[windows_chepstow]

Sorry, Gaza, it's me that does the 'red stuff'.

I'm a failed school teacher.  Honest.  Just one exam let me down!

My eleven plus!

But seriously, there might be younger, more impressionable guys here who, from your lead might think this is the proper way to do business.

Don't make me show that photo of you again, and at 50 years old, your fisticuff days should be put well behind you; because you're older and more mature now!

[dai]

Gaza When this happened to me I did not lose a single customer. I tell the customers about a wc friend of mine .He had a couple of lads appear in the area that he worked. They said they would do the work for half the price. When my friend made some enquiries he found that one of these lads had just come out after doing 18 months for burglary.
Now this lad may well have seen the error of his ways and be trying to make a new start, but would you want him looking through your windows?
If this guy said that you had packed in your round, your customers already know he's a liar. What else do they need to know about him.
Explain to your customers that you are trying to comply with new regs, the difficulty of coming to grips with a new system, and that you value their custom.
If you are really worried post leaflets to the customers that you are behind with explaining your situation. Good luck mate, Dai

[Dominic]

Hi Gaza

I've had issues like this in the past. Had a couple of guys tell my customers that I've quit, few trying to undercut etc. Truth is that I've never lost any significant amount of work in ten years. Best thing is to carry on as usual offering the best reliable and quality service you can and they'll all stick with you. It's true about needing to know your enemy and when they try and pull a fast one and you've just got to keep ahead of them. If they are really devious and say that you've quit etc knock up a letter as Ian suggested and always keep your customer informed about the nasty tricks these guys are up to.

The unproffessional guys will just help you in the end cos their tricks make you look great, honest and reliable so let them get on with it. If they undercut you just tell customer that these guys only ever last a few cleans before they get bored with getting crap money and you charge a decent price because you are so reliable and turn up all year round.

I know how you probably feel cos you can really feel worried that your going to lose everything. That's how I felt the first few times it happened to me anyway. Now I just let them get on with it and they normally dig their own hole.

Cheers
Dom

[brett walker]

      GAZZA ,
                      SORRY IVE HAD TO UNDERCUT YOU BUT IN ALL THIS HOT WEATHER    I NEED SOME EXTRA BEER MONEY 
SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME    ONLY JOKING     

GAZZA IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE,  FROM EXPIERENCE HE WOULD HELP ANYONE OUT HE HAS GIVEN ME SOME GOOD ADVICE AND HE PUT 100% IN TO HIS WORK .

GAZZA READING THE REPLIES YOU HAVE HAD FROM THIS FORUM YOU CANT GO WRONG YOUVE GOT NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, EVERY WINDOW CLEANER COMES ACROSS OTHER WINDOW CLEANERS FROM TIME TO TIME LOOKING FOR BUSINESS, AS LONG AS YOU DO YOUR JOB AS YOUVE ALWAYS DONT IT YOU'LL BE OK.  YOU COULD ALWAYS BE ON HAND FOR YOUR RIVAL JUST INCASE HIS LADDER SLIPS     OOOPS 

GOOD LUCK MATE

                                BRETT.

[williamx]

Gaza

You say that its taking you longer the clean windows using wfp than it was when you where on the ladders.

If you describe how you go about cleaning you customers houses then maybe some of us fellow wfp guys could give tips on how to speed you up without losing the quality of the clean.

[gaza]

WILLIAMX; 1ST these council estates have gardens 30 + ft long X by1x2x 3 houses down .I realiase my downfall [not enough hose] no seriously Im lacking a trolley system.

hoses snagging you know the normal stuff, William I thankyou for you offer of help,but seriously think Im well enough tuned in to wfp after 2x3 yrs at it [commercial] but its private thats doing me head in as well as BRETT WALKER [hi buddy]

my problem is with robert head formally known as D... H... or whats his name.

as you know Brett weve spoke about this in NOTTM before
 yesterday Iwas boasting on this forum 1squid each customer =100 squid pay rise on average for everyone. well  now Im worrying about my buiss going downward[THE HELL IT IS, AT 50 STILL CAN SORT IT OUT. BUT NOW i HAVE TO THINK WHICH WAY

[gaza]

IAN; I now know why they call this forum cleanitup,the mods cleanup everything put on here  aving a lauff

- we're laughing at you m8. 

graham Im not laughing at your boring 1 liners . (Modified:  by Windows Chepstow - you know why Gaza)

GAZA AVING A LAUFF [AT YOUR EXPENCE]

[The Bear]

Gaza,
If you got to bed  at a reasonable time and wern't posting at 2 AM you might calm down a bit and see life as others do.


He who is of calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden.
Plato (427 BC - 347 BC), The Republic

[windows_chepstow]

Gaza,

I wouldn't worry either.  Recently a company called PM Window Cleaning leafleted one of 'my' areas.

They claim to be the biggest and cheapest window cleaning company in South Wales.  They even have a big ad in the Yellow Pages (or is the Local Pages?) saying they're the cheapest because they clean thousands of residential properties throughout South Wales.

I've not lost ONE customer to them; even though I've told my customers I've heard nothing of an adverse nature about them.

If you do a good job; your customers won't want to replace you.

Even your most intellectually challenged customer should realise;  The Devil they know is better than the Devil they don't.

[gaza]

BEAR BEEN UP OVER AN HR ,DONT NEED MUCH SLEEP,just making sure the young one gets of to school,Mrs been at work since 6am,my turn at 8,45am

if you carnt sleep get up and do something,instead of lying there and worrying,
its the worry that gets you not the lack of sleep.
           Baltasar Gracian
IVE GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD

   gaza 2005

[steve k]

A month ago I carded a development of 3 storey townhouses/apartments and had calls immediately from a number of residents who all told me they had not seen their window cleaner for over 3 months. I agreed a price of £6-£10 (some are quite small and some a bit bigger) The previous cleaner was charging £3.50 and wouldn`t do the top floor windows which I can pole easily.
I`m due back there this week (so another month has passed) but yesterday had a call from the window cleaner who has decided to return...possibly because the weather is fine at the moment...he tells me he has been on holiday and has done all the windows in that area today, so I don`t have to go back. He got my card off a resident.
"that must be 4 months since you have last been then...and in that time, at least 6 people have contacted me to clean their windows...i`ll ask them first what they want to do."
He was reasonably polite about it but I intend asking my customers if indeed they have gone back to him.
If they have...more fool them...when it`s another 4 months and they ask me back..prices will have gone right up...

[s.hughes]

I'm a failed school teacher.  Honest.  Just one exam let me down!

My eleven plus!

Chepstow you make me laugh

Steveyboy

[mfwindowcleaner]

Dont worry mate.....
ive had cowboys trying to get in on my round.......
what tends to happen is 3 things.....
1.... they are never regular and the customer gets peed off...
2.... they make such a mess of windows that customers get peed off
3.... they realise they are doing the job for to little money and never come back

i lost 5 houses in 1 street because of flyboys ..   3 months later the customers were begging me to do their windows again as he wasnt regular then never came back..... needless to say each customer is more than grateful when i arrive ...(on time) .... and clean their windows properly..
one even makes me a bacon roll and cup of tea LOL

[williamx]

Gazza

I understand the problems you have I started out on the type of houses you decribed yet I had to travel sometimes 100 yards down by 8-10 along and go over the local rubbish dump too.  As it happens that the one I got for today, anyway I found that using a backpack saved me.

I use one from Cleantech but I have since found the same machine on a gardening website for £55 cheaper sorry mike, all you have to do is connect the wfp hose to it, which is a doddle.

http://www.spraytech.uk.com/acatalog/Knapsack_Sprayers.html

I have also fitted a hose to the lid which I connect to a pump to fill up with, saves taking it off all the time.

Don't worry about dick he soon move on, I had the same problem a while back  he even went into shops where I have got advertisments, told them I gone out of business and took these down anyway I can't talked about what happened next

Anyway hopes this helps   

[Ray Pickering]

I cant believe what i'm reading HERE!!

Iv'e just started W/C--i'm canvassing in my local area, got quite a few customers but one local cleaner is slagging me off to other cleaners he reckons i'm taking his work!
Am i supposed to know every house he or any other cleaner cleans, it seems this bloke used to clean some of these houses & they wasn't happy with him ( for one reason or another) & i can guarantee i charge more than he did.

The times i've read on this forum--on a rainy day i go canvassing--what do you do put an ad in the paper & ask --window cleaners please phone me if you clean this certain area as i'm going to canvass it!!!
Sounds pathetic dose'nt it.
I canvass fairly if they say they have a cleaner i say thanks anyway & move on.

This certain bloke keeps glaring at me & he's really winding me up.
I suppose i'm feeling like Gaza--not nice whichever side of the fence your on.
Regards Ray.

[windows_chepstow]

Ray,

I too had a few difficulties when I first started from two local window cleaners (on seperate occassions).  Both times threats were made towards me. (I will admit I did wind one of them up first - but that's just my sense of humour).

Stuff 'em, Mate.  If you're canvassing fairly; then that's fine.  Most people who're happy with their window cleaner won't change.

Why not try smiling at the 'other window cleaner' introduce yourself to him and explain what you're about.  Tell him your canvassing method and re-assure him that you're not looking to 'nick' his work.

Network with other window cleaners.  I've been given some quality work from window cleaners who didn't want a particular job or two and done the same favour to others.

There's not one window cleaner in Chepstow/Caldicot area who I've bumped into and not introduced myself too.  Some are friendlier than others; but on the whole they're a good bunch of lads round here.  With the exception of the two that threatend me!  But they're both druggies; so no worries.

Window cleaning should be stress-free; there's no need for any animosity.

[rosskesava]

Hi

My veiw is simply 'don't worry'. The way I see the competition is that it will always be there and sometimes it can appear unfair. That's how it goes.

Also, if I do loose business then so what?

In the same way that I got business to start with I can always get more business now or tomorrow.

Anyway, my experience is that most worries regarding losing work to someone else usually don't happen.

Cheers

Ross

[gaza]

To all on this forum who gave me advice on this subject,this is the first time it has happenned to me,and quite a shock it was to,

The second customer Iwent to today cancelled because they had got themselves another window cleaner,I thanked them for being a customer,warned them about using ladders only without safety devices,and my parting words was see you in the winter.
Carried on and never lost another one everyone has been brand new on my round.

Then bumped into a customer going to pickup their child from school she informed me he had been on their close today, so I will know were he should be tommorrow ,guess were Im going to be tommorrow.

 gaza

 you guessed taking the valueable advice offered on here and just carry on regaurdless, can do with pruning my round ,spotted some big  leaded houses not far away from my round , wfp fodder
can cope with one loss a day.
 gaza

[simbo]

my patch, my area,
from what some of you are saying it would seem that you clean every window in "your area" i doubt that.
 secondly every new starter is a cowboy with no longevity "unfair" thank god that the other window cleaners in "my area" are not like that in fact one gives me at least one job per week. This site is usefull but also insulting to aspiring businessmen like me who want to earn a living off our own back.
I must be a cowboy then' because i am trying to build a customer base high price not low good quality work though, how many of you take 30mins on a ten pound house, i do
and i use ladders, i must be crap then.
i have leafleted a lot lately where there must be other cleaners, no way do they do all the houses or i would not be getting any , but i am and i am probably more expensive.
losing customers , get some more, plenty left
simb0

[Ian Rochester]

Hi,

Not been on the forum for a while, just had a read through this thread and I cannot see what the problem is! 

Healthy competition is good for everyone, it makes sure we are all doing a good timely job for our customers and supplying them with quality at the correct price and if our customers are unhappy with us then they have the option of trying someone else.

Nobody should think they have a monopoly in their area, we have a good, large established business, but I never take it for granted that it will be guaranteed for ever, many things change and customers will only tolerate so much, whether it is regarding quality of service or price.

Gaza, do your job and do it to the best of your ability, charge a consistent price throughout your round and you will have little to worry about, you may lose some who do not like the idea of WFP, but you will gain a lot bigger fish by advertising that you are WFP

Regards

Ian