[gary evans]

Hi All

Lost house last night to somebody with ladder, this is a realy awkward job so i hope he,s careful.

3 storey large house with parapit type thing around top floor. Conservatory ,but, with tiled roof & georgian.

And the job was underpriced.

Gary

[Londoner]

From your description of the house it sounds very much like it was a newbie who hasn't realised YET what he has got himself into.

[gary evans]

Possibly or the another wc trying to take all estate. We,ve only got about 8 on estate & there is 2 other wc,s on there that use ladders, these are realy awkward, with balconys, conservatories, georgian windows etc. I wouldn,t touch them without pole.

Gary

[Scrimble]

i'm trad and i've taken quite a few jobs off polers business is business around here they dont seem to be doing a very good job and charge a lot more so i have no problem taking there customers

[RSWindows]

i have heard a lot of similar storys about people not using the WFP correctly and thus giving people the wrong impression of teh technology, when enquiring about a second hand trolley system for sale about a month ago i got told from the seller (london area i think) that people were using tap water  on windows and skipping the purifying stage so WFP was a no-no in the area.

[Chris Galloway]

@ gary evans - unfortunately accept it, however say to the resident you will be happy to come back if anything happens, such as the new wc doing a Houdini.

But, when and if they ask you back, stick the price up a bit, saying you did it underpriced in the first place, and not going to do so this time.

@ ST1Allstar & RSWindows - I charge the same be it pole or ladders, infact i would charge extra now if i was to use ladders, theres more risks and more for me to lose.

If i came across any potential custies against wfp, i'll ask them why, if they say its rubbish or whatever i'll give them a trial if they can show me how its rubbish, i'll let them have it for free. Never had to yet

[Roy Harding]

I hate loosing jobs to other window cleaners. Thankfully this is very rare; in fact I can’t remember the last time.

I always make a point of telling the customer if ever they are unhappy with anything, tells us and we can put it right. I would rather this than them dump me or change window cleaners.

But if you have lost the job on price, I feel cheated by another cleaner. However I know all the window cleaners in our area and have help them all. So we tend not to undercut or take each others Work.

Quite a few customers know I charge more, but say “they cannot fault the service” better the devil you know than the one you don’t.


Roy

[Chris Galloway]

I hate loosing jobs to other window cleaners. Thankfully this is very rare; in fact I can’t remember the last time.

I always make a point of telling the customer if ever they are unhappy with anything, tells us and we can put it right. I would rather this than them dump me or change window cleaners.

But if you have lost the job on price, I feel cheated by another cleaner. However I know all the window cleaners in our area and have help them all. So we tend not to undercut or take each others Work.

Quite a few customers know I charge more, but say “they cannot fault the service” better the devil you know than the one you don’t.


Roy

Indeed. The thing for you, if that you are a well established firm/individual, and (dont take this the wrong way) but a senior in the field. Well established firms/individuals will do well with customers and hold long lasting relationships. Take take your cuppa tea and cake job

..................................

Customer service is always paramount, ensure you have good customer relations, and after service.

[jaykie]

@ gary evans - unfortunately accept it, however say to the resident you will be happy to come back if anything happens, such as the new wc doing a Houdini.

But, when and if they ask you back, stick the price up a bit, saying you did it underpriced in the first place, and not going to do so this time.

@ ST1Allstar & RSWindows - I charge the same be it pole or ladders, infact i would charge extra now if i was to use ladders, theres more risks and more for me to lose.

If i came across any potential custies against wfp, i'll ask them why, if they say its rubbish or whatever i'll give them a trial if they can show me how its rubbish, i'll let them have it for free. Never had to yet

Cant agree more, i took over a round from a trad cleaner, on 1st clean i knocked on all there doors introducing myself before cleaning, there was this one bloke when i knocked he said "pole cleaner, i new it would be, sorry mate the systems crap so ill get another cleaner" he was really nice about it so i asked him to give me 1 chance and if he not happy i wont charge for the clean, done clean and he came out gave me £15 and said see you in 4 weeks, done 4 cleans, fascias and soffits job since.So there are definatly dodgey wfp cleaners out there, ive since picked up 5 jobs because of this cleaner and hes got a flash ionics system.

Chris

[Tosh]

I recently took an office block from a ladder user because the 'lady in charge' was pressurised by her boss to get someone with a 'high level reach and wash system', and he was an old guy from Cardiff and won't go WFP.

He also probably didn't have insurance; which was another requirement; so this lady said.

I don't know him, so thought it was fair game; nice job too; but I wouldn't want to have done it from ladders.

You lose some now and again, and you win more, at least that's my experience.

[Chris Galloway]

@ gary evans - unfortunately accept it, however say to the resident you will be happy to come back if anything happens, such as the new wc doing a Houdini.

But, when and if they ask you back, stick the price up a bit, saying you did it underpriced in the first place, and not going to do so this time.

@ ST1Allstar & RSWindows - I charge the same be it pole or ladders, infact i would charge extra now if i was to use ladders, theres more risks and more for me to lose.

If i came across any potential custies against wfp, i'll ask them why, if they say its rubbish or whatever i'll give them a trial if they can show me how its rubbish, i'll let them have it for free. Never had to yet

Cant agree more, i took over a round from a trad cleaner, on 1st clean i knocked on all there doors introducing myself before cleaning, there was this one bloke when i knocked he said "pole cleaner, i new it would be, sorry mate the systems crap so ill get another cleaner" he was really nice about it so i asked him to give me 1 chance and if he not happy i wont charge for the clean, done clean and he came out gave me £15 and said see you in 4 weeks, done 4 cleans, fascias and soffits job since.So there are definatly dodgey wfp cleaners out there, ive since picked up 5 jobs because of this cleaner and hes got a flash ionics system.

Chris

Haha, when i went on their wfp course you got people that had no experience in window cleaning, asking how to use the system they have spashed out 20 ish grand for and they have had it for months - even how to get TDS down and stuff, really ped me off, i wanted to know how to use a wfp properly at height and the theory, not how an ionics wfp system worked..

Its not what you got, its how you use it that counts!