[Tosh]

I’ve just lost an account, one I really liked,  that pays well per month for a mornings work, to OCS.  I know a little about OCS, I believe they’re a franchise company - and the biggest window cleaning company in the UK.

It’s not quite that bad actually, since I’m still contracted to clean the insides of this premises; which was great last Monday; when it was hammering down with rain.  And what basically happened was this business premises was sold onto a company who uses a management company to look after it; including the window cleaning (outside only); hence we were sacked from doing the exterior!

It was a shame really, since they'd just expanded into the unused areas of the building; and the job size doubled!
Anyway, I phoned the management company that took over the said business premises, and asked them if they’d like me on their books!  The guy I spoke to sounded like a decent bloke and said that their business had reduced their sub-contractors from 2000 to 600 in the past year (obviously not all window cleaners) and only really deal with OCS, who’re ‘accredited’ (or they’ve accredited).

And just half-an-hour-ago I was phoned by the said premises and asked to do a first clean on the exterior of the newly inhabited parts of the building, since OCS haven’t turned up, despite being due there three weeks ago, and three phone calls later, still haven’t turned up!  And they’ve got some important visitors tomorrow; and want their windows cleaned.  (I said I couldn't do it; I was too busy apparantly (especially for a minging new clean that some other window cleaning company is going to profit from).    No way!

So what’s the gossip on OCS?

How do they actually work?

[DASERVICES]

Ask the Fed, OCS are on the committee.

One thing I know is their prices will have been higher than yours, I get to see all the quotes for Council contracts and they are always the most expensive.

[matt]

Ask the Fed, OCS are on the committee.

One thing I know is their prices will have been higher than yours, I get to see all the quotes for Council contracts and they are always the most expensive.

little surprises me these days

i know a guy local to me who lost a contract to OCS, they were charging allmost double the price he did it for ( he did it for 380 quid every 5 weeks, i would occasionally help him if it was raining ( insides ) ) we both know the warden  of the complex and she showed us both the standard of work and the invoice she had to sign

[tacky]

i did three allience n lecesters. for about 4 yrs for a company in caerphilly .untill OCS outpriced them .

[jaykie]

www.ocs.co.uk/html/our-services/cleaning/window-cleaning/

Is this them

[ronnie paton]

ocs are huge they dont just do window cleaning, but ill will put my name on line saying by treating the right peoplein the right way you can get anything
OCS contract managers or directors have the funds to do this, again i may be wrong but i know people who have worked for them and there poor versions of window cleaners so it cant be quality.

[j.v. price ltd]

OCS?

OCS started as a window cleaning company over 100 years ago called new century since then they have become the largest facilities company in the world.

The clean and manage all services at buildings like airports and hospitals, as someone mentioned they have the ability to influence many customers in many ways.

We come up against them in lots of tenders and they don't always win but would say they win two in three, large companies love them because they offer all services and any where, I have two managers that have worked for them and they both say it is all about the money not the service and that why they left.

Hope this gives you some info.......

[Mike_G]

I worked for them for ten years. They are not a franchise company infact I think they are a privately owned company. The window cleaners get (or at least they did up until I left)  43% of the price of each job. Obviously they have no overheads themselves company van, equipment etc and believe me so jobs are very badly priced just to get the work.

[ronnie paton]

they pay hourly rate now aprt from certain employees who were kept on piece work, so iv been told any way.

[NWH]

This thread brings back memories of some saying how fantastic commercial is,i have never thought it`s the be all and end all and never will.With commercial your always having to look over your shoulder for another WC,the better the job the more stress worrying about losing it.OCS or office cleaning services offer a awfull service where they will do a £200 job for £75,the blokes that work for them could not give a monkeys about how good or bad a job they`ve done,they do loads of bank contracts and the like and there work is so bad it amazes me how they get away with it but there you go it`s all about cutting corners these days not cleaning them.

[Dean Aspects]

I used to do a bank then the whole cleaning contract was given to someone else then i subbed the window cleaning from them they then lost the contract to ocs the windows are hardly ever cleaned and when they are the standard is awful the manager is unhappy and wishes to have me back but cannot so they stay dirty for weeks i suppose they will do all the main high traffic branches then any out of the way get done whenever surely the people in charge at these banks know whats going on why dont they complain??

[NWH]

They do complain but they get the same old answer fom above and that`s it`s cheaper,we used to have the cleaning contracts for lloyds and Natwest 4 branches it all went over to OCS my dad had the contract for 35 years.They will see sense in the end but by then it`ll be to late.

[Mike_G]

Not sure they will ever see sense. It is all about saving money the people that hand these contracts out must know how much they should be paying and by taking the lowest quote they must know they will get a crap job done most occasions.

[DASERVICES]

Just having a look at some major contracts £30m+ , but what seems to be obvious is now they have created the tenders under one blanket. Before there wer seperate tenders for window cleaning, office cleaing etc.. so these now have been combined.

The only people that can tender for these will be the likes of Mitie and OCS who can provide all of the sevice. They are more expensive but I cannot understand how it will save them money putting the contract under one blanket when it restricts the amount of companies that tender. I have a feeling that some Facility Managers are doing this on purpose and in some cases getting a slice of the cake, it does happen.

Here is one tender where you can see what prices were tendered:-
www.eastlothian.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=7143

[Tosh]

This morning I took a quick peek at the building that OCS took off me; the area of the fairly substantial office block that was uninhabited has been expanded into by the company I cleaned for.  OCS still haven't been round to clean it; 3 weeks late so far.

Now I'm contracted to clean the inside of the property - which I still do; it's a nice job - full of pretty girls - but I have been asked to clean the outsides since the company had some 'VIP' visitors (which I refused to do because I don't want to make it easy for OCS - we're talking about 30 ladder climbs and lots of scraping - and I don't want OCS to turn up a month after and think 'ha ha ha').

In fact I hope they do a rotten job and the company I clean for whines onto the building management company.

But it's pointless me cleaning the insides, if OCS don't pull their finger out and clean the outsides!

It's still a nice job, despite being 'sacked' from the exterior of the building, but I feel like I'm being put in an awkward position.  I just know I'm going to get asked to clean the exterior again; but I really don't want to do the first builder's clean for some other window cleaning company to profit from my hard work; and I don't want to charge silly money for a one-off clean when I like the inside job I do.

Buggers! 

[seandyer2003]

Ive picked up some pharmacies that ocs have lost and all the managers have said "we never seen em hardly"....supposed to do fortnightly!!