Hi guy’s I have a question what should I say when someone text me asking for how much do a charge to clean window… I know it’s a silly question but should I give a base amount or tell them $ amount a window. Any help please and thank you.
I only give official quotes in a proposal that I email them. It’s easier for me to keep a record of it and it’s more professional.
I also insist on seeing every property in person before offering them a price.
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I wouldn’t do text quotes. You can use text for initial or follow up contact, but rather use a phone conversation for a phone quote - and even then the price is contingent upon eyes on the job before giving an official price.
Try a phone quote sheet like the attached and tweak it as it applies to you.
phone quotes.pdf (38.5 KB)
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I ask for photos of the home. Most are happy to oblige. The only pushback I’ve gotten are from people who aren’t tech savvy, in which case I usually schedule an in-person visit for a time that I’m in their area.
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I have never landed a job that I texted them the quote for (unless it was a repeat customer asking about another property). It’s not professional and generally these types of people are looking for the lowest number they can find.
It all depends on your business goals but I would request their email to send them a professional quote.
Also if you haven’t seen the property ask for pictures or ask for the address and look at it through google streetview.
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Even when I’m at a job looking it over to quote it, I always get their email and let them know I’ll send their quote and a copy of our certificate of liability insurance within 24 hours.
Right out the gate it shows them your a legitimate business.
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I’d say,” thanks for contacting us! Please provide your name and the address you would like an estimate for, and we can either text you the link to your estimate or email it, whichever you’d prefer, ASAP”.
Something like that.
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If they say, ‘how much do you charge’ I give them my price per window. And most of them are just ‘kicking tires’. So they say thank you and I never think about them again. If they say, “I’d like to get an estimate”, then I ask if they want to try and do it over the phone or would they like me to come there. I’m a lazy fisherman and I don’t really care about the nibblers. Also, if someone texts me these question I never text back, I call.
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Tell them it depends on many factors, but I can swing by and give you a free quote .
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I’ll request them to text me pictures if I can’t do an onsite estimate. I actually prefer to text all customers the estimate that way I have a record of what I told them. I just don’t have time to do formal estimates unless it’s a larger commercial project. That’s what works for me.
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Be careful with texts. Scammers text us constantly. “Hi, do you do window cleaning and do you accept credit cards”
We get everyone on the phone without exception, unless they are a well known returning customer.
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Thank you guy’s so much helpful information as you can tell I’m new to window cleaning but I love the job… and WCR community is the best
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Thanks Garry good info
I have found it that quoting a starting price is very helpful. When someone walks up to me or calls me and ask for a price. I say “ 1 story house starts at $200, 2nd story house starts at $300. Price will go up depending on the service you want, do you want inside and outside? Do you want screens, frames and tracks clean? Will I need to get a roof to clean your windows?” Just like a car salesman by telling them the base price, let’s them decide if they are in the market range. Just like I know not to go shopping for a car at BMW dealer when I know my budget will only allow me to shop at the Honda dealership
I never give them final price over the phone neither price per window/pane. I know that customers have “their own math” and they tend “to omit” many details too. I ask them to provide me their address so I can stop at their place sometime during the day or just look it up on the Google Map.
Now, about the scammers. Years ago sometimes I would get calls from people from outside the country asking me to come over to a house that they are supposed to move in in the U.S. They would tell me that they would deposit the payment directly to my bank account and this is why they need to know it and some other crap… So, be careful out there! Know your customer LIVE!
Also, when I go out to the potential customer I always spread my doorknob hangers there.
I do not give bids over the phones. I require an on-site consultation. I learned that after 15 years of “oh nice pictures, this is what we charge”----and you get to the job and it takes you 2x as long because you did not survey the glass. Not to mention the people meet you (if they are there), and if you are clean cut and KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, you’ve already won the customer over.
I don’t do text estimates. I ask for their address and set up an estimate. Then once I look at what I am getting into, I go home and figure out a price I am comfortable with to make a profit. If they tell me “Joe Blow charged me this…” I tell them no problem, try to call Joe— (Joe doesn’t answer). There is a reason why, Joe did not bid correctly. I won’t make those mistakes any longer. Not for my own business…I saw what happens when you just “wing it”. Mass quantity of work, but it’s NOT GOOD WORK. I will only go after gems, because I know now how to filter out the wrong customers.
Sounds like we worked together 
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I can give them a price on the spot. I do a walk around and am able to plot out the windows, tracks, and screens on a letter size note pad using my per window formula. I just return to the truck to do my figuring right there in the cab and hand them an estimate sheet. If they choose not to book at that time I have the diagram of the job on the note pad to reference later when they call to schedule. Usually takes like 10 minutes along with my available dates, then I am off to the next one or whatever else is planned for that day.
I say “Different strokes for different folks” I almost insist on NOT seeing the property before giving the estimate (unless its a CCU, or commercial). So I don’t hardly every do in person bids for residential because it’s too time consuming. I set the expections for the client over the phone, let them know the possibility of a higher price, and confirm the price on site when we do the work. It’s worked out well, and saved countless hours of bids.
You don’t charge for your time doing in person bids? I factor any time or energy into the price. Even when I sit down to update proposals and invoice. The price next time goes 
No time wasted.
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