Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: drive surgeon on June 22, 2009, 10:43:44 pm
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hi guys just how do you guys cope with all the new vans and guys walking around with ladders? there are millions of them now. i see new vans and gypsies swarming around like flies around poo looking for work. they are all undercutting you guys. i think its a discrace and the government need to clamp down on this fast or it will affect your business's. good luck guys. :)
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You guys? You're not one of us then?
What's a time served window cleaner? You're avin a giraffe!
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wow drive surgeon you sure are an unhappy puppy with all this new competition!!
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tell me about it, my best mates window cleaning business have suffered really bad and he has twins on the way. i feel sorry for him. it may not be as bad were you are living. i think its bad for the window cleaning trade as a whole. ::)
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I'm not the cheapest; but i am the best ;)
how's that for a catch phrase.
ow no mrs no! :D
Gypsy's ;D
you are awful but i like you ;D
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drive suregeon.
sorry to hear about your mate.
where do you live?
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i think you will find the same happened in the late eightys early ninetys and only so many survived and a lot will be on here that did survive ;) and are probably doing rather well. most will go as soon as winter kicks in again
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As I have said before on here I live near dole-on-sea Margate.
Every year we get a few set up for some extra beer money. I saw 4 (yes 4) of them piling out of a car once. All baseball caps and hooded tops.
Never took one of my customers yet though :)
As for genuine people who have lost their jobs they have my sympathy it's not nice that.
Most of them will find that it's not as easy as we make it look, and if they turn a coin for a few months good luck to them.
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wait until the winter you wont see them when its freezing cold and thier hands are stuck on the ladders ;D ;D ;D
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Hasnt everyone got a right to earn a living ?
What i do is act professional, keep one step ahead and provide an honest reliable service.
That in itself keeps the competition at bay.
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been going now 2 years and have a small base of customers,enough to know there is no turning back.still think there is plenty of room for honest reliable people who just want to earn a living , but some just start up and wreck the image of window cleaners again.
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unless you live in a real small town theres always bags of windows out there for everybody .
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karygate,
don't look at it as cowboys spoiling it for you,
rather making it a lot easier.
if majority of the competition is poor why worry.
I know what you mean though we are all tar'd with same brush,
and it does get me down seeing the distrust in some custy's eyes but if it's that bad just miss em out ;)
lee.
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hi guys just how do you guys cope with all the new vans and guys walking around with ladders? there are millions of them now. i see new vans and gypsies swarming around like flies around poo looking for work. they are all undercutting you guys. i think its a discrace and the government need to clamp down on this fast or it will affect your business's. good luck guys. :)
There are always more window cleaners in a recession - particularly now that ladder climbing is largely unnecessary. Generally I've no problem with that - though I did lose two decent jobs to black economy workers a while back.
The biggest threats around my way seem to be coming from seasoned window cleaners who, IMO, should know better. Also, there is an upsurge in companies leafletting who are only looking to build rounds in order to sell them. When they only have to manage a round for a short while, they can promise the customer all sorts of things that could make it uneconomical for the actual cleaner who buys the round.
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it will affect your business's. good luck guys. :)
I'll let you know when it does mate ;)
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hi guys just how do you guys cope with all the new vans and guys walking around with ladders? there are millions of them now. i see new vans and gypsies swarming around like flies around poo looking for work. they are all undercutting you guys. i think its a discrace and the government need to clamp down on this fast or it will affect your business's. good luck guys. :)
There are always more window cleaners in a recession - particularly now that ladder climbing is largely unnecessary. Generally I've no problem with that - though I did lose two decent jobs to black economy workers a while back.
The biggest threats around my way seem to be coming from seasoned window cleaners who, IMO, should know better. Also, there is an upsurge in companies leafletting who are only looking to build rounds in order to sell them. When they only have to manage a round for a short while, they can promise the customer all sorts of things that could make it uneconomical for the actual cleaner who buys the round.
I like the people that canvass to sell, they come up against me and I guess loads of us all the time, I simple say we will be cleaning your windows not selling you off to the unknown... Seems to work, it's al about selling your service better ;)
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Hasn't everyone got a right to earn a living ?
What i do is act professional, keep one step ahead and provide an honest reliable service.
That in itself keeps the competition at bay.
I'm with Dave on this one, anyone has the right to start up. Most newbies who joined this forum in the past 2 years are would be horrified if they felt they were not able to earn a living.
And whats the issues with "Gypsies". Are you trying to say that all travellers are dishonest and don't know how to or have a right to earn a living? Maybe Drive Surgeon should nail his BNP sympathies to his avatar so we can understand where he is coming from.
As for his mate losing work, maybe he should look at how he runs it rather than blaming competition.
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I'm not the cheapest; but i am the best ;)
how's that for a catch phrase.
ow no mrs no! :D
Gypsy's ;D
you are awful but i like you ;D
Fantastic :D
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Us pikeys need to make a living to you know ;D
Pikey tom poole.
PS if you are honest and do a good job you will always get work, no matter who you are gypo or posh man with van
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In my experience, if you get to know your customer and are friendly and take time to ask how they are etc, instead of grabbing the money and running, you're more likely to keep them for ages, no matter who comes around undercutting you!
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exactly, Tim
;)
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Most customers prefer a reliable, regular, trustworthy window cleaner. Look after yours customers and the majority will stick with you.
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Most of the Pikeys and cowboys round here seem to be doing drive cleaning at ridiculous prices. Some are ridiculously high, others ridiculously low. Strange world.
There are so many new window cleaners round here I don't even notice them. Very rarely ever see them again.
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In my experience, if you get to know your customer and are friendly and take time to ask how they are etc, instead of grabbing the money and running, you're more likely to keep them for ages, no matter who comes around undercutting you!
Normally I find it like that too. However the two jobs I lost to the black economy recently were (1) the son in law is going to clean them (2) the guy already does a load of other maintenance (such as painting) to their house. I doubt I would have lost either job to a cold call. On number (2) the guy was painting inside the house when they were on holiday so is clearly well trusted. There are a load of windows that can only be done from the outside by WFP but could probably be cleaned from the inside. I had a feeling I was going to lose that one because he was asking lots of questions and wanted to give no answers. It was like a verbal chewss match and I had a gut feeling he was goping to snatch the window cleaning away. Both were decently priced jobs at £58 and £30 respectively. Add that to the £12er I lost the same week (moving due to marriage split) and that's £100 gone from a 6 weekly income. Normally no prob but budget very tight right now. However, I picked another up at £100 a quarter and a couple of £12 - £15ers at 6 weekly so it wasn't too bad in the end. A loss overall but a more manageable one.
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Now whats a cowboy is that someone who cleans windows from a horse.
Or is it someone with an old van or works out of there car.
I think its just a name these flashy ones with all there new gear and new van call people as they are not as flash as them.
But a lot of the time the chap with old van or car will do a better job than the chap with all the flash stuff.
Anyway there are loads of window cleaners where i am and i still pick up work hand over fist.
If you do a good job you will never be short of work
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Essex is no diff from all your posts.
I have seen so many new cleaners starting up and usually do each may, but by the time late october is here they will be all gone.
If you are regular reliable and take the time to say hello, mention your kids if you have any, then no matter what you drive, what ladder or pole you use, you will stand in good stead for future cleans.
Lets face it, customers have all had the chance to jack us all in due to this years reccession, but like a post said before we all keep going and many have for a long time.
Free enterprise is how we all got started & long may it continue.
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a Recesion isnt the easiest time to run a business, It just means work harder, canvass more, and look after your customers, you will gain customers but it will be slower in a recesion, there's lots of people who make money from a recesion. so its all swings and roundabouts.
I must admit though when I first started out I was being undercut by guys who werent insured, behaving in an aggressive manner when it came to collecting. When I gained customers from these guys the trust wasnt there.
With regards to these guys quitting in the winter, it will be too late for some genuine newbies.
I agree with Dave that everyone is intitled to earn a living, but they are not intitled to give the rest of use a bad name.
remember mud sticks!!!!
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as trigger said .look after ur broom n ur broom will look after you .
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WE WERE ALL NEWBIES ONCE, ME OVER 15 YEARS AGO, BUT I WAS A NEWBIE.
WE ALL HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE, AS LONG AS THEY PAY THEIR TAXES ETC, LET THEM BE.
ALSO IF THEY ARE ANY GOOD THEN THEY WILL BE COMPETION, IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING THEN ITS NO PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY WILL BE GONE SOON.
DARREN
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as trigger said .look after ur broom n ur broom will look after you .
cracker that one ;D
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In my experience, if you get to know your customer and are friendly and take time to ask how they are etc, instead of grabbing the money and running, you're more likely to keep them for ages, no matter who comes around undercutting you!
I agree with this qoute,
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In my experience, if you get to know your customer and are friendly and take time to ask how they are etc, instead of grabbing the money and running, you're more likely to keep them for ages, no matter who comes around undercutting you!
I agree with this qoute,
totally agree, have a chat with your customers, get on their level with regards to kids, holidays,work, general chit chat and it seems to work wonders. I know this takes up invaluable work time, but if the customers trust you, thats half the battle of keeping them ;D
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i agree with tim as thats how all my customers contact me as i do a great job. :)
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as trigger said .look after ur broom n ur broom will look after you .
cracker that one ;D
Hate to contradict Stan but it went:
Trigger: "Look after ur broom..."
Rodney: "...and ur broom will look after you?"
Trigger: No, just look after ur broom"