A Window On World Of Glass Cleaning

The Age

Saturday March 12, 2005

MARCELLA BIDINOST

Robert Biddle has been working as a window cleaner for the past eight months. He speaks to his boss Geoff Thorn, head of Acorn Window Cleaning, about climbing the industry ladder.

ROBERT: I wasn't sure what I wanted to do when I left school. I worked for many years in retail, doing labouring jobs, office jobs, and various short courses before discovering window cleaning was something I could do well and independently. I was working for a smaller company before I moved here. The training was: "Here's a squeegee and a mop, now off you go." When I came here, the senior window cleaners really showed me the ropes. Of course, I'm not as fast as the cleaners who've been doing it for years but it gets easier, especially as you get fitter. I'm studying business management at TAFE so the flexible work here complements my study. I also like that a window cleaner's skills are transferable to just about anywhere.

GEOFF: Mine was never a conscious decision to be a window cleaner. I started window cleaning part-time more than 20 years ago while I studied. I have a masters in computers. When my wife fell pregnant, we lost her income, so I started doing more. I realised my ability to organise others was pretty good, and as I came to understand business more, I employed two men to work with me full-time. Ever since, I've employed, on average, one more person every year. This industry has been growing consistently every year for 20 years.

ROBERT: Do people need formal training to become professional window cleaners?

GEOFF: It's one of the few jobs that you learn on the grandfather rule. There are no specific window-cleaning courses available and cleaning courses only dabble in window cleaning. Your best training is on the job; where you learn the different types of glass and use of equipment, including cherry pickers, ladders, swing stages, building maintenance units and how to deal with people.

ROBERT: The industry attracts people with all sorts of backgrounds and interests.

GEOFF: Some people really want to get through the minimum amount of work so they can develop their careers as painters or potters or musicians. We have a few body builders working for us and a few who are in the army. Fortunately, this profession accommodates people pretty easily.

ROBERT: Do you have to start out particularly fit for window cleaning?

GEOFF: No, but you'll become fit as you work. Even after a month of cleaning, you're much fitter than when you started.

ROBERT: Do jobs come up very often in window cleaning?

GEOFF: We've never advertised for employees, nor do we have a high staff turnover. People tend to seek us out. Even if our cleaners go overseas or on holiday, they often come back.

ROBERT: What opportunities are there to move up in window cleaning?

GEOFF: There are a lot of window cleaning businesses in Melbourne. The vast majority are made up by one and two cleaners, where it's obviously hard to move up the ladder. A bigger company such as ours employs foremen, supervisors and we're moving into franchising. We also have a division that does abseiling, a specialised area that not everyone has to do or wants to do. The guys who do the abseiling love it; most couldn't bear going back to domestic window cleaning jobs.

ROBERT: What can a window cleaner expect to earn?

GEOFF: There is no upper limit. Your income depends on your inclination to work, the quality of your work, the speed of your arm movements and your efficiency. It's very much a carrot structure here. We pay a minimum wage, about $25,000, but believe in incentives and bonuses, so window cleaners can double or triple their wage if they're willing to work hard. The top window cleaners earn handsome money, sometimes even $60,000-$70,000. When you think of all the glass in Melbourne that has to be cleaned and that only ever gets dirty again (all the council buildings, offices and homes where people can afford window cleaning), there is money to be earned.

ROBERT: What's rewarding about being a professional window cleaner?

GEOFF: You're out in the van, being independent. Your hours are flexible, so if you get through your day's work efficiently, you can either go home or ask for overtime. Window cleaning is a great job for people who want more control over their time and who want to work outdoors. Being on your feet all day, climbing ladders, walking around and moving your arms, you stay pretty fit and you get to see through some of Melbourne's most beautiful homes.

ROBERT: Because I'm full-time, I work Monday to Friday. Most mornings I'll start at 8am but if I'm dong a run of shops, for example, I might start at 6am to avoid foot traffic and trading hours. I'll usually finish about 2pm and then it's up to me if I want to keep working for bonus income.

GEOFF: The time you spend on a job can vary too. You can do a town hall in two days, work at a university for two weeks, or finish a domestic job in two hours. And if you want more work, we'll just give you more. There's always a demand.