I see similarities between window cleaners and painter/decorators. You get one man bands, small firms, cowboys and dole cheats. What we gain on the hourly rate they gain by working whatever the weather.
The good ones in both lines of work will have customers that pay more. The dole cheats and the new starters will come and go as the job market waxes and wanes.
If you are a good w/c, reliable, honest and trustworthy then you will keep custy's as others come and go.
My two cents anyway ...
No dissrespect to window cleaners but there is a major difference in skill level between a time served painter and decorator and a good window cleaner and someone coming into window cleaning has a great deal more chance of becoming proficient enough to earn a living window cleaning than they have as a painter and decorator.
Blaggers can talk all they want, but the finish and quality of the job never lies.
The major danger now is how much easier the job can be with the pole. Trad cleaning is a more dangerous job, difficult access issues, wind, getting over confident on the ladder. You only need to come off once.
The real danger is that window cleaning is now more accessible to more people.
Mark