Pay peanuts get monkeys. Sometimes these contracts are just lip service to the rule of having the windows cleaned on a regular basis. Some national "window cleaning company" will bid a ridiculously low single price for every store in an area, or even the whole country. They then subcontract once, twice or more so the bloke doing the work has to cover every store in a given radius with absolute rock bottom price and no allowance for travelling. He is almost always an employee of the sub (or sub-sub, or sub-sub-sub) contractor and is paid on a timed basis of each job.
One of my franchisees was in this position before he came to us, out for 14-16 hours a day and barely making minimum wage for a 35 hour week.
Doesn't exactly inspire commitment, does it?