Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Davew on October 09, 2007, 06:11:40 pm
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Asked for a quote yesterday from a lady who wanted her windows above the consevatory cleaned. Gave her a price and she said yep fine but I need to cancel my w/c first. Two of her neighbours did the same and I picked up a conservatory roof clean whilst I was there. Their regular cleaner has now lost three jobs due to wfp and I'm double the price. Feel a bit sorry for him really I don't enjoy taking peoples work. Would you feel guilty or is that what business is all about?
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I'd feel really bad Dave...........Just kiddin mate. I'd feel really...... really....... really bad........Hope this helps ;D
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if i knew she has a w/c i wouldnt take her on
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This will continue to happen to WCS,that`s what happens when you don`t move with the times.A mate of mine the other day who is also a WC said that he got a block of flats that used to be done WFP,he said they didn`t like it as it left streaks and smears,have you ever known WFP to leave smears? i havn`t.
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Asked for a quote yesterday from a lady who wanted her windows above the consevatory cleaned. Gave her a price and she said yep fine but I need to cancel my w/c first. Two of her neighbours did the same and I picked up a conservatory roof clean whilst I was there. Their regular cleaner has now lost three jobs due to wfp and I'm double the price. Feel a bit sorry for him really I don't enjoy taking peoples work. Would you feel guilty or is that what business is all about?
I've had a couple of situations like this as well. My view is that it's OK to do this. It's not like you are going around deliberately trying to undercut on price. The customer has a legitimate grievance that their current window cleaner lacks the tools to do the entire job. You have those tools.l Therefore there is no problem - unless of course he's a 7 foot, 25 stone giant with a bad temper.
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NWH - we get this "smears" comments now and again from custies and no wfp does not leave smears. We investigate every comment like this and ten times out of ten, the "smear" is on the insides.Yes they do get charged for this aswell! The streaks usually refer to the water left running down the window, before it has dried off! so that when we get back to look the streaks have mysteriously disappeared!
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I was saying what the other WC told me about the comments he got regarding the WFPolers,when i first started i got the odd comment about marks being on the outside so i just did the odd window inside at first just to prove to them it was inside,then once they dried they could see the real results you get with WFP.
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You certainly get noticed when your WFP. I've recently made the change, at this point only to do the tops as I'm using a 25 ltr trolley. I've had complete strangers stopping to ask me about it and they all so far have been for the health and safety aspect. I've picked up some new work too as a result.
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The last couple of weeks I have picked up quite a few new jobs on a new estate where the customers are unhappy with WFP and want them done traditional. Can go both ways it seems.
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I`ve converted 2 die hard trad cleaners you`ll come across over the last couple of weeks,these guys a year or 2 ago swore blind they would never ever go WFP,as we speak there in the process of getting set up.What i`m saying is that once other WCS see how easy it is once initial cleans are done it`s a no brainer,to be honest there not to fussed about the change over cos it`s gonna make there life so much easier that they`ll just go out and get more work if custies don`t like it,WFP WILL become the normal way of cleaning in the not to distant future cos the more WCS that get taken out and see what it can do the quicker the conversion rate will be.
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This will continue to happen to WCS,that`s what happens when you don`t move with the times.A mate of mine the other day who is also a WC said that he got a block of flats that used to be done WFP,he said they didn`t like it as it left streaks and smears,have you ever known WFP to leave smears? i havn`t.
Yes it can do & very often does when in the wrong hands &/or heavy poles & crap brushes are used. If the block of flats were 50ft high with oxidised top frames for instance & the guy was using a glass pole with oval vikan fitted with fan jets then that's the kind of situation when it all starts to go wrong. ;)
tony
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Back to the post-
Nowt to feel bad about dave, you made the investment mate & put the work in. ;) If anything, you should feel good :D
tony
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I was door knocking the other day and a customer was not happy with her wc
He does not do a good job she said and was going to cancell him
I was cheaper than him but I feel that is the price for her house per month
but he is 5 to 6 pounds more expensive
He is fully loaded for work but when asked for quotes he charges top dollar which i think is fair play to him but I have never undercut him as there is enough windows about the area
do you think I am out of order or was I correct
regards J
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Asked for a quote yesterday from a lady who wanted her windows above the consevatory cleaned. Gave her a price and she said yep fine but I need to cancel my w/c first. Two of her neighbours did the same and I picked up a conservatory roof clean whilst I was there. Their regular cleaner has now lost three jobs due to wfp and I'm double the price. Feel a bit sorry for him really I don't enjoy taking peoples work. Would you feel guilty or is that what business is all about?
Its business, shes asked you to quote, even if you had knocked it I personally dont see a problem. If you are giving a quote REGARDLESS of what some one else would charge ( Your Money )and you get the work, well good for you.
If you have a close working relationship with this other cleaner then thats different. You say he has plenty of work, does he ring you up and give you any he cant handle?
He may smile say hello and wish you all the best, but underneath that toothy smile he could be hoping you go out of business, and sooner than later, afterall he charges more for work than you do. If I were him I would look upon you as a threat ( of varying degree) to my profitable business.
Mark
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Myself I would never take any other other window cleaners work, only if the customer was unhappy with the work done ( not price ) Luke
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Thats true. If I quote on another window cleaners work its only because the customer is not happy with their work. I never ask for their price and never would I consider it. I won't quote on work just because they want to save money and if they ever say " He charges..." I say " I'm not interested in his price to be honest. I'm giving you what I would like for doing it and don't intend on undercutting."
Most of the time I'm more expensive anyway so I get told but I don't care, I'm not rushing, I'm doing a proper job that I enjoy doing.
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Just hope someone doesnt come along £5.00 cheaper than you.
If i quoted someone and found out the previous cleaner was dearer , i would be gutted that i am cleaning the job cheaper than him.
I dont want to be the cheapest , i want to maximise my days work by squeezing every last penny out of the day.
Dave
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I think it is fair game, you were not setting out to poach the work, and presumably this window cleaner is not one of your collegues, you did no wrong.
If it is a window cleaner I know, then I will personally not take the work, but outside of that, well, that's business I'm afraid. :-\
With WFP, one of it's many strong points is the fact that you can get at windows that simply cannot be done trad, plus the fact that you can also thoroughly wash down the likes of frames and doors...big selling points, trad cleaners will lose out more and more as the use of WFP becomes more and more accepted by the general public.
There are of course occasions when a WFP window cleaner will lose out to a trad cleaner, but it is now more likely to be the other way around.
Ian
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Usually when canvassing if they have a cleaner I walk away. If I was to ask if their cleaner does every window? Then I am sure I could pick up fifty percent more work and be the most unpopular windowcleaner in town with the other cleaners. :-[
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Its wrong, full stop. But its business.
Prob withmy wireless keyboard :-\