How many on here are not full time windys...and why?

[adamangler]

So i was just thinking today where i want to go with my business and whether or not i want to be a full time windy or not.

Im defining full time windy as someone who just cleans windows(may do the odd conny or gutter but generaly a windy)

With all the associate hassle i seem to be having lately, non payers, people not leaving gates open, not this time, can you justers, dog shite etc. I think this has come about from me losing 4 custies this week, one said been made redundant, 1 hasnt answered the door for last 2 times even though ive seen her in! 1 moving home and another just finds so many way to avoid paying ive had to drop her.

I mean atm im part time due to the fact i dont have enough custies to be full time but who on here is part time out of choice?

either do another aspect of cleaning,carpets, pressure washing etc or employed or a trade or whatever and prefers it this way?

Im kind of considering at the moment to really weed out my custies to the best of the best and look into other areas of work alongside windows for variety as much as anything. Or maybe i just need a full round of really good custies and then i wouldnt be so frustrated at times.

 

[Dave B]

It can be frustrating at first but when you get busy you won't worry about it

I am 100% a windie but do push the fascias etc now the weather is good as won't get it in the winter

The problem with other jobs is more setting up costs and admin etc and storage for all your gear

I did start doing handyman work but got so busy on the windows I've stopped

 

[adamangler]

I think thats the thing davey, every job means a lot to me atm so when i cant do one, it rains or i have to skip or lose a custy the old anxiety kicks in.

 

[Dave B]

I know how you feel about canvassing so you meed to be spending any time your not cleaning posting leaflets and you will soon see your round grow

Just have to stick at it

Some days you will get no calls from them and then 2 months later start getting them when people suddenly come accross your leaflet that they put to one side..longest for me was 4 months

Other days like yesterday you can find a good area and get 150 quid of work before you even get home. .got he nearly and got a call and went back to quote it as i couldn't find it on google maps and she was a bit confusing on the phone

 

[adamangler]

Think thats a good idea mate, if i lose a custy then thats 30 mins extra i have spare to leaflet i suppose, its just hard to tell yourself that at the time. Its been said before but its such a mental game this lol.

On the bright side, i have a Canvasser coming in two weeks so looking forward to getting stuck in.

 

[Dave B]

I see a lost custy as an opportunity to shove some leaflets through doors and replace them with a decent customer

 

[adamangler]

I see a lost custy as an opportunity to shove some leaflets through doors and replace them with a decent customer

That is the mindset of champions lol

I see it as the end of the world atm, big difference.

I secretly enjoy the stress though.

 

[Dave B]

Just have to be determined

 

[Jacob]

I am fulltime windy, dont have enough work to be fulltime, but sort of jumped into it 5 monthd ago, not regret it but moneywise is currently tight. Gotta order some more leaflets and go hunting for customers again need 100 custys more then i close to get where iwant to be /emoticons/smile.png i dont do gutters etc.

 

[Dave B]

Sometimes i wish i didn't do gutters etc but they are good earners

 

[TolishAPurd]

I'm a handyman first, but the small round I wanted, has now turned into nearly half of my work.

I still can't bring myself to ditching the handyman work as it gives me variety, and gives my body a change. But the windows are encroaching into it so much now that I have had to change the way I work. Instead of booking customers in the way I used to, I now have to say; "I'll be in touch closer to the time". -Good for me, but not so good for them.

Tbh adam, all the problems you are getting are all preventable or easy to overcome.

Canyoujusters- "Sure I can do that, does £___sound fair?". OR... "Sorry I havent got time for that today, but I can come back some other time,it shouldnt cost too much".

Gates- Just do the fronts, and if its a £20 house, charge £13 for it. Chances are they will remember next time as they are getting less for there money. Get a light ladder, pass one side over,and straddles the gate with the other half.

Dog shite- Look out more. If its everywhere, then maybe ditch them.

Not answering doors- Keep knocking, they'll come.

Late payers- They are better than non payers. Makesure you have some savings so you don't need to stress when the payment comes in slow. Ditch the ones that don't pay.

Believe me, window cleaning is the least stressful job out there that I do. With the handyman work, your whole days earning can get messed about by oneperson. Like the woman I had that ordered an electrician the same day I was due toplasterer room. I had also subcontracted it out to another plasterer, so there was two of us out of work.

You're goin to get **** ones,but most of it is avoidable....if you are having too manyissues, then chances are you need to sort out your game a little. Like I said, its the easiest job I do, But in order to get it that way, you need to train your customers up. Make payment easy by having lots of options. Text the dumbasess the night before to make sure they have gates open etc.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Adamangler, if you want to drop me a PM with your email I have some collection letters I can email you copies of that I use for customers that are never home.

As for dog $hit, I tell customers that it needs to be cleaned up the day I am coming or I wont do that area as not only does it smell but it gets all over the hoses / ladder ends up on hands not nice. They wouldn't work in this condition so why should I.

As for locked gates, I have all my customers mobiles, I drop a text the nigh before:

Dear customer, your windows are due to be cleaned tomorrow, please ensure access is available where required, many thanks, Green Window Cleaner.

If I arrive and the gate is locked the windows I can do get done and the ones I cant don't the customer gets billed the same. Once you explain to them that my time didn't cost any less, my fuel didn't cost any less so the bill is not any less. If they truly want a regular clean they are always understanding and you are not likely to have a locked gate again.

Payments were always a pain in the a$$, now I have it all sorted, my cash custies are the ones that are home on the day. I also have GoCardless for monthly automated payments (I have some customers on that I have never even met) I also have Paypal Here installed on my phone so I can process cards on the spot. Also for my regular paypal customers I can invoice them right through paypal of an evening save me having to chase them. This month for me ended on Tuesday, I had £1365 of uncollected monies to get in. Spent Wednesday and Thursday evening collecting and now just £320 outstanding and that's one residential on vacation and one commercial job that gets 30 days from me.

Lastly, with regards to your canvasser, make sure you drive around all types and sizes of houses and make sure they understand how much you will be charging per house, you don't want to be doing 4 bed detached houses for £5 each just cause your canvasser had a target to hit.

As for me I am full time on the windows, however as you hone your round you find more and more time, these days my windows are done by 2:30 daily so I can (should I choose) fit in a conservatory or some guttering for a bit of bonus and still be home in time for a cold beer and super. /emoticons/tongue.png

As I said at the beginning if you need templates for collections or new customer sign up sheets (very thorough) just PM your email and I will email them to you.

 

[adamangler]

Cheers guys, all makes sense and i kind of know this already but i am putting up with more **** than i need to due to not wanting to upset anyone or risk losing customers.

Hence i am wasting money on fuel etc.

Im going to wait till i have some more canvassed work then re-plan my entire round, grouping customers together and laying down the law to avoid all the above issues.

thanks

 

[Jacob]

You gotta be 'careless' if you dont care about losing a custy here and there then you dont spend time thinking of it and then your world dont fall apart when losing one, it also makes you put your foot down infront of people who mess you because you dont 'care' about losing them if they think your rules of business dont include them, and you tell em and they get upset then they got a problem not you.

Thats how i try to be most of time, and i have lost a custy or two and dont care, and it felt so good dumping one last week due to non payment.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Im going to wait till i have some more canvassed work then re-plan my entire round, grouping customers together and laying down the law to avoid all the above issues.

thanks

Do not wait, find a couple of hours to rearrange your rounds and get them straight before you get your canvasser in so that when he is out touting you can insure that he knows which days you want certain streets on so he doesn't just give them random dates.

 

[SolarPanelCleaning]

Which canvasser are you using? I've lost all motivation for canvassing (knocked literally thousands of doors in last year) and considering trying a guy?