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Talking To Other Windys

Only thing holdin me bk is the cash, but just gotta wait till December. Get it all planned, everything ready, all kit lined up & a van, then once that cash comes in I will buy it all there n then! That's why doin all the home work now mate.
thats not to long to wait then! at least you got time to plan and get sorted first!

 
Yeah mate, just trying to get a head start on the planning, then when the time come just push the buy button on things!

 
Back to the original post(er), did the guy tell you he would consider selling his run? Any mention of how long he has been in this game?

He's got all the gear, nice van, etc., and can't get enough customers? Nah!

My experience (15 years worth) tells me he is giving you bull poo! There is loads of work out there, but it takes effort and determination to get out there, find it and make it work.

I moved to Ireland last year (for family reasons) and announced that I would be starting up a domestic window cleaning business. Some felt pity for me as they said I would really struggle, and would probably not succeed because there is little demand, coupled with the economic climate, which is in a royal pickle here.

There have been times where I began to believe they were right. But I refused to give in, and just 13 months from starting up, I have built a run of around 200 regular customers, plus 100 or so occasionals, as well as enquiries on gutter clearing, fascia/soffit cleans.

I have less time for canvassing now, but this is because people are approaching me, and the quality of work I am attracting is getting better and better.

Moral of the story is: if someone tells you that you will fail, only you can decide if they are right.

John

 
Hi John,

He said he had bee going 5years, and said he had someone inline for the van and all the kit.

The thing is I was giving him business advice, I.e websites as he dont have one? Facebook, twitter, canvassing new customers etc etc, and in all honestly I have only learned what I have cos of all you guys, I told him to get on here but he said its all back stabbing, I soon put him right telling him great it is! But he wasn't listening to much i don't recon.

 
Hi John,

He said he had bee going 5years, and said he had someone inline for the van and all the kit.

The thing is I was giving him business advice, I.e websites as he dont have one? Facebook, twitter, canvassing new customers etc etc, and in all honestly I have only learned what I have cos of all you guys, I told him to get on here but he said its all back stabbing, I soon put him right telling him great it is! But he wasn't listening to much i don't recon.
must of lost his dummy on the round! lol

 
It's badly overrun everywhere this is a perfect example I was doing a house Friday the next doors windy was at there's then there next door windy was there so 3 windys on 3 houses

My van, another van then a car

View attachment 807
Epic lol. Just seeing that puts a smile on my face. least you all got some work eh. Next time take a flask of tea and some biccies. Might be worth a bit of networking in case either gets stuck one month and needs help :)

 
A lot of people don't like hard work and window cleaning is hard work. thats why they don't last

Yes I agree with you vince it is damn hard work .

My dad keeps saying oh you must be doing well earning such and such for cleaning windows

My reply yesterday was yeah I'm doing ok when I'm actually cleaning them but it is very hard work

It's not as easy as you think !

 
I don't think at all this is goin to be easy at all, gonna go into it with a self do attitude! That's why all planning, sorting kit out etc etc is done by December so I can hit the ground running!

 
Also the thing is with window cleaning it isn't a 9 to 5 job .

Even though you may finish the glass at 5 you go home do ya papers do the chasing /collecting

Go quoting etc etc I know folks who just couldn't be arsed to do half that stuff then complain

WhEn they have no work .

 
yet some people still expect you to work for or less then min wage. had a bloke expect me to clean a 4 bed Victorian with two celing hieght bay winds, for £4. said was taking the micky and as exspensies etc would put me on about 2 quid an hour, he replied thats your problem, its your choice to be a window cleaner, and if i wanted the job that's all i'll pay, told him he could do it himself. not quite in those words. I know be professional and all but that pretensions stuck up so and so needed telling :)

 
I see my wife get back at 7ish, do her books for that day, check emails/Facebook gets back to missed calls etc etc so I understand that just cos u walk in the house u thats I for the day.

£4......!!! That's crazy mate, glad u didn't do it, some people **** take big time I would imagine!

 
yep £4. you get the odd one and it does feel good to vent occasionally. you get folks who think your only doing it to top up doll money! especially in the summer, fair weather windy's cause more problems then just reducing amount of regular custys. Have to explain whole process to some people just to justify your prices. Ok £20p/h is a great wage if you 9 to 5, but when you think of the 20 plus hours a week your working and not getting paid, rain, snow etc it slowly eats into that wage.

 
Money wise. No matter what put at least 1/3 of everything you earn, no matter what, to one side. Even if its £10, To begin with you find it hard but trust me it really helps. To be honest though, once you get a couple of months behind you, you don't really get hard weeks. some a bit slow but work just seems to find you. After six months your proper in sync and you just sort of plod along. You remember custies names without thinking and you remember what they need done. I up sell every body where possible even if i'm doing well cheap just to keep going.

 
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