Doing it wrong….

[Nosey]

Hi Everyone,

I hope someone doesn’t mind given me a little bit of advice…..

I’m well established and have more than a full round that I am struggling to get round. 3/4 of the work is priced right and the rest needs increasing not drastically, but in line with the new cost of living. I work on a four week basis but this keep going over because of kids, appointments etc…. I’m mostly trad, do wfp but am limited to trolley system so need to invest to have tank for ease and not barrels which are a faff. I just feel like I’m running around like a headless chicken all the time working 6 days a week. I take time off when I want too, but that’s mostly for days out with the family or holidays. This funds it but I need to find that balance. I also need to start putting more in to pension. I’m only in mid thirties but just stuck in a rut and need to come up with a new way of working that benefits me and the family properly.

Obviously the prices need updating to the right levels. I’m sure I will lose some but the others will make up for it which will free time.

I don’t know whether to get rid of some work so I can keep within the 4 weeks or change the cycle to 6 weeks which is much more simpler timeframe to work within, but just keep my commercial work on four weekly (20% of round). All my work is very compact so don’t like idea of selling work to someone, who will then be on the same road more a less than where the rest of my work is. I know you will all recommend going full wfp, which is a hell of a lot easier. But just concerned I will lose more as I keep getting told of new customers they haven’t been happy with the wfp from other cleaners. But I’m guessing it’s not the wfp just the operative? If I did go full wfp I know it’s hard for people to say as no one know my round, me or circumstances. But would that knock a huge percentage of time of the duration compared to traditional. Potentially get round all my work within the four week. I also don’t want to hire anyone at the moment.

I live in the north west and just trying to get a bit of a different perspective and wondered if anyone else has ended up in a similar situation. I’m just getting fed up with it and think it’s not the window cleaning just my inefficiency and being stuck in my ways.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Many thanks David.

 

[ched999uk]

I would say if you are running round like a headless chicken then you have too much work or have to work too many hours.
Say you put up all prices by 10% and you lost 10% of your work, you then have the same money but 10% 'spare time'.

I don't really do trad so I'm slow when I do but when I started I started with wfp, backpack out of car. I was slow, very slow, but my speed has increased massively since having a van system plus experience. I don't feel I'm doing anything faster but the more you do the more you work out hose routes round properties, exactly how far to extend your pole for every window, your technique (what order you clean windows i.e. top, right, left, glass sill, then rinse etc) etc it just all comes together to speed things up. A trolley system works but it's slow, so if you are comparing that to your trad work then you would be amazed at how much faster a van system and experience can make you, especially if it's compact work.

Switching to a 6 week cycle might work but you need more customers and ideally you charge a bit more as it's 6 weekly. That might be worth using as a wfp selling point - i.e. switch to 6 weekly wfp at same price - you will initially earn less but once up to speed you should earn more, and do more jobs, plus customer should be happy as they save money over the 12 months and get what could be a better job - I don't want to start a wfp vs trad argument but you could sell it to a customer that all frames, sills, glass is cleaned and should stay cleaner longer type of thing....

If 20% of your work is commercial and you want to keep that on a 4 weekly maybe you could schedule all that work for, say a Tuesday (towards beginning of week to cope with bad weather and no bank holidays) then the rest of your work on the other 4 days.