Newbie! Intro

[Clearelements]

Hi, I'm Richie. I'm in the process of taking over my bosses rounds as he is retiring and I've agreed to buy his residential rounds. I'm fairly new to window cleaning only taking it up after lockdowns. So I'm going to be reading through posts for all your wisdom and tips so thanks in advance! My first (of many) questions I guess is: Does anyone have any tips on job scheduling, do you use software or paper based as I'd like to move away from paper and job slips. Thanks

 

[ched999uk]

Squeegee app is OK - not perfect but it helps also auto sends email invoices or text (you have to buy txt credits!). Once you get used to it it does help but can be a bit clunky when adding customers, creating quotes and turning a quote into a job.
They have a free training course on udemy I think!

 

[JohnDoeWindows]

If you're taking over your bosses round and you currently work for him, I wouldn't change anything - just stick as you are, with what you know. No need to fix what isn't broken!

 

[Crystalalan]

I just use an A4 week to view diary. Lo tech but works for me a treat.

 

[Clearelements]

Squeegee app is OK - not perfect but it helps also auto sends email invoices or text (you have to buy txt credits!). Once you get used to it it does help but can be a bit clunky when adding customers, creating quotes and turning a quote into a job.
They have a free training course on udemy I think!

Great, thank you! looks better than the ones I’ve seen so far.

 

[Clearelements]

If you're taking over your bosses round and you currently work for him, I wouldn't change anything - just stick as you are, with what you know. No need to fix what isn't broken!

Good point, but there’s so much paper

 

[Part Timer]

This would very much depend on size of round and ambitions.

 

[ched999uk]

Great, thank you! looks better than the ones I’ve seen so far.

While it's not perfect the support is very good. If there is a problem you message them and within a short time they come back with an answer. Day to day its great as it integrates with stripe (card payments) and go card less. Plus you can customise invoice to include bank details for bacs. Obviously card payments and go card less have cost implications but save time.
Reason I went with squeegee was included features were better /cheaper than cleaner planner.

 

[Iron Giant]

Good point, but there’s so much paper

Exactly this, it's going to be your business and you want to run it entirely as you see fit and reducing the admin and having everything digital makes things so much easier for admin, I personally use Cleaner Planner it ain't all bells and whistles compared to Squeegee but it has done the job for me for around 8 years

 

[Clearelements]

While it's not perfect the support is very good. If there is a problem you message them and within a short time they come back with an answer. Day to day its great as it integrates with stripe (card payments) and go card less. Plus you can customise invoice to include bank details for bacs. Obviously card payments and go card less have cost implications but save time.
Reason I went with squeegee was included features were better /cheaper than cleaner planner.

I appreciate your insight, thank you.

 

[Clearelements]

Exactly this, it's going to be your business and you want to run it entirely as you see fit and reducing the admin and having everything digital makes things so much easier for admin, I personally use Cleaner Planner it ain't all bells and whistles compared to Squeegee but it has done the job for me for around 8 years

Very true, he was in business for 30+ years so an update is due. Thank you

 

[Iron Giant]

Very true, he was in business for 30+ years so an update is due. Thank you

I hope he isn't too old school and his prices aren't outdated by years and he still goes collecting on evenings

 

[kevinc250]

Very true, he was in business for 30+ years so an update is due. Thank you

 

[kevinc250]

Very true, he was in business for 30+ years so an update is due. Thank you

my advice mate would be to work the round as your old boss did, ok lots of pen and paper but just work it for a while,you are just getting going so don't rock the boat just yet just keep working and bringing the money in (don't forget to keep a 1/4 for tax and ni-put that to one side), once you've done six months or so see where you are with it all and then do small progressive steps to streamline it all. do it all gradually and don't forget what works for someone on this forum may not work for you, lets just say most of your customers are little old dears, going in with stripe payments and texts the night before is not going to go down well thats just an example but take the time to learn your customers and get a feel for future improvements,

 

[Clearelements]

my advice mate would be to work the round as your old boss did, ok lots of pen and paper but just work it for a while,you are just getting going so don't rock the boat just yet just keep working and bringing the money in (don't forget to keep a 1/4 for tax and ni-put that to one side), once you've done six months or so see where you are with it all and then do small progressive steps to streamline it all. do it all gradually and don't forget what works for someone on this forum may not work for you, lets just say most of your customers are little old dears, going in with stripe payments and texts the night before is not going to go down well thats just an example but take the time to learn your customers and get a feel for future improvements,

Good advice, thank you!