[jeff1]

Guy's we should be working together and helping each other out?

The best words I have ever read on an open forum.
There is no  'I'  in team work.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

My usual reply to a request for a quote is: Have you already got a w/cleaner? If so why are you asking for a quote? Are you wanting it done cheaper or are you dissatified with their service for some reason?

Whether I quote or not depends on their answers.

One local window cleaner flatly refuses to wipe over the frames even for a price. "I'm a w/cleaner not a frame ceaner" is his stock answer to a request to clean frames. Over the years it's cost him a number of customers. Despite that, he's never moved from that view.
I've never considered frames to be a problem, just more income. I just give them a price and if they like it they have them done.
However, I have lost some customers to him "because he's cheaper."

Round my way many of the w/cleaners are buddies of mine. Over the years some customers have changed hands betwen us for a variety of reasons. All our standards vary slightly, our prices vary greatly and sometimes a customer for some reason just doesn't get on with one of us. One of mine left me because they "didn't like my attitude." As I had never fallen out with her I had no idea what she was talking about. A couple af years later she was back on my books freindly as pie.

I've never tried to pilfer anyones work by undercutting others. As others in this thread have noted I don't believe it's in any w/cleaners best interest. In the long run it's against our interests.

[archercleaningserv]

I agree trevor,

i accept the fact that if any window cleaner knocks on the streets i clean & offers to clean my customers windows for less than i charge , then if they goto the other window cleaner the were not worth having in the first place.

I know that there is no such thing as a window cleaners patch (although in some areas you can find yourself expecting trouble if you attempt to take customers) , but my point was the person who was charging less was a lad who had work alongside me for all those years.

As for the reply by brightclean,   regarding he must have been a good worker , well yes he was a good worker , but as you will all know - all the times your let down , the excuses , and thats one of the reasons i went off my head , because everyday - sunny,ping down ,snow , whatever i am there unlike the "SO CALLED WINDOW CLEANERS" who wont work even if it looks like rain, i am always there.

I am now in the position where i do have alot of work but i am always looking to better myself in everyway i can, and get brassed off with the arseholes who take the p--- out of the PROPER window cleaners ,

Anyway , enough from me , just filling in my application for the job of lefthanded screwdriver maker in my reply to brightnclean.

[Helen]

If someone approaches us for a quote, we go out and assess and give OUR price for that property. If and only if the perspective customer mentions a previous WC do we go down that avenue of conversation. We never ask what did you used to pay, before we have set the price and yes that can be frustraing when you hear "is that all? my old one charged £.... more than you! We would never knowingly undercut any other wc in the areas we clean in as we never know when we might just need their help in some way. Likewise the known wc's to us have never knowingly undercut us. In fact we offer each other business when we get asked to quote in an area we do not cover and we know that WC ***** does. Works good in all ways, we all charge similar prices and we all smile and wave at each other when we pass. As for deliberatley undercutting...that's a no no as word will get round and those who go that way will get a bad reputation from other wc's and customers alike

[Biscute]

Yep if i do a quote i price it first then ask what the last cleaner charged and that is just out of curiosety, it wouldnt effect my prices at all.

[danny mckim]

The way i work is if someone wants their windows cleaned my first question is is there a windowcleaner in your area already. If they say yes i ask why dont you get them. Usual answer is dont get on with him. Now to me thats a problem customer i wouldnt want. If they say no i go round tell them i will canvass the street  and need a minimum of 8 to 10 houses to make it worthwhile. Most of  work is new estates and i wouldnt touch one where there was already a windowcleaner. In Paisley you always get someone who will come in and do 5 or 6 you dont do but i would like to  think most customers are happy with my service and prices and wouldnt look elswhere even if cheaper.

[matt]

i was once asked by some1 ( a mother of the lady of this 1 house i do ) do you clean in this particular area

no i replied

Oh shame, as my daughter says you do a good job, can you not even come and do my 1 house

Its not really worth my time if its just 1 house, if you could find 5 i will come

a few weeks pass

she phones me, i have a few houses here for you

i say " i will price them up for in a day or 2 "

no need she says, i have

fair play to her, a good days work all fairly well priced, infact priced a little over the top



now thats the way to do it, get a customer to canvas and price for you

[Peter.]

Having read these postings, some of you think it’s ok to go around threatening other window cleaners, threatening to drag them off or give them a slap, well all I can say is “ITS AGAINST THE LAW” and you may well find you have lost more than a customer if you harm another window cleaner, he may sue you!

Or worse still he may be ex Para and give you a jolly good hiding instead. What are you going to do then?

I do not have a great deal of work and struggle along and if I get a call for a quote, I go along and give my quote, I do not ask what they have paid in the past, I simple work it out based on the work I already have and do. I do not know if I am cheaper or dearer than other window cleaners in my area, unless they are willing to tell me what they charge how can I know?
I would not knowingly under cut anyone but I have picked up the odd customer who has not been happy with the way there windows have been cleaned and in those circumstances I have told the customer to tell there current window cleaner that he’s doing a crap job first.

I feel there is enough work for us all, I also speak to any window cleaners I see, even if it’s only good morning. I would like it if the window cleaners in my area would speak and share information, help each other but they won’t and so it goes on.

Peter

[Biscute]

humm 

[Count Phil]

There's a few window cleaners around here who give sly glances out of the corner of there eyes. And a couple of friendly ones.

[marc]

i agree with trevor this gordon will be the first moaning if he lost any work, you sound a bit of an (******) make your own minds up! gordon why do you have to under cut i wouldnt want a customer that would behave like that

[tonyoliver]

in was once told by a painter a wc came up to him whilst he was at the top of his ladder shouting this is my area...
shook the ladder as the painter scrambled down the idiot shook yhe ladder so hard he fell of the last 6 feet followed by his paint and brushes.
a month in hospital for the painter and 6 months inside for the w cleaner he never did aplolgise there must be a moral somewhere in that

[brightnclean]

Having read these postings, some of you think it’s ok to go around threatening other window cleaners, threatening to drag them off or give them a slap, well all I can say is “ITS AGAINST THE LAW” and you may well find you have lost more than a customer if you harm another window cleaner, he may sue you!

Or worse still he may be ex Para and give you a jolly good hiding instead. What are you going to do then?

I do not have a great deal of work and struggle along and if I get a call for a quote, I go along and give my quote, I do not ask what they have paid in the past, I simple work it out based on the work I already have and do. I do not know if I am cheaper or dearer than other window cleaners in my area, unless they are willing to tell me what they charge how can I know?
I would not knowingly under cut anyone but I have picked up the odd customer who has not been happy with the way there windows have been cleaned and in those circumstances I have told the customer to tell there current window cleaner that he’s doing a crap job first.

I feel there is enough work for us all, I also speak to any window cleaners I see, even if it’s only good morning. I would like it if the window cleaners in my area would speak and share information, help each other but they won’t and so it goes on.

Peter

Good on ya mate!!!

The only thing you dont want to do is tell your new customer to tell the old window cleaner that he has been doing a c*ap job. Thats just inviting trouble for you. Just get on with your business and keep working to your standards and leave others to theirs.

I,ve been threatened before by the so called "window cleaner who owns a patch"  More than once actually. I find these are doing a c*ap job and feel threatened by someone who does a good one. If I am going about my lawfull business and not deliberately undercutting I feel OK with myself. I for one wont bow down to the thugs that resort to threats. If they are doing a decent job then their customers wont even entertain me. If they do a bad one then their customers are fair game and they deserve to lose them. My prices are set to give me a decent living. It would be financial suicide for me to try to undercut.

[marc]

here here brightnclean well said