Scheduling New Work

[DansClearView]

Hi all.
This one's aimed probably more at the sole traders on here.
How do you handle new work, bigger jobs etc?

I wouldn't say my monthly is completely full but work is getting pushed back when I get days I can't work (haven't worked 3 days this week due to a family bereavement for example). My current strategy is advising new customers that it could be 4-5 weeks until I get to you on large houses, GFS cleans real bad gutters etc.

Given that I'm trying to keep my monthly/Bi-monthly schedule fairly flexible for both myself & customers, I'm thinking it might be better to try and fit the new work in sooner and push the regular work back a little.
Smaller houses & jobs I just fit in as and when.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Part Timer]

Your.work should be based on areas, you're aim should be to travel to the next nearest.job.

 

[Scrubsy]

@DansClearView firstly I am very sorry to read of your family bereavement, please accept my condolences for your loss. Workwise I only have a small round that myself and my wife work together. We just work certain areas on certain days. If we had time for a new customer(s) in that areas we'd do the job no problem. If not then it would need to wait until next time we are local to the job. You could always try and schedule gsf cleaning for a few days and then go back to your regular window cleaning work but you'll know best which of your customers won't mind waiting and which won't.

 

[DansClearView]

Appreciate that thank you. I mentioned the bereavement only as a casing point at how things can crop up, but appreciate the condolences.
I'm just going to try and add a few more new/add on jobs in the week and push a few jobs back a bit. My client base are all pretty understanding anyway.

 

[Scrubsy]

Appreciate that thank you. I mentioned the bereavement only as a casing point at how things can crop up, but appreciate the condolences.
I'm just going to try and add a few more new/add on jobs in the week and push a few jobs back a bit. My client base are all pretty understanding anyway.

No I totally understand mate. My son was unwell recently and we had to cut short work to collect him from school and then I worked a bit by myself for a day or two as my wife was looking after him. Just don't push yourself too hard but good you have an understanding customer base.

 

[Part Timer]

I'm just going to try and add a few more new/add on jobs in the week and push a few jobs back a bit. My client base are all pretty understanding anyway.

Your regular jobs are far more important than one offs. We all understand that one offs pay well but the regulars pay the bills.
We always said that we'd fit the one off cleans in when we could. We never put regular work back for one offs, no matter how well they paid

 

[Iron Giant]

I agree with @Part Timer

also if you are full with regular window cleaning jobs and have no intention of expanding to the point of employing, then you need to re-evaluate your entire round look for jobs that you can drop that might be a pita for whatever reason to free up your schedule and potentially drop add on's all together,

I'll do easy add on's like bungalows over 4-bed minging pvc cleans I give them a mates details whether it's for a non customer or a regular long-term customer.

 

[dazmond]

Hi all.
This one's aimed probably more at the sole traders on here.
How do you handle new work, bigger jobs etc?

I wouldn't say my monthly is completely full but work is getting pushed back when I get days I can't work (haven't worked 3 days this week due to a family bereavement for example). My current strategy is advising new customers that it could be 4-5 weeks until I get to you on large houses, GFS cleans real bad gutters etc.

Given that I'm trying to keep my monthly/Bi-monthly schedule fairly flexible for both myself & customers, I'm thinking it might be better to try and fit the new work in sooner and push the regular work back a little.
Smaller houses & jobs I just fit in as and when.

Thanks in advance.

I'm never rammed full with work.i base my work on 4 days a week(working 5 or 6 hours per day)

I have 321 jobs at present(4/8 weekly frequency).I also do the odd f/s/g clean,conny roof and solar panel clean for existing customers...

My work doesn't change all year round.when it's xmas or holiday time I just move my schedule forward a week or 2

As for new jobs I fit them into my schedule when I'm next in that street/area

 

[Pjj]

I agree with @Part Timer

also if you are full with regular window cleaning jobs and have no intention of expanding to the point of employing, then you need to re-evaluate your entire round look for jobs that you can drop that might be a pita for whatever reason to free up your schedule and potentially drop add on's all together,

I'll do easy add on's like bungalows over 4-bed minging pvc cleans I give them a mates details whether it's for a non customer or a regular long-term customer.

If you are full it pays to continue to take on new work but price it much higher then drop jobs you don’t like or pay less that way your earnings are going up all the time

 

[Iron Giant]

If you are full it pays to continue to take on new work but price it much higher then drop jobs you don’t like or pay less that way your earnings are going up all the time

Nothing wrong with still taking on work, but whilst @DansClearView is behind schedule it's better for him to re-evaluate his rounds and drop jobs that are a pain, if he streamlines his rounds in the short-term he'll get on top of his schedule sooner.

I am not bothered about taking on new work too much these days but the shifting sands of customers selling houses etc means it's good to have an intake now and then, I took on a few recently all priced much higher than usual.

 

[Bell Pallisey]

i like to do any new job as a priority .I have a fixed price structure that is easy to remember .Every Aug i have a clearout of around 100 customers that one way or another are not ideal

 

[dazmond]

i like to do any new job as a priority .I have a fixed price structure that is easy to remember .Every Aug i have a clearout of around 100 customers that one way or another are not ideal

100 jobs a year?that's sounds very drastic!

I only ever drop 5 or 6 jobs every year (usually for late/non payment)

 

[Iron Giant]

100 jobs a year?that's sounds very drastic!

I only ever drop 5 or 6 jobs every year (usually for late/non payment)

Scottish is full of he is off on his wild rants again

 

[Pjj]

Scottish is full of he is off on his wild rants again

Is @Bell Pallisey Scottish then ?

 

[Bell Pallisey]

100 jobs a year?that's sounds very drastic!

I only ever drop 5 or 6 jobs every year (usually for late/non payment)

a few yrs ago i was parked up one lunchtime by a Graham plumbing supplies and i noticed it was closed for Annual Stocktake .I decided there and then i wanted to do the same. About a month before mine i ask the lads who work for me write down any jobs you dont like . So when i come to the stocktake theres dozens and i write letters to these customers they are gone . This frees up a space that takes months to fill, gives a breather to the lads and raises morale . I wish id done it earlier but of course in my erlier years losing a chunk would have cost me financially dearly

 

[Iron Giant]

Is @Bell Pallisey Scottish then ?

In my opinion yes, look at the he spouts, he had a worker then didn't now he has multiple employees

 

[Pjj]

Just the expression s arnt the same or the wording that Scottish used his posts on ciu are exactly the same as they were on here but bell s posts are worded totally differently

 

[Bell Pallisey]

what is this CSI for windys? help yous lot out ,heres a clue

roamin in the gloamin wi a lassie by ya side

 

[Bell Pallisey]

clue 2 In which place was my mother so bitten alive by midges her legs swelled badly didnt subside for a week ? A - Pimlico B- Dalgety Bay C - Arrochar

 

[Iron Giant]

Just the expression s arnt the same or the wording that Scottish used his posts on ciu are exactly the same as they were on here but bell s posts are worded totally differently

But Scottish is being Scottish on CIU,

Next he'll be telling us about his sing song night with Jimmy Nail and Tim Healy and how him and Tim reminisced about him singing Blaydon Races at his school sports, and how his mate dubbed the beast of camber sands brought some stuff and how they were all away with the show folk.

No newbie comes on here spinning as many tales, they have no real context to the real relevance of threads.

I'm not the only one to think this person is Scottish!

I have dealt with allsorts over the years and my sixth sense hasn't failed me over the years.

 

[Pjj]

But Scottish is being Scottish on CIU,

Next he'll be telling us about his sing song night with Jimmy Nail and Tim Healy and how him and Tim reminisced about him singing Blaydon Races at his school sports, and how his mate dubbed the beast of camber sands brought some stuff and how they were all away with the show folk.

No newbie comes on here spinning as many tales, they have no real context to the real relevance of threads.

I'm not the only one to think this person is Scottish!

I have dealt with allsorts over the years and my sixth sense hasn't failed me over the years.

You should be able to find out as a mod and check the ip address and compare them