon rep shouting down phone that I had "stolen" one of her customers...lovely!
The fact of the matter is that nobody owns a client.I am a domestic and commercial cleaner if any of my clients find a better suited cleaner for their needs elsewhere then they have the right to swop after giving 30 days notice.
I would say mark that keep your new clients happy and don't worry about the threats from the other guy.He probably has his nose out of joint now his clients have switched.He obviously wasn't doing a good job if you charge more but clients are willing to swap.You get what you pay for.

[Paul Coleman]

yes this thread wasn't the one I referred to. In fact I forgot that I posted this post here as after the hoohaa made from asking if anyone wanted to do wfp for me on the other forum I decided to delete the same post from other cleaning forums, obviously forgot about this one!
I am sorry if I miss read the "some people" comment but when the £5 was in bold I thought the comment was made at myself in a sarcastic tone as if why argue when it only costs £5 anyway.
I do believe wfp is going to be the best solution.
The comment I made to the original thread before we got on to this subject is that window cleaners are very touchy about their rounds. Whether its right or wrong many of them do believe that they own an area.I am not saying this relates to all window cleaners but it is a common thing and this is prob why markhalliwell had a run in with the original cleaner.(who does sound like he has an attitude problem)
I had same problem many years ago when I used to deliver avon catalogues, avon reps also belive they own rounds and customers.I got a call on my mobile whilst in slow labour and in hospital from a avon rep shouting down phone that I had "stolen" one of her customers...lovely!
The fact of the matter is that nobody owns a client.I am a domestic and commercial cleaner if any of my clients find a better suited cleaner for their needs elsewhere then they have the right to swop after giving 30 days notice.
I would say mark that keep your new clients happy and don't worry about the threats from the other guy.He probably has his nose out of joint now his clients have switched.He obviously wasn't doing a good job if you charge more but clients are willing to swap.You get what you pay for.

This bit about a window cleaner thinking they "own" an area or a patch.  It doesn't seem to be like that around my way.  From conversations that I've had, it looks like this attitude may be more of a Northern idea.  Although I don't agree with it, that does make more sense because unemployment has traditionally been much higher in the North so I suppose that window cleaners perhaps get more protective of their rounds.

[Sanity]

IMHO, competition is good for the customer.  It forces quality of work up, and prices down.

Although this sounds strange, I find that customers don't mind paying a bit extra if they get something better from you.

I don't actively recruit customers that say they already have a cleaner.  I just say ok, thanx and go on to the next one.  Remember, neighbors talk to each other and they may well get a recommendation about how good a job you have done...anmd then you will get the work...