A while back while on our commercial round someone in the street stopped us and made a comment about our work vehicle (a hearse).
During the good humoured conversation I joked that we can park almost where we want because the local police havn't cottoned on that we're window cleaners and that they probably think we're funeral directors.
This person then said that is really funny because our hearse was parked with all 4 wheels on the pavement and now we'll have to clean some windows for nothing.
We all looked at each other and when I asked why he said he was the local copper and 'do we know the small police station by the round-a-bout'.
So, every 4 weeks we clean 6 smallish windows and one door as a gesture of good will and good community spirit.
Still it helps to be friendly with the local police I suppose and it only takes the 3 of us maybe 5 minutes and it's on our route anyway.
With regards the unethical bit of the above postings. I wouldn't call it unethical. Business is business and companies all over the country fight to win orders and work and contracts etc change hands all the time. The cost of the service provided is often a major concern to a customer and usually that is the bottom line. The service bit is where the talking comes into it.
If a shop, office, etc says they have a w/c already I say thank you and leave simply because if the windows are clean then why spend time and effort when it could be spent better else where. If the windows are not clean and they say they have a window cleaner they know I'll be back in 4 months because I tell them that and then if they want to change window cleaners - then it's up to them whether to say so the next time I call.
I walk into every shop etc on our commercial routes once every 4 months and every time I pick up at least 3 or 4 jobs where the owners have no w/c or want to change w/c for whatever reason and it's easy canvasing, stress free and productive and done on rainy days.
Hi Woodley Washers
I agree totally. It's being proffessional and having good posture and I never ever put down the previous w/c no matter how bad he was.
Last year I asked a local w/c (respectfully) how he got away with doing such a bad job and he said 'they pay 50p a window'. He had a good point in that the customer did not expect a good job at that price.