[thepez17]

hello everyone,

For quite a few years now, I've been doing solely carpet cleaning, with the odd property maintenance chucked in, but a friend of mone (the same friend that got me into carpet cleaning) has been teaching me the knack of window cleaning the traditional way.

Today, I was canvessing with leaflets and felt terrible when I saw a trad window cleaner on the same strip I was leafletting on. Terrible because I thought "Ohhh noooo, what a waste of time this is, he's probably got the whole effin street!" then I thought, "what if he sees my leaflet!?" with respect I didnt leaflet the house he was working on. Is this a common thing? Like a window cleaners ettiquett?

Any tips on getting further stated would be much appreciated.

Rob

[thepez17]

Thats interesting. I just mail shotted earlier as you know, and just had a call for my first quote of that area.

Exciting!

[Niall McAllister]

when i canvas, if they have a window cleaner who they are happy with, i thank them for their time and move on. i never ask what another cleaner charges. i tell tem what i cost and hope that's good enough.
at the end of the day you don't want to make enemies, but you are in business to make a living for you and your family.
 

[Brian B]

Hi Rob,

All of my work comes from leaflets and local adverts, I've been wc'ing ten months now and flyers, parish magazines and local magazines have provided all of my work, not loads of it but enough to fill in the gaps, slowly slowly catchee monkey.

I've been carpet & upholstery for the past ten years and started windows last year,   I don't bother if there are other wc'ers in the area, if you were leafleting for carpets and you saw Chemdry or Safeclean would it bother you?

The other week however, a wc saw me doing a house and came over asking how long I'd been cleaning in the area, and more to the point this house?  Told him that I lived local and been wc,ing ten months, this house 12 weeks, then asked why? 

It turned out that he used to clean the house and the bloke got rid of him, he asked what I was charging for the house and conservatory so I told him £20.00  and he loked shocked, I asked what he'd charged he replied £7.50. 

Then the cheeky so and so said I'd better not take any more of his work by under cutting his prices, I said if he wasn't doing a proper job his customers would decide who would clean their windows? 

But he then went onto to explain how window cleaners should get their work, by buying an existing round.  At this point I wasn't interested all I know is if someone enquires I always ask if they have a wc, if they say yes then I tell them no, if a custy insists on me giving a price then I will give one, they are always shocked though as my prices are a lot more realistic than all of the wc'ers in my area .  Most of them are still charging between three and five pounds irrespective of house size or number of windows, conservatory!!!!!

Keep pushing out the flyers and don't worry about other wc'ers, look after your own business I'm sure Chemdry and Safeclean don't worry when they take one of your carpet customers!

Regards

Brian

[thepez17]

cheers brian,

I know exactly what you mean about chemdry not giving a monkee's about taking local cleaners work!

I think with any business you have to have a degree of ruthlessness in your attack. I'd rather be pro-active than reactive say to a £30.00 a week advert in the paper.

With all my previous carpet cleans all my work has come from leaflets, going into letting agents and becoming friends with them, etc etc. The same old word of mouth never fails.

So in hinesight, and with a family to support, I'm glad I continued to leaflet drop around the other window cleaner, because a few hours later I got a lady call up in that area and wants me to go round and quote. Now, I don't want to rattle anyones feathers but if I was that man, i would be shoving fresh leaflets every 3-6 months if i had people in that area. Surely then, he would have nabbed her. I don't know. Like I say I'm new to window cleaning and maybe a little too enthusiastic at getting it off the ground. But I was surprised at the result, even though i leafletted a small amount. No more than half an hour.

Thankyou again guys for your kind responses.

Rob

[thepez17]

Just wanted to let you nkow that I got my first Job today from that quote I told you about.

It was a three bed house. I asked for £15.00 and got it. Yay! onwards and upwards driver.