[no way Jose]

I've had quite a few innuendos this month such as : a bit cold to be cleaning windows! I mumble a few words and get on with the job. I sometimes feel a bit self conscious when I feel that some customers would happily have their windows cleaned less often  but say nothing as they  feel they might hurt your feelings.  I honestly do sometimes feel a bit like a beggar  by the way ( some) custys belittle you  but I don't dwell on it!

[nathankaye]

An interesting thread to revive.

As said in some of the threads back in 2014, begging is trying to gain a reward for no return. Others have said maybe its down to door knocking asking for work. Either way that doesnt apply to marketing your service as a business as you canvass from door to door. Does that imply that telesales is a form of begging??!!

Your always going to get the odd negative comments or suggestions from grumpy negative cant be arsed jealous folk behind the doors. Yet that doesnt imply begging for work either.
Be proud of what we do and the business your working hard to maintain. Let them think its a poor mans game, just nodd the hat, "thanks govner" and just carry on 
Then later climb back thru the open window n steel their valuables or their phones which the idiots just leave hanging about 😂😂

[dazmond]

i think ill get a few more comments off certain customers when i turn up to clean their windows in a brand new van(and a price rise for them in april) .

on topic of course its not begging.when you ve spent £££££££ on all your equipment/van etc.

its a regular cleaning service that most people are happy with. one less job  for them to do and you just happen to scratch a living together out of it.

[dazmond]

I've had quite a few innuendos this month such as : a bit cold to be cleaning windows! I mumble a few words and get on with the job. I sometimes feel a bit self conscious when I feel that some customers would happily have their windows cleaned less often  but say nothing as they  feel they might hurt your feelings.  I honestly do sometimes feel a bit like a beggar  by the way ( some) custys belittle you  but I don't dwell on it!

i think your reading too much into it .i too have had the same.i just reply ive been working outdoors for 30 years and ive worked in a lot worse weather than this sir/madam!

im a grafter and just get on with the job and try not to second guess customers.

[paul22]

if people don't want to climb ladders and clean their own windows, we should charge them as much  we can to clean them.  when we walk away rubbing our hands together after another easy job they can make their snide comments !

[Smurf]

Who is still begging or have you all moved on as planned?

I think most of us have gone from begging off our customers to stealing from them now

May seem that way but still as like with any service based trade price varies quite a bit.
What some may think is expensive others more often than not think a price is quite reasonable and others think it's to cheap.
You can't bloody win sometimes 

[Dave Willis]

i think ill get a few more comments off certain customers when i turn up to clean their windows in a brand new van(and a price rise for them in april) .

on topic of course its not begging.when you ve spent £££££££ on all your equipment/van etc.

its a regular cleaning service that most people are happy with. one less job  for them to do and you just happen to scratch a living together out of it.

Are you getting a new van Dazmond?
You kept that quiet 

[Smurf]

i think ill get a few more comments off certain customers when i turn up to clean their windows in a brand new van(and a price rise for them in april) .

on topic of course its not begging.when you ve spent £££££££ on all your equipment/van etc.

its a regular cleaning service that most people are happy with. one less job  for them to do and you just happen to scratch a living together out of it.

Are you getting a new van Dazmond?
You kept that quiet 

 

Dazmond just tell your custards it's leased and you will never own it because you are  to poor to buy a new van after your other one died.

That should do the trick. 

[kevinquinn]

Please sir pay me £1.00 a minute to rinse the dirt off of your windows. 

[Marc Stock]

Interesting thread this. I used to think that window cleaners were a form of charity. Back in 1997 i used to have a saturday job working in a phone shop, and an old fella used to come and clean the windows, scruffy looking think we paid him 4 quid or so. I remember thinking to myself, ill never do that, lol.

As i started in window cleaning, in 2003 i did it to just tie myself over really between jobs to start with. Then i went on my own, and in 2004 bought a water fed pole system, by 2006 id gone from renting a 1 bedroom house, to buying a 3 Bedroom house in Surrey at the age  of only 26. It was amazing how much money i was pulling in, id say that 2004-2007 were really the golden years of earning big money on wfp, especially where commercial work was concerned . A few of my private customers got a bit narked at me, and cancelled as they thought i was making too much money off them. Then everyone started jumping on the bandwagon, now window cleaners are everywhere where i live all with brand new vans and well to do attitude, it is getting saturated.

These days i just keep my head down, i lost it all in 2008 wife, house, car and ended up with a large tax debt i could not repay. Now i rent, bills are high, life is expensive, and work is so much more saturated, and nowhere near as lucrative than in 2005 but im happy as i have two wonderful kids, a new (ish) missus now been remarried 8 years, and we get by.

Going Ltd in April, and hopefully will be expanding the business. At the moment though there are quite a few window cleaning firms in my area that seem to be expanding rapidly, more than me, but on looking at their work patterns, i dont know how they are doung it a couple of firms vans are mostly at the home address of the business owner, and they dont seem to be massively packed out schedule wise...

[p1w1]

Interesting thread this. I used to think that window cleaners were a form of charity. Back in 1997 i used to have a saturday job working in a phone shop, and an old fella used to come and clean the windows, scruffy looking think we paid him 4 quid or so. I remember thinking to myself, ill never do that, lol.

As i started in window cleaning, in 2003 i did it to just tie myself over really between jobs to start with. Then i went on my own, and in 2004 bought a water fed pole system, by 2006 id gone from renting a 1 bedroom house, to buying a 3 Bedroom house in Surrey at the age  of only 26. It was amazing how much money i was pulling in, id say that 2004-2007 were really the golden years of earning big money on wfp, especially where commercial work was concerned . A few of my private customers got a bit narked at me, and cancelled as they thought i was making too much money off them. Then everyone started jumping on the bandwagon, now window cleaners are everywhere where i live all with brand new vans and well to do attitude, it is getting saturated.

These days i just keep my head down, i lost it all in 2008 wife, house, car and ended up with a large tax debt i could not repay. Now i rent, bills are high, life is expensive, and work is so much more saturated, and nowhere near as lucrative than in 2005 but im happy as i have two wonderful kids, a new (ish) missus now been remarried 8 years, and we get by.

Going Ltd in April, and hopefully will be expanding the business. At the moment though there are quite a few window cleaning firms in my area that seem to be expanding rapidly, more than me, but on looking at their work patterns, i dont know how they are doung it a couple of firms vans are mostly at the home address of the business owner, and they dont seem to be massively packed out schedule wise...

good on you bud 

[Johnny B]

Some people like to make you feel as if you are the lowest life form, but I don't let it bother me, as these are not the kind of people I want as customers.

It is not begging if you are offering a service for payment. It is begging if you are asking for something and giving nothing in return.

John.

[LT carpet cleaning]

Interesting how one lot of bs merchants and boasters have gone and been replaced by a few others in 3 years. 
Nothing changes does it.

With the exception of Marc Stock.
Interesting life story mate.

[dazmond]

Interesting thread this. I used to think that window cleaners were a form of charity. Back in 1997 i used to have a saturday job working in a phone shop, and an old fella used to come and clean the windows, scruffy looking think we paid him 4 quid or so. I remember thinking to myself, ill never do that, lol.

As i started in window cleaning, in 2003 i did it to just tie myself over really between jobs to start with. Then i went on my own, and in 2004 bought a water fed pole system, by 2006 id gone from renting a 1 bedroom house, to buying a 3 Bedroom house in Surrey at the age  of only 26. It was amazing how much money i was pulling in, id say that 2004-2007 were really the golden years of earning big money on wfp, especially where commercial work was concerned . A few of my private customers got a bit narked at me, and cancelled as they thought i was making too much money off them. Then everyone started jumping on the bandwagon, now window cleaners are everywhere where i live all with brand new vans and well to do attitude, it is getting saturated.

These days i just keep my head down, i lost it all in 2008 wife, house, car and ended up with a large tax debt i could not repay. Now i rent, bills are high, life is expensive, and work is so much more saturated, and nowhere near as lucrative than in 2005 but im happy as i have two wonderful kids, a new (ish) missus now been remarried 8 years, and we get by.

Going Ltd in April, and hopefully will be expanding the business. At the moment though there are quite a few window cleaning firms in my area that seem to be expanding rapidly, more than me, but on looking at their work patterns, i dont know how they are doung it a couple of firms vans are mostly at the home address of the business owner, and they dont seem to be massively packed out schedule wise...

all the best marc

[Nick Day]

No window cleaner should ever feel anything but a serious professional doing a good job, the people who should feel like beggars are the buggars who try to get out of paying with their huge myriad of ridiculous excuses.

[robbo333]

When I tell people (socially) I am a window cleaner,  I can sense a slightly disappointed response.
This is because we all prejudge and stereotype people...which is fair enough.  If someone told me they were an estate agent I'd think they were a loaf of bread. 'Thick Cut' but spelt slightly differently.
So it works both ways.
Personally, it doesn't bother me, I just pop down to M&S for another excellent bottle of red wine and then off to the butcher for two exceptionally large fillet steaks. Cooking soothes the soul. I can live with it.

[Mick Kent]

How the hell is it begging? What a stupid thread.
Its supplying a service and being paid like any other tradesman.
Fair play Marc top man.

[LT carpet cleaning]

When I tell people (socially) I am a window cleaner,  I can sense a slightly disappointed response.
This is because we all prejudge and stereotype people...which is fair enough.  If someone told me they were an estate agent I'd think they were a loaf of bread. 'Thick Cut' but spelt slightly differently.
So it works both ways.
Personally, it doesn't bother me, I just pop down to M&S for another excellent bottle of red wine and then off to the butcher for two exceptionally large fillet steaks. Cooking soothes the soul. I can live with it.

Yet i imagine you have given far more to an estate agent either renting or buying than he has to
You. Definitely not thick.
 

[Arnold Palmer]

When I tell people (socially) I am a window cleaner,  I can sense a slightly disappointed response.

I know what you mean. I've not cleaned a window for money since 2009 but when people ask what I do I say "window cleaner". I could say "I run a small business" or whatever but 1. I'm not an arse, and 2. If they've some kind of issue speaking to a window cleaner they can take a running jump.

[swanson]

I paid over £5000 for my system and van and another 500/£1000 for all the other bits and pieces.
I've been on  health and safety courses wfp courses to learn my trade and yes I do call it a trade.
I have over 300  customers. Domestic and commercial  of which I have canvassed.
And have built up a very good business. I wouldn't class that as begging.