Help needed for a newbie

Hi everyone I’m not new to the site but this is my first post, I started to build my round up around October 2018.

The first two months were slow but after that it’s started to grow quite a lot now, the only trouble I’m having is I’m losing customers. I’ve only had one say they don’t want my services anymore because of water marks getting left, I’ve offered to come out and look at them as last time someone said this to me it turned out all her windows were knackered! Condensation trapped inside kept drying and then looking like I’ve left a mess! This lead to the council giving her all new window replacements which I’m really happy with. Anyway she hasn’t replied yet but she doesn’t seem too interested, she was a bit strange to be honest. It’s not the first time shes caused a fuss either, last time I cleaned her windows she didn’t want to pay because she didn’t think I’d cleaned them! I told her I left a note and everything but she insisted she wasn’t paying until her son “confirmed I’d been” an hour later she messaged me saying she’d paid.

 I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong or if it’s just one of those “bad jobs” where the customer is never satisfied. I have a Facebook page with all 5* reviews, I’ve had people say there is a few marks on the glass but only after the first clean, which I actually tell people about, I also offer to come back and re clean them if there is any marks. 

The most common reason for losing customers I seem to get is “ we don’t need you anymore my grandsons going to do it for us, thanks” which I usually just laugh off but it seems to be accumulating now, last week I lost 3 customers but gained 11 new ones, not too bad but I’m not happy with it. I want my customers to stay even if they can be a pain in the a*** at times, at the end of the day money is money. I use a technique that I saw someone from gardiner use on YouTube, so here’s how I clean the windows. 

1.  First clean th frames 

2. Scrub the top of the window (side to side) 

3. Scrub the window top to bottom 

4. Scrub the bottom of the window (side to side) 

5. Rinse (if it doesn’t sheet over the glass I allow water to run on the glass and then from top to bottom in one motion sweep down) 

i do exactly as gardiner say you should do it so I do t believe it is the technique.

i use a gardiner clx-27 I believe it is with a standard soft bristle gardiner brush head, my water comes from an ionic water system, filtered 4 times then into the tank, the TDS meter always reads 000. Could it just be the seals or some condition with the windows instead of me like I think it is? (And hope it is) also am I just taking these things too personally? When I read the message I had an adrenaline rush and I couldn’t help but think that I’d left all the houses I have like that.

Any input or advice is greatly appreciated.

Don't panic. It was the same for me when I started five years ago. I'd swear the customers can smell the blood and fear of a novice. The proven technique I've settled on is : I start with a couple of left-right scrubs on the sill to loosen the dirt (the sills are almost always where the most dirt builds up), then a couple of left - right scrubs on the top frame, then vertical agitations from left to right and back to left on side frames and glass, covering as much as possible on each pass with a very slight overlap. Finish with a a couple of swift passes across the top to build a curtain of water to start rinse. Bring that curtain down with a zigzag, a couple of swift passes across and back on the sill to finish. Perhaps take a bit of time while starting out till you build confidence. After you've gained confidence and experience I'd be aiming to do an average size wìndow in less than 30 seconds.

I fully understand how you feel. Stick with it and you'll be fine. ??

Thanks Davy, I have the confidence and I’m loving the job it’s just when I lose a customer it really gets to me ? maybe I’m thinking too much of it but I’ll be certain to try your technique and see how it proves with the customers.?

At the moment most of your customers will be first cleans. I would stake money you are not getting the windows clean enough first time which is leaving you problems later. The advice from @Davy G is pretty spot on but it won't mean anything to you, it's neigh on impossible to understand a technique that is written down.

My advice would be... Clean all the windows twice the first time. Firstly clean the frames and then go back and clean the glass. This way you won't have dirt still dripping down from the frame while you're trying to clean the glass.

Outside of that get yourself on YouTube and watch as many videos as possible. There are loads to choose from and all will give you good sound advice. Once you have an idea what you want to try go and clean your own windows and check out the results. Next go back and watch some more and perhaps clean your mums or girlfriends or whatever... Practice makes perfect and all that.

I originally did all this before I started, as I say I watched someone from gardiner explain it and show it and this technique did do the trick, it’s the only technique I’ve ever used on a paying customer and it’s worked great for me up until today when I got the message. 

Would you still reccomend looking at other methods? 

I never do the windows twice as you say so maybe i could do that for the first cleans. I’ve heard a lot of people say it but I’ve just never tried it, so I’ll definitely give this a try on my next first clean. 

Thanks. 

ClearerWindows said:

I originally did all this before I started, as I say I watched someone from gardiner explain it and show it and this technique did do the trick, it’s the only technique I’ve ever used on a paying customer and it’s worked great for me up until today when I got the message. 

Would you still reccomend looking at other methods? 

I never do the windows twice as you say so maybe i could do that for the first cleans. I’ve heard a lot of people say it but I’ve just never tried it, so I’ll definitely give this a try on my next first clean. 

Thanks. 

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I know the video you're on about, I based my technique around that too. I think that is a good basis to start from but there is certainly a lot to be said for getting advice from multiple places.

I think the double clean the first time will probably solve most of your issues.

ClearerWindows said:

I’ve had people say there is a few marks on the glass but only after the first clean

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You will probably find this issue goes away if you double clean too. You can charge extra to cover the extra work.

ClearerWindows said:

The most common reason for losing customers I seem to get is “ we don’t need you anymore my grandsons going to do it for us, thanks” which I usually just laugh off but it seems to be accumulating now, last week I lost 3 customers but gained 11 new ones,

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I started a thread recently as I got my first of these, biggest kop out ever. Guarantee there is a different issue. The one I had cancelled because she thought my mate was a pervert ?

There are an awful lot of messers out there. The vast majority will only want a one off / two or three cleans. They will then make an excuse, in other words lie, to get rid of you. As long as you're gaining more than you lose try not to worry, I appreciate as a newbie it's easier said then done. 

In a while you'll get to read the signals and learn. You're not alone on this journey, we've all been there, done that and got the tee shirt. 

Thanks everyone your help is greatly appreciated glad to hear that’s it must be a thing of the trade and it’s great to hear your tips and knowledge, thanks ?

No problem. As you can see. We're rooting for you. ??

I have only been running a few months (did a-lot of planning before i started) 

Also what jets do you have on the brush?

For example some people will swear by Pencil jets but for me they are rubbish.

So when i bought a CLX i went for two 100° Fan Jets and i would never look back now i find them faster and they do what i want them to do.

https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/brushes/brush-fittings-jets-sockets-scrapers/super-liter-100-wide-fan-jets-x2.html

^^ spend a few quid and have a play about with them. 

noobwc said:

I have only been running a few months (did a-lot of planning before i started) 

Also what jets do you have on the brush?

For example some people will swear by Pencil jets but for me they are rubbish.

So when i bought a CLX i went for two 100° Fan Jets and i would never look back now i find them faster and they do what i want them to do.

https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/brushes/brush-fittings-jets-sockets-scrapers/super-liter-100-wide-fan-jets-x2.html

^^ spend a few quid and have a play about with them. 

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I just have standard pencil jets, I’ve never tried the fan jet but I’ll deffo have a play with them. Might aswell get a new brush head at the same time and see what that’s like ?

Fan jets would be nightmare on certain jobs such as as new build estates which are still been built as there is a lot of dirt on window reveals and lintels which is ongoing also problem trickle vents of which I have some so worth considering certain factors on different jobs. 

Fan jets would be nightmare on certain jobs such as as new build estates which are still been built as there is a lot of dirt on window reveals and lintels which is ongoing also problem trickle vents of which I have some so worth considering certain factors on different jobs. 

Iron Giant said:

Fan jets would be nightmare on certain jobs such as as new build estates which are still been built as there is a lot of dirt on window reveals and lintels which is ongoing also problem trickle vents of which I have some so worth considering certain factors on different jobs. 

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It's all the vents I come across that stops me using fans. I can get water through them with pencil jets 

Part Timer said:

It's all the vents I come across that stops me using fans. I can get water through them with pencil jets 

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I have some jobs were the trickle vents don't have an edge or framed along the bottom as you look at them if you know what I mean and fan jets would be a nightmare. I guess we all work out what works for us the best 

Part Timer said:

There are an awful lot of messers out there. The vast majority will only want a one off / two or three cleans. They will then make an excuse, in other words lie, to get rid of you. As long as you're gaining more than you lose try not to worry, I appreciate as a newbie it's easier said then done. 

In a while you'll get to read the signals and learn. You're not alone on this journey, we've all been there, done that and got the tee shirt. 

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haha you reminded me of this job a team of three of is did trad over 20 years ago. I wouldnt have took it on, but was working under a boss so we did it. A house in the middle of nowhere, honestly seemed like the windows had NEVER been cleaned ever before. We just used scrim cloth, and it took 3 of us forever and man, when i say those cloths were black, they were like we'd cleaned windows down a coal mine ?

Anyway, what a waste of time, they never wanted them done again and we had to chuck the scrims away. Was glad to get the heck outa the place, was like something off that film 'wrong turn' if you know it. ?

First clean - Scrub the frame seven times  scrub the glass seven times and rinse the glass seven times moving down the sheet of glass 5cm a time with pencil jets. 

Maintenance clean - Scrub the frame twice scrub the glass twice and rinse the glass twice  moving down the sheet of glass 5cm a time with pencil jets. 

THL4KEL said:

First clean - Scrub the frame seven times  scrub the glass seven times and rinse the glass seven times moving down the sheet of glass 5cm a time with pencil jets. 

Maintenance clean - Scrub the frame twice scrub the glass twice and rinse the glass twice  moving down the sheet of glass 5cm a time with pencil jets. 

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Thanks for the info going to be trying this Monday aswell ?

noobwc said:

I have only been running a few months (did a-lot of planning before i started) 

Also what jets do you have on the brush?

For example some people will swear by Pencil jets but for me they are rubbish.

So when i bought a CLX i went for two 100° Fan Jets and i would never look back now i find them faster and they do what i want them to do.

https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/brushes/brush-fittings-jets-sockets-scrapers/super-liter-100-wide-fan-jets-x2.html

^^ spend a few quid and have a play about with them. 

Click to expand...

100 degree fan jets for me too, fitted to Gardiner Medium Mixed Sill Brush. For everything: first washes, maintenance washes, gutter, fascia, cladding, conservatory roofs, garage doors, solar panels. I never change brushes, only poles on the rare occasion I can't reach with SLX 22. A lot of people (possibly the majority) prefer pencil jets but I doubt I'll ever find a jet type that suits me as much as the 100s.

Iron Giant said:

Fan jets would be nightmare on certain jobs such as as new build estates which are still been built as there is a lot of dirt on window reveals and lintels which is ongoing also problem trickle vents of which I have some so worth considering certain factors on different jobs. 

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I have never had any issues with them and on high flow they blast vents out like a hot knife cutting butter.

But each person has there own way i guess but fan jets in my opinion are the best.

I find that that they put the water exactly where I want it, in a dense, high pressure deluge and mist, fizzing and flushing out amongst the bristles. I also find they flush out the vents without getting too much, if any, water passing through into the house. Very rarely a drop gets in.