Too much work

[Keir999]

I already have a full time job but been shining for 12 years. I do 2 days a week roughly. I found I was getting soo busy I had customers ringing me saying you were due 2 weeks ago. So I thought rather than be a busy fool, why not just increase all my houses by two quid and if I lose some, but get paid more for the rest, then I'm doing less work but getting a pay rise to counter this. Seemed to make sense to me. I have so far increased about 40 houses and gained £80 per month. Lost two £10 jobs. So ... Two less to clean and £60 better off I'm doing this over my whole round. I printed out a letter explaining the increase and just posted them. Didn't want the awkwardness and hassle of telling each customer tbh. It's working a treat ! Just shows ... Maybe I was a little too cheap anyway lol. Thought this may help a few of you guys out too. Cool bananas

 

[Trev81]

If your delaying your customers by 2 weeks and are too busy to do them I'd expect upping the price may loose you a few more shortly. Most of mine have it set in their heads the exact dates I'm next due, even a day or 2 behind I have some calling me checking if I'm going still. But then I like to be spot on with my due dates so normally bang on time unless weather or illness forces me not too.

Why not go fulltime window cleaning and earn more?

 

[Pegasus]

If your delaying your customers by 2 weeks and are too busy to do them I'd expect upping the price may loose you a few more shortly. Most of mine have it set in their heads the exact dates I'm next due, even a day or 2 behind I have some calling me checking if I'm going still. But then I like to be spot on with my due dates so normally bang on time unless weather or illness forces me not too.
Why not go fulltime window cleaning and earn more?

Would hate to have customers like that! Have they nothing else to worry about???????

They need to get a life.

 

[Trev81]

Would hate to have customers like that! Have they nothing else to worry about???????
They need to get a life.

Why would you hate customers like that?? They are all used to having regular window cleaning in schedules that were set out when I took them on, my customers know they get cleaned on the button every 4 or 8 weeks and get text reminded the night before, plenty have told me it's a blessing as many a window cleaner before used to dissapear for weeks then just turn up when they felt like it or needed some cash, some have gone through winters not having them cleaned at all.

Providing a decent regular service is a big part of retaining good paying customers that will pay you back with years of loyalty. I'd say most of my customers do have a life also. /emoticons/wink.png

 

[Keir999]

I do think about shining full time but I do like my full time job and the benefits like sick pay, hols pay and a good company pension. I'm a firefighter and we do have a decent pension. Well until they keep chipping away at it that is lol. But I work in London and hate the commute. I actually enjoy the shining more and working for myself gives me a real sense of pride, achievement and above all total freedom and flexibility around my family life. It's such a head **** what to do tbh

 

[Keir999]

Any advice will be well appreciated fellow forum users ...

 

[Dave B]

It's a tough one as the fire service is a rewarding job..my mum was in the service for years

The thing is with the possible earnings on the glass and the lifestyle..no more 4 on 4 off days and nights etc it would be very tempting to jack it in

Also you will know how they can make cutbacks etc at any time and you'll be off down the road anyway

 

[TolishAPurd]

Is it possible to get a transfer somewhere else so you don't have to commute? Why don't you enjoy the fire service any more?

 

[boarcity]

my opinion, anyone who has a regular job AND doing windows part time is playing at it , lacks commitment, a gadfly. but by playing windie they never get to see the real rewards of a fulltime round.

when the weather gets tuff or they ache a bit much they just stop cleaning and start polishing the brass down at the station . iv had people ask me can i clean their windows because the fireman isnt regular anymore and am always happy to take on their work [whereas a fulltimer id never poach work,its an unwritten rule] . these parttimers often resurface in Springtime to find half the work has gone . They seem happy to pick up the dregs so everbody wins in the end .

 

[Bingo]

Is it possible to get a transfer somewhere else so you don't have to commute? Why don't you enjoy the fire service any more?

:wait:...errrrm.... He enjoys the job...it's the commuting he doesn't like .....

:bangheadwall: even I worked that-one out ::....:finger:.........:rofl:........./emoticons/biggrin.png,

 

[TolishAPurd]

I do think about shining full time but I do like my full time job and the benefits like sick pay, hols pay and a good company pension. I'm a firefighter and we do have a decent pension. Well until they keep chipping away at it that is lol. But I work in London and hate the commute. I actually enjoy the shining more and working for myself gives me a real sense of pride, achievement and above all total freedom and flexibility around my family life. It's such a head **** what to do tbh

:wait:...errrrm.... He enjoys the job...it's the commuting he doesn't like .....
:bangheadwall: even I worked that-one out ::....:finger:.........:rofl:........./emoticons/biggrin.png,

I was reading between the lines a little. To me it seems like he enjoys waving at windows more than his full time job, so just wondering what has happened to make him even consider leaving it. Instead of talking about passion for the job of saving lives, he's talking about pay, pension, sick pay etc. Nought wrong with that but it just says to me that doubt or dissent is creeping in.

 

[Keir999]

In response to boar, I've never 'played' at shining. I've done it for 12 years now. I'm always regular as clockwork and polite and provide a great service. Not blowing my own trumpet, but it's what I'm regularly told by customers. That's why I've never got a lack of work. I've lost count of the times someone has asked me to start cleaning their windows cause the others, some full timers, are either rubbish or not consistent etc. So being part time obviously doesn't affect performance. I wouldn't of joined the fire service if I weren't passionate about helping people but I have commitments and family to look after, so of course I need to cover myself with sick pay, holiday pay, pension. The bills don't pay themselves you know. The reason I consider shining full time is the fact being a firefighter has become very disheartening over the years. It's all about politics and paperwork. The employers are only interested in figures and statistics. Not people. Chipping away at everything until morale has bottomed out. Rant over ! Lol

 

[Pegasus]

Why would you hate customers like that?? They are all used to having regular window cleaning in schedules that were set out when I took them on, my customers know they get cleaned on the button every 4 or 8 weeks and get text reminded the night before, plenty have told me it's a blessing as many a window cleaner before used to dissapear for weeks then just turn up when they felt like it or needed some cash, some have gone through winters not having them cleaned at all.
Providing a decent regular service is a big part of retaining good paying customers that will pay you back with years of loyalty. I'd say most of my customers do have a life also. /emoticons/wink.png

OCD comes to mind!

 

[Trev81]

OCD comes to mind!

PMSL, oh yes I am a bit OCD but I find that helps a great deal with my work, but providing a regular year round service is nothing to do with having OCD, it's just called good business /emoticons/wink.png