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Window cleaners disappearing!

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Yet another one yesterday. ‘Can you clean my windows as my window cleaner has disappeared’!
Are we all being picked off one by one?
Be careful out there folks!
One of my red flags. I usually find that the disappearing window cleaner has been far too cheap and knocked it on the head, or more often that the customer turns out to be a pain - repeated cancellations, awkward access, doesn't like them.coming unless the weather is perfect etc.
 
I get these enquiries all year round. 99% stay as regular good customers.
I think it’s probably window cleaners who have odd ones dotted about and it becomes a pain for them to get to these customers as they build up in their preferred more compact areas.
OR ……. We are being targeted and we’re all going to disappear one day 😃
 
It may depend on the area, there was a lad local to me been cleaning windows for around 15 years I found he was charging £8 for a 4-bed detached he jacked it all in and sold his rounds to someone who is now coming back into the industry for 3rd time, rounds are being bought and sold on low prices,

I have had a few enquires but no takers not surprising when they have been used to such low prices!!
 
I am finding that the cheap 50-year-olds that been banging them out for years making good money have injuries and then they’re out and then on the commercial side. It is a large company using a subcontractor and then on the residential side it is young guys in a group of three so they can bang stuff off quickly so I’m finding there is no shortage Window cleaning work north of Toronto area that is for sure. Gutter cleaning too.
 
One of my red flags. I usually find that the disappearing window cleaner has been far too cheap and knocked it on the head, or more often that the customer turns out to be a pain - repeated cancellations, awkward access, doesn't like them.coming unless the weather is perfect etc.
I get what you mean and I always wonder if it was the customer or the cleaner. I've had plenty of these who've been absolutely solid. The truth is, you just never know and I give them all a chance.
 
It may depend on the area, there was a lad local to me been cleaning windows for around 15 years I found he was charging £8 for a 4-bed detached he jacked it all in and sold his rounds to someone who is now coming back into the industry for 3rd time, rounds are being bought and sold on low prices,

I have had a few enquires but no takers not surprising when they have been used to such

It may depend on the area, there was a lad local to me been cleaning windows for around 15 years I found he was charging £8 for a 4-bed detached he jacked it all in and sold his rounds to someone who is now coming back into the industry for 3rd time, rounds are being bought and sold on low prices,

I have had a few enquires but no takers not surprising when they have been used to such low prices!!lucky in that my competition

It may depend on the area, there was a lad local to me been cleaning windows for around 15 years I found he was charging £8 for a 4-bed detached he jacked it all in and sold his rounds to someone who is now coming back into the industry for 3rd time, rounds are being bought and sold on low prices,

I have had a few enquires but no takers not surprising when they have been used to such low prices!!

We have had a couple of windies pack in, in the last few months.
You will always get either new starters who try it and then give up or older guys who retire and don’t bother selling up so leave the work sitting there. And a host of other reasons. That’s why we keep building and refining. Onwards and upwards 👍
 
One of my red flags. I usually find that the disappearing window cleaner has been far too cheap and knocked it on the head, or more often that the customer turns out to be a pain - repeated cancellations, awkward access, doesn't like them.coming unless the weather is perfect etc.
Thats a very good point pal
 
One of my red flags. I usually find that the disappearing window cleaner has been far too cheap and knocked it on the head, or more often that the customer turns out to be a pain - repeated cancellations, awkward access, doesn't like them.coming unless the weather is perfect etc.
Totally agree, cleaning windows 25 years you get to know the patterns of a bad customers. I’ve lost two customers this year and both were ones that claimed their window cleaners never came back. Nonsense, and I could sense it from the first time I’d cleaned for them.
 
When people say they 'don't know what happened...' the first thing I ask is; What was he charging you? Once they tell me the price I say 'Arh, I know what happed to him. He died of starvation!' They chuckle and then I sell the benefits of paying my price/service and sign them up. 😁
 
When people say they 'don't know what happened...' the first thing I ask is; What was he charging you? Once they tell me the price I say 'Arh, I know what happed to him. He died of starvation!' They chuckle and then I sell the benefits of paying my price/service and sign them up. 😁
That's a great comeback to 'my old windy only charged £x'. Thanks for the laugh and come back line.
 
One of my red flags. I usually find that the disappearing window cleaner has been far too cheap and knocked it on the head, or more often that the customer turns out to be a pain - repeated cancellations, awkward access, doesn't like them.coming unless the weather is perfect etc.
Yes, the concept of the weather having to be perfect as ridiculous. Sometimes what I’ll even do is say I’ll do your insights right now and then come back later in the day and then I’ll water it pull the sides that seems to work as well.
 
That's a great comeback to 'my old windy only charged £x'. Thanks for the laugh and come back line.
I’ve also found that by having an xero screen cleaner and by doing water, Fett pole, and then a little bit of a concrete walkway, cleaning with a pressure washer and a spinner tool and other things like gutter cleaning and that I found that the clientele quickly I get rid of
 

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