[pingu]

Give the customer too much info and they'll hang you with it...

Freemanscleaning...you have kept the same 400+/- customers for 6 years and no loses?, no turnover?, no house moves?...how have you managed that? I really need to install that into my round...I seem to get around 11-13% turnover per year.

Cheers
Dave.

[[GQC] Tim]

Little tip, your letter is your biggest problem, dont give one, explain as an when asked, you ask for trouble otherwise  this is a fact

I would have to disagree, I have send all of my customers a letter, and give all of my new ones a letter too, and never had any problems. 

[Oakley Windows]

How many of you guys out there lost customers after the first cleans with WFP.
I lost 5 customers today, they all said they didn't want their windows and their house dripping wet after I clean them.
I had hand posted a letter explaining that I have changed over to WFP and what to expect i.e. wet windows, probable spotting.
I was upfront with them, but when I told them the reason I changed over was for Health and Safety reason, they didn't care about that, just "my windows and house is soaking wet"
Well I am peeved about it, but if they dont care about MY health and safety I wont care about their bloody windows.
I picked up 6 customers this week, so I am still 1 up for the week.



Matt

Little tip, your letter is your biggest problem, dont give one, explain as an when asked, you ask for trouble otherwise  this is a fact

Totally disagree.

I gave a letter out as I think its considerate when I changed over.

I DID'NT lose any customers. NONE.

I fail to see how giving out a letter is a mistake. Those customers who cancelled on you would have done anyway....letter or no letter.

[Oakley Windows]

Ahh!! I never saw Tims response prior to my posting either 

[AuRavelling79]

I used a letter - no excuses just solid written reasons - lost three (two were ones I didn't use a letter for cuz I was complacent!)

Reasons I gave were:-

Better results
Frames and cills
Rooflights/Conservatory/Awkward windows
Health and Safety guidelines
Privacy
No ladder marks in the lawn
Not getting sued when a window cleaner falls from his ladder when you know there is a safer way to do it.

[mlscontractcleaner]

Give it a few years and these customers who cancel wont have a choice; it'll be wfp or dirty windows 

[[GQC] Tim]

Personally, I like informing the customers, they understand the process then, they will explain it to their friends and family, and they can prove the occasional traditional cleaner who claims wfp is evil wrong.

[GWCS]

I just got on and cleaned them... many didn't even realise, although did comment on how cleaner the frames looked!

Only when they were in they found out i changed my ways.. Seeing as they had been done for months before they realised, they knew it was OK.

Most of my new customer dont care how its cleaned so long as it is.

I think, oh you've made my house all wet - a bit wet of an excuse - i mean what happens when it rains? Its a stupid argument - ive only had to use it once, and of course you cant reply to it. But I say its your choice, i'll wont be back anymore then.

If they want it cleaned of ladders etc, i charge them a lot more for it. As I ensure im not taking unnecessary risks, no leaning, speed climbing/decent, rushing to get it done.

[Mike 108]

Some don't like the windows being left wet, because they're not used to it.

But for others, it's the fact that the doorstep, path or patio is left with puddles of water on them, when it HASN'T been raining. On some surfaces, the water soaks away within 5 or 10 minutes - but on others it doesn't.

My own house has patten imprinted concrete all round that has been 'sealed'.

It looks a mess when I've cleaned the windows, and because it can't soak away, it stays there for ages - so if I'm going in and out, it's a 'pain' having to wipe my feet all the time.

That's why I carry a soft sweeping brush to brush away any 'standing' water.
I also move any wooden benches/garden furniture that is likely to get wet (unless they're already wet) in case the occupier wants to sit on them.

If the customer sees you being thoughtful and taking a few simple steps to lessen any inconvenience, they're more likely to accept the 'new' methods.

[andyjm1]

I had one lady say to me she didn't like my way (wfp) because it looks hard work.  

[NWH]

I have had people say to me that it looks a far better way of cleaning windows,the fact that there not just getting wiped over with a dirty old rag in there mind is better.Lets face it in the past a lot of people-customers think that`s how you`ve cleaned leaded or georgion type windows.

[martinsadie]

How many of you guys out there lost customers after the first cleans with WFP.
I lost 5 customers today, they all said they didn't want their windows and their house dripping wet after I clean them.

thats great when it happens more customers for me 

[NWH]

The trouble is Stan you might get more work from this but you work trad and to be honest your limited to how much work you can do working that way,you can also say the same for a WFP window cleaner but a WFPoler can do so much more work in a day over a trad cleaner.Some on here say you can do about a 1/3 more per week than a trad WC,in reality and after being a trad cleaner for over 12 years i would say you can do at least double the amount of work over the course of a week.

[martinsadie]

id like to see you come and clean my work and do it in half the time

[NWH]

I could also say the same you can`t tell me you can clean windows quicker from a ladder Stan outright common sense will tell you it`s not possible,don`t forget i`ve myself cleaned windows from ladders for some years and the No 1 reason i wouldn`t go back is profit and the fact it`s far safer.All i can say is that you must have a lot of small awkward houses and i`m not being funny because houses and commercial properties with good access will take at least double the time with ladders,i`m not knocking you for using ladders i`m just saying it`s a fact if your saying you can clean quicker from ladders i think your kidding yourself to be honest.

[Oakley Windows]

I could also say the same you can`t tell me you can clean windows quicker from a ladder Stan outright common sense will tell you it`s not possible,don`t forget i`ve myself cleaned windows from ladders for some years and the No 1 reason i wouldn`t go back is profit and the fact it`s far safer.All i can say is that you must have a lot of small awkward houses and i`m not being funny because houses and commercial properties with good access will take at least double the time with ladders,i`m not knocking you for using ladders i`m just saying it`s a fact if your saying you can clean quicker from ladders i think your kidding yourself to be honest.

I taught him everything he knows 

[NWH]

id like to see you come and clean my work and do it in half the time

Just think Stan in three years time, water fed pole window cleaners in general will have earned an entire years money over you and other trad cleaners in the same three years.   

I would say without trying to knock him it would be a lot more than that,it`s to much like hard work working from ladders all the time,i only have to do 1 house trad every now and again and it`s like hitting a brick wall as far as time is concerned.These days i pole 99% of work mainly because of the time factor,it just seems to take far far longer to get done.When i say i wouldn`t go back to ladders i mean it i just don`t think physically i could do it anymore or would want to.

[martinsadie]

I could also say the same you can`t tell me you can clean windows quicker from a ladder Stan outright common sense will tell you it`s not possible,don`t forget i`ve myself cleaned windows from ladders for some years and the No 1 reason i wouldn`t go back is profit and the fact it`s far safer.All i can say is that you must have a lot of small awkward houses and i`m not being funny because houses and commercial properties with good access will take at least double the time with ladders,i`m not knocking you for using ladders i`m just saying it`s a fact if your saying you can clean quicker from ladders i think your kidding yourself to be honest.

im not doubting that you are quicker, i even believe on big jobs you are 30% quicker but not on run of the mill compact houses

[NWH]

On the run of the mill compact houses as long as there is good access you will always be quicker and not 30% sometimes 50-60% quicker,for an example i used to do houses trad and they would take me 1.5 hours to do off of ladders with the pole i can do them in around 35-40 mins.The bigger the job the more time you will save,typical 3-4 bed houses are easily done in 15 mins.

[[GQC] Tim]

Stan. I did a run of the mill house, two trad guys already were half way finished on the front. I pulled up, got the hose out, started cleaning, and beat them with 5 minutes to go. The houses are roughly the same, but mine had two dormer windows, so my house was 4 bedroom.

Infact, I had my bucket ready to do the insides, when they were loading up the ladders. WFP is that quick. Maybe they weren't the quickest, and I did a fast (but good job) just to see how much I could beat them (childish I know) but it showed me how far I've come in my business after I ditched the ladders.

Edit : In fact, I will go out on a limb and say that on some jobs you're more then twice as quick.