Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Clear Vision on July 08, 2006, 04:12:13 pm
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How long did it take you guys to learn traditional window cleaning?
I would say it took me 3 whole months to get up to speed.
I was cleaning a house the other day and I heard the chap giving his wife a hard time for not doing the windows herself. she replied " I would just make a mess & leave streaks" He said "Its only cleaning a window, cant be that hard"
I felt like saying to him, "right smart a**e here's the squeegee & lets see what you can do"
I bit my tongue.
People dont appreciate how difficult the job can be.
People who go to uni are robots. They act and think like them.
I have no time for people looking down at us window cleaners any more!!!!
Yes these people that go to uni and EVENTUALLY get a job might be taking home a 6 figure sum at the end of a year, but so could we if we really wanted to.
I work for my self not for a boss. I want to line my own pocket and not some big gun who sits at a desk all day giving out orders.
I have far more respect for someone like a window cleaner than someone who sits at a desk all day.
P.S No offence meant to anyone who went to uni or who has a robotic job ;D
Just a little moan ;D
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I think many of us are guilty of underselling the service we offer. Not sure why that is. Perhaps we should blame George Formby!!
I suppose traditionally it was the job of someone who was too thick to do anything else. Most of us on this forum are anything but thick.
Which of these is the thick one. Someone stuck in a office all day never seeing the light of day & getting paid no more than 15 grand a year or the wcer who works for himself, in the fresh air & probably earns anywhere from 20 grand upwards. Thats a tough one.
Lets hope with the advent of the WFP and all the technology that goes with it, people will start valueing the service we provide.
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I remember visiting a friend in Ireland some years ago.
With his bright red hair, freckles and steel blue eyes, he said to me one day, "Y'know the English think we Irish are thick, don't they." He added, "We'd like them to keep thinking that!" ;)
Ireland is presently enjoying one of the strongest economies and housing markets in the whole of Europe.
Not so thick are they.
Moral? Don't take too much notice of what people think..even if they're in a "majority".
By the way, looking back, I'd say window cleaning trad took me about 2 years to really get the hang of all aspects, in fact never stop learning..Now heading into 20th year.
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Well said paul! ;D
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Most of us on this forum are anything but thick.
I am pretty thick.
Thicker than a thicket of thick people - that's me! :)
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Is that how you have such high posts to your name. ;D
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i maybe thick (http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e148/jouk45/09CD0C13.gif) but so is my wallet
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I'm hopefully going to be appearing on the Weakest Link soon. (I have my audition this Weds).
I'm hoping that i'll be able to do our image a bit of credibility where the brain matter is concerned and not look like a complete prat by being voted off first.
Just because somebody is University educated it doesn't make them intelligent. In fact quite the opposite. If you concentrate all of your time studying one or two subjects and then go on to pursue a career in the same field once graduated you can lead a pretty single minded existance.
You are only a result of the experiences you have been subjected to, and wisdom is gained by observation.
I'll stop now before i go any deeper but needless to say i certainly don't think all window cleaners are dummies.
Sunshine
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Well said.
Let us know if you will be on the weakest link ;) Would love to see that.
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I'll keep the site informed of if and when i'm going to be on the main show.
Sunshine
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Thanks for that Sunshine Goodbye ;)
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here guys easy on - I've spent 7years at university - I can tell you uni folk are no different to everyone else, plus you do need to be reasonably intelligent to go to uni (esp if you are doing something hard like engineering ;D) so lay off, you prob think all students are bums and drink all day etc etc
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I'm hopefully going to be appearing on the Weakest Link soon. (I have my audition this Weds).
I'm hoping that i'll be able to do our image a bit of credibility where the brain matter is concerned and not look like a complete prat by being voted off first.
Sunshine
Sunshine,
You won't be the first window cleaner whose appeared on the Weakest Link; about a year ago there was one.
He did okay; especially with some quick replies to Anne's quips.
Just don't go and get voted off first time round.
Good luck,
Tosh.
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Look how thick David Beckham is and i,m sure he doesnt worry about it!!
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I know what your saying about the perception of window cleaners... Some people do look down on us, just don't let it bother you.
I used to work in an office, and yes it was very boring, but I did work with some bright people. So perhaps we have a bad perception of office workers?
I enjoy running my own business and would never ever go back to work in an office again though.
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David Beckham is so thick he doesn't even know what thick means.
You don't have to be thick to clean windows. Its not a requirement of the job. However I know what you mean.
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I've found that the stereotype is changing, has anyone else noticed?
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These are the things i wanted out of life. To work for myself,without large start up costs.To have time off when i wanted,to feel free.To work outdoors,to not be stuck in any one place for too long.To do a task that was reasonably stress free.If anyone thinks its thick too acquire such a life,while they work for someone else,getting involved in petty work politics,sucking up to the boss,feeling like a slave,the monotony,round and round in a vicious circle.To me ,they are not only thick,but narrow minded.
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Like people have said previously, don't let the image surrounding us get to you.
Smile politely and just think to yourself "if only they knew"!!
I used to attend Business seminars surrounded by young up and coming Lawyers, Accountants, Business Advisers the whole shooting match, when asked what I did I used to proudly state that I operate a Window Cleaning Company. The look on their faces was hillarious. "Really!"
Water off a ducks back now ;D :D ;)
Trev
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IM peed off with peoples attittude to w/c Iwas at the bar the other night whenn I heard theres that w/c turning round I saw a group of people sitting down,so Ireplied why do you want your windows doing,were some women came out with a remark that Icouldnt understand and said to shesr not wired up right,and dont insult my profession,proffession she replied your only a w/c,well by this time my blood was boilling,when this cripple stood up and told me I had insulted his sister and would have him to deal with,y es he was 6ft + when he eventually stood up strait with his two walking sticks in his hands. some people risk life and limb to look ard in front of people,iHAD HAD A FEW BEERS SO I SAID SORRY AND WALKED AWAY BUT JUST AS Iwas leaving I told cripple that you can get NVQSin w/c and any work you can get NvqS in means its a proffession ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
carnt wait to see cripple again.
GAZA
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Being my own Boss, time off when i want and the money i can earn is enough for me not to care what people think.
I had someone the other month who took the pee out of my work infront of his mates ask if i was looking to take someone on as he had lost his job.
My only answer to him was "**** OFF" with a big smile on my face
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why let it get to you?? Honestly, I just let people think and say what they want - I'vea friend who cleans offices for a living, some laugh at him and make fun, but the look on their faces when he drives by them at the weekend is hilarious - he's got a Range Rover Vogue, new model.
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Some things are just best kept to ourselves.
If everyone knew the potential in window cleaning imagine how many other window cleaners there would be out there chipping away at the customers.
It really isn't worth worrying what other people think about us, I just smile and let them know I get by.
Trev ;)
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Just say life is for living not for working ;D ;D
A fancy title dosent make you better than anyone else >:(
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I really couldn,t give a toss, what people think of me, I have just spent £21,000 on my house,
No loans or HP, all paid for out of my own bank account, all from being a thick window cleaner, with a couple of city & guilds under his belt.