[Dave Willis]

Couple of big windowcleaning companies have targeted my area with fancy four colour flyers complete with a list of prices. Great news for me as their prices are so high I’m unlikely to ever be short of work, never need to advertise and if ever a customer is shocked at the price of a conservatory clean I’ll show them the competition.
I have no advertising fees whatsoever, no website anymore, no vat to pay.
Happy Dayz!

[NWH]

They make thereselves look desperate they only appear in times of trouble so predictable.

[Stoots]

They make thereselves look desperate they only appear in times of trouble so predictable.

Big companies only appear in times of trouble ? how do you work that out, doesnt make logical sense. 

I think it works both  ways, their flashy vans and high prices give us the bottom feeders/tight arses but likewise our lack of professionalism drives the better quality work to the bigger companies to mop up.

[NWH]

I’ve not seen many big companies with flashy vans,maybe  the odd Vivaro 😂.

[Ortsa]

what are the names of these big companies?

[NWH]

There aren’t any big companies Amazon is a big company Virgin is another.

[swanson]

There’s a couple around my area  but  mainly concentrate on commercial work

[Scrimble]

well done for being the cheap poor old boy window cleaner who plods along

I would be gutted if I knew others are getting more money in for the same work but you think its a good thing? this forum really is becoming the pits

[Dave Willis]

Kind of missing the point a bit. Larger companies with multiple vans have much bigger overheads, they simply have to charge high. The sole trader does exactly the same job but without the costs. If he can get his prices near the big boys he’s laughing all the way to the bank, don’t even need to match their prices. The larger guys are dragging the prices higher for the little guys.
Would you take your car to a dealership or an independent garage for an oil change?

[NWH]

Larger firms don’t always charge more a lot of the time they are turning over a higher volume of houses for less per clean,look on  some of the websites these people have 4-5 bedroom houses for £25-30 quid without even being able to look at them imo they can have them.

[Scrimble]

Kind of missing the point a bit. Larger companies with multiple vans have much bigger overheads, they simply have to charge high. The sole trader does exactly the same job but without the costs. If he can get his prices near the big boys he’s laughing all the way to the bank, don’t even need to match their prices. The larger guys are dragging the prices higher for the little guys.
Would you take your car to a dealership or an independent garage for an oil change?

I take my car and my 7 vans back to the main dealer to have them serviced, i don't use back street garages to save a few pennys because I don't live in poverty

[Tristan R Clean]

The selling point for a one man band should be
as a customer they know what service they are getting ( if you are a good window cleaner😁)
A customer will expect to pay a good price for this service. If not they are not worth having.

Bigger firms usually send different cleaners who do not always care for their standard of work as it’s not their business.

T

[Dave Willis]

Didn’t realise sole traders lived in poverty. Ah well guess thats why this forum is the pits 😀

[AuRavelling79]

So if Scrimble is sending his seven vans to the main dealer I guess that goes some way to proving Dave Willis's point. 🤣

[dazmond]

A decent, well established sole trader who is reliable and does a good job has nothing to fear from larger companies with employees (even if his prices are higher on domestics)....

Losing  large chunks of work simply never happens......you might be unlucky and lose one or  two but invariably you find you ll pick up some of their work over time.....swings and roundabouts

[Dry Clean]

Didn’t realise sole traders lived in poverty. Ah well guess thats why this forum is the pits 😀

To be fair if you believe a main dealer is trustworthy you would believe anything.😁

[G Griffin]

Kind of missing the point a bit. Larger companies with multiple vans have much bigger overheads, they simply have to charge high. The sole trader does exactly the same job but without the costs. If he can get his prices near the big boys he’s laughing all the way to the bank, don’t even need to match their prices. The larger guys are dragging the prices higher for the little guys.
Would you take your car to a dealership or an independent garage for an oil change?

I take my car and my 7 vans back to the main dealer to have them serviced, i don't use back street garages to save a few pennys because I don't live in poverty

You don't know what poverty means.
I know Boris changed the definition of child poverty, recently, but I don't think it involved services at main dealers.

[Dave Willis]

I lived in Coventry for a week. Quite enjoyed it, very peaceful.

[Rogue Trader]

There is another draw for customers to big companies with staff who may charge more than a one man band windie and that is that a mot of people dont want a relationship or to feel that they have to be polite or feel they have to chat every month. They want as minimal contact as neccesary. They want windows cleaned in an efficient manner and if not happy they want to complain. Clean and simple. I get more work by quoting on email by sending a professional quote telling them they will pay a decent whack , more for first clean , + vat oh and DD of course , than if I go around and quote face to face.