New leads coming in......

Hi guys

How is everyone finding work coming in at the moment? Quiet, busy, manic?

Damo said:

Hi guys

How is everyone finding work coming in at the moment? Quiet, busy, manic?

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Manic since i started.

We are busy but this summer has been a bit quieter than normal , not sure why , but not complaining , it’s nice to have a bit of breathing space 

Slow but steady really happy with summer so far. Done no leaflets no advertising at all. Still getting one a week . Best bit is they are a walk up or call from area I covered that week. So all nice and close. Got two today in a road I only had one in so well worth the stop. 

Dead!

Leaflets have stopped working, door knocking became "No, no, no", no walk ups (only ever had one of those and despite giving them a good price they never got back to me)...

I've stopped trying at the moment. I'm just servicing current clients and that's it. When the boy starts school in september i'll have more alone time so might start trying to find more clients but at the moment i'm just grateful for what i have.

Regarding walkups, havent had that many recently. Just trying to stay on top of what i have, think for me i would lile new business customers that can be done earlier morning before residential.  My worry is keeping on top of work through the shorter winter hours. 

Work trickling in, not swamped with new enquiries which is how I prefer it.  

windowsurfer said:

Regarding walkups, havent had that many recently. Just trying to stay on top of what i have, think for me i would lile new business customers that can be done earlier morning before residential.  My worry is keeping on top of work through the shorter winter hours. 

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I can identify with this.  I'd benefit from some commercial to do before 8 am.

I havent advertised this month as i’ve been on my tod rather than two of us. Had a few calls a week, in most cases nobody is willing to wait. The ones who can serve them the quickest get the work. But in general ive lost some trade to people being on holiday (back gates not open) 

ive had to split rounds over two days sometimes as on my own it was just too much. 

It hasnt been a catastrophe though. 

Will advertise in september now, my brother will return next week so will be able to get through work a lot quicker again? keep your heads up fellas. Leave work behind for now and enjoy the premier league. North london derby woohoooo 

Steady, from walk ups referrals  reluctant to advertise online as I’m aiming for very targeted areas and haven’t mastered that tool online yet. 

So busy we cant cope, trying to juggle first cleans and keeping our old customers happy is not easy.

Im thinking of moving, but Im sure the problem with moving to many of the areas with overflowing work, is the impossible price of accommodation.

ks789 said:

Im thinking of moving, but Im sure the problem with moving to many of the areas with overflowing work, is the impossible price of accommodation.

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I expect the house prices where you are are very similar to down hear .

Pjj said:

I expect the house prices where you are are very similar to down hear .

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That wouldnt be too bad then, my areas a bit up and coming, there are cheaper bits in ipswich, mostly flats where its awkward to get your water production going and yer van get broke in a lot. im in touristy and elderly woodbridge where not much is available. If i stay local, its either further up towards norfolk for a better deal, but then commute back here for my work ( while try and gradually build a round up there) or Ipswich which is next door, but bit iffy, iffy ippy lol ?

Pjj said:

I expect the house prices where you are are very similar to down hear .

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yeh funny you say that as i was just lookin at torquay etc on rightmove .com

ks789 said:

That wouldnt be too bad then, my areas a bit up and coming, there are cheaper bits in ipswich, mostly flats where its awkward to get your water production going and yer van get broke in a lot. im in touristy and elderly woodbridge where not much is available. If i stay local, its either further up towards norfolk for a better deal, but then commute back here for my work ( while try and gradually build a round up there) or Ipswich which is next door, but bit iffy, iffy ippy lol ?

yeh funny you say that as i was just lookin at torquay etc on rightmove .com

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You want Cornwall not Devon ??? window cleaners are almost extinct down hear , tons of work and some very nice properties, loads of new estates being built 400 odd in just one small development alone where I am , when that’s done they are planning over the next few years to build many thousands , pity really as it’s all green fields and farmland being destroyed.

Pjj said:

You want Cornwall not Devon ??? window cleaners are almost extinct down hear , tons of work and some very nice properties, loads of new estates being built 400 odd in just one small development alone where I am , when that’s done they are planning over the next few years to build many thousands , pity really as it’s all green fields and farmland being destroyed.

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Same near me, the local east anglian accent is dying out quick. none of the youth use it anymore. it was similar to the west country burr, but a lot of northerners called my mate ozzy mark, as they thought he was. yeh good for windys but shame the countrysides vanishing. A friend had moved to plymouth, devenport, could see the tamar out her bedroom window, and we used to get the ferry over to cornwall. was great, jamaica inn, tavistock, dartmoor etc. 

Exeter is the most affluent area in the south west, Torbay has its problems being seasonal. I somtime joke that im the only person in the Bay to be born in Devon. 

Pjj said:

pity really as it’s all green fields and farmland being destroyed.

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Try kent - you ain't seen nothing! Seriously green land is vanishing at an incredible rate. We're losing entire horizons to house builders round here. Even B&Q have been land banking the field opposite their store.

I would say it's been the slowest summer for a few years, I have had plenty of enquires just not all in the areas I will go, but I lost 3 jobs in the last week and gained 3 so not all bad and I priced them well, there is some younger lads form around 10 miles away doing mass leaflet drops and Fb advertising, but fair play to them they are putting the graft and and now have 2 vans on the road

Gaining one or two here and there, lost a couple due to selling up or them cutting down on bills with me being the first to go.

I’ve had 3 enquires in the past couple of weeks. I got one for a one off conservatory roof clean and now she wants a regular clean, 2 more are one off cleans. I’ve lost 3 regular customers In that same period due to them moving out of the area. 

I’m down from where I was hoping to be This summer but there’s lots more competition for jobs since spotless water opened up here. 

I haven't been actively pushing the business this year but I've still been picking up a new customer every week as an average. Yes, I've lost a few due to lack of money and sadly a few have passed away - including one that was going to be fifty this year!!.... so sad. It always surprises me that when a partner/wife/husband dies - the person that is left on their own still wants the windows cleaned. Has anyone else experienced this?? I guess that they want to try and just get on with life and get back into a routine again to keep themselves going?!