[wpclean]

I am finding  it hard to explain to a new customer that it would take me three attempts to get their windows clean while charging them xxx pounds !

Usually cleaning trad they gladly  hand the money over after being impressed with the end results.

So my question is how do you wfp guys do it ?

I am a wfp convert and need to know 

[davids3511]

I just explain that the frames are my first priority on the first clean and the glass is usually spot on but may not be. Just explain it like that's just the way it is. If the guy spraying your car said it would take two coats you wouldn't argue and say it should only take one and you were only paying for one.

[mci services]

just do it right and forget the three clean nonsense, 

[CLEANCARE WC]

Dont tell them any of this 3 cleans nonsense, just tell them that there shouldnt be a problem but there is a chance they may not dry great due to ingress of detergents and if there is a problem give me a call and i will come back and sort it out. but basically scrub the hell out of everything then go back and do the hole house again rinsing well. then leave the above guarantee 9 times out of 10 they will not call you back for a couple of rogue spots, which there shouldnt be really. NO WAY IN HELL I WOULD PAY TO HAVE DIRTY WINDOWS, so we shouldnt expect our customers to.

[d s windowcleaning]

just do it right and forget the three clean nonsense, 

agreed

even though i agree  that it dont need 3 cleans if hes changing over from trad to wfp depending on the size of his round saying it minght take 3 cleans is a good move .
i said to all my custom it can take 3 cleans .
where did i learn that it can take 3 cleans
on this forum .
with me taking that it could take 3 cleans for good results on board gave me a good start in getting used to wfp and getting the customer used to it .
remember we have all started somewhere and remember what your first clean with wfp was like .
then remember how much better it felt after getting a few cleans out of the way .
dazzmond is a good example after only recently going wfp .

[mci services]

just do it right and forget the three clean nonsense, 

agreed

even though i agree  that it dont need 3 cleans if hes changing over from trad to wfp depending on the size of his round saying it minght take 3 cleans is a good move .
i said to all my custom it can take 3 cleans .
where did i learn that it can take 3 cleans
on this forum .
with me taking that it could take 3 cleans for good results on board gave me a good start in getting used to wfp and getting the customer used to it .
remember we have all started somewhere and remember what your first clean with wfp was like .
then remember how much better it felt after getting a few cleans out of the way .
dazzmond is a good example after only recently going wfp .

he said new customer not a change over customer and even if it was I would expect even less problems with converting from trad to wfp as the windows and frames would be already clean

[CLEANCARE WC]

i was also told alot of rubbish when i changed to wfp 5 yrs ago, namely...it takes 3 times to get the windows clean.

[Sean Dyer]

poled my windows for first time today and i take back what i said t'other day about easy wfping


I did them over at least an hour and still had spots and runs

cleand all the frames and rinsed rinsed rinsed came back did windows but  still runs

i had cleand soffits too so wonder if water had run down render afterwards but every window had something and if it was a custy id expect them not to pay and no way could i spend as long as i did if being paid so changing over must be a total nightmare, i still am 70 % trad im dreading changing the majority of my work

[Paul Coleman]

I am finding  it hard to explain to a new customer that it would take me three attempts to get their windows clean while charging them xxx pounds !

Usually cleaning trad they gladly  hand the money over after being impressed with the end results.

So my question is how do you wfp guys do it ?

I am a wfp convert and need to know 

I don't say 3 cleans.  I do say that sometimes there may be a few imperfections on the first clean after it dries but that I go around the work twice in order to minimize it.

[the bfg]

ah  back on the old THREE CLEAN CON TRICK eh.

you don't ever need to make excuses to customers saying it can take up to 3 cleans to get the windows right if you did the job PROPERLY in the first place  and if you don't know ho0w to do it properly then you shouldn't be window cleaning.

so a £50 house could cost up to £150 before you managed to clean the glass ?   how hard is a piece of glass to clean ?

if a car cleaner told you it could take up to 3 cleans before your car was right  would you still use them ?


the proper ( I was gonna say good but there's nothing good about just doing the job properly )  window cleaners will take however long it takes to get the windows clean on 1st visit  and use as much water as needed  after all its their job and their reputation.

they will treat 1st cleans as 1st cleans by knowing it usually takes longer 1st time round but by doing it right the first time paves the way for easier cleans in the futrure


yes you will always get problem windows no matter how many times you clean them but you can get them clean with care and attention  and if it means an extra rinse and 10 mins more each time then so be it


if a so called window cleaner tried to tell me it could take up to 3 cleans before he got my windows right he wouldn't be doing them at all,   I would get a proper window cleaner to do them.

[Dave Willis]

I just tell the customer to give me a ring if they are not satisfied. Doesn't matter how big a head you have you'll never get 100% results on a first clean even if you use 650 litres on one house.

You normally get an acceptable clean, with care, that most customers accept but if you come back and study every window you'll usually find something wrong. Just do the best you can and don't beat yourself up about it.

WFP can give appalling results on dirty commercial cleans - don't believe all the hype.

In the years I have been cleaning the three cleans rule has been fairly accurate but I rarely tell the customers this.

[the bfg]

I just tell the customer to give me a ring if they are not satisfied. Doesn't matter how big a head you have you'll never get 100% results on a first clean even if you use 650 litres on one house.

You normally get an acceptable clean, with care, that most customers accept but if you come back and study every window you'll usually find something wrong. Just do the best you can and don't beat yourself up about it.

WFP can give appalling results on dirty commercial cleans - don't believe all the hype.

I get customers call me all the time      to tell me how pleased they after Ive cleaned their windows 1st time round 



maybe I'm doing something wrong by doing it right 

[Dave Willis]

So do I , but they aren't perfect in my eyes. 

[gewindows]

I just tell the customer to give me a ring if they are not satisfied. Doesn't matter how big a head you have you'll never get 100% results on a first clean even if you use 650 litres on one house.

 

[Jack Wallace]

just do it right and forget the three clean nonsense, 

agreed

even though i agree  that it dont need 3 cleans if hes changing over from trad to wfp depending on the size of his round saying it minght take 3 cleans is a good move .
i said to all my custom it can take 3 cleans .
where did i learn that it can take 3 cleans
on this forum .with me taking that it could take 3 cleans for good results on board gave me a good start in getting used to wfp and getting the customer used to it .
remember we have all started somewhere and remember what your first clean with wfp was like .
then remember how much better it felt after getting a few cleans out of the way .
dazzmond is a good example after only recently going wfp .

Dont believe everything you read on here to be right.  Sure people put what they THINK is right but often its either a load of rubbish or times and opinions change.
When I first started wfp in about 2003 most folk on this and other forums considered it ESSENTIAL to keep your brush totaly clean at all times, some even going to the trouble of removing the brush between jobs and putting it in a bucket of water/gg3 mix. (not me, my brushes have always been minging)    We all know now that that is a waste of time.

The 3 time clean rule is in my opinion another one of the forum myths,  Yes I do agree that you are more likely to get problems on the first couple of cleans, but providing the correct steps are taken the job should be to a good enough standard that the average customer would not notice any problems.

Take your time, think about potential problem, and you should end up with a good job first and every time.

[bobby p]

this is one reason i wont go w/f/p  , hearing the grief from the customers . my round is but 2 years old,so  i have picked up the FICKLE CROWD and the pennypinchers   that probably other windies didnt really want. this lot would "Crow" from the rooftops at  ANY spots on the glass. All told it would be easier to find another industry to work in than for me to go w/f/pole !

[Smudger]

BFG - you got it spot on mate - first clean requires time and lots of water and usually a second time around
the property to do a final rinse.

occasionally i get a bad result on the odd window, but usually this turns out to be silicone residue or something simular.

i cover myself by telling the custy that such dirty and negleted windows may have a few spots due to the
intensive nature of the clean and to call me if unhappy.

I think 3 cleans is for those new to WFP or just looking to get a quick buck without caring about quality.

or the w/c side for me i notice the 3rd clean is better is as much as i can get round quicker and clean easier as i know the pitfalls of the job and the windows/frames are still virtually clean from the previous visit.

Darran

[gewindows]

this is one reason i wont go w/f/p  , hearing the grief from the customers . my round is but 2 years old,so  i have picked up the FICKLE CROWD and the pennypinchers   that probably other windies didnt really want. this lot would "Crow" from the rooftops at  ANY spots on the glass. All told it would be easier to find another industry to work in than for me to go w/f/pole !

You dont KNOW til you try. You might think you do but you dont.

Who runs your business you or them?

[darren clarke]

this is one reason i wont go w/f/p  , hearing the grief from the customers . my round is but 2 years old,so  i have picked up the FICKLE CROWD and the pennypinchers   that probably other windies didnt really want. this lot would "Crow" from the rooftops at  ANY spots on the glass. All told it would be easier to find another industry to work in than for me to go w/f/pole !

these sound the type of custy who would dump you for some 50p cheaper, they aint worth the hassel

[Nathanael Jones]

3 cleans to get the windows right isn't about how long it takes wfp to clean a window,.. but more about how long it will take a newbie to figure out how to work WFP properly!

I do a lot of one off work & first cleans,.. I can honestly say that I never leave a house without checking results, and while I do have to re-clean the occasional pane, I never leave unsatisfied with my work. I also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee & make a point of telling custies that I'd rather make an extra trip back to re-clean than get a reputation for bad workmanship. I get maybe 1 callback every 2 years,...

If you can't get it right first time, go working with a friendly WFP'er for a couple of days,.. free labour in exchange for knowledge. You can't beat on the job learning.