Start ups appearing by the dozen

[Neil.. Lancashire]

Evan more reason to dump , and build a more compact round we suggest 4 weekly 9 out of ten opt for  that , we do have a few 8 weekly but not many .

Seemingly there is no pollution near the top of a hill,so windows dont get dirty,despite me cleaning several bird splatters. Driving up a rough track,knocking lumps out of van to get there. I try n not dump anyone, maybe one day,when I'm snowed under.

The time you spend cleaning windows for people who don't appreciate your trying to make a living stops you from getting better customers sometimes. 

Don't give them 2 many options, its every 4 weeks or 8 weeks with a price to match.

Only commercial are 4 times a year. and they after to be BIG and well paid. 

Once you start letting customer dictate how your going to run your business, it will be horrible. 

Running here running there. Chasing your own tale by the end!!

 

[harunh]

Do you vet your new customers or just charge a first clean to cover any time wasters ?

There is a higher charge for a first clean of course, You can price the first clean @ 2x-5x higher then the actual monthly price, 9/10 customers will accept to pay it, the other 1/10 can go find someone else ? 
 

 

[Neil.. Lancashire]

There is a higher charge for a first clean of course, You can price the first clean @ 2x-5x higher then the actual monthly price, 9/10 customers will accept to pay it, the other 1/10 can go find someone else ? 
 

Its very impressive servicing 3000 customers a month.? The scheduling of your rounds must be difficult at times.

What would you say as been the biggest challenge to getting to were you are now ?

 

[harunh]

Its very impressive servicing 3000 customers a month.? The scheduling of your rounds must be difficult at times.

What would you say as been the biggest challenge to getting to were you are now ?

I know 80% of the areas we work in so scheduling can be hard on the 20% of  areas im not familiar with but other then that its pretty straight forward.

Local geographic knowledge can help a long way, my main area i cover i know every road etc so when a customer rings me and says to me do u cover bob street i will be like yes bob street off so and so road no problem, puts the customer at ease when you know there area more better then them ? lol

The biggest challenge for me was proving my doubters wrong   , family and friends had no hope for my window cleaning venture when i started up over 7 years ago.... I had to prove them all wrong and show them what im capable of ? I nearly sold up 3-4 times but since i went LTD over a year ago i am now fully committed 100% where as before i was only giving 75% commitment , the plan is to build a 20 plus van fleet within 5-6 years with over 12,000 customers on our books , nearly 25% there so the foundation is now in place.

Also i wouldnt be where i am today without the jelousy/hate i received from other window cleaners ? i would of gave up window cleaning a long time ago but the haters kept me here and made me hungry and determined for success So thank u all ?

I also gathered that window cleaners are the most insecure tradesmen out of all trades lol ? 

Some people are happy with 1 van Working by themselves such as my fellow local window cleaner @johnny bravo whilst others like me are hungry and greedy ??

Sometimes i wish i only had 1 van cos it can be stressful at times , waking up at 6am everyday is not easy lol ?

 

[Neil.. Lancashire]

I know 80% of the areas we work in so scheduling can be hard on the 20% of  areas im not familiar with but other then that its pretty straight forward.

Local geographic knowledge can help a long way, my main area i cover i know every road etc so when a customer rings me and says to me do u cover bob street i will be like yes bob street off so and so road no problem, puts the customer at ease when you know there area more better then them ? lol

The biggest challenge for me was proving my doubters wrong   , family and friends had no hope for my window cleaning venture when i started up over 7 years ago.... I had to prove them all wrong and show them what im capable of ? I nearly sold up 3-4 times but since i went LTD over a year ago i am now fully committed 100% where as before i was only giving 75% commitment , the plan is to build a 20 plus van fleet within 5-6 years with over 12,000 customers on our books , nearly 25% there so the foundation is now in place.

Also i wouldnt be where i am today without the jelousy/hate i received from other window cleaners ? i would of gave up window cleaning a long time ago but the haters kept me here and made me hungry and determined for success So thank u all ?

I also gathered that window cleaners are the most insecure tradesmen out of all trades lol ? 

Some people are happy with 1 van Working by themselves such as my fellow local window cleaner @johnny bravo whilst others like me are hungry and greedy ??

Sometimes i wish i only had 1 van cos it can be stressful at times , waking up at 6am everyday is not easy lol ?

That's very honest of you in the struggle to keep growing your business.

Are you using go card less for payments.

 

[harunh]

That's very honest of you in the struggle to keep growing your business.

Are you using go card less for payments.

Dont use gocardless and dont plan to use it either, a lot of customers pay us without us having to remind them , some have a direct debit setup so i got them well trained ?  We do send weekly reminders out to people who do owe us money though, but we only have 1/100 bad payers.

 

[windowsurfer]

Lost a decent house today, due to a customer mums next door neighbour starting window cleaning,not a nice ending to a week.

 

[Iron Giant]

Lost a decent house today, due to a customer mums next door neighbour starting window cleaning,not a nice ending to a week.

Better off shot of them if they were happy to drop you in a heartbeat.

 I lost one the other week custy says husband has bought all the gear, me thinks no idea as she looked baffled when I mentioned water processing she then went on about how he was struggling with his scaffolding job, twas a silver lining as I was wanting to drop her sister anyway 2 birds one stone her sister was miffed but they were both easily replaced ?

 

[windowsurfer]

Two customers yesterday of their own back put their prices u, one by £5 n the other by £10, as seemingly I do a good job, that was my silver lining this wk.

 

[Iron Giant]

Two customers yesterday of their own back put their prices u, one by £5 n the other by £10, as seemingly I do a good job, that was my silver lining this wk.

Every cloud, now have a beer ?

 

[windowsurfer]

Yep beer in hand, just about to host a zoom quiz?

 

[RyeCleanLiam]

Few popped up round me but still plenty work about. Picked up 30 customers since lockdown without a single bit of advertising and I'm just a one man band. Happy with that as I've dropped about 10 I didn't want anymore lol

Actually no I've picked up 29 as one cancelled before I even got there, said her cleaner was going to do the outside ?

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Has anyone else noticed a whopping increase in the number of start ups in their area the last few weeks? Must be as a result of job losses and nowhere else to turn i imagine. I’ve noticed at least a dozen new window cleaning/pressure washing companies advertising in Cardiff, kind of predicted an increase but this is crazy ? 

Some of us remember when YOU were the new upstart, sorry, Start up! ?

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Side note:  9 out of 10 reasons you are given for a customer leaving are BS -- they simply don't want a windy anymore but instead of an honest answer they will automatically lie to avoid some delussional idea of embarrasment for telling you the truth. 

 

[Incheck]

Some of us remember when YOU were the new upstart, sorry, Start up! ?

Haha seems like a while ago now. Got some rusty joints creeping in already lol. How are you doing fella? Still at it? 

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Haha seems like a while ago now. Got some rusty joints creeping in already lol. How are you doing fella? Still at it? 

Still at what Sausage?  I'm stuck on lockdown in the Philippines, been here since Oct but cant complain - could have been stuch in Preston, or Oldham, or ANWHERE in ESSEX!  Oh the horror! ?

 

[Incheck]

Still at what Sausage?  I'm stuck on lockdown in the Philippines, been here since Oct but cant complain - could have been stuch in Preston, or Oldham, or ANWHERE in ESSEX!  Oh the horror! ?

On the glass i meant. Sounds like you’re coping well considering how long you’ve been stuck out there ?

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

On the glass i meant. Sounds like you’re coping well considering how long you’ve been stuck out there ?

I know mate, it's all going well, and I plan to be 'stuck' here a lot tonger, just in future with the option to 'unstick' my self at will - Ironically Covid has been good for business ,the number of enquiries for window cleaning has soared (compared to same months over past few years) and enquiries for Franchise have boomed as well so all is good in the world.  

Met an Aussie fella here yesterday - his Mrs (Filipino) has told me the secrets of where to ger good rump steaks and a place that has good iported mature cheeses - here the cheese comes in cardboard and is a cross between dairylea and 'processed dairy product' cheese slices gooop.   Going out on the scooter today to see if I can track some down. 

 

[mike007]

This is my fifth week since I started my business and the projection is looking good based on customer growth, checkatrade is driving it for me with 4 calls a day. 

Getting my van signed up tomorrow as I struck up a deal with the local signwriter to help him with his website. 

There are no other proffesional window cleaners in my town, they are all rogue traders. 

I'm very happy with how its going ?

No other Pro window cleaners in your town except you with a full 5 weeks experience?. Surely there must be , a lot of the so called rogue traders must be legit (do not need sign written van to be a pro) you havent yet.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Evan more reason to dump , and build a more compact round we suggest 4 weekly 9 out of ten opt for  that , we do have a few 8 weekly but not many .

We should have a dumping window cleaner who we hand over bad customers too. In the fullness of time they will do a bad job or not do them again its a safer way to retain our reputation.  

 

[steve garwood]

We should have a dumping window cleaner who we hand over bad customers too. In the fullness of time they will do a bad job or not do them again its a safer way to retain our reputation.  

You offering? ?