Introduction - New Business

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

Hi Everyone, 

My name is Nils and I am 38 years old. 

I am starting a new business in my town as I have lived at my house for 2 years and never seen a window cleaner. 

Many years ago I worked for a guy in Barnsley called John Smith, he is a wonderful man and I have many fond memories of working with him. 

My town needs a window cleaner like him and its going to be me ?

Thanks for reading 

 

[Pjj]

Ime sure you will pick up a lot of work if there arnt many cleaners , there was only one other in my town when I started 20+ years ago hope it goes ok ?

 

[Part Timer]

Good luck, plenty advice on here if you get stuck.

 

[Jjamie]

Where abouts are you? 

I'll come and drop my leaflets 

Only joking best of luck! 

 

[Davy G]

Welcome Nils. I'm not certain of your area but if I'm not mistaken it's to the west of London, Teddington Lock area? If so I think you might have Richmond, Kew, Hampton, Kingston on Thames and Windsor within striking distance. Some good prospects of wealthy customers, I'd have thought.

Mind, a lot of the wealthier people don't like parting with it for services. Not normally too much of a problem if you stand your ground.

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

Welcome Nils. I'm not certain of your area but if I'm not mistaken it's to the west of London, Teddington Lock area? If so I think you might have Richmond, Kew, Hampton, Kingston on Thames and Windsor within striking distance. Some good prospects of wealthy customers, I'd have thought.

Mind, a lot of the wealthier people don't like parting with it for services. Not normally too much of a problem if you stand your ground.

Thats correct. I do have alot of wealthy areas in close proximity. 

However, I am currently limited to where I can physically carry my ladder. 

I am working on getting a car https://www.gofundme.com/f/project-twc-van 

 

[Jjamie]

When i was skiving of school many years ago now use to walk miles with a ladder and bucket with my brother who only started driving 6 years ago he must of walked for 20  years with his ladder and bucket all ways picked up new Jobs as he walked to work 

He had 3 compact rounds where he would spend a week in each area then had bits and bobs round for last week of the month after some years of cleaning he bought 4 ladders and left one in each area and gave a free clean each month to the customers who looked after his ladder so he could just get on his bike and ride to each area 

 

[harunh]

Make sure u step on no ones patch and make sure u charge minimum of £20 per clean otherwise your a busy fool. ?

 

[Davy G]

You can't worry about other people's "patches". Do your own thing, make your own way. Work where you want. Don't try to deliberately take someone else's work or undercut. Find your own work and decide your own prices. . Acknowledge with a smile, other guys in your trade, some will reciprocate, some won't. Same with folk gardening, delivering post, collecting bins or sweeping the road. Be pleasant and respectful. They're working hard for a living too.

Good luck ?

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

You can't worry about other people's "patches". Do your own thing, make your own way. Work where you want. Don't try to deliberately take someone else's work or undercut. Find your own work and decide your own prices. . Acknowledge with a smile, other guys in your trade, some will reciprocate, some won't. Same with folk gardening, delivering post, collecting bins or sweeping the road. Be pleasant and respectful. They're working hard for a living too.

Good luck ?

Thanks for the great advice! 
 

I was made redundant 10 weeks ago and I’ve struggled to find any work. I had been toying with the idea of starting up a round for a while in my head. Then my partner said to me why don’t you get set up! So I asked around and there is one old Scottish guy in my town, I figured a bit of healthy competition would be good for him. 
 

I used to work in marketing as a web designer so all my digital assets are in place, Facebook, google, checkatrade. It’s been less than a week and I m taking bookings every day. 
 

I’m really excited! It’s a job I love! Being outside and A visible part of the community. I know I can do a good job because I’ve been trained by one of the best window cleaners in the world. 

 

[Davy G]

When I started 6 years ago I was advised by an experienced windy, a friend of mine with a round several miles away, to  choose an area, canvas, ask if they had one and offer to do it cheaper. I never even considered trying to undercut or poach customers. I did choose an area, I got lucky. One major operator had just given up to go fitting them instead. Another was expensive (ripping people off and intimidating them) , aggressive and rude to customers. I did exactly what I advised you. I kept my integrity, I was pleasant to everyone, unless given reason to be otherwise. And I built a very nice, well paid round quite quickly. I have seen several guys come and go in the time I've been going. Detail is hugely important : pricing, speed, efficiency, quality, reliability, friendliness, integrity.

The friendliness has been tested a few times with pushy customers, or rude neighbours moaning over parking for a few minutes while I do my work. I generally have my answers to stop them in their tracks and send them away with a flea in their ear.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I started a few years ago and never really chased work. Eventually folk see you and come out and ask the price and frequency. Advertising is a good way of getting work especially on the internet. The problem we have is that we want to grow quick and its hard to do. Wfp is good because you can tackle any job that the trad guys usually dropped.  

 

[Davy G]

I agree. Advertising is my main long-term recruitment method. I wasn't comfortable canvassing though it definitely got me started. I only canvased for a few months. Then the advertising, word of mouth from the new customers and walk-ups carried us forward. The van was nicely sign-written and I wore a uniform from day one.

When I was canvassing I tried to target houses with slightly extending ground floor roofs at the front. Houses where a trad guy would have to climb on the roof but which would be easy with wfp. I started with wfp and never got involved with trad. I figured that style of house would possibly be less likely to be canvassed by a trad operater. I also saw that they tended to be fairly nice houses, likely to be owned by people with decent incomes.

I've never got involved with fb or websites. I don't like either. Fb, I'd be exposed to the fb Mafia and with a website competition would know too much of my business. I decided to keep the marketing old style (International man of mystery ?) . Each to their own of course.

 

[NoName]

However, I am currently limited to where I can physically carry my ladder.

TWC fyi - be prepared to have your collar felt,  it's a little known fact, it's illegal to carry a plank, a ladder, a wheel or a pole along a pavement in the Metropolitan Police District, under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 - maybe give Kingston a miss ?

 

[RWCleaning]

Nice mate. Keep us posted on how you get on. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I like Checkatrade but not sure if I will continue in August when I have to renew it. I have had it nearly 2yrs and its paid for itself handsomely. I have two weeks of window cleaning each month and make around £700 which I'm happy with because everything is paid for. Dropping Checkatrade will save me £84 a month so I'll wait and see. Its a strange game, window cleaning. I thought I would have lost a good few customers but I only lost one who had money troubles and gained a better one yesterday in a new area next to me so may get a lot more.

 

[Jjamie]

I've never advertised on the Internet don't do Facebook check a trade etc I have website which I use for PayPal payments 

I choice to do local village advertising so like parish council booklets that get posted once a month very cost affected and if you pay 2 years in advance get some good discount just keep to the one you get calls for cancel the other ones at least you are getting calls in your areas you do and not all over the place 

 

[Davy G]

I've never advertised on the Internet don't do Facebook check a trade etc I have website which I use for PayPal payments local ad mag for me too

I choice to do local village advertising so like parish council booklets that get posted once a month very cost affected and if you pay 2 years in advance get some good discount just keep to the one you get calls for cancel the other ones at least you are getting calls in your areas you do and not all over the place 

Local ad mag for me too. Well two, next to each other.

 

[Jjamie]

Local ad mag for me too. Well two, next to each other.

I did try a new one last year in a different village down the road from one of my rounds but when I seen the book had 80 pages in it I cancelled it ?? 

 

[Davy G]

I did try a new one last year in a different village down the road from one of my rounds but when I seen the book had 80 pages in it I cancelled it ?? 

I wouldn't necessarily worry about how many pages are in it, unless perhaps it's full of other window cleaners. Even then I'd consider it. I'm the only one in one local mag and one of only two in the other. The add artwork is similar to the signwriting on the van. I like to keep the visibility up. It brings in a steady stream of work and helps to hold my place in the local community. At Christmas we change it from an add, to a, Thank you, Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all our customers.

 

[Jjamie]

I think we have to many windows cleaners about now or to many start ups then disappear in the winter 

Years ago things were alot different to how it is now, I think it's harder for people who are just starting out to much competition for them especially on WFP cleaners to many come and go thinking it easy and giving other lads a bad reputation 

No such thing as this is my round or this is my patch now days go where you want