I ve been window washing since 1979 and have seen lots of people come and go. Working off ladders for 30 years, I ve now converted my entire buisness to WFP. My customers all love it the windows are cleaner the sills are cleaner and they dont have to worry about me on the ladders. Its a win/win really, and I havent lost a single customer since the change.
But I m seeing the writing on the wall here. Be it the hundreds of new people on WCR forum or the Walmart $200 pure water and WFP window system, or the fact that you no longer need ladder skills or being OK working at height to be a window washer, more people will start working in the buisiness.You dont even need to get that dirty!! Who wants to work for some one else ?? You have to be a dope to take $10 an hour when you could just as well get you own customers.
So heres the arithmetic.I f I used to spend 4 1/2 hours on ladders getting real dirty to make say $250 Now I can go to the same house and in 1 3/4 hour the windows come out better the sills are cleaner, I never left the ground and I m not dirty. I can get the same $250 because of my long term good will with the customer, but a new competitor can come in and make nice money at half the price, ot the customer can buy a little system and get pretty damn good results on a nice Saturday morning for less than they pay me once.
Am I crazy ?? Or is all this going to push the price down over the long term ?
On the other hand, I ve found that WFP work done properly is not much less work than traditional, apples to oranges. Its just a lot safer, cleaner. and it comes out better. So the customer will still hire a profesional, most people dont want to work period.
So OK I m on this long outward glidepath, because at some point my body wont be able to do what it does now. Right now I m strong as a bull and my capacity for work has increased markedly , because my mind no longer leaves the job and I can stay with the day much better than even 10 years ago. But who knows, Im 60. Frigging 60 man !! I used to say " never trust anyone over 30". Gosh I was a butt head. 90's the new 30. Awwwwwwesome !!!
Your thoughts?
But I m seeing the writing on the wall here. Be it the hundreds of new people on WCR forum or the Walmart $200 pure water and WFP window system, or the fact that you no longer need ladder skills or being OK working at height to be a window washer, more people will start working in the buisiness.You dont even need to get that dirty!! Who wants to work for some one else ?? You have to be a dope to take $10 an hour when you could just as well get you own customers.
So heres the arithmetic.I f I used to spend 4 1/2 hours on ladders getting real dirty to make say $250 Now I can go to the same house and in 1 3/4 hour the windows come out better the sills are cleaner, I never left the ground and I m not dirty. I can get the same $250 because of my long term good will with the customer, but a new competitor can come in and make nice money at half the price, ot the customer can buy a little system and get pretty damn good results on a nice Saturday morning for less than they pay me once.
Am I crazy ?? Or is all this going to push the price down over the long term ?
On the other hand, I ve found that WFP work done properly is not much less work than traditional, apples to oranges. Its just a lot safer, cleaner. and it comes out better. So the customer will still hire a profesional, most people dont want to work period.
So OK I m on this long outward glidepath, because at some point my body wont be able to do what it does now. Right now I m strong as a bull and my capacity for work has increased markedly , because my mind no longer leaves the job and I can stay with the day much better than even 10 years ago. But who knows, Im 60. Frigging 60 man !! I used to say " never trust anyone over 30". Gosh I was a butt head. 90's the new 30. Awwwwwwesome !!!
Your thoughts?
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