[MNWC]

Stick to domestic mate it has loads more benefits

the odd commercial is ok i have a ratio of about 90% Domestic to 10% Commercial

Suits me !

[cswc]

if domestic is really that good then why when its raining is there alot of people on the forums like this,

commercial may be tightly priced but have you ever cleaned windows on say a bungalow in the rain or when its snowing

rgds,

[p1w1]

yep specially when theres nobody home..

[cswc]

hows that shooting comming along ........



is it jessie james and the leave-alot-kid
 

[p1w1]

hows that shooting comming along ........



is it jessie james and the leave-alot-kid
 

so tell me then whats wrong cleaning in that type of weather...its more come rain or shine i'm always on time...

[Kevin R]

I cant believe some of the posts I have just read - not all the bigger contracts are offered to the likes of OCS etc. Some facilities managers hunt for local firms that can do the job at the right price, safely and efficiently. Advertise, get a pro image and a good website (not a freebie load of rubbish either, invest for success - you need good SEO too) and yes your in with a chance too. Speculate to accumulate its that simple. Advertise, advertise and advertise but in the right places. Where would you look for a WC firm if you were sat in an office? Dont listen to the idiots use you loaf!!!  Keep spending your dosh on rubbish estate cars, trolleys and 175 ltr systems and never advertising and you will get nowhere but where you are right now!!! Ok if you happy with that but why not let others who want to discuss how its done do so with out putting your negitive comments in. YES YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!

 If you think you can make more money on domestic you are sadly deluded. Ok you do need to spend time and money, traveling and quoting, writing RA /MS making follow up and courtesy calls etc etc, but you charge for it!

Ok I agree its all about volume, most of the quotes I see on here for £1 a window no matter how many windows there are, are simply ridiculous and posted usually by people that just dont have a clue. How did you learn to quote for domestic - trial and error. Commercial is the same - a follow up call if you don't get the contract will help you understand why you didn't get it (and remember you can't win them all) Most facilities managers I have come across are happy to discuss the quote with you.

You dont need to be a massive firm either, you just need to be realistic and co-operate with others.

For those that want to gain quality commercial work - read between the lines use the positives and ignore the idiots!!!

[bluez]

There are many big window cleaning co's and many more medium sized ones all of which started out as small operations at one point or another.

There is no comparison between the guy who wants to work 40 hrs a week and not have a boss and earn a decent wage and the guy who is building a
business looking to exploit every oportunity that he sees.

What is the difference between the two, imo it is only ambition, effort and ability to think strategically.

[NWH]

If you don’t have staff you cannot compete on price also you may not have the capabilities of the larger companies and the time (frame) to do the work. Then you won’t have time to do a better job!

Because you are a window cleaner, doesn’t mean you can clean any job/contract. Bigger business bigger contracts, so if you want them start building your business up.

They are obviously worth while or the companies that clean them won’t do it. Regardless of what others say it just means they either don’t fully understand the business at this level.

By building your business up to a level big enough to do the contracts, at the same time keep hold of running cost and margins you should be able to win a few, eventually.

I would take jobs on if i had 3-4 idiots that were on minimum wage doing £400 jobs for £150,on some contacts that`s where it`s at trust me i`ve seen some quotes and the jobs are well worth sometimes double the amount firms are doing them for.They take them on because they have blokes doing 3-4 of these a day when in reality doing them properly for the right price should only be doing say 2,let these companys get these firms in i certainly couldn`t compete and wouldn`t want to either,these jobs really are just getting a quick and i mean quick squirt and a brush if there lucky.It has nothing to do with business sense more like slave labour with staff on a pittance,that`s how these jobs are acheived by going in at ridiculously low prices.

[windowwashers]

Customers get what they pay for. Its there own fault if they are good at driving down the prices I don’t blame the window cleaners for doing a quick job.

Just give them what they are willing to pay for. Everybody here goes on about doing a perfect job and there standards are high. That comes at a price and if the customers don’t pay for that don’t do it and just give them what they pay for and no more.

 

if they do not want to pay for a good job in window cleaning, I will not do it. I do not want to be known as a crap window cleaner just so I get a job. And Ewan that shocks me coming from you as you clearly are not stupid when it comes to the business side of things.

[NWH]

What i`m saying is that because the prices going in are so low it`s only allowing you to do a bad job,how can you do a 4 hour job in 1.5 hours.I tell you how by missing half the windows and paying your workers peanuts,some jobs i`ve looked at after speaking to the burser or whoever may be in charge i`ve just laughed and walked away,i`d rather earn double on domestic for half the hours thanks.

[Oakley Windows]

Ok I agree its all about volume, most of the quotes I see on here for £1 a window no matter how many windows there are, are simply ridiculous and posted usually by people that just dont have a clue.

Can you explain what you mean please?

[NWH]

Well I suppose that’s the thing you have to learn, no matter how bad you think they are doing the job it must be acceptable to the customers.

You’re not going to be successful at all if you take four hours to do the work and only get paid for one and half hours.

Like I said only give them what they pay for.

It gets to the point with some customers that they`ve had so many bad WC`s that rubbish work is accepted as the norm and just getting a quick flit over goes un noticed,it`s only when someone in charge with an sense comes in these WC`s shake in there boots in the knowing that there about to lose the job.I`m talking from experience here and am not directing my comments at you,but by carrying out work like this on a daily basis i would be worried about losing work.Losing work through quality is never a thing i have to worry about.

[Mike_G]

As far as I know neither Initial or OCS pay by the hour the both pay piece work. Ocs is about 57% of price to them 43% to the window cleaners. Some of the jobs are priced ok but most are not great, that said if you were to get the whole 100% the vast majority of work would be very good indeed. I know a few guys who work for initial and the all earn well over £500 a week which is not bad when you get paid holidays and no overheads of their own although they travel hundreds of miles a day to get to some of the work and have to start at 3am. As for the jobs they get, the facilities managers of the said establishments normally have to justify thier own position and therefore try to cut cost to a minimum (brown nosing to their boss) and will generally go for the lowest quote assuming all standards of work will be similar, which quite often will not be great but there is always someone out there that will do a job for peanuts and they know it.

[NWH]

Customers get what they pay for. Its there own fault if they are good at driving down the prices I don’t blame the window cleaners for doing a quick job.

Just give them what they are willing to pay for. Everybody here goes on about doing a perfect job and there standards are high. That comes at a price and if the customers don’t pay for that don’t do it and just give them what they pay for and no more.

 

if they do not want to pay for a good job in window cleaning, I will not do it. I do not want to be known as a crap window cleaner just so I get a job. And Ewan that shocks me coming from you as you clearly are not stupid when it comes to the business side of things.

Ian don’t be shocked, people on here have already expressed there views on the quality of work done by larger companies.

Think why that is and who continue to get the (large) contracts.

You will never be able to survive in that area of window cleaning if you maintain your higher standards. Someone else has already said it, its quantity not quality.

That is a different type of business although it is still window cleaning.

 

Your right but my reputation is important to me,it`s my name on all the paperwork and staff tend to forget that.

[windowwashers]

Customers get what they pay for. Its there own fault if they are good at driving down the prices I don’t blame the window cleaners for doing a quick job.

Just give them what they are willing to pay for. Everybody here goes on about doing a perfect job and there standards are high. That comes at a price and if the customers don’t pay for that don’t do it and just give them what they pay for and no more.

 

if they do not want to pay for a good job in window cleaning, I will not do it. I do not want to be known as a crap window cleaner just so I get a job. And Ewan that shocks me coming from you as you clearly are not stupid when it comes to the business side of things.

Ian don’t be shocked, people on here have already expressed there views on the quality of work done by larger companies.

Think why that is and who continue to get the (large) contracts.

You will never be able to survive in that area of window cleaning if you maintain your higher standards. Someone else has already said it, its quantity not quality.

That is a different type of business although it is still window cleaning.

 

Your right but my reputation is important to me,it`s my name on all the paperwork and staff tend to forget that.

My reputation is important to me and as a business to my company name and recommendations from work done, I personally do not chase big contracts for peanuts, I prefer to get quality work at prices i want to work for right or wrong this is what I will continue to do while it is working as has been for quite a few years now. If it stops working I will sit and rethink my plans.

Ian

 

[bluez]

Interesting topic.

Large businesses that have purchasing managers and facilities managers tend to rely on systems to ensure that their contractors deliver the work required. This is usually based on a specification document that details the work that is expected and the standards.

The decision makers tend not to ever see the finished work quality and changes in contractors due to poor standards tend to take a long period to happen as the complaints work there way up the food chain of the organisation to the decision maker. When it does actually reach the decision maker they in most cases will discuss the issues with the service provider, who generally goes all out to impress the client for the next few visits.

I never set out to do a better job than the job I am paid to do.

Ford could make better cars, but they, rightly or wrongly, have decided that this is the section of the market they wish to operate in.
 

[Oakley Windows]

ego alone (reputation).

I think your confused

[NWH]

I think this is a normal problem with individuals or small firms, they think that every job they do has to be quality or there reputation as a window cleaner is tarnished.
Its actually complete nonsense and most of your work will come from marketing not from your extremely wonderful reputation.

You would be better of offering a range of services for your customers, having different prices for these services. Most importantly giving the customer what they want rather than what you think they need. All within the customers budget and still have a very good margin for the work you do for them, all done with honesty integrity and professionalism.

That is business, not having it based on your ego alone (reputation).

 

That`s rubbish,i don`t do cheap sub standard work for anyone regardless of there budget,your doing a bad job and using there budget as an excuse if you ask me.What do you do miss half the windows and then say oh well you got it done cheap didn`t you,in the end they`ll gey fed up and get someone else and i`ll be waiting.

[L.J.Thorpe]

ewan
i just think you talk a load of rubbish
reputation has got me more work than ANY advertising,marketing whatever
when i do a first clean i do it to a v high standard
same with fascia etc
i always tell customers
"if you are happy with our service tell a friend"
works really well
has got me loads of solid regular work
you talk nonsense sometimes
crap window cleaners go out of business
good ones dont

[L.J.Thorpe]

ewan
good luck in your chosen line of work
i wish you lived closer to me