[SonOfFormby]

Dont feel too bad Squeaky, I have had a real run this last week and a half of losing clumps of neighbours, where they are all close knit, even to the point where I had 3 phone calls on my ans machine in one day, with multiple sackings from 1 customer informing me that the other members of their cult  don't require my services either. I don't know If its WFP, the price increase or my ugly mug
Anyone else experienced this phenomenon

Lee

[SonOfFormby]

Cheers mate.

New work has been fine, as they are done wfp from the start.
Need to get some leaflets printed...

Yeah gotta stay positive, when I lose a customer(s) I immediately delete them from George, forget about them, and look forward to the extra time I have to get myself NEW, DECENT business.

Alan would BOUNCE BACK  Squeaky

Lee

[Ian Lancaster]

Dont feel too bad Squeaky, I have had a real run this last week and a half of losing clumps of neighbours, where they are all close knit, even to the point where I had 3 phone calls on my ans machine in one day, with multiple sackings from 1 customer informing me that the other members of their cult  don't require my services either. I don't know If its WFP, the price increase or my ugly mug
Anyone else experienced this phenomenon

Lee

Yes.

And I was glad to get rid .  All they wanted to do was criticise - one tiny fault on one single pane of just one customer's house, and you'd think I'd robbed them of their life savings.

People like this haven't got anything better to do - they ought to clean their own windows.  They're useless as customers.

Give me the stressed out, overworked commuter who just wants to forget about home maintenance and let someone else do it

Cheers,

Ian

[Paul Coleman]

Cheers mate.

New work has been fine, as they are done wfp from the start.
Need to get some leaflets printed...

Seems that you've found your solution.  New customers are OK with WFP.  Therefore get more new customers.  I know it's not nice going out there lkike you did in the beginning.  I've disliked it too at times.  But new customers (and new prices) seem to be what you need.

[Village Gleam]

I got sacked today before I'd even gone to quote. Ten minute phone call sorting out what she wanted, then a text about two hours later- don't come old window cleaner turned up-
She never mentioned that on the phone.

As Ian say's you can tell, another one that I did after about three phone calls, I didn't know it would leave all this mess(there was some water on the drive), have you done the bathroom window upstairs? yes. Only I noticed a stain from the inside. I look yes there is a stain, masonry paint. She insists it's bird muck and i have to get the pole back out to scrubb it to show it doesn't come off. No apology.

Then she says you'll leave an envelope when your finished. I'm finished now I say. Well I'm going out and I havent got time to write you a cheque (£10) - she had got time to go round watching me do every window though.

[dai]

I lost 3 in a row after that news night programme. One mouthy customer can do a lot of damage. The cheeky sod then asked me to do his windows again 3 months later, I told him to go and whistle Dixie.
To be perfectly honest, I used to get more complaints when I was trad. Squeegie kicks are more noticable than a few spots I guess.
I WFP the lot now, just use a bit of common with doors. people hate wet puddles outside their doors when the kids are running in and out.
Had one complaint last week, this was a total mystery to me, never seen anything like it. Two of the three back tops had really bad spotting, one of these was over a roof. The guy had noticed these spots before I cleaned them. The WFP had not shifted them. I inspected the job off the ladder and really had to scrub the glass, did each window 3 times trad. They were like grease spots. the middle window of the 3 was fine, as were all the bottom ones. What the hell could cause this?
I have worked flast out for a month, and I'm still 3 days behind. That's great insurance against moaners, I can afford to dump them.
Good luck with it mate. Dai

[Nathanael Jones]

After all my shouting about how good the transition from trad to WFP was for me,.. I finally got one today. A terraced house where we normally only do the front, and the lady of the house asked us to do the back today. 2nd clean with WFP,.. so she knew what she was getting.
There was one very awkward window above a flat roof that I managed to do just about without getting the ladders.
About 15 minutes later, I've finished the next couple of houses, and the father in law who's working with me has disappeared, and his bucket (He was trading the downstairs as his wfp hasn't arrived yet!) is outside that house.
He came out a couple of minutes later and told me she was complaining about that window above the flat roof. He'd actually gone up to the van, got the ladders, and climbed up on the roof to re-clean,... only to find the window had dried perfect and the dirt was ON THE INSIDE!!!
No apology from the custie though,... just a request that we do them trad the next time (WHY??? ),.. which the FIL stupidly agreed to.

[Tosh]

Is there much competition in your area Squeaky? It could be just some cowboy undercutting you, and custies just using WFP as an excuse.

Yep, massive competition.

I find it strange that I live and work in the same geographical area as Squeaky, yet I've just had to sell a weeks worth of work to two lads (one a member here (Leeksons)) and still can't get round my work within the correct timescale; and I've only been a window cleaner for half the time Squeaky has.

There's loads of work in Chepstow area.

Squeaky may be referring to the town centre; shops 'n' stuff; but all that's pretty much sewn up by our Ian_Giles and another window cleaner, but it's taken 20+ years for them to build that work up; so good on them.

I do admit that getting the high paying 'good stuff' isn't easy, but pray tell me which part of the country that is?

And to Nathanial:

I've picked up four of Squeaky's customers some months back; he dropped them because he couldn't service them with his van-mount, but I can with my back pack. 

Squeaks charged £6.50 and I now charge them £12.00, so I've doubled their window cleaning bill, they've whinged so I hear, but they still have me.  I'm on their fifth clean this month.

So no-one I know is under-cutting him.  No-one is mad or daft enough to undercut £6.50 for the stuff he does.

[Village Gleam]

I think your a bit hard on him Tosh. You have a lifetime of judgement and calls behind you, it's easy to make him look a daft beggar, but I think he's honest and straightforward.
Plus he takes it in good part.

[pingu]

I do not think Squeaky needs anyone to kick him into the gutter ..this is manages very well on his own with alarm regularity. With all the best will in the world I wish him well and hope he bounces back but you have to admit our Mr.S does seem to be down in the dump and needs to get back up and fight back.

Come on Squeaky.....

[windowwashers]

I do not think Squeaky needs anyone to kick him into the gutter ..this is manages very well on his own with alarm regularity. With all the best will in the world I wish him well and hope he bounces back but you have to admit our Mr.S does seem to be down in the dump and needs to get back up and fight back.

Come on Squeaky.....

Squeaky will bounce back, hes getting his van done, not sure how long hes been cleaning for but think a price rise is totally over due on new customers.

[Sir Squeaky]

I do not think Squeaky needs anyone to kick him into the gutter ..this is manages very well on his own with alarm regularity. With all the best will in the world I wish him well and hope he bounces back but you have to admit our Mr.S does seem to be down in the dump and needs to get back up and fight back.

Come on Squeaky.....

Squeaky will bounce back, hes getting his van done, not sure how long hes been cleaning for but think a price rise is totally over due on new customers.

I'll be alright in the end, it's only time.

How can I put the price "up" on new customers?

I can't put existing ones up yet, they only went up last year for the first time in 4 years and they still kicked up a stink.
If I did it again a year later I'd lose them.

[windowwashers]

I do not think Squeaky needs anyone to kick him into the gutter ..this is manages very well on his own with alarm regularity. With all the best will in the world I wish him well and hope he bounces back but you have to admit our Mr.S does seem to be down in the dump and needs to get back up and fight back.

Come on Squeaky.....

Squeaky will bounce back, hes getting his van done, not sure how long hes been cleaning for but think a price rise is totally over due on new customers.

I'll be alright in the end, it's only time.

How can I put the price "up" on new customers?

I can't put existing ones up yet, they only went up last year for the first time in 4 years and they still kicked up a stink.
If I did it again a year later I'd lose them.

dont put up your customers prices you already have, when you get new ones think of your normal price then add £1 or £1.50 on it, I was bad at pricing for ages when I started, even now I still cock up but word the price I charge new for the first clean only so if I do messing it up I can change it as they are expecting it would say that happenes once every few months I am not perfect only wish I was

[Davo]

Squeeky,

I presume where you live there are many small hamlets "out in the sticks" you know stuff that doesnt show as a village, clumps of 15/20 houses that only show as a couple of props on a map..

These places are lucky to have electricity never mind a window cleaner. And who in their  right mind would go and canvas them,?

Must be good business clumps of houses close together cleaned at your prices.
Even if it took you 30/40 mins to get there.

Just a thought for you, hope you get sorted.


Mark

[Sir Squeaky]

Squeeky,

I presume where you live there are many small hamlets "out in the sticks" you know stuff that doesnt show as a village, clumps of 15/20 houses that only show as a couple of props on a map..

These places are lucky to have electricity never mind a window cleaner. And who in their  right mind would go and canvas them,?

Must be good business clumps of houses close together cleaned at your prices.
Even if it took you 30/40 mins to get there.

Just a thought for you, hope you get sorted.


Mark

Those are the places I already work.
I don't do much at all in Chepstow itself.
My work is out in the sticks.

Window Washers... I do charge more for new stuff already.

[Art]

Squeeky,

I presume where you live there are many small hamlets "out in the sticks" you know stuff that doesnt show as a village, clumps of 15/20 houses that only show as a couple of props on a map..

These places are lucky to have electricity never mind a window cleaner. And who in their  right mind would go and canvas them,?

Must be good business clumps of houses close together cleaned at your prices.
Even if it took you 30/40 mins to get there.

Just a thought for you, hope you get sorted.


Mark

Those are the places I already work.
I don't do much at all in Chepstow itself.My work is out in the sticks.

Window Washers... I do charge more for new stuff already.

Rog, maybe that's where you are going wrong mate. I know you've already mentioned about areas around your way that you don't like working, but if there's money there then maybe you should rethink your working practices?

Tosh seems to be doing ok, so maybe it's time for a rethink?

Arthur

[Sir Squeaky]

Squeeky,

I presume where you live there are many small hamlets "out in the sticks" you know stuff that doesnt show as a village, clumps of 15/20 houses that only show as a couple of props on a map..

These places are lucky to have electricity never mind a window cleaner. And who in their  right mind would go and canvas them,?

Must be good business clumps of houses close together cleaned at your prices.
Even if it took you 30/40 mins to get there.

Just a thought for you, hope you get sorted.


Mark

Those are the places I already work.
I don't do much at all in Chepstow itself.My work is out in the sticks.

Window Washers... I do charge more for new stuff already.

Rog, maybe that's where you are going wrong mate. I know you've already mentioned about areas around your way that you don't like working, but if there's money there then maybe you should rethink your working practices?

Tosh seems to be doing ok, so maybe it's time for a rethink?

Arthur

That's the point mate.

I don't work in the £5 council house areas who'll pay you next week when their dole money arrives.

I work in the richer villages.

[mark dew]

I have lost about 6 now due to wfp, but i find that when i take on new jobs nowadays they seem more than happy when they see the end result. Though i always go back later for payment after they are dry and have been checked and wiped any marks away with a damp cloth in a few cases.
It was the existing customers who i cleaned trad before that were the ones who didn't like it.
Your loss does seem high but i reckon it could be a blessing in disguise if you replace them with better paid work and use wfp from the start.
New van and sign writing shows your are at least tackling your losses in a positive manner.
I think it's a bonus that you're gonna be canvassing this time of year instead of the summer as i have picked up my best work and gained the most grateful customers during the winter months.
I reckon you'll be rocking come spring squeaky. Good luck!!

[Paul Coleman]

I have lost about 6 now due to wfp, but i find that when i take on new jobs nowadays they seem more than happy when they see the end result. Though i always go back later for payment after they are dry and have been checked and wiped any marks away with a damp cloth in a few cases.
It was the existing customers who i cleaned trad before that were the ones who didn't like it.
Your loss does seem high but i reckon it could be a blessing in disguise if you replace them with better paid work and use wfp from the start.
New van and sign writing shows your are at least tackling your losses in a positive manner.
I think it's a bonus that you're gonna be canvassing this time of year instead of the summer as i have picked up my best work and gained the most grateful customers during the winter months.
I reckon you'll be rocking come spring squeaky. Good luck!!

Although I lost a few due to WFP, I wasn't so bothered because work was coming in to replace it anyway.
However, I did take a big hit several years ago when I was unable to work for a few months.  It seemed that they were deserting me in droves.  Although it was unpleasant at the time, in hindsight it was one of the best things that has happened to me with window cleaning.  Most of the custies that ditched me were the underpriced jobs, awkward access, with some serial moaners/slow payers thrown in.  It freed up loads of space for me to start filling with better paying jobs and (usually) better customers and eventually my workload was quite full again.  Once more I have gaps in my work but that's only because of the higher working speed of WFP.  I am now filling those gaps with even better jobs.

[LWC]

i havent read this thread so sorry if its already been said before

but one of the main problems squeek is YOU dont beleive in it

how on earth are your customers gonna want it, if YOU dont like it

i used to work with a bloke a year ago and he did downs trad and i poled up. he hated the pole because he didnt give it a chance.

a lady came out and said "ooo that looks good, does it work?"

and to my surprise he replied "i dont know"

what a idiot! i got rid of him big time. he was older than me and tried to take over, although we split the money as id forked out for all the equipment.

squeek, you need to get in the right frame of mind, beleive in it and so will they. "build it...and they will come"