[Mr.G]

It seems to me that a lot of window cleaners here are obsessed with money?  Some refuse to drink tea, or talk with their customers, in case it slows them down slightly? some work on sundays? 
 Well maybe I'm just unprofessional,  but part of why i work self employed is to ESCAPE from the situation of having to work 8 hours non stop with a foreman breathing down my neck... Any other lazy gits out there?

[NWH]

The thing is with this job is that you get out what you put in it`s as simple as that as i expect you well know.It`s quiet easy to become lazy doing this job not me,i set myself daily,weekly,monthly targets,if i`m hitting them i can go home early a couple of days a month.

[craig jwc]

I try and get done the work i have for the week as quick as i can so i can have extra time off.

Time with my kids is more important too me.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I don't like to waste time but I do like to work in a relaxed manner so I'm not averse to the occasional cup of tea if it's offered when I start a job as opposed to when I finish. A number of w/cleaners round my way always seem to be working as if there's no tomorrow. They wear me out just watching them.

[Mr.G]

Yreah, relaxed manner, thats what I'm talking about.. and being able to stop for a coffee/chat/smoke without fretting that you could have earned another quid.

[EasyClean]

On good weathered days and Mondays (regardless of the weather), I'll go for it. On bad weathered days and Fridays I'll be plodding along socially or take the day off as I'm worn out from the week or just can't be bothered to make the extra effort. Will always except a coffee at the start of a job and occassionally at the end of a job if the customer is really friendly.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

The only time I really go for it is if there's a dirty big storm cloud heading my way and I don't want to have to go back to finish a couple of odd houses the following day. This doesn't always work however as on one occasion I succeeded in finishing on a house with just enough time to get back to my car only to be held up by a custy who wasn't usually in and couldn't find her purse. By the time she found it and paid, the storm broke. She shut the door and I got drowned walking about 100 mtrs to my car.

[steve k]

I aim to finish for about 2.30pm so I can be home, cup of coffee and a have a read before going to pick my son up from school at 3.30pm.
Whip through your work and more freetime for you and yours.

[pylofm]

Personally..I have 3 customers that I have a coffee with...but for the main part...I don't take breaks, lunch etc...I just work through...I just like to get the work done and be finished and go home...I am starting to enjoy the work but I enjoy my home life more.

  Dave.

[Paul Coleman]

Yreah, relaxed manner, thats what I'm talking about.. and being able to stop for a coffee/chat/smoke without fretting that you could have earned another quid.

Well I don't smoke or drink tea or coffee myself (caffeine intolerance) but an occasional glass of water with a customer seems to go down well.
I do like to get through my work.  I get two weeks off in each 6 weekly cycle that way - though I want to get more work in now as I need to earn more.
I still have a fair bit of debt and gassing with customers doesn't pay the mortgage.  When I owed nothing, I was quite laid back about things though.

[steve m]

why rush, you might not be here tomorrow

[matt]

It seems to me that a lot of window cleaners here are obsessed with money?  Some refuse to drink tea, or talk with their customers, in case it slows them down slightly? some work on sundays? 
 Well maybe I'm just unprofessional,  but part of why i work self employed is to ESCAPE from the situation of having to work 8 hours non stop with a foreman breathing down my neck... Any other lazy gits out there?

indeed life is too short

[Sir Squeaky]

As usual Matt I agree.

I often rush through my work, but I never turn down a drink or biscuits.
If you can't spare a couple of minutes for a customer then you must be desperate.

It does wonders for customer relations and your reputation to have time for people.
Being impersonal won't make you look good.

If it wasn't for the time I've given customers over the years and relationships I've built up, I bet WFP would have lost me a lot more people.
As it is, a lot gave me a second or third chance.

[steve k]

why rush, you might not be here tomorrow

so I can spend the important time at home...if drinking tea with someone I do not know means I cannot get to the school on time, i`ll go without the tea.

Typical English with cups of tea... Get your work done and go home.

[Paul Coleman]

As usual Matt I agree.

I often rush through my work, but I never turn down a drink or biscuits.
If you can't spare a couple of minutes for a customer then you must be desperate.

It does wonders for customer relations and your reputation to have time for people.
Being impersonal won't make you look good.

If it wasn't for the time I've given customers over the years and relationships I've built up, I bet WFP would have lost me a lot more people.
As it is, a lot gave me a second or third chance.

What you say is so true Rog but I've found another side to it as well.  Being too friendly with the customers can cause a "familiarity breeds contempt" scenario.  Too many of them used to use my friendly nature as a way of doing the "not today thanks" or "could you just.........." for no extra money.  Although I will engage in brief conversation at times, I have found it easier not to be too friendly with the customers.  I have been trying to lift my window cleaning from "local window cleaner doing a round" to "small business needing to make a profit".  I find that those two things do not mix as well as I once thought they would so I keep my distance a bit more now.
Some people find it more suitable to keep it very friendly and nothing wrong with that but I feel more comfortable keeping it more on a business footing.

[pjulk]

For me the beauty of this job is you can work at whatever pace you like, have a chat to some of your customers and coffee stops.

I don't rush i used to but now i just plod along.
Im happy with what i earn.
I know i can do quite a bit more if i really got a move on but im not in this job for that im doing this job for the flexibility it gives.

The way i look at it is what does not get done today will wait until tomorrow.

Paul

[Sir Squeaky]

As usual Matt I agree.

I often rush through my work, but I never turn down a drink or biscuits.
If you can't spare a couple of minutes for a customer then you must be desperate.

It does wonders for customer relations and your reputation to have time for people.
Being impersonal won't make you look good.

If it wasn't for the time I've given customers over the years and relationships I've built up, I bet WFP would have lost me a lot more people.
As it is, a lot gave me a second or third chance.

What you say is so true Rog but I've found another side to it as well.  Being too friendly with the customers can cause a "familiarity breeds contempt" scenario.  Too many of them used to use my friendly nature as a way of doing the "not today thanks" or "could you just.........." for no extra money.  Although I will engage in brief conversation at times, I have found it easier not to be too friendly with the customers.  I have been trying to lift my window cleaning from "local window cleaner doing a round" to "small business needing to make a profit".  I find that those two things do not mix as well as I once thought they would so I keep my distance a bit more now.
Some people find it more suitable to keep it very friendly and nothing wrong with that but I feel more comfortable keeping it more on a business footing.

I agree with what you say about the favours bit.
You have got to watch you aren't taken advantage of.

[jikwan]

seems like the fact is some guys only think about money but these postings show a lot dont  its not a driving force
cant label all wc's as the same
when im lazy i have to think about cash to motivate myself
does work!

[steve m]

maybe you should lok at how many w/cers have small kids, or are they the bread winner in the house first before you start talking about being money orientated

[M & C Window Cleaning]

It does wonders for customer relations and your reputation to have time for people.
Being impersonal won't make you look good.

 
I've experinced the truth of this many times over. There's a lot of work I could have lost if I'd not practised this. However, I've also experienced the truth of the following comment.

Being too friendly with the customers can cause a "familiarity breeds contempt" scenario.  Too many of them used to use my friendly nature as a way of doing the "not today thanks" or "could you just.........." for no extra money. 

It's a fine line between the two that we have to draw. I don't always get it right I must admit.