I've been canvassed

[adamangler]

First time it's happened to me.

5 houses in one cul de sac I clean for £12 each.

Over the last two months I've had to lower them all to £10 each.

Now I'm not bothered if someone else is canvassing but it is a but dissapointing there is no customer loyalty and they are prepared to get rid for 2 quid.

I didn't loose any but they made it clear I would if i couldn't match that price.

These are all 3/4 bed detached new builds probably 200k houses

Half a mind to canvass the rest of the street for £9 lol

 

[Clisty1989]

First time it's happened to me.
5 houses in one cul de sac I clean for £12 each.

Over the last two months I've had to lower them all to £10 each.

Now I'm not bothered if someone else is canvassing but it is a but dissapointing there is no customer loyalty and they are prepared to get rid for 2 quid.

I didn't loose any but they made it clear I would if i couldn't match that price.

These are all 3/4 bed detached new builds probably 200k houses

Half a mind to canvass the rest of the street for £9 lol

If they're like that over £2 either a. Build up some rapport with them so they see you as more than a commodity, or b. They not worth keeping. I've had my custys canvassed and offered a 5er less and they've all told him to jog on, but I tend to spend a few mins chatting to them about stuff they like, my family etc so I'm seen as a person, not just the person who turns up, cleans there windows and they don't know who I am. I've also done price rises the day after and they've all been happy, so I must be doing something right.

 

[Reach For The Glass]

Same here mate yesterday got a text saying can i please cancel. I asked why just for my own personal understanding.

She replied someone else knocked and are half the price.

Thats fine but i will not take her back once he doesnt cone back

 

[Chelmsford Cleaning - Sam]

Same here mate yesterday got a text saying can i please cancel. I asked why just for my own personal understanding.
She replied someone else knocked and are half the price.

Thats fine but i will not take her back once he doesnt cone back

Taking her back is fine, just charge her more

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[adamangler]

If they're like that over £2 either a. Build up some rapport with them so they see you as more than a commodity, or b. They not worth keeping. I've had my custys canvassed and offered a 5er less and they've all told him to jog on, but I tend to spend a few mins chatting to them about stuff they like, my family etc so I'm seen as a person, not just the person who turns up, cleans there windows and they don't know who I am. I've also done price rises the day after and they've all been happy, so I must be doing something right.

That's a fair point. All of these are out during the day and pay online. Some I have never seen. In fact most of my round is like that.

I'm not really one for small talk. I struggle with conversation with anyone that I don't know tbh. Theres only maybe a dozen or so customers I would say I have a rapport with mostly it's just a hello and thankyou conversation lol.

 

[Cookie]

Building a relationship/rapport with the customer is so important. Once they get to know about you & your family they will remain fiercely loyal.

Personally I couldn't manage this job without a natter to customers & I would say that I know 90% of them really well. I used not to be a natural conversationalist when I was younger but age helps I think. Talking about the weather is a good conversation starter or complimenting them on their garden. If I'm working on Saturday I occasionally bring my son or daughter along with me & this helps build the relationship since the customer will ask about the children on the next visit etc...

 

[JM WINDOW CLEANING]

I just got two customers due to their current window cleaner being an " ignorant, miserable **** with the wrong attitude " I'm just starting out so gonna canvass this area. I'm gonna be pleasant and professional and build that rapport because this just shows it does count.

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[AGlassAct]

The joys of nicer weather, seems to be everyone's meal ticket around me - love this forum but when someone stops you in the street and tells me to 'look at the forums mate, you can earn £30 an hour doing this' I question my sanity! don't bother me as much now as window cleaning isn't my bread and butter but we can't complain when others flyer our custies houses for a lot less. I lost 25% of my work last year to 'new starters/undercutting' and now have the attitude that if they quibble over a couple of quid I'm not interested and would rather lose them. I don't negotiate - simples. Agree 100% with the rapport comments, but as others have said - I've prob not met 30% of my customers so why would they have any loyalty.

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[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I just got two customers due to their current window cleaner being an " ignorant, miserable **** with the wrong attitude " I'm just starting out so gonna canvass this area. I'm gonna be pleasant and professional and build that rapport because this just shows it does count.

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

I'd canvass the whole town, you'll probably get most of @Steve garwoods customers on board! :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

^^^Sorry @steve garwood ^^^^^

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

When I was a young (er) man I could trad 3 semis per hour. Now days I can comfortably WFP 3 semis per hour. At £10 per semi that's a better hourly rate (by at least £20 per hour) than I will get in any other job I am qualified for.

I am quite on the pricey side, and I do wonder if perhaps we are getting a bit on the greedy side these days. Of course that's easy for me to say as life is good and I am comfortable now but believe me I wasn't always.

If you start at 8am and finish at 4pm, 15 min tea break in the morning, 30 min lunch and 15 min tea break in the afternoon then you have done a 7 hours and made your £210 for the day (£1050) for the week which is £54'600 for a 52 week year... Ok lets drop the £4'600 for weather cancellations and holidays etc and call it £50'000.

Pardon my French but that's pretty effing decent wedge even after we deduct another £10k for expenses we're still on £40k per year. For what? Cleaning windows? Hell yes!! Not bad at all I say.

Now for those of us that started out at £8 per house or £10 per house some 5 - 6 - 7 or even 10 years back yes you would think that as cost's have risen o should the income and perhaps we should increase the price a touch here and there and many of us do.

Now here's the kicker, many of us see the new start up on the street and think oh effing hell here we go another noob, well, we were all one once and that noob has possibly just gotten himself off skid row or out a dead end shelf stacking job some place and is busting a hump to better himself. What can you do about it? Not a damned thing, there is no exclusivity in this business we all know that. Did he undercut you? Yes! Did he intend to? Probably not, her probably went in at £10 to start thinking £200 for a day is a damn site better than the £60 he was on at Aldi and as a noob is making the classic move of thinking £10 per house is golden. He didn't do it on purpose (probably)

When I have lost a punter to an undercut and it's only happened twice in ten years now when I see the new boy the conversation goes like this.

Hello mate

Hello.

You picked up that job there then? What you getting for that? £10 per clean?

Yep

Sound, I did that one for two years, they used to pay £18 per clean. Not sad to see it go though always some reason as to why they can't pay this month or last month, right pain in the butt she is too always moaning about something. Oh well windows to clean can't chat all day. Catch you later.

See ya.

-------------------------------------------------------

I was getting £12 & £14 on the two I actually lost but he doesn't know that.

Probably still messing with their minds every time they turn up to the job anyway.

Sure we all like to go out at 8am and be home by 2pm with £300 in the back pocket but as Damo once said making £300 in one day is not hard, making £300 every day is!

Building that round never stops, add a few, cull a couple, lose a couple add a few more and on it goes.

With 18'000 residential houses in my postcode alone I am going to need a bit of help to get them all done on schedule this month. /emoticons/smile.png)

 

[Clisty1989]

That's a fair point. All of these are out during the day and pay online. Some I have never seen. In fact most of my round is like that.
I'm not really one for small talk. I struggle with conversation with anyone that I don't know tbh. Theres only maybe a dozen or so customers I would say I have a rapport with mostly it's just a hello and thankyou conversation lol.

Easiest way round that is to quote and 1st clean when they are there. It can be a nightmare with getting them booked, but it means that you can have a natter, maybe a cuppa and get to know them/them to know you. I also keep track on holidays they go on and next time I'm around ask how it was, or if they have kids/grandkids ask about them. Easy questions to ask, gets them doing all the talking, and if you make yourself seem interested, the loyalty grows from there.

 

[Tuffers]

Surprised you've got time to type all of that

 

[Clisty1989]

That's a fair point. All of these are out during the day and pay online. Some I have never seen. In fact most of my round is like that.
I'm not really one for small talk. I struggle with conversation with anyone that I don't know tbh. Theres only maybe a dozen or so customers I would say I have a rapport with mostly it's just a hello and thankyou conversation lol.

Easiest way round that is to quote and 1st clean when they are there. It can be a nightmare with getting them booked, but it means that you can have a natter, maybe a cuppa and get to know them/them to know you. I also keep track on holidays they go on and next time I'm around ask how it was, or if they have kids/grandkids ask about them. Easy questions to ask, gets them doing all the talking, and if you make yourself seem interested, the loyalty grows from there.

 

[Part Timer]

When I was a young (er) man I could trad 3 semis per hour. Now days I can comfortably WFP 3 semis per hour. At £10 per semi that's a better hourly rate (by at least £20 per hour) than I will get in any other job I am qualified for.
I am quite on the pricey side, and I do wonder if perhaps we are getting a bit on the greedy side these days. Of course that's easy for me to say as life is good and I am comfortable now but believe me I wasn't always.

If you start at 8am and finish at 4pm, 15 min tea break in the morning, 30 min lunch and 15 min tea break in the afternoon then you have done a 7 hours and made your £210 for the day (£1050) for the week which is £54'600 for a 52 week year... Ok lets drop the £4'600 for weather cancellations and holidays etc and call it £50'000.

Pardon my French but that's pretty effing decent wedge even after we deduct another £10k for expenses we're still on £40k per year. For what? Cleaning windows? Hell yes!! Not bad at all I say.

Now for those of us that started out at £8 per house or £10 per house some 5 - 6 - 7 or even 10 years back yes you would think that as cost's have risen o should the income and perhaps we should increase the price a touch here and there and many of us do.

Now here's the kicker, many of us see the new start up on the street and think oh effing hell here we go another noob, well, we were all one once and that noob has possibly just gotten himself off skid row or out a dead end shelf stacking job some place and is busting a hump to better himself. What can you do about it? Not a damned thing, there is no exclusivity in this business we all know that. Did he undercut you? Yes! Did he intend to? Probably not, her probably went in at £10 to start thinking £200 for a day is a damn site better than the £60 he was on at Aldi and as a noob is making the classic move of thinking £10 per house is golden. He didn't do it on purpose (probably)

When I have lost a punter to an undercut and it's only happened twice in ten years now when I see the new boy the conversation goes like this.

Hello mate

Hello.

You picked up that job there then? What you getting for that? £10 per clean?

Yep

Sound, I did that one for two years, they used to pay £18 per clean. Not sad to see it go though always some reason as to why they can't pay this month or last month, right pain in the butt she is too always moaning about something. Oh well windows to clean can't chat all day. Catch you later.

See ya.

-------------------------------------------------------

I was getting £12 & £14 on the two I actually lost but he doesn't know that.

Probably still messing with their minds every time they turn up to the job anyway.

Sure we all like to go out at 8am and be home by 2pm with £300 in the back pocket but as Damo once said making £300 in one day is not hard, making £300 every day is!

Building that round never stops, add a few, cull a couple, lose a couple add a few more and on it goes.

With 18'000 residential houses in my postcode alone I am going to need a bit of help to get them all done on schedule this month. /emoticons/smile.png)

This is exactly why when I see newbies posting asking for advice about certain jobs and people advise them to go in at £60+ an hour I think it's poor advice. When you're established by all means take chances on your prices, if your option is to price it and only make £30 an hour how bad is that going to be. If it's that or sitting down at home earning nowt it's not that hard of a decision to make.

 

[steve garwood]

I'd canvass the whole town, you'll probably get most of @Steve garwoods customers on board! :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

lol, I'm probably one of the most chirpiest chaps on here!!!

Wouldn't bother knocking around the Nottingham area as a certain Mr. Green has that sown up with his minimum £15 per window :hehehe:

 

[Iron Giant]

In the early days even 10 year in I was bothered if i lost work now i am not so much even more so if a custy jumps ship for £1-2 let them jog on .

Now i can only speak for the area i work and the service i provide against other cleaners most of which do a bad job and charge similar money to me or less , Wfpers 1-2 lads do a decent job others do a bad job and barely touch the frames, Tradders some a good job and some pretty bad and overall poor service charging peanuts.

This must be the same up and down the country but we are all different the customer will ultimately decide on whether they want a uniformed professional who provides a excellent service or a non professional who charges peanuts and does half a job and leaves no contact details .

The tide is turning for the professional and more and more people IMHO want someone they can easily identify as their window cleaner not a face who turns when they want and leaves no contact details, Just being the best you can be will always win through longterm .

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Mr. Green has that sown up with his minimum £15 per window :hehehe:

As if!! £15 per pane more like matey! /emoticons/tongue.png

 

[lbcleaningservices]

It definitely helps to talk to them and get to know them just be your self and be honest

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[crystal vision]

Same here mate yesterday got a text saying can i please cancel. I asked why just for my own personal understanding.
She replied someone else knocked and are half the price.

Thats fine but i will not take her back once he doesnt cone back

A man i my own heart i do exactly the the ferk them

If they're like that over £2 either a. Build up some rapport with them so they see you as more than a commodity, or b. They not worth keeping. I've had my custys canvassed and offered a 5er less and they've all told him to jog on, but I tend to spend a few mins chatting to them about stuff they like, my family etc so I'm seen as a person, not just the person who turns up, cleans there windows and they don't know who I am. I've also done price rises the day after and they've all been happy, so I must be doing something right.

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[alanw]

I lost a customer or user yesterday for supposedly waking her little lad, she said i should have knocked first to check if it was ok I said but wouldn't that have woken him, she replied ive been here since last august and ive had five window cleaners so i just said have you paid any because you owe me for three cleans and walked away. How much leeway with non payments would people give?