Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: CLEANGLASSUK on November 19, 2008, 10:35:55 pm

Title: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: CLEANGLASSUK on November 19, 2008, 10:35:55 pm
There is a new window cleaner in town,Hes got out of prison a few month's ago and he is going round undercutting every window cleaner in town.He drive a little yellow car and is doing shop's in the high steet for £1 to £4 well under what they normally get charged.He is slowly getting all the shop's and all the window cleaner's are mad about it.
But what can you do how can you quote lower than that to get them back.
Soon there will be no money in doing the shops round Brighton.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: matt on November 19, 2008, 10:38:10 pm
go in lower

hoooooowwwwwwwwwwww loooooooooooooooooow can you gooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Wayne Thomas on November 19, 2008, 10:48:12 pm
How's he going to work if something happens to his car ;D

What goes around, comes around. If he's ruining every w/c's livelihood, I'm sure one of them will return the favour and give him a dose of his own medicine ;D
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: tonyoliver on November 19, 2008, 10:49:56 pm
i lost a shop to an x the joker used tissue paper and water the resul was a disaster but the custy asked us back but at guss what the  price was  to be his price as that was what they now thought to be the standard he will kill your area for at least 5 years if not more  i promise
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: NWH on November 19, 2008, 10:51:48 pm
Just report him to the dole office that`ll soon stop him in his tracks.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: trike on November 19, 2008, 10:52:19 pm
what was he in prison for
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: trike on November 19, 2008, 10:53:58 pm
Just report him to the dole office that`ll soon stop him in his tracks.
fella with five lads working he on sick all rest on dole,three years latter there still working havent been stopped
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: NWH on November 19, 2008, 10:56:25 pm
Take pictures of them and insist something gets done about it,if you have proof they`ll have to act.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: trike on November 19, 2008, 10:57:45 pm
been reported 5 times a year what a joke
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: NWH on November 19, 2008, 10:58:13 pm
Go to your local MP.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Paul Coleman on November 19, 2008, 11:04:05 pm
There is a new window cleaner in town,Hes got out of prison a few month's ago and he is going round undercutting every window cleaner in town.He drive a little yellow car and is doing shop's in the high steet for £1 to £4 well under what they normally get charged.He is slowly getting all the shop's and all the window cleaner's are mad about it.
But what can you do how can you quote lower than that to get them back.
Soon there will be no money in doing the shops round Brighton.

There used to be a well established shop window leaner in Crawley who would sometimes do them free until the cheap opposition went away.  I guess he could afford to as he had a lot of the jobs himself.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: trike on November 19, 2008, 11:05:17 pm
sent personal letters to local mp,and asked him to get intouch as soon as he had read them,and send them back to me in self addressed envolope,phoned and left messages,he still hasnt replied,and i went to school with him
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Wayne Thomas on November 19, 2008, 11:07:52 pm
sent personal letters to local mp,and asked him to get intouch as soon as he had read them,and send them back to me in self addressed envolope,phoned and left messages,he still hasnt replied,and i went to school with him

Inform the local newspaper of the above. He is a servant of the electors who put him in his office. He'll sit up and take notice when he reads his name in print in his borough.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: trike on November 19, 2008, 11:11:34 pm
the radio stations,and local papers are all incahoots with each other,as soon as a certing thing is mentioned,even they go bandit
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Londoner on November 20, 2008, 07:15:08 am
Just report him to the dole office that`ll soon stop him in his tracks.
fella with five lads working he on sick all rest on dole,three years latter there still working havent been stopped

Just keep reporting them over and over again and get all your family and friends to do the same.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: William Tyndale on November 20, 2008, 07:35:44 am
Money laundering!! Prob for drugs.

He charges very little and puts through his books prob £20k per year, pays tax on it and the establishment leaves him alone. Anyone questions his lifestyle he has books to back it up.

On top of that he can then give his shops a larger receipt for their books.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Pristine Clean on November 20, 2008, 07:37:29 am
Hold on a minute, This new window cleaner in Brighton

Ok so he is undercutting by alot. (thats business)

1. Is he using the correct equipment? I.e Mop & Squegee, even if he is using a ladder they are not banned yet.

2. How do you know he is on the Jam roll? If you report him and he is not on the jam roll then nothing will be done.

Yes I feel sorry for those that are losing out, but whos fault is it... Its not his, he has a business plan, and its working. Take a step back... I have said it before and I am pleased, someone is doing work at reasonable prices... Thats why these shops have gone with him. Its not always about quality you dont need flash toys to set yourself apart from the competition.

He is setting an example of being British, this is where we have a strong industry from people like him.

It does not matter if he pulls up in a yellow car,Could even be multi coloured He could use a Rolls Royce, Or a Fiat van etc, the vehicle he uses wont make the window cleaning any better will it?

Saying he has a crap car is like, saying there is no place for DIY WFPers.

If you do not have an IONICS you should not be cleaning windows.

Anyway as everyone is a millionare earning thousands per week cleaning windows looks like people in that area might have to shop at Nettos and look for a new round if they dont change their business ethics.

Mind you there is a thread, about Are you putting prices up next year...Every one is almost saying yes. If that is the case... How will you compete against this new window cleaner in Brighton.

If he is insured and doing it legally best of luck to him

Dave
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: sherco on November 20, 2008, 08:23:21 am
There is a new window cleaner in town,Hes got out of prison a few month's ago and he is going round undercutting every window cleaner in town.He drive a little yellow car and is doing shop's in the high steet for £1 to £4 well under what they normally get charged.He is slowly getting all the shop's and all the window cleaner's are mad about it.
But what can you do how can you quote lower than that to get them back.
Soon there will be no money in doing the shops round Brighton.
Sounds like Johnnie King didn't realise he was out, if it is him he is a nasty piece of work.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: matt cloud on November 20, 2008, 06:05:43 pm
maybe a idea to tell the shop thats he's just out of nick  ;)
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Chris Galloway on November 20, 2008, 06:14:15 pm
maybe a idea to tell the shop thats he's just out of nick  ;)

wont do much, the royals gave an "out of the nick" guy a chance! :D
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: ccmids on November 20, 2008, 07:22:24 pm

when he is doing the windows go and have a word with him if he gets nasty he will be back inside as quick as that'  then you get your windows back .or better still buy him out make him an offer lump sum see what happens.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: CLEANGLASSUK on November 20, 2008, 08:04:37 pm
The guy hasnt stolen my window's i dont do shop's, think they are a waste of time,
All i really meant by this post was -
Dont understand wc putting quotes in so low just to get the job,if everyone done this then there would be no money in window cleaning at all.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: craig b on November 20, 2008, 09:12:56 pm
if he can make a living why not...the credit crunch will hurt the ones who r over charging..
and ther seems to be a brave few on this forum..ive brung prices down in some cases to fend of others just in case.
customers wont drop you for the sake of a pound but a few pound they will...i picked up one the last week £9 previous window cleaner was charging £14 should i not have took it...told her to tell him to slide on
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: David Slater on November 20, 2008, 09:20:59 pm
How's he going to work if something happens to his car ;D

What goes around, comes around. If he's ruining every w/c's livelihood, I'm sure one of them will return the favour and give him a dose of his own medicine ;D

Yeah, thats useful.

Do you see Tesco sending round the heavies if Asda undercut them?

Grow up and get real.

You're in BUSINESS my friend and everything is fair in love and war...and business.

Do you honestly think you'll progrees to anything more than a jobbing windy fella with an attitude like that?

OCS and MITIE (to name but two) seem to have grown their business and made their business model work without threatening violence/unlawful acts.

ACT like a pro, or scuttle off back to earning a couple of quid out of window cleaning on top of your dole money.




I am sick to death of reading posts like this....and you wonder why window cleaners have a bad name?
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: craig b on November 20, 2008, 09:35:55 pm
business have been putting ther price up for years and with economic boom we had people were paying it now its time to cut back...and people  with ther head screwed on could make a killing...more people out of work ..wanting work..they  will work for less so you dont have to charge as much..we our going through a time of change dont miss the ride..
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: CLEANGLASSUK on November 20, 2008, 09:38:35 pm
I dont agree with threatening people or smashing there car up, at the end of the it's business,Just dont understand why quotes are so low you would have to do so many shop's at that price to get any sort of wage.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: craig b on November 20, 2008, 09:41:35 pm
iam sure you could clean 20 panes of glass in an hour ...£20 an hour sounds good to me for a guy just out of the nick
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: David Slater on November 20, 2008, 09:48:39 pm
I dont agree with threatening people or smashing there car up, at the end of the it's business,Just dont understand why quotes are so low you would have to do so many shop's at that price to get any sort of wage.

WHO CARES!!!!

He's offering his service for less than you. Can you stand back and look at you business model and make savings?

Virtually every business is in the same boat - BT laid off 10,000 employees. Astar Zeneca just laid off 2,000. Rolly Royce just laid off 1,400....the list goes on! they didnt do this for the fun of it. They did it to MAKE SAVINGS.

If someone thinks they can hang on to their work by threating violence they are an utter fool and not worthy of being 'in business'.

Stand back and look carefully at your business model -
1. Does it need tweaking?
2. Does it need overhauling to reflect a different economic enviroment?;... Or does it require violence and threats to survive?

Or maybe you rely on threats and violence for your work?

What a sorry state this business is in, if that is true....I hope the 'prison fella' has more business acumen than certain other posters  ;D





Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: CLEANGLASSUK on November 20, 2008, 09:50:07 pm
iam sure you could clean 20 panes of glass in an hour ...£20 an hour sounds good to me for a guy just out of the nick
If your happy with £20 an hour then great, I try to make sure i am on a minimum of £35 per hour. you cant get rich on £20 hr can you.
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: Trotsky on November 20, 2008, 09:57:19 pm
 8) Personally I couldn't care less!
Customers come and go... Prices rise and fall!
When the bottom falls out of the w/c game I just move onto something else!
(that why I was (WAS) a carpenter & joiner, now I'm a w/c... who knows what's next!) :) ;) 8)
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: craig b on November 20, 2008, 10:01:46 pm
a team of 5 cleaners making between £20 and £ 30 an hour adds up t0 a hell of a lot more than £35 pound an hour..
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: CLEANGLASSUK on November 20, 2008, 10:12:18 pm
a team of 5 cleaners making between £20 and £ 30 an hour adds up t0 a hell of a lot more than £35 pound an hour..
dont worry i know about that, my old boss 5 vans ten worker's all on between £35,000 - £40,000 a year and we was on only 30% of the job price,He kept the rest,roughly grossing over a million a year.
Just a few more contracts and i will catch him up  "I WISH"
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: craig b on November 20, 2008, 10:23:50 pm
UNDER CUT HIM !!! thats business..if you had half that you would be happy iam sure
Title: Re: Undercutting in Sussex (as low as a £1 a shop)
Post by: ccmids on November 21, 2008, 08:52:18 pm
who said get violent with him ? i cant see