[Gleaming windows]

Does it take a particular type of person to become a window-cleaner, or perhaps a special type of person?

Of course you need to be able to work outdoors all year round, nothing too special in that, brickies do it, so do farmers, so do bin-men etc.

You need to be able to get along mostly with members of the public, nothing special in that either, enough to write home about anyway, most people at some point in their working lives have to be able to do that.

You need motivation, self-employed people generally do, I had a period of time where a more attractive option to cleaning glass was duvet-diving. Eventually it passed and now I work 5 days a week, regular.

Do we need to be thick-skinned, stupid, dumb, arrogant or anything else you can think of?

Sometimes it strikes me we talk ourselves 'up' on here no-end, like we're something special; but should we be prepared to give ourselves a pat on the back every now and again? Posties are quite often appreciated for trudging day in day out in all weathers to deliver the post. Do we deserve that too or should we just say to ourselves, hey its just a job...get over it!


What say you?

Matt

[Jeff Brimble]

All the w/cers I know are very good problem solvers. Self employement is not for the majority and the government doesnt understand us. Self motivated and strong character, but with the skills to be humble when required.
With hindsight I should have got a toasty pen pushing job for the council 30 odd years ago- would have been retired now  :

[pingu]

I think that being a little thick does help...lets face it...sweeping windows does get a little old and real quick...

I too suffer at times from complete lack of intrest and only the thought that I absolutly HAVE to bring in money gets me out the door.

This summer has been a real hottie here in the land of clogs..I have found this heat this year combined with my increased work load hard...people who say wfp is easy I am sorry but I must be doing it all wrong as I do find it physically challenging at times.

Cheers
Dave.

[Gleaming windows]

I do find it physically challenging at times.

Ay, Ive found muscles I never knew I had!

[elite mike]

I do find it physically challenging at times.

Ay, Ive found muscles I never knew I had!

yeh lifting all that money 

[Gleaming windows]

 : : : :

[TonyD]

After being self employed for years on a few different type of trades, indoor and outdoor, and now being in window cleaning, I'd say to be a window cleaner in particular you need an abundance of ...

Self confidence - It's a lowly image most of the time being a window cleaner, even if you make top dollar, and self confidence is needed to rise above it and carry on with a smile on your face.

Common sense - It's so easy to stretch just that little bit further on the ladder or set it up in a high risk way.  You wouldn't  last long without the common sense to say STOP, this ladder angle/set up is too risky.

Patience - Dealing with the silly requests or unjust complaints and being able to wait till you've built the business you're happy with instead of giving up half way through because the customers aren't there yet.

[ftp]

Patience is what you need - pulling that frigging hose about all day, catching on frigging rose bushes, frigging wheely bins, frigging patio slabs, frigging flower pots and my frigging legs. Paddling in frigging dog mess. Winding a hose back in covered in stinky frigging dogs hair and snapping another frigging lever on my frigging pole! 
(I haven't got it).

[Gleaming windows]

Patience?

[Clive McDonald]

I think all of what you say is true, including us being a bit stupid and arrogant.

What you'll find/already have found, is you go through phases.Wow, i'm the only person in the world ever to earn 200 in a day.Crikey! everyone else earns more than me.Blast! if the idiots on that forum would only listen to me. And so it goes on.

The only constant is change.The one's able to cope with change succeed.
Here are some changes in the last few years.
1. computers,broadband, internet banking, and forums. Result easy round scheduling and no more collecting.Access to huge knowledge base.
2.dual income syndrome.Result more money less time means people have pizza delivery, ironing and wc services
3 UPVC frames,gutters and Conservatories. Result painters are out of a job and we have a new one
4 WFP and legislation. result with inteligent planing this can deliver an obscene hourly rate
5 Education. Most of us had one. Result it may be that some of us never had the chance to think for ourselves before, and surprisingly it turns out we are quite good at it.

Your brochure's a good example.You probably made as good a job of that as an ad agency could have, yet it's still part of a modern wc's job.

[ftp]

Most windowcleaners I've met seem pretty laid back to be honest. Maybe we are a bunch of people who don't take orders from  jumped up supervisors particularly well. I know I don't and have a real gripe with arogant directors.

[ftp]

Well you obviously didn't meet the nine in my last company. Or the ones who suddenly retired at fifty, or the two who were on £350,000 each who retired, came back and casually anounced that the pension fund had a huge hole in it and nobody was allowed to retire early. The same ones who gave us a pay cut year after year whilst they lined their pockets and sunk the firm?

[Clive McDonald]

Well you obviously didn't meet the nine in my last company. Or the ones who suddenly retired at fifty, or the two who were on £350,000 each who retired, came back and casually anounced that the pension fund had a huge hole in it and nobody was allowed to retire early. The same ones who gave us a pay cut year after year whilst they lined their pockets and sunk the firm?

Have you kept in touch? These sound like fun guys and good to have on the team. As your responsibilies grow you'll align with their viewpoint more and more.

[Gleaming windows]

Your brochure's a good example.You probably made as good a job of that as an ad agency could have, yet it's still part of a modern wc's job.

Thankyou  the cheques in the post!

[Sean Dyer]

Does it take a particular type of person to become a window-cleaner, or perhaps a special type of person?

Of course you need to be able to work outdoors all year round, nothing too special in that, brickies do it, so do farmers, so do bin-men etc.

You need to be able to get along mostly with members of the public, nothing special in that either, enough to write home about anyway, most people at some point in their working lives have to be able to do that.

You need motivation, self-employed people generally do, I had a period of time where a more attractive option to cleaning glass was duvet-diving. Eventually it passed and now I work 5 days a week, regular.

Do we need to be thick-skinned, stupid, dumb, arrogant or anything else you can think of?

Sometimes it strikes me we talk ourselves 'up' on here no-end, like we're something special; but should we be prepared to give ourselves a pat on the back every now and again? Posties are quite often appreciated for trudging day in day out in all weathers to deliver the post. Do we deserve that too or should we just say to ourselves, hey its just a job...get over it!


What say you?

Matt

I think windys are a whining bunch of girls

Seriously though i do sometimes sit at home in bad weather or did in the past and see my postman calland think he is earning in a week somtimes what i could do and do  in a day or 2 and im indoors sulking...

I think it does take a certain amount of motivation but it is only because you work for yourself and no one can tell you what to do , loads of people graft hard for pittance in jobs and have amazing work ethic, its quickly lost when bosses are gone though, i just try and remember how little i earned contract cleaning at 5am in the morning compared to that i get same money per hour as i did then some days

Its a blessing i think to be self employed and earn so much for an unskilled job

HOWEVER i think too make a god living out of window cleaning you have to either be very very lucky or usually put in alot of hard work marketing, being a good customer service person, putting in place systems for work, collecting, accounting, and many other things , many probably just clean a small round each week and only take on a custy when someone asks them , others wil make alot of money in striving to be best and marketing and working persistently