My advise is get straight early on what the difference between a “first clean” a “maintenance clean” and a “post construction clean” is.
It took me a while to get in the habit but I always ask now “how long has it been since the windows were cleaned?” Then follow up with “are you looking for a basic maintenance clean or a more thorough deep cleaning?”
With a job like you described you can bid it as a maintenance clean and let them know that a maintenance clean will not remove paint, silicone, grease etc… and… if those elements are present it would be considered a “first clean” so if they want that stuff cleaned off, extra charges will apply.
I feel that putting those options out there at the beginning will leave you some wiggle room in this kind of scenario but also allow you to compete on price when needed.
There’s a fine line between promoting your services (I can really make your windows shine!) and tempering customer expectations. You can’t run an old car with faded paint and rust through a car wash and expect it to come out looking all shiny and new.
This is something I’ve really been working on this season. It takes a lot of stress off during a job knowing that the customer understands the result they’ll be getting.
So true. I tell people on heavily soiled stuff that I can get almost all of it clean, but some will just be left as a stain. That way if I run into something particularly stubborn and make it look great, I have passed their expectations.
Excellent tip!..thanks! I think when you’re new, getting the work is so satisfying that you tend to forget the little things…the learning curve. I will apply that lesson going forward.
For some reason it seems common sense rarely applies when it comes to customer’s ideas on window cleaning. If they got their car re-painted and the body shop got paint on their windshield, they wouldn’t expect the car wash to fix the problem, but somehow, paint, silicone, and stucco on glass does not fall under the responsibility of the contractor who mucked up the windows in the first place.
Redemption for my bad day…I actually had fun doing this one!..I’m gonna attack the dark dirty spots between the 1st and 2nd story next month…I told the client that the whole building will look better with those all cleaned up nice!..Didn’t have time for it today, but definitely on the next visit and more $$$!!
So yeah…the bad day was turned around and I feel great!
I remember going in there when it actually was a bank with my Mom when I was a kid…beautiful inside too…It’s now a Lawyers office…and the Assistant there asked me for a bunch of business cards to hand out…so, brig on the referrals!
Funny moment too…a dude and his GF walked by me as I was working and he said…perfect day to do that!..as I replied to him and turned to look at him, they were walking away…carrying a 5 gallon bucket with a squeegee and strip washer hanging out…and the GF was carrying an extension pole…Hmmmm…
Just last week getting burnt in the face by the sun and completely underbidding…and then yesterday it was so cold and blowing so hard that the window I just cleaned blew the water back on the glass…and today it’s snowing.
I didn’t read the whole thread but I don’t include paint or silicone removal in a regular window cleaning. That would fall under construction cleanup which is billed at least double… At least. If you would have told her that when she pointed it out chances are that she would have backed down. For the finger prints try rubbing alcohol, viniger, or even sprayway. In that order. Alcohols stronger, sprayway is less smelly/ dangerous. Vinegar is a nice median but needs to be pretty strong.
The tiny speckles of paint on the doors and the few pieces of silicone were an oversight on my part…which is pretty much the whole reason for the rough day…like I said, I can’t really blame the Manager, because I dropped the ball on that. for sure in the future,I will be much more thorough in my proposals…
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