[pristinewindows]

This is how it works in reality:
The big companies quote low. The employees know its not really worth their while doing it. So most times they don't actually do it. I know someone who went to work for one of the biggies. The van pulls up out side a FatNest bank. He jumps out with his bucket. The other lads pull him back in "we don't do em all" they says and drive off! But they do tick the worksheet. That way they get a 'decent wage'
The next bit is the best
IF a FatNest manager phones about dirty windows they send someone specially to deal with the complaint only. Then wait for the next complaint which they deal with.
This way the only actually clean a proportion of the contract so it's worth their while as they get paid for the whole contract

[Pope vader]

u have let the secret out now,  they will all be at it now

[Mike_G]

This is how it works in reality:
The big companies quote low. The employees know its not really worth their while doing it. So most times they don't actually do it. I know someone who went to work for one of the biggies. The van pulls up out side a FatNest bank. He jumps out with his bucket. The other lads pull him back in "we don't do em all" they says and drive off! But they do tick the worksheet. That way they get a 'decent wage'
The next bit is the best
IF a FatNest manager phones about dirty windows they send someone specially to deal with the complaint only. Then wait for the next complaint which they deal with.
This way the only actually clean a proportion of the contract so it's worth their while as they get paid for the whole contract

Thats just about it

[G Griffin]

It`s how we work up North on domestics.

[Small but perfectley formed]

Its what is happening with William Hill the window have not been cleaned for at least 5 weeks.

[johnd]

I have to disagree with some of the comments.


Nationwide work on the Natwest and RBS contract and work on a PDA sign off system which only a branch supervisor and manager are autherised to sign.

Interserve do William Hills but only 70% the windows on the other 30% are done by their own general cleaners so that is why they probably look a state. (interserve also provide the cleaning).


National companies will always win due to the fact they are national they keep prices to a minimum only just making a profit but provide a service nationally so they make a nice profit.

Combine this with other retail and they do make good money on a national scale.

Retail and commercial like this as it keeps their costs down so tend to go with national companies.

Its all about money not the service nowadays but in saying that a window cleaner in St Helens was charging Argos £900 per month for 3 visits a week and only takes 45min to clean

So its no wonder they go national


How do I know this I hear you ask?

[GB Window Cleaning]

thats not on i dont think 

[johnd]

thats not on i dont think 

Whats not on GB?

[matthewprice]

lost a contract to a large company ,they definetly dont do all windows and some of the ones they do not so good

[Blue Frog Systems]

My local Natwest hasnt had  there windows cleaned since mid november at least. There has been the same bird crap there since

[johnd]

My local Natwest hasnt had  there windows cleaned since mid november at least. There has been the same bird crap there since

Was the bird crap above ground floor?

The specification for Natwest and RBS is on a monthly basis ground floor only , upper floors annually.

[tacky]

thats life .we just got to blank our selfs off .untill the retail people wise up . to the fact they r being ripped off .n take us real window cleaners back on .to do a proper job .

[johnd]

thats life .we just got to blank our selfs off .untill the retail people wise up . to the fact they r being ripped off .n take us real window cleaners back on .to do a proper job .

Could not agree more Tacky, 

[Blue Frog Systems]

Bird crap on ground floor...i'll get a picture this week

[GB Window Cleaning]

thats not on i dont think 

Whats not on GB?

missing windows is not on really! if they cant afford to do the job on there price then dont bother

[johnd]

thats not on i dont think 

Whats not on GB?

missing windows is not on really! if they cant afford to do the job on there price then dont bother

It all comes down to their scheduling, in retail it is difficult to do all day due to the general public and health and safety laws etc.....

Example:

they give one operative 10 banks or shops to complete in one day that might sound a doddle but say 4 are in Liverpool, 2 St Helens, 2 Bootle and 2 Prescot, all in town centres and due to needing a verified signature for completion they are unable to start til 7-8am.
The operative has to try and get all these done and half of them he might require using a reach and wash system and with these being in the centres and how busy they are using wfp is not visible so inevitably windows get missed we all know we cant go into a precinct after 9am , work is rushed due to the tight schedule which equals poor service.

The big boys dont care about service quality and I say give it back to local guys who can deliver that service.

[Frankybadboy]

its all happened before,just wait

[LWC]

Nationwide work on the Natwest and RBS contract and work on a PDA sign off system which only a branch supervisor and manager are autherised to sign.

I do Nationwide alone and we dont have a PDA, just normal signature sheets.

[H2GoKent]

While I agree some of the big boys do things we wouldn't this has to be balanced out a bit.
I used to do a Primark contract. Primark took on a large cleaning firm for their windows after their windy dropped a ladder on someone, he didn't have any Public Liability and it cost them 100K.
It's sometimes better for a large chain to use a large firm because of the paperwork. And often the large firms quote cheap on the windows, and make the money back through the general cleaning. It's even been known for them to throw the windows free!

Quality, sadly is not that much of an issue, I did a good at Primark but was undercut by 40% by some numpty who does a very poor job. But I don't imagine the staff notice the difference.

Or perhaps I was the numpty for trying hard, who knows!

[Helen]

The problem with a lot of the bigger companies, for example Nat West Banks, is that the procurement of services comes from their Head Office and not individual branches, therefore no-one in the branches is "in charge" of checking standards etc etc etc. All their Head Office want is a box ticked to say all done and ok, and no-one at branch level is going to admit to their HO that the service hasn't been checked out.
You can imagine what is happening with other services, if this is what is happening with window cleaning!
As for the larger cleaning companies supplying the services, this is how they operate, always have done, always will, theirs is not a "personal" service such as we on here would supply. The person/s in charge of the contracts will not be affected by people complaining (if they do) and will have the standard answer of "please accept our apologies on this and we will look into it for you"
They work on cashflow and as long as their financial people are getting it right, then they will not give a hoot whether standards are good or not.
It's life at the top.
Even Sir Alan admits he has made money out of "Tat"