No your still ahead 30¢.
Despite the risk, and warnings from the Postal Service about sending cash-- I’m a wild and crazy guy, who is still willing to send a Quarter and a nickel in an envelope. I’m old-school like that ya know;)
Thanks, this was not a story I wanted to tell on myself, but maybe if all window cleaners stop settling for less than fair, it could help the whole industry.
Most national venders do not care that you are out there in the nasty weather and risking carpel tunnel, so long as you work cheap and make them money.
I’ll have the coffee ready for the mail carrier who is bringing my cash!
Oh Boy O Boy!
Just window cleaning Pimps from the sound of them. Maybe they should rename themselves “Fat Ho’s Windows” instead.
(Note- that was a reference to Bailey’s post a few days ago about wanting to “taste a Fat Ho”.-- not to be taken as a derogatory statement towards fat people (me)… or Ho’s)
No, it isn’t but I want to keep them confidential as they pay like clock work & keep their word.
I have had two other national venders who paid slow 3 to 4 months late, and then lost the contracts but left me out without months of back pay.
That I will not see. One owes me 6 monthly cleanings & the other owes 3 months. Both since 2010!
I wonder how much the middle man takes? I had a monthly chain store I raised from $21.00 to $30.00 per month this year. They never even complained. I reached a point where I gotta make some $ or can it. Well I still got it for now. Since my employees are paid percentage I was glad they get to make more too.
Ok, GOOD!
In that case, I’d counter that with the rise in gas you can no longer wash the windows for $40 dollars anymore. You now need to charge $50!
As Don Chute use to say “Everybody knows the value of their own work”.
OK, here is the rest of the story… About 4 years ago I took a Coach store on through a National Vender. My first experience with a national vender by the way, and this Coach was in a outdoor shopping mall that has around 100 various retail shops. My usual pricing would be about $2 per window in & out. But I saw this as a foot in the door to the shopping area, so I priced it at $1.75 per window and got it.
I did get about three more store to service at a fair price, so OK so far.
Then in Jan 2008 the same National company ask me to bid on the one above that you just bid on. My normal pricing would be $98 ( $2 X 49 = $98) but its January, I am already cleaning the Coach store only a few hundred feet away from this new one, so I bid $85 to get it right. They told me the most they could pay on this store is $40 take it or leave it. I took it!
Now I know you think that was the shocker, right. Oh no it doesn’t end there…Here is an e-mail I got yesterday from this National vender.
Hi Matt,
We have been contacted by Company Name corporate to inform us that they have received a significantly lower price from another vendor for the window cleaning service at store 6627 in Ohio Town .
They have asked us to meet the price in order to retain the store. As such, we need to know if you will be able to adjust your payout from $40 to $30 per I/O cleaning.
We have agreed and hope that you will be able to work with us in order to maintain this service.
Please confirm that you will be able to continue to do this cleaning for $30 per service.
We appreciate your partnership and look forward to continuing to work with you on this store.
Thanks,
Linda
That was a shock for me! Below is the reply I sent back to this National company.
Linda , I am sorry that Company store is putting you in such a position. When I started my business 8 years ago a bargain price to clean was $1 per window or door. Today I charge $2. Company store has 49 windows that get a power wash mist every month leaving deposits on them left from the over spray of their sidewalk cleaning.
They have 49 pieces of glass which a fair price should be $98 I think the quote I gave you was originally $85 but you said the most you could do was $40 that’s less than 82 cents per window. You had me doing the Coach just walking distance away so I said yes. Now you are asking me to take 61 cents per window.
I’m sorry 62 cents per window, I can’t do, this is too little for the job & drive time it eats up.
I am scheduled Thursday 04-07-2011 to do the coach in & Out and Company store as well.
do you want it done this time for the $40 or not. Please advise me.
I will still do the Coach if you want, even without Company store.
Needless to say I will no longer be cleaning the $40 job anymore , but which window cleaner is going to do it 25% cheaper than I did, and how long before they try to go backwards again?
Now you have the rest of the shocking story!
Matt
Matt, sorry bro! What a mess. These NC are killing us… a few years ago I stopped messing with the low-ballers. I have a couple I do right now but I at least don’t feel I am getting ripped off. I give my price and they can take it or leave it.
A couple months ago I got a call for a store and they wanted me to clean bathrooms and lots of glass for $50. ?!?!! NO, I said “We are a window cleaning company, if you want us to clean bathrooms too make it $100”. They didn’t think that would work. LOL!
So the next week I get a call from a local guy who asked for a bid, same store. Told him I was already “invited” to do it but was not cleaning the bathrooms for free. His reply? “I’ll pay you $50 to clean the windows!” what?! So he pays me cash on delivery and I hit the windows in 15 min. So in a a way it worked out to stick to my guns.
Hang in there Matt, they probably will NOT be able to refill the spot. If so, the next person won’t be doing the whole job like you were all this time.
Jesus you guys in this country are way too polite I would of told her I could pi%^ on them for that amount of money! Which anyone doing them for much less than $120 can’t put the standard of work into them.
Speaking as a Brit here… I would had emailed that fat bit^& back and told her where to stick their prices but then I would NEVER clean something like that myself anyway for less than $160 inside and out regardless of whether I got it or not, if prices are that low $2 per pane you need to focus on residential and let Mr/s No Speak Any Bloody English do it.
I do similar windows as those in the picture, 14 of them and a door for party america just exterior for $60, small hair place 3 small panes and a door $30 etc In terms of them using some cheapass let them and move on to bigger better commercial that value good work as I do etc
This is one reason I only do a handful of commercial and mostly residential and I’m not going to be allowed to put into words on here what I tell someone who tells me my prices are high given the standards of work I see living here and the constant complaints from customers who do use me for the first time compared to their last window cleaner.
I am not feeling so polite now, you remember the Coach job that I still had with them that was priced right?
I just got in today and checked my email.
Here it is!
[B]
Good morning Matt,
I am sorry I missed your call yesterday.
I was able to find a crew who would agree to the Brooks Brothers window cleaning at the reduced price of $30 per service.
In order to meet our reduced budgetary allotment we had to group the Coach store 5300 along with the Brooks Brothers store.
We also were able to get at a reduced price for Coach of $25 per I/O service and $15 for O/O.
The Coach service will be transferred effective with the May services.
You have provided us with great service over the past several years and appreciate your quality work.
However, in these challenging economic times, we are forced to get the best possible price for services, as we are being asked to provide lower pricing to our customers.
We always give our current crews the opportunity to accept any price reductions before we look to another crew, as we do not take re-assigning accounts lightly.
I am sorry it did not work out for you and have the utmost respect for your pricing and your service.
We will certainly keep you in mind if any additional opportunities become available in the area.
Thanks!
Linda[/B]
The next national company that calls better have a good deal, if I even consider it at all!
I am beginning to see why residential is the way to go. After all it appears I have some openings in my schedule!
Matt
I agree that NSP and many malls where there is stiff competition are murder on profitability. In one area that I have a route, new malls are springing up everywhere. I decided I’m not going to even bother setting foot in them. I’ll let everybody else try to hit the ‘jackpot’ while I work at getting more of the unique storefronts on good old fashioned Main. St. It works for me.
Thats harsh dude!
A restaurant right near my placed switch owner ship so I went down and put a bid on it while it was being renovated. About 40 windows, light pole work I/O, I charged $84. Whilst im working a older man comes over and asks if I got the contract for this new place, I said yes. He told me he was doing the previous owners windows for 5 years. He goes in and gives a bid I guess. As I am getting the check from the owner he said the other guy offered $60 for bi monthly cleaning! So 30 bucks a clean…as opposed to my $84/clean. He said he wants to sign with me but cant at that price, I offered $50 per clean and he said call me on Monday.
Kind of the same situation!
Anyways thats terrible that you got undercut so badly. I would go check out their work see if its decent, but thats just me :P.
You can understand, the feeling, it is tough, but if a business owner does not know your quality work, or how dependable you are, his decision can only be made on price. When you have cleaned the windows for years at the same place though, and talked about each other families, grand kids, the funny things that happen, and so on. The mom and Pop business is loyal and tell the new guy in town no thanks I have Matt Perry and we are happy even though your price may be lower.
I started with them doing the Coach job in July of 2006. 21 pieces for $40 in & out on the 1st week of the month, and $20 out only on the 3rd week of the month. A fair price for me especially nearly 5 yrs ago. I was told that I was replacing a window cleaner that did poor quality work, but I now wonder if I was the lower price that put a good window cleaner out of the job!
So is that the story they will be telling the new WCers. That the other guy (Perry Window Cleaning)Me, did a poor job?!
I am not going to bother, even checking on it cause the new guy may not even realize he is going for a ride on the forget loyalty train, cause its all about the $$$. (NO LOYALTY)
As someone else said on the forum, it will be here is my price or you can find someone else. Thank you.
Matt, I would have been right at 98.00.I would not have done it for what they wanted, thats rediculous, but someone will do it for that. I just did a taco bell for $40 outside and I quoted another $40 for ins. They hired me for just the outside cause he said I was too expensive. They normally get it done for 40-50 for in [B]and[/B] out. He was very pleased with the service said hed use us again. Ive was asked by pearle vision to lower our prices after we had been doing them for quite a while, I turned them down, mostly tho because they took 3-4 months to pay.
Sharen, I have made up my mind that I need to stick to my price or walk, as I have two National companies who owe me $90 each and lost the accounts, and apparently lost my mailing address as well.
If I get another one to call me it will be fair price or no thanks!
I may be slow to get it but I am learning. There is only so much time and good weather so I need to get paid at a fair rate.
Thanks for the reply
When you have cleaned the windows for years at the same place though, and talked about each other families, grand kids, the funny things that happen, and so on. The mom and Pop business is loyal and tell the new guy in town no thanks I have Matt Perry and we are happy even though your price may be lower.
That is so true. I need to establish more rapport with business owners myself. Because, if we are just competing on price then we will eventually lose out on price to someone else.
This cannot be underestimated, there are jobs I have maintained for years because of it. My wife used to get mad at me for taking too long with some of the customers after a job was done (we worked together pre-baby), but soon realized even with low ball offers we kept the business. That customer relationship is the life blood to our type of service.
Keep up the good work Jesse 
so 2 bucks in and out is the standard? im trying to get into retail but dont know how to price. lots of access to retail and restaurants but there is a company out there with rock bottom prices any suggestions?
I stay clear from those national maintenance companies. That is there spill. They accept your first price only after you go down from your original quote then try to get you to lower yours again after one or two cleanings. I no longer accept jobs from these people. Does this Linda work for 5 Star? They wanted me to pick up a chain of store fronts in two cities which are 150 miles apart for .40 cents a window. Needless to say I laughed and thanked them for the call but I was not interested.
so $2 a window in and out is the standard? I’m trying to get into retail but I don’t know how to price. I have access to lots of rest. and retail in my area but there is one guy that comes in so cheap I don’t know if I can compete.
