Introduction - new to cleaning

[tommywilliams88]

Totally agree with this when I was trad for 7 years I was always busy but the business only really took of once I went WFP best decision I ever made .

Or maybe you weren’t running your business right. Glad to hear it’s taken off now though ??

 

[tommywilliams88]

Maybe he could differentiate himself by telling his potential customers that he’s Slower, does a Worse job , and in a less safe manner than all the others out there. ??

Yes. Or, as you say, he could go an offer the exact same service that 95% of window cleaners already offer, in an already saturated profession, offering absolutely nothing different, no USP, and then sell all his equipment in 3 months when it hasn’t worked out ??‍

 

[Pjj]

Yes. Or, as you say, he could go an offer the exact same service that 95% of window cleaners already offer, in an already saturated profession, offering absolutely nothing different, no USP, and then sell all his equipment in 3 months when it hasn’t worked out ??‍

I think some of it depends ware you are but Evan if there is a lot of cleaners set yourself apart by being regular, doing a better job than the competition , there are many ways to stand out from the crowd in a busy area

 

[tommywilliams88]

But wfp is quicker safer and does a better job , would you rather drive a model T ford or a modern more reliable car , I don’t think differentiating himself by offering trad is a good move at all , trad does have its place but not for the vast majority of domestic work , shop fronts maybe

Interested to hear how you would differentiate yourself then, if you were starting out from scratch as a new business?

 

[Pjj]

Interested to hear how you would differentiate yourself then, if you were starting out from scratch as a new business?

It’s easy offer and do things other cleaners don’t do , clean garage doors and windows , clean light by front door , name plaques and so the list goes on just takes a bit of thought to set yourself apart from the crowd .

 

[JEM]

Interested to hear how you would differentiate yourself then, if you were starting out from scratch as a new business?

Why would anyone need to differentiate themselves from other window cleaners, If I get a request for a quote I don't need to say I do XYZ better than another window cleaner I explain what I do and that's good enough.
Unless you are trying to steal customers away from other windies

 

[steve garwood]

Lol behave yourself. I’m quick with a blade and have worked with enough window cleaners both domestic and commercial to know that there isn’t much difference in time. Perhaps you weren’t as quick on a blade as you thought, or you’re now just knocking work to get through as many houses as you can in a day. 14 years doesn’t mean anything - I know cleaners who’ve been on the tools for 25+ years and they’re dogs^*t.

Well let’s put it out there to the experienced windies on here.
This guy states there isn’t much difference in time between trad and WFP.
Any thoughts? ??

 

[Part Timer]

12 years ago I offered a different service than others, I offered WFP that included frames, sills, doors etc. 95% offered declined my services

 

[Pjj]

Well let’s put it out there to the experienced windies on here.
This guy states there isn’t much difference in time between trad and WFP.
Any thoughts? ??

I was trad for 7 + years and been WFP since 2004 when trad I had one guy working for me now with WFP I have 5 guys and I wont mention turnover or profit but let’s just say there is no comparison, WFP is so much quicker does a better job you can get to windows that are impossible to do trad , it can be used to clean gfs, cladding, etc I was reasonably quick trad but now can do and earn so much more it opens up a whole new area of work as an example we do a lot of hotels , blocks of flats etc that are 4-8 storey we couldn’t have ever done that trad and due to the height you can charge a premium for it . If some can work as fast trad as WFP they aren’t doing a proper job as we all know what the frames are like doing it trad and they will never look as good , ime not knocking trad cleaners I had friends that went over to WFP and I slagged it off saying it won’t do as good a job as me trad , I went out with them for a day and realised how wrong I was , since changing over it has been the making of my business , I would never go back .

 

[steve garwood]

I was trad for 7 + years and been WFP since 2004 when trad I had one guy working for me now with WFP I have 5 guys and I wont mention turnover or profit but let’s just say there is no comparison, WFP is so much quicker does a better job you can get to windows that are impossible to do trad , it can be used to clean gfs, cladding, etc I was reasonably quick trad but now can do and earn so much more it opens up a whole new area of work as an example we do a lot of hotels , blocks of flats etc that are 4-8 storey we couldn’t have ever done that trad and due to the height you can charge a premium for it . If some can work as fast trad as WFP they aren’t doing a proper job as we all know what the frames are like doing it trad and they will never look as good , ime not knocking trad cleaners I had friends that went over to WFP and I slagged it off saying it won’t do as good a job as me trad , I went out with them for a day and realised how wrong I was , since changing over it has been the making of my business , I would never go back .

People forget the time it takes going up and down the ladder, when you just step sideways with an extended pole when doing upstairs windows

 

[Iron Giant]

I think some of it depends ware you are but Evan if there is a lot of cleaners set yourself apart by being regular, doing a better job than the competition , there are many ways to stand out from the crowd in a busy area

It’s easy offer and do things other cleaners don’t do , clean garage doors and windows , clean light by front door , name plaques and so the list goes on just takes a bit of thought to set yourself apart from the crowd .

I 100% agree with this it's very easy to stand out from the crowd when others are doing a mediocre job and some going around looking like Steptoe

 

[spruce]

People forget the time it takes going up and down the ladder, when you just step sideways with an extended pole when doing upstairs windows

This is true. We have an estate near us we work that the trad guys stayed away from. The windows upstairs were very wide. To clean each upstairs window would require a second ladder move. So to do each window would mean the Windie would be up and down his ladder 4 times, 8 for the front and and 4 around the back.
Working trad I would still need a step ladder to reach some of the downstairs windows (not all) due to the slope of the ground.
A tall guy can get away with not using steps on most downstairs windows. I couldn't as I am short. However, if I was trad these days, I would use a short extension pole with my swivel squeegee as I've mastered that on some commercial internal windows we clean.
I might even have a go at a Wagtail. But wiping frames and sills would still be difficult.

I would never go back to trad, I'm just to old to climb ladders and the risk would be too great for me

When we first went wfp my plan was to do upstairs windows with the pole and trad downstairs. I changed my mind in approx 15 minutes as cleaning downstairs was far quicker and easier wfp.
Once we got settled in with wfp, I believe I was at least twice as fast as I was trad and the windows and frames were much cleaner.

We had lots of old Victorian houses on the round with front bedroom and lounge bays which I hated doing off ladders. I could do 3 of those houses an hour next door to each other where it took me around 30 minutes to do each house trad. But as the day progressed it went to 45 minutes a clean because I was tired. I always felt nervous up on those bedroom bay windows.

 

[Iron Giant]

This is true. We have an estate near us we work that the trad guys stayed away from. The windows upstairs were very wide. To clean each upstairs window would require a second ladder move. So to do each window would mean the Windie would be up and down his ladder 4 times, 8 for the front and and 4 around the back.
Working trad I would still need a step ladder to reach some of the downstairs windows (not all) due to the slope of the ground.
A tall guy can get away with not using steps on most downstairs windows. I couldn't as I am short. However, if I was trad these days, I would use a short extension pole with my swivel squeegee as I've mastered that on some commercial internal windows we clean.
I might even have a go at a Wagtail. But wiping frames and sills would still be difficult.

I would never go back to trad, I'm just to old to climb ladders and the risk would be too great for me

When we first went wfp my plan was to do upstairs windows with the pole and trad downstairs. I changed my mind in approx 15 minutes as cleaning downstairs was far quicker and easier wfp.
Once we got settled in with wfp, I believe I was at least twice as fast as I was trad and the windows and frames were much cleaner.

We had lots of old Victorian houses on the round with front bedroom and lounge bays which I hated doing off ladders. I could do 3 of those houses an hour next door to each other where it took me around 30 minutes to do each house trad. But as the day progressed it went to 45 minutes a clean because I was tired. I always felt nervous up on those bedroom bay windows.

Got some of the type of jobs you mention on my rounds no way would a trad lad be able to clean those larger windows as efficiently as a wfper and those big bays I remember doing some years ago I got them of another cleaner I knew after the first clean I wasn't going back my heart was in my mouth on some of the bays on these jobs there were 4 ladder moves to do the upper bays and ladders to do the bottoms as well,

Those big bay window jobs I happily took on when I went wfp and I can clash them out very easily doing the tops of 3 in a row, then the bottoms, and some of my best earners.