[Londoner]

Its Sunday morning and in a few moments I am going out to clean the windows of my own house. I am doing it only because my wife has been nagging me to clean them.

My excuse that I am using them as an experiment to see how long they will stay clean no longer seems to work. If all my customers moaned like her I would give up tomorrow and get a proper job.

I have two observations to make.

(1) Despite having not been cleaned for about 3 months they are still very good. I would say worryingly good. This WFP lark definitely keeps them clean for longer.

(2) Despite the fact that they don't really need cleaning my wife knows they haven't been done for a while and its bugging her. There is definitely something in the female psycology that requres those windows to be cleaned regularly. It all tied up with the house being her "territory" and she keeps it clean and tidy.

We sort of take it for granted that people want their windows cleaned but don't really question what the underlying motivations are.

Now me? although I am a window cleaner it wouldn't bother me at all if they never got cleaned, I could leave them for ages. They are still pretty good anyway.

[Spiceworld]

I'm like you Vince i can take it or leave it. But the wife is always moaning at me to do them.

I must admit thought that i have only done mine about 5 times in 12 yrs of living here. I thought thats why net curtains were invented for 

Richard

[Londoner]

I'm thinking of changing my leaflets slightly to say something like "regular window window cleaning" to appeal to that psycological need.

I have one lady customer who has a villa in Cyprus and is away for weeks at a time. She still wants her windows done, front and back, even when she is away . Thats psycological

Also, I am fed up with doing one offs. Have you ever noticed that when you get a new customer, clean them once or twice and then they cancel its much more often a man?

I had one cancel this week like that. I didn't like him anyway because he stood over me when I was doing the windows and I hate that. When I went back for the second visit he said he had decided not to have them done after all.

[Clive McDonald]

Agree absolutley with you Vince, and that's a bit worrying because  I am by nature argumentative. I thought you would have a deeper view than my than my one as you have been doing it longer.
Yes they(the windows) are and do stay cleaner. And you are in a better position to judge if you live in a large house.

When I was baiting apwc I suggested a national window cleaners week so that we could be appreciated more, I also said that the 'feel good factor' of having one's windows cleaned had been largely ignored. This is similar to the point you are making, that in some ways for a woman a good window clean is akin to a visit to the hairdressers.

Modern Marketing these days stresses experience. Star bucks don't sell coffee they sell the experience of sitting in their shop, Harley Davidson don't sell motorbikes they sell a dream.......The examples go on and they are not mine but what it boils down to is that a fancy hair dresser can charge more, and a designer label is sought after at a premium price.

Translate this to top end window cleaning can mean money. Bear in mind that the Japs make bikes cheaper and faster but they don't command  the HD price or kudos.(for 40/50yr old men to keep in their garage undirven but with the aforsaid feel good factor)

About freqeuncy of own cleans, the next time your wife is out say you did them.

[Londoner]

Windows are now done. Three bed semi done in 8 mins. I just gave them a flick over, I wouldn't dare do a customers house that casually but again I am using it as an experiment.
I believe I am over fussy when I do the customers but I can't bring myself to reduce what I do.
I remember Tosh a while back saying he gave his place the merest flick over and the results were great. First impressions on my windows are the same.

Yep, I've just been out and had a look - perfect.

[ScrimShady]

well being of the female variety and a window cleaner i just get the wfp pole out when ever i feel my windows need doing!if you want a job doing in this house do it yourself!!
I also find some of our custys comment on the womans touch when i am cleaning their windows!!!

[simon knight]

My downstairs windows are always spotless 'cos I'm forever trying out different concoctions, scrims, micros, methods etc....

The upstairs windows?....er

[Spiceworld]

My downstairs windows are always spotless 'cos I'm forever trying out different concoctions, scrims, micros, methods etc....

The upstairs windows?....er

Same here - BUT it's due to the wife being able to reach em 

[qwert]

Windows are now done. Three bed semi done in 8 mins. I just gave them a flick over, I wouldn't dare do a customers house that casually but again I am using it as an experiment.
I believe I am over fussy when I do the customers but I can't bring myself to reduce what I do.
I remember Tosh a while back saying he gave his place the merest flick over and the results were great. First impressions on my windows are the same.

Yep, I've just been out and had a look - perfect.

Vince

How long would it take you to do a customer 3 bed semi inc set-up and frames.

ta

[LWC]

I am doing it only because my wife has been nagging me to clean them.

bin her mate 

plenty more customers 

[jeff1]

well being of the female variety and a window cleaner i just get the wfp pole out when ever i feel my windows need doing!if you want a job doing in this house do it yourself!!
I also find some of our custys comment on the womans touch when i am cleaning their windows!!!

Well said Mrs Scrim
My Boss was in hospital for 3 weeks, and they were cleaned the week before she went in.
On her arrival home on friday her first words when we pulled up out side the house were, 'I see you haven't done the windows then'  whats with you women? mine are spotless :

To day she was out there herself doing the windows, so if your boss's moans Train them to use the system them selfs, I did

[Londoner]

Qwert
I would take more than double that time ( and double the water ) on a customer. The fact that its my house made no difference to set up time. it would have been quicker to set up from my vehicle.

[Lakes and Pennine]

I got georgan windows, 3 stories, hate doing them and on kitchen I have to get 40'pole out. Yr not doing them right so she took the pole off me, she dont like that big pole so gave it me back and dont complain too much now. Like the builder who has an acro up in the house, I have dirty windows, wish someone would come and do them for a fiver.