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How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« on: July 22, 2005, 11:08:15 pm »
This evening I answered my phone and it was from a lady asking for a quote.

She told me the following... 

'I'm not very happy with my window cleaner.  He's just put his prices up again.  How much do you charge?'

I told her it depends on her property and where she lives, but as the conversation continued, mostly from her; it turns out she's a nurse who works in accident and emergency in Newport, and when I told her I may charge more than her current window cleaner, she said...

'Come on now, it's not hard to work out how much you guys earn.  And here I am a trained nurse, facing violence on a daily basis.  It's just not fair.'

She did sound like she'd been drinking mind.  But then so had I; so I understood her perfectly.  She meant she's highly trained and earning less than what she supposes I'm earning; and it's not fair because I'm only a crappy window cleaner.

I did advise her to leave her profession and become a window cleaner, like I left my 'dangerous' army career and voted with my feet.  Then she wouldn't have a problem with it.

Have you lot had any stroppy people looking for quotes?


gaza

  • Posts: 1642
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2005, 11:31:45 pm »
I used to get it of my stepson when he was training to be an electrician your only a window cleaner. He really thought he was something special. now hes qualified I still earn more than him.
which realy p..s him of.

The other stepson lost his job just before xmas,so I took him with me,hoping to take him on ,lasted 5 days before refusing to get out of his pit complaining he was tired. Mind you the eldest has shut his mouth now after the younger one told him how hard he had to work. ;D

IM TO OLD TO KNOW IT ALL

GAZA
IM AT THAT AGE MY BACK GOES OUT MORE THAN I DO

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2005, 11:44:56 pm »
For Sale:  Comlete Encyclopaedia Britannica all volumes...
No longer needed ....Teenage son now knows it all!!!

Sir Squeaky

  • Posts: 8341
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2005, 12:57:32 am »
I got told by a customer once that £20+ per hour was disgusting as her husband was a builder and he charges nothing like that.

Yeah right, he may spend more on materials but I know for a fact builders do better than that.

"But your job isn't skilled like his"

Hmmph! What can you say?!! >:(

I wish I had a Range Rover like his....

Paul Coleman

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2005, 01:29:04 am »
I got told by a customer once that £20+ per hour was disgusting as her husband was a builder and he charges nothing like that.

Yeah right, he may spend more on materials but I know for a fact builders do better than that.

"But your job isn't skilled like his"

Hmmph! What can you say?!! >:(

I wish I had a Range Rover like his....


It sounds like the difference between what he earned and what he told her that he earned.  Maybe you should have said that to her to wind her up.

Paul Coleman

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2005, 01:32:39 am »
This evening I answered my phone and it was from a lady asking for a quote.

She told me the following... 

'I'm not very happy with my window cleaner.  He's just put his prices up again.  How much do you charge?'

I told her it depends on her property and where she lives, but as the conversation continued, mostly from her; it turns out she's a nurse who works in accident and emergency in Newport, and when I told her I may charge more than her current window cleaner, she said...

'Come on now, it's not hard to work out how much you guys earn.  And here I am a trained nurse, facing violence on a daily basis.  It's just not fair.'

She did sound like she'd been drinking mind.  But then so had I; so I understood her perfectly.  She meant she's highly trained and earning less than what she supposes I'm earning; and it's not fair because I'm only a crappy window cleaner.

I did advise her to leave her profession and become a window cleaner, like I left my 'dangerous' army career and voted with my feet.  Then she wouldn't have a problem with it.

Have you lot had any stroppy people looking for quotes?



I once had some guy telling me what I should charge him and his neighbours.  I said to him that if he doubled it, he would be getting close.  He even tried to tell me that my van wasn't a business expense.  My response just slipped off the tongue and it was a classic.  I said to him that I would cut a deal.  Basically the deal was that I wouldn't clean his windows if he promised not to do my accounts.  I never got the job of course but at least we parted with good humour.

Marc's on the Glass, LLC

  • Posts: 134
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2005, 04:19:31 am »
Well all you low-lifes... :o  (j/k)

I see them every day.  Not many have made such assertions to me, but there are those who look down on me like I live in the gutter.  That's fine by me!  I'm laughing all the way to the bank.  I don't want them to know that I make as much as I do.

Though there was that time when someone was really snobby with me.  Made a couple sarcastic and condescending remarks about my profession.  Should've seen the look on their faces when I got into my A8 and drove by.

Marc's on the Glass, LLC

  • Posts: 134
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2005, 04:22:38 am »
I got carried away with the negative part.

That only reflects a small percentage of the people I see...I'm sure you all would agree that most folks enjoy what we do and respect it.  I always have poeple watching me and marveling.  Many make friendly remarks.

I think most view us in a good light...as clever and skilled men and women who probably have a great job and decent life.

thewindowcleaner1

  • Posts: 779
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2005, 08:46:24 am »
One of my stepdaughters was once warned by her teacher that if she did improve her work she would become a windowcleaner like me.

Well I just had to write to him explaining that
to be a window cleaner you need the following abilitys.

To be self motivated
Have basic maths for accounting
develope customer relations
An awarness of Health and safty issues
ect
but the best thing about being a self employed window cleaner was that I did not have to take crap or be run down by other people.(plus there was every chance that I was earning more than him.

The secret is not doing as you like but liking what you do
www.thewindowcleaner.biz

Londoner

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2005, 08:56:08 am »
Its true !
 people judge you on what they think you are.

A humble window cleaner is low on the list despite the fact that you may be earning a lot more than the so called respectable professions like teacher or police officer.

Go to one of the posh golf clubs and put window cleaner on your application. Then see how you get on when it goes before the membership commitee.

thewindowcleaner1

  • Posts: 779
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2005, 09:17:57 am »
Quote
Go to one of the posh golf clubs and put window cleaner on your application. Then see how you get on when it goes before the membership commitee

On any form I fill in I descride my job as

"Glass cleansing technician"

they are then stunned when I explain the description.
The secret is not doing as you like but liking what you do
www.thewindowcleaner.biz

kcc

  • Posts: 34
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2005, 09:55:13 am »
The other one to use is  'Vision technician'    ;D

matt

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2005, 11:58:47 am »
we have all had it :)

i was collecting from a few houses near to me,i park outside these houses, walk to the pub i also clean, collect from the pub then back to the few houses

1 wasnt in, or so i thought, as Im getting on the car, the guy comes out of his house, he had been out the garden and didnt hear the bell

so he comes over to the car and starts to chat "nice car, what you do win the lottery", Hmmmmmm no its my family car, "BUT YOUR ONLY A WINDOW CLEANER, how can you afford a 10 K car"

it makes me laugh

Sir Squeaky

  • Posts: 8341
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2005, 02:17:09 pm »
Or often you get "We must be paying you too much!" >:(

Mike_G

  • Posts: 1500
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2005, 02:27:15 pm »
I have known window cleaners lose jobs because they collected money in nice cars, you must be charging to much to have a car like that is the usual comment!  and then the phone call.... we have found a cheaper window cleaner

 

H h20

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2005, 03:10:00 pm »
It`s all the costs they just don`t get,car insurance,public liability,personal insurance,petrol while working and collecting no holiday pay,what do they think all this is free? they either want a window cleaner or not,all my customers are more than pleased with my work and know they pay for a good job not a cowboy with a dirty rag,as the sayin goes you get what you pay for.

Marc's on the Glass, LLC

  • Posts: 134
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #16 on: July 23, 2005, 06:00:27 pm »
Have you ever intentionally gotten someone wet if they were rude?

Come on, be honest

liscannor

  • Posts: 5
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #17 on: July 23, 2005, 06:08:22 pm »
At the end of the day it is hard work and we should hold up our head up high.The Western World was built on hard work and toughness it wasnt built by sending an e-mail or making a telephone call or it wasnt done overnight.The London underground system, Channel tunnel, The Motorway Network,The Hoover Dam, Brooklyn Bridge and The Empire State building along with the Pyramids were built by men who werent AFRAID to toil and sweat. The next time you get a put down, remember it is people like us (the workers of the world) who have made THEIR life possible....... and yes in my opinion we should be paid alot more and respected alot more for that.

H h20

Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #18 on: July 23, 2005, 06:11:19 pm »
Have you ever intentionally gotten someone wet if they were rude?

Come on, be honest
Wet them with?

Marc's on the Glass, LLC

  • Posts: 134
Re: How people percieve us - the window cleaner!
« Reply #19 on: July 23, 2005, 06:22:43 pm »
Oh... just a little flick with the squeegie can send a little water projectile.

I won't say I get them intentionally, but when rude ones plow their way through entrances I'm working on or have no regard for what I am doing, I just am not real careful.

 ;)