Carl Parsons
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- 95
what you mean you only get £1.50 per bin?
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Carl Parsons
Well-known member
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im really sorry dude but i meant £600 per month. feel bad because you gave me some really good advice.
going on £600 per month though do you think this acheivable working 4hr per day for three days per week? also i dont want to earn a fortune doing this or even be a huge company, i literally will be doing this as a hobbie to get me out and about, as my home job doesnt take many hours and can be done when i feel free and brings a full time wage.
once again i apologise for not been clear and thank you for any info you have /emoticons/smile.png
Personally I think you should manage £150 pw easily once you get enough customers together to get started.
The first thing you need to do is ask on here if there are any cleaners in York and what they charge for a 3 bed semi and also 3 bed semi with a medium size conservatory.
If you don't get a response here there are also other w/c forums you could try.
With hard work there shouldn't be any reason why you can't make it. It's been said many times before - put in a good days graft canvassing, clean as you go and when finished, go canvass some more. Be prepared to canvass and clean on a Saturday to start with, working people are more likely to be home and see you working.
Make each door knock count. Work area's systematically. Be courteous, polite and get as much info as possible, even from those who have a window cleaner. You aren't there to steal another cleaner's business, but as you appear to leave, just ask what their window cleaner's name is. Some won't know, some will lie, but some will say it's John for example. When you get outside then write that down with the street name, house number and window cleaner's name. One day in the future you may hear that John has stopped window cleaning - now you have a whole list of houses to canvass - all his old addresses that you have recorded.
Obviously, if you are canvassing an area and get no response, move to another, but always make it your goal to get back oneday. To start off with it maybe slow going, so try a few areas. Hopefully it won't be too long before you hit the magic jackpot - a whole area needing a window cleaner. Don't be afraid to speak to other window cleaners you see and introduce yourself. Once they see you aren't a threat to their business, they may even point you in the right direction.
Set yourself achievable goals, ie. how many new customers you need by a certain time. You need to know how many doors you knocked that day and how many new customers you gained. This is important sales info. In time you will find that your average works out at say 25 door knocks to one customer for example. This helps you in tougher days as you will look forward to the no's and unanswered doors as you will shortly get a yes - a new customer. If you achieve more don't take your proverbial foot off the gas. Winter is on its way and daylight hours are short.
When you get a new customer, make it you goal to knock a few doors each side and over the road. Tell them that you have started to clean for the Gibsons at number 10 and ask them, maybe again, if you can clean their windows for them.
If you see someone cleaning their own windows, stop and canvass them. Ask your new customers for referrals who live close by. Don't make small talk about the weather etc, talk window cleaning and nothing else. If you are cleaning a house and have already canvassed the neighbours and you see one of them in the garden - greet them, comment about the weather etc. If they get to know you, they may contact you, sometimes after many years.
It also never ceases to amase me how often friends discuss their window cleaners - do a bad job, and everyone knows, do a good job, be polite etc and everyone will also know that as well. Try not to have a fall out with anyone as you'd be surprised who knows who.
What you do now and what you continue to do along side window cleaning is better kept to yourself to begin with. It will be too easy to get swept into irrelevant conversations by chatty homeowners who have nothing else to do, but they will waste hours of your valuable time if you let them.
Just one small thing - try to get out of the mindset that your customers are 'Dudes'. Its not professional and it could very well be a customer 'killer'.
I'm not offended being referred to on this site as a Dude, but I would object if you were my window cleaner and you called me Dude. In our day it was 'China' or 'my China' and it was the same then.
Go well
Spruce
The first thing you need to do is ask on here if there are any cleaners in York and what they charge for a 3 bed semi and also 3 bed semi with a medium size conservatory.
If you don't get a response here there are also other w/c forums you could try.
With hard work there shouldn't be any reason why you can't make it. It's been said many times before - put in a good days graft canvassing, clean as you go and when finished, go canvass some more. Be prepared to canvass and clean on a Saturday to start with, working people are more likely to be home and see you working.
Make each door knock count. Work area's systematically. Be courteous, polite and get as much info as possible, even from those who have a window cleaner. You aren't there to steal another cleaner's business, but as you appear to leave, just ask what their window cleaner's name is. Some won't know, some will lie, but some will say it's John for example. When you get outside then write that down with the street name, house number and window cleaner's name. One day in the future you may hear that John has stopped window cleaning - now you have a whole list of houses to canvass - all his old addresses that you have recorded.
Obviously, if you are canvassing an area and get no response, move to another, but always make it your goal to get back oneday. To start off with it maybe slow going, so try a few areas. Hopefully it won't be too long before you hit the magic jackpot - a whole area needing a window cleaner. Don't be afraid to speak to other window cleaners you see and introduce yourself. Once they see you aren't a threat to their business, they may even point you in the right direction.
Set yourself achievable goals, ie. how many new customers you need by a certain time. You need to know how many doors you knocked that day and how many new customers you gained. This is important sales info. In time you will find that your average works out at say 25 door knocks to one customer for example. This helps you in tougher days as you will look forward to the no's and unanswered doors as you will shortly get a yes - a new customer. If you achieve more don't take your proverbial foot off the gas. Winter is on its way and daylight hours are short.
When you get a new customer, make it you goal to knock a few doors each side and over the road. Tell them that you have started to clean for the Gibsons at number 10 and ask them, maybe again, if you can clean their windows for them.
If you see someone cleaning their own windows, stop and canvass them. Ask your new customers for referrals who live close by. Don't make small talk about the weather etc, talk window cleaning and nothing else. If you are cleaning a house and have already canvassed the neighbours and you see one of them in the garden - greet them, comment about the weather etc. If they get to know you, they may contact you, sometimes after many years.
It also never ceases to amase me how often friends discuss their window cleaners - do a bad job, and everyone knows, do a good job, be polite etc and everyone will also know that as well. Try not to have a fall out with anyone as you'd be surprised who knows who.
What you do now and what you continue to do along side window cleaning is better kept to yourself to begin with. It will be too easy to get swept into irrelevant conversations by chatty homeowners who have nothing else to do, but they will waste hours of your valuable time if you let them.
Just one small thing - try to get out of the mindset that your customers are 'Dudes'. Its not professional and it could very well be a customer 'killer'.
I'm not offended being referred to on this site as a Dude, but I would object if you were my window cleaner and you called me Dude. In our day it was 'China' or 'my China' and it was the same then.
Go well
Spruce
Carl Parsons
Well-known member
- Messages
- 95
Really appreciate the good advice
Really appreciate the advice spruce. every bit of help i can get i will take. is good to know your feeling optimistic for my plans, i have a really good feeling about going into this and cant wait to get stuck in..thanks for your hints and tips, i will definitely be using these techniques while canvassing. i'll be staying on here an updating my progress.
M.K Cleaners.co.uk
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,241
Yeah
Before you start you need to clean your own windows, maybe dozens of times in a day to get experience. This would also include getting your equipment out of your van and putting it away. The neighbours might worry about your mental health, but everything you do needs practise. Look on you tube for wfp window cleaning techniques and tips.
Your first customer is the most difficult to get - after that they get easier. So your first customer is YOU. Now you have your first customer in the bag, every person/householder you canvass is expanding your current window cleaning service.
'We are looking to expand our window cleaning services into your area and would love to offer you a quote to clean your windows'. If they say they already have a window cleaner then your reply is that that's fine, you don't want to take their business, you are looking for people who don't have a window cleaner. What's your window cleaners name if you don't mind me asking? Do they know of anyone in the area you could approach who they know needs a window cleaner?
Some say that leafleting an area first is the answer, but that never worked for me. We had the best success door knocking and talking to people - initially cleaning on a Saturday - looking for spectator enquiries.
In time your business will start to grow by word of mouth.
Remember; only decently priced, non messers are good to have on the books. Get rid of wasters as quickly as possible. 'Canvass, clean, cull' (a post on another forum) is a good moto. Don't tollerate wasters. Let them mess someone else around - not you.
Your first customer is the most difficult to get - after that they get easier. So your first customer is YOU. Now you have your first customer in the bag, every person/householder you canvass is expanding your current window cleaning service.
'We are looking to expand our window cleaning services into your area and would love to offer you a quote to clean your windows'. If they say they already have a window cleaner then your reply is that that's fine, you don't want to take their business, you are looking for people who don't have a window cleaner. What's your window cleaners name if you don't mind me asking? Do they know of anyone in the area you could approach who they know needs a window cleaner?
Some say that leafleting an area first is the answer, but that never worked for me. We had the best success door knocking and talking to people - initially cleaning on a Saturday - looking for spectator enquiries.
In time your business will start to grow by word of mouth.
Remember; only decently priced, non messers are good to have on the books. Get rid of wasters as quickly as possible. 'Canvass, clean, cull' (a post on another forum) is a good moto. Don't tollerate wasters. Let them mess someone else around - not you.
Carl Parsons
Well-known member
- Messages
- 95
my neighbour pays £3, its just a side thing so £2-£3 here an there will do me fine
Carl Parsons
Well-known member
- Messages
- 95
yeah i was thinking of doing this myself. i have watched a few videos on youtube, they seem pretty useful with some great tips, thanks.
my plan was to drop leaflets everywhere i could first of all. do you think this is a complete waste of time? or did you get any customers from it at all?
i like the questions, i'll definitely be using these.
"cull"?? collect?
what would you class as time wasters?if they dont pay straight after clean? or if they don't pay after visiting again?
Messers are people who want clean windows but somehow mess you the window cleaner around with regard to payment and/or cleaning frequency.
You may find them coming out just as you have unpacked your equipment saying to leave it this time without good reason, even although you have agreed a cleaning cycle with them.
They may have the excuse that they have no money but please come back and collect on Friday. They wouldn't be there on Friday, or if they are they won't answer a knock on the door. They promise to put a cheque in the post but it never arrives. Or the one that started to get popular in our area - I've only got a £5.00 note left in my purse - can I pay you in full next clean, and then the same things happens next time. You text them the night before to ask them to leave the side gate unlocked, but get there and its locked. You clean the front and they complain the back wasn't cleaned, even although you reduced the price.
You bill is less important than the milkman's bill is, as is their holiday spending money.
The first clean will always take longer than any maintenance cleans after that. Make an extra charge for that first clean and make them understand that you charge £x for a 4 weekly clean and £x +25% for an 8 weekly clean (ie £8.00 or £10.00 every 8 weeks). Also make sure they got money to pay you for the first clean especially if its toward the end of the month. (Watch for the end of tenancy cleans that won't be there next month even although they are looking for a regular cleaner.) No money = no first clean. They all say they want a regular window cleaner, but some of them lie. If they cancel you after the first clean, then at least you haven't lost too much. Unfortunately, you will meet many potential customers who are other window cleaners ex customers - hence canvass, clean and cull to weed these out. Yes you need the work, but numbers on a job sheet mean nothing if they are not reliable customers. Customers never learn and never will - if they messed someone around before you, they will mess you around and the next cleaners after you. You need to be firm and ruthless. This may not be you character, but this business arrangement has to be a win win situation for both of you.
The first warning signs to listen for is that they had a cleaner and he just stopped coming. I have never seen a window cleaner in this street for years. And remember, some people like clean windows for Christmas and will say whatever to get them done just before. If you have time, great, but charge extra - chances are you will only do 1 clean.
We have got some very good customers over the years who are still our customers, but unfortunately a good portion were a waste of time. Window cleaning customer base is fluid, it keeps changing, hence; canvass, clean, cull.
Leaflets. Leaflets generally get thrown into the rubbish bin. Some find they work, but I haven't found that. 15 years ago the motor industry statistics were a 4% enquiry rate on each mailing shot sent out. 10 years later is was about half of 1%. As far as I'm concerned that's a waste of time and money. How many mailers have you seen from motor dealers recently?
For a mailer to be 'effective' it needs to be sent out on a regular basis - knocking on the door and talking to the home owner will get an immediate response, either positive or negative. IMHO door knocking is the fastest way of growing your business. Customer referrals are also good.
You may find them coming out just as you have unpacked your equipment saying to leave it this time without good reason, even although you have agreed a cleaning cycle with them.
They may have the excuse that they have no money but please come back and collect on Friday. They wouldn't be there on Friday, or if they are they won't answer a knock on the door. They promise to put a cheque in the post but it never arrives. Or the one that started to get popular in our area - I've only got a £5.00 note left in my purse - can I pay you in full next clean, and then the same things happens next time. You text them the night before to ask them to leave the side gate unlocked, but get there and its locked. You clean the front and they complain the back wasn't cleaned, even although you reduced the price.
You bill is less important than the milkman's bill is, as is their holiday spending money.
The first clean will always take longer than any maintenance cleans after that. Make an extra charge for that first clean and make them understand that you charge £x for a 4 weekly clean and £x +25% for an 8 weekly clean (ie £8.00 or £10.00 every 8 weeks). Also make sure they got money to pay you for the first clean especially if its toward the end of the month. (Watch for the end of tenancy cleans that won't be there next month even although they are looking for a regular cleaner.) No money = no first clean. They all say they want a regular window cleaner, but some of them lie. If they cancel you after the first clean, then at least you haven't lost too much. Unfortunately, you will meet many potential customers who are other window cleaners ex customers - hence canvass, clean and cull to weed these out. Yes you need the work, but numbers on a job sheet mean nothing if they are not reliable customers. Customers never learn and never will - if they messed someone around before you, they will mess you around and the next cleaners after you. You need to be firm and ruthless. This may not be you character, but this business arrangement has to be a win win situation for both of you.
The first warning signs to listen for is that they had a cleaner and he just stopped coming. I have never seen a window cleaner in this street for years. And remember, some people like clean windows for Christmas and will say whatever to get them done just before. If you have time, great, but charge extra - chances are you will only do 1 clean.
We have got some very good customers over the years who are still our customers, but unfortunately a good portion were a waste of time. Window cleaning customer base is fluid, it keeps changing, hence; canvass, clean, cull.
Leaflets. Leaflets generally get thrown into the rubbish bin. Some find they work, but I haven't found that. 15 years ago the motor industry statistics were a 4% enquiry rate on each mailing shot sent out. 10 years later is was about half of 1%. As far as I'm concerned that's a waste of time and money. How many mailers have you seen from motor dealers recently?
For a mailer to be 'effective' it needs to be sent out on a regular basis - knocking on the door and talking to the home owner will get an immediate response, either positive or negative. IMHO door knocking is the fastest way of growing your business. Customer referrals are also good.
M.K Cleaners.co.uk
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,241
It would be wise to research further mate, i.e 2-4 mile radius.
No it won't. Don't waste your time with amounts such as this. At that rate you will be working flat out for a minimum wage. You are not earning employee wages, you are earning business money. If an employee is earning the minimum wage, he will be costing his employer at least another 50% more on top of that.
If that is what the area is paying, then find an area that pays more. Its not worth getting out of bed for that amount.
3 years ago I counted the number of cleans I did in that tax year and divided that into my total expenses for that year. Expenses were van depreciation, fuel, MOT, servicing, insurances, filtration costs etc. I had no equipment purchases that year. Each clean cost me £2.97 to just arrive there. Diesel costs are 50p a liter more than at that tme and running costs are up. I figure that with a new r/o this year it will be up around the £3.75 per call.
Hello mate,
I got my RO system fitted for just under £2k all in including a pole that does 2 story buildings, not a single problem yet and it's still reading at 000ppm. Let me know if you want the details of the guy who fitted it. He's based in Ipswich and it took about 3/4 house to do in the back of my Transit Connect mine is a 350ltr so you may be able to get it a bit cheaper
Luffy
I have to say good on ya Spruce for the amount of info and time you've put into this thread. I've been on here for several months now and its even helped me!! /emoticons/wink.png
For me that's what this forum is all about and that's why i'm so glad I joined up. Theres a great bunch of guys on here that are so willing to pass on their advice to help others out and I think its ace!
Good on ya people!
My start up has been less than ideal to be honest, due to things that are out of my hands at moment, but reading these threads gives me that extra bit of enthusiasm that I need for when things look up!
+1 from me buddy!
For me that's what this forum is all about and that's why i'm so glad I joined up. Theres a great bunch of guys on here that are so willing to pass on their advice to help others out and I think its ace!
Good on ya people!
My start up has been less than ideal to be honest, due to things that are out of my hands at moment, but reading these threads gives me that extra bit of enthusiasm that I need for when things look up!
+1 from me buddy!
Gray1
Member
- Messages
- 20
- Location
- Birmingham UK
I'll second that.
Some good information there and I'm sure a few of us will use some of it.
Gray1
Carl Parsons
Well-known member
- Messages
- 95
thats really good! dont suppose you could send me some pics of you set up please could youif i give you my email address?would be realy greatful!
Carl Parsons
Well-known member
- Messages
- 95
ah..when you put it like that! cheers for the info /emoticons/smile.png ill stay away from bins for sure now.
maybe i could offer just the people i window clean for the service?this way i would be going there anyway for there windows. an if word gets out an someone wants me to do there bins i could say its an extra service i give to my window customers an they might then choose to have windows aswell....hmmm
Carl Parsons
Well-known member
- Messages
- 95
ahh this seems like very wise advice. i will be taking on board everything you've told me.
im shocked at how much advice you've gave me and have really gave me some optimism in moving forward in the window cleaning trade.
i wasn't sure to how a "newbie" would be taken coming on to the forum, i thought maybe i'd be taken as some clueless young lad who should do something else but the people on here including yourself are so welcoming with some priceless advice you just couldn't get anywhere else.
many many thanks spruce
Glad I could help.
We have always collected money outstanding on a Friday evening. Yes its a pain and an additional cost, but it has kept our debts under control and its also nice to talk to our customers - good pr.
We have a rule for long term customers that we won't do any more than 2 cleans without payment. It can often be that it there is only 1 to collect in a village 7 miles away, then we would probably leave that debt until next clean. Its just using a little flexability and common sense, but that's only for those we have developed a 'relationship' with.
IMHO stick to the windows. You will find that some window cleaners won't entertain fascia and gutter cleans, even for their existing customers, because they can earn more cleaning windows. When we started and had gaps to fill in our work schedule, we offered internal cleans, gutter and fascia cleans, conservatory roof cleans etc. I still do these for our regular customers, but I don't promote it to new customers - as we usually end up making more money on just regular window cleaning than on these add - ons.
We sometimes used to justify doing internal cleans, as these could be done on wet days, but unfortunately it never seemed to work that way. A mate of mine cleans carpets as well, but finds that mostly carpet cleaning appointments only seem to coincide with good weather, ideal for cleaning windows.
There is an old business addage that says to only do what you are good at - stick to your core business.
Neil
Well-known member
- Messages
- 3,733
Well said spruce couldn't of put it better myself mate
Here is the guys website http://k-systems.co....ic/Default.aspx
I was looking at starting up on a tight budget and this fitted it perfectly. Ok it's not as snazzy as a full ionics set up but does the job with no problems at all and like i said i'm still reading 000ppm 4 months down the line
