[Nathan Davidson]

Hello there,

I live in a small village called Quadring, near Spalding in Lincolnshire. I know of a couple of window cleaners who currently operate in my village and surrounding area, but think there still could be an opportunity. One window cleaner spends about 10-15 minutes on each house with a WFP and charges £8, doesn't really do a good job. The other is even worse, spends a little longer (old fashioned way) and charges £7, both cleaners seem to leave their customers windows quite smeary and not particularily clean. I'm thinking of starting up as comercially there's an opportunity there, as the competitors are not performing and I believe I could do a better job.

However, I'm slightly worried about recieving a hostile reaction from the cleaners; as a window cleaner how do you react to newcomers? Is it a similar scenearo to the ice cream wars; "You're on my patch!" type thing?

I know morally 'poaching' customers seems a bad thing, but if a cleaner is not doing a good job, why do they deserve to keep their customers?

Sorry to be ignorant about this, I want to hear from the people who actually know, which is why I'm asking you all.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

test the water go out n canvass a few custys
do a gud job get reccommended to a few more
custys charge right take all ova wcs work simples
tell em to go forth n multiply 

[daz1977]

there is no such think as patch,  the wc that moan about are usually crap and are scared of losing custy,  if i was you i would flyer an area, offering your services and offering a free demo to any one who wants one to show the difference between you and the other wc,  after flyering, give it 3 days then go knock the area, offering your services,  you should pick you some custy

commercial can be very cut throat more than domestic as a lot seem to think this is where the money is,   i was talking to a wc the other day who had just lost a restuarant he does to a bloke who is charging a £5  and he use to charge £15

[michael papworth]

You'll probably find that those who have a window cleaner won't take you, but that there are still plenty of people who want one and don't have one.

If you want to be really noble, you can always refuse to take customers from another shiner.

People will talk about you to their friends and at their coffee mornings and mum and toddler groups etc. If you (a) do a good job and (b) come across as a decent and trustworthy bloke, you'll pick up the customers.

[prestige cleaners]

im a relative noob, 2 1/2 yrs now, my advice is go for it specially if theres only 2 others! ive got about a 100 rivals in my city, and i see a few new ones every month!

there will come a point of saturation and prices dropping back to the 70's but its ok at the moment!

i wouldnt go out to rob there custies though, that would be very unkind, how would you feel if they did it to you?

theres no need, just canvass wherever, but dont target their custs on purpose.

if you do have their custs coming over to you on their own bat, but not because you purposely undercut them by £1 then you will be ok. i would charge more if i was you. if you dont purposely target their custs you have nothing to worry about.

[cleewindows]

dont worry about other cleaners just go for it,im picking up customers who are not happy with there window cleaner and im charging more,aslong as they get a job done they are happy to pay you!

[ian1972]

Its inevitable that your going to upset other window cleaners yes some are friendly but as a rule a lot get nasty if you even leaflet there so called patch.I am from wigan and always getting agro off other cleaners and its not cause I undercut cause I don't buy they tend not to even like you cleaning on the same estate.its sad but you have to have a thick skin and not get scared off

[Wizard]

Go canvases and if there is a need you will get the work and tough tits.Its called free interprise

[daztheger]

Go for it .  i dont worry about new cleaners starting up in my area as i am sure that i do the best job i can at every house . if i get a complaint (very rarely) even if only on 1 window at house  i dont charge , most custys pay anyway so im hardly losing out , but my rep with custy improves cos they then know it was honest mistake (and i have found i get more tips from the complainers who never used to tip)

[Londoner]

If you want my advice don't start out canvassing on your home ground. Not because of the other window cleaners but just because its easier to get started, learn the ropes and make your mistakes somewhere where you don't know the people.

[ian1972]

Yes go for it but do so with your eyes open and b aware of who you could b upseting.remember you could b canversing a round someone paid 20k for if it was yours wouldn't you b protective?or if you ad built your round over 10 years would it not anoy you someone else was moving in onto it?and as for customers they come and go some are loyal some are not they go wit first idiot that knocks on door doing it cheaper

[Rcs]

just go for it
its a free market
charge a fair price to make a decent living and do a good job

[Alistair@AWC]

Nathan,

As a direct response to your post, what you are proposing is impossible to achieve!

You talk about these window cleaners doing a poor job and the fact you want to do a better job for their customers but that you dont want the said cleaners to be hostile towards you.

Sorry but if you set up and do this your just gonna have to get used to the fact that these guys are unlikely to like you very much.

[slrobo]

Hi Nathan,

If you look on items for sale you will see a topic for filta pura 5. Read it as I may well be selling my 3 month old 800 litre system in an ifor william trailer.
Kind Reghards

[paul rulton]

test the water go out n canvass a few custys
do a gud job get reccommended to a few more
custys charge right take all ova wcs work simples
tell em to go forth n multiply 

HERE HERE if they r doin a crap job then it only a matter of time b4 the custy will find
some1 else so wot u waitin 4 m8?.... get in there

[ian1972]

I totaly agree wit hitman just do b aware you will upset someone.but that's life and you will do well I have tried everything from a canversers to leaflets whatever you do it will upset someone but if you can cope wit the theets and phone calls stick 2 fingers up and get on

[barry mallett]

how do you know they leave the windows smeary. do you follow them round and look at the windows.sound like a peeping tom to me . you can get done for that you know

[rob child]

hi fella i used to work round your area on the fields in between me windows im in lincoln but theres loads of wcs here and i gotta get work in local villages as lincoln virtually all covered!! good luck fella

[Craig 72]

At the end of the day,if you're not not being sly and deliberately undercutting people,who gives a toss what other people think.You're trying to provide for your family not win a popularity contest.I've been window cleaning for just over a year now and I can honestly say I've only talked to one other cleaner and he couldn't have been more pleasant.I must admit when I started I felt the same way,like I was treading on other peoples toes,but there still seems plenty of work for everybody.