When did you turn that corner?

[scottish cleaning service]

I have now come good and can totally relax regarding my new business in cleaning. I don't know if its a time thing or how many customers I now have. Next month I will be going into my third year as a window cleaner with add-ons. My first two years was all spend spend spend on new equipment. Now I have finally got it all after spending another £2300 things that my relatives don't understand. £800 on Extreme 25 and brushes, £300 with Exceed for hoseless stuff, £700 getting my van resprayed around bottom half, £300 on new ladders and £200 on two new clothes. Now I can focus on building a bulkhead around the tank with metal rollers built in so I can slide 3m triple ladders in and out. Probably fit a 2m long drainpipe to slide my pole in and leave the brush end sticking out. I think a 70mm plastic downpipe will do the trick and fit three of them for 3 different poles. In the end it all comes down to Time & Money. You need both in first 2yrs because one needs the time to make the money that one needs to build the van. I began with 20 customers and now over 100 but here's the interesting thing. I can now raise prices and turn away jobs I don't want to take on. As Green Pro said many years ago, they don't fit our customer profile. You don't really want the timewasters, you want a loyal customer base to focus on. Even if I only ever have these 100 customers then I will be very happy as I know them all individually now.

 

[Dino]

I have now come good and can totally relax regarding my new business in cleaning. I don't know if its a time thing or how many customers I now have. Next month I will be going into my third year as a window cleaner with add-ons. My first two years was all spend spend spend on new equipment. Now I have finally got it all after spending another £2300 things that my relatives don't understand. £800 on Extreme 25 and brushes, £300 with Exceed for hoseless stuff, £700 getting my van resprayed around bottom half, £300 on new ladders and £200 on two new clothes. Now I can focus on building a bulkhead around the tank with metal rollers built in so I can slide 3m triple ladders in and out. Probably fit a 2m long drainpipe to slide my pole in and leave the brush end sticking out. I think a 70mm plastic downpipe will do the trick and fit three of them for 3 different poles. In the end it all comes down to Time & Money. You need both in first 2yrs because one needs the time to make the money that one needs to build the van. I began with 20 customers and now over 100 but here's the interesting thing. I can now raise prices and turn away jobs I don't want to take on. As Green Pro said many years ago, they don't fit our customer profile. You don't really want the timewasters, you want a loyal customer base to focus on. Even if I only ever have these 100 customers then I will be very happy as I know them all individually now.

I like your response mate.  I have about 70 + customers, I have not really invested in anything but a cheap van, pole and back pack with trolley and 8 water drums and an RO system.  I seem to be ticking over at the moment.  I am thinking of spending on a gutter vac so I can do gutters so I have one add on service.  Or I might get my van sign written.  Spending £700 on getting the van sprayed sounds well expensive!

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I like your response mate.  I have about 70 + customers, I have not really invested in anything but a cheap van, pole and back pack with trolley and 8 water drums and an RO system.  I seem to be ticking over at the moment.  I am thinking of spending on a gutter vac so I can do gutters so I have one add on service.  Or I might get my van sign written.  Spending £700 on getting the van sprayed sounds well expensive!

It is actually £600 plus a £40 tip because they had to weld a bit on the side door. Dino, fairly quickly you will realise in this job, one's van is Everything, no van then no work which leads to unhappy customers. This Saturday I do a £150 gutter job in millionaires row which will take a few hours. My van was full of rust around the bottom and didn't look very professional. Now I'm desperate to go up there and park on the street outside. After I'm finished I will walk around and see if anyone else needs their gutter cleared or cleaned by posting a leaflet with the cost on it. Folk always want to know what the cost will be and then they will make a decision.

I have a £200 Maxblaster Vac which is fantastic but I swapped the 40mm inlet to a 51mm one from Spinaclean. Had it nearly a year now and made my money back in the first few weeks. I will buy another one when it fails and just swap the motor over, I ditched the wheely bin for moving it about though.

 

[NoName]

Personally we find cross selling is a great revenue stream - you soon become their go to guy for any type of external cleaning and as PJJ said windows pay the least margin of most of the services we provide...Windows forms your customer base but all the extra services result in a significant income steam that is waiting to be tapped.

Rather that 'begging' for work - we view it that the custy has a real problem that they want a resolution for...dirty windows they can't reach and it really bothers them/embarrassed by them/blocked gutter causing worry/stress of damage, patios that are dangerously slippery and they have no idea or energy/equipment to get if safe and clean etc...etc.

Someone with a blocked gutter and fear of heights is in a hole - your the solution to his problem - as a result they are happy to pay properly for a trade to turn up and carry out a service they literally can't...(and who else are they going get in?)

We have a minimum cleaning charge - where we are it's £20 for windows no matter how few windows - most custy's don't blink an eyelid - even the ones with only a couple of windows (flats etc) honestly they appreciate that to get a professional service it will cost.

(£20 for a service performed at your own home, has still got to be one of the cheapest services householders pay for)

Just because you might be going next door or just round the corner for you next job, or staying in the same street all day shouldn't preclude you from charging a decent price to each homeowner. In the long haul you wont get every job, fine, because those you get, will pay you x2 x3 etc and you'll end up with a round that pays you for all your hard work. 

If you don't 'value' your time then the custy will pick up on it and expect you to charge peanuts, and then for ever you do they will expect it to be pennies (though to be fair - your custy needs to 'see' they are getting a superior professional service - clean van/uniform/regular/friendly etc etc)

I've often give a price and the custy's says - oohh that's x2/x3 the last guy - I tactfully explain where's he now?? - possibly he realised he couldn't sustain such low prices and has been forced to do another job...however we going nowhere because we charge fairly...they get the point.

We explain the capital investment required to provide the service, that we are professional window cleaners with PI Insurance, state of the art equipment to achieve excellent customer service/finish, pay our taxes etc - compared with some who are only charging for spare cash/beer money.

We make point of saying we don't compete on price but on service - we aim to delight the custy doing little extras and whatever they want - (Garage doors inc - don't want the front door done - fine - we do it manually - what an am slot you got it - missed a bit - call us and we'll come back). 

Oh and when you're not on the glass...you should be knocking the door - you'll get the custy's you want...

(Caveat - this is based our local area - sure some areas a perhaps more deprived etc which makes it a lot harder) 

 

[Wind o kleen]

Personally we find cross selling is a great revenue stream - you soon become their go to guy for any type of external cleaning and as PJJ said windows pay the least margin of most of the services we provide...Windows forms your customer base but all the extra services result in a significant income steam that is waiting to be tapped.

Rather that 'begging' for work - we view it that the custy has a real problem that they want a resolution for...dirty windows they can't reach and it really bothers them/embarrassed by them/blocked gutter causing worry/stress of damage, patios that are dangerously slippery and they have no idea or energy/equipment to get if safe and clean etc...etc.

Someone with a blocked gutter and fear of heights is in a hole - your the solution to his problem - as a result they are happy to pay properly for a trade to turn up and carry out a service they literally can't...(and who else are they going get in?)

We have a minimum cleaning charge - where we are it's £20 for windows no matter how few windows - most custy's don't blink an eyelid - even the ones with only a couple of windows (flats etc) honestly they appreciate that to get a professional service it will cost.

(£20 for a service performed at your own home, has still got to be one of the cheapest services householders pay for)

Just because you might be going next door or just round the corner for you next job, or staying in the same street all day shouldn't preclude you from charging a decent price to each homeowner. In the long haul you wont get every job, fine, because those you get, will pay you x2 x3 etc and you'll end up with a round that pays you for all your hard work. 

If you don't 'value' your time then the custy will pick up on it and expect you to charge peanuts, and then for ever you do they will expect it to be pennies (though to be fair - your custy needs to 'see' they are getting a superior professional service - clean van/uniform/regular/friendly etc etc)

I've often give a price and the custy's says - oohh that's x2/x3 the last guy - I tactfully explain where's he now?? - possibly he realised he couldn't sustain such low prices and has been forced to do another job...however we going nowhere because we charge fairly...they get the point.

We explain the capital investment required to provide the service, that we are professional window cleaners with PI Insurance, state of the art equipment to achieve excellent customer service/finish, pay our taxes etc - compared with some who are only charging for spare cash/beer money.

We make point of saying we don't compete on price but on service - we aim to delight the custy doing little extras and whatever they want - (Garage doors inc - don't want the front door done - fine - we do it manually - what an am slot you got it - missed a bit - call us and we'll come back). 

Oh and when you're not on the glass...you should be knocking the door - you'll get the custy's you want...

(Caveat - this is based our local area - sure some areas a perhaps more deprived etc which makes it a lot harder) 

Min price of £20, Good on ya!!

That’s the price of my good priced jobs haha , 

 

[Joshyouare]

I have now come good and can totally relax regarding my new business in cleaning. I don't know if its a time thing or how many customers I now have. Next month I will be going into my third year as a window cleaner with add-ons. My first two years was all spend spend spend on new equipment. Now I have finally got it all after spending another £2300 things that my relatives don't understand. £800 on Extreme 25 and brushes, £300 with Exceed for hoseless stuff, £700 getting my van resprayed around bottom half, £300 on new ladders and £200 on two new clothes. Now I can focus on building a bulkhead around the tank with metal rollers built in so I can slide 3m triple ladders in and out. Probably fit a 2m long drainpipe to slide my pole in and leave the brush end sticking out. I think a 70mm plastic downpipe will do the trick and fit three of them for 3 different poles. In the end it all comes down to Time & Money. You need both in first 2yrs because one needs the time to make the money that one needs to build the van. I began with 20 customers and now over 100 but here's the interesting thing. I can now raise prices and turn away jobs I don't want to take on. As Green Pro said many years ago, they don't fit our customer profile. You don't really want the timewasters, you want a loyal customer base to focus on. Even if I only ever have these 100 customers then I will be very happy as I know them all individually now.

You spent more on getting the bottom of your van resprayed than I did on my whole van which didn't need respraying and still doesn't ?

 

[Pjj]

Personally we find cross selling is a great revenue stream - you soon become their go to guy for any type of external cleaning and as PJJ said windows pay the least margin of most of the services we provide...Windows forms your customer base but all the extra services result in a significant income steam that is waiting to be tapped.

Rather that 'begging' for work - we view it that the custy has a real problem that they want a resolution for...dirty windows they can't reach and it really bothers them/embarrassed by them/blocked gutter causing worry/stress of damage, patios that are dangerously slippery and they have no idea or energy/equipment to get if safe and clean etc...etc.

Someone with a blocked gutter and fear of heights is in a hole - your the solution to his problem - as a result they are happy to pay properly for a trade to turn up and carry out a service they literally can't...(and who else are they going get in?)

We have a minimum cleaning charge - where we are it's £20 for windows no matter how few windows - most custy's don't blink an eyelid - even the ones with only a couple of windows (flats etc) honestly they appreciate that to get a professional service it will cost.

(£20 for a service performed at your own home, has still got to be one of the cheapest services householders pay for)

Just because you might be going next door or just round the corner for you next job, or staying in the same street all day shouldn't preclude you from charging a decent price to each homeowner. In the long haul you wont get every job, fine, because those you get, will pay you x2 x3 etc and you'll end up with a round that pays you for all your hard work. 

If you don't 'value' your time then the custy will pick up on it and expect you to charge peanuts, and then for ever you do they will expect it to be pennies (though to be fair - your custy needs to 'see' they are getting a superior professional service - clean van/uniform/regular/friendly etc etc)

I've often give a price and the custy's says - oohh that's x2/x3 the last guy - I tactfully explain where's he now?? - possibly he realised he couldn't sustain such low prices and has been forced to do another job...however we going nowhere because we charge fairly...they get the point.

We explain the capital investment required to provide the service, that we are professional window cleaners with PI Insurance, state of the art equipment to achieve excellent customer service/finish, pay our taxes etc - compared with some who are only charging for spare cash/beer money.

We make point of saying we don't compete on price but on service - we aim to delight the custy doing little extras and whatever they want - (Garage doors inc - don't want the front door done - fine - we do it manually - what an am slot you got it - missed a bit - call us and we'll come back). 

Oh and when you're not on the glass...you should be knocking the door - you'll get the custy's you want...

(Caveat - this is based our local area - sure some areas a perhaps more deprived etc which makes it a lot harder) 

We offer all our customers a compleat external cleaning solution , window cleaning, UPVC Cleaning , softwashing, pressure washing, gutter vaccing, and roof cleaning solar panels, They like the fact that they already know and trust us around there properties , that we will do what we say we will to a high standard ,and we turn up when we say we will , there is nothing difficult with the things that I have just mentioned but it’s surprising how many companies cannot seam to do the basics like turning up , as an example , I got a call of someone that had been given a price by a local cleaner that I know well to clean all the gfs and outside of a small conservatory he priced it at £180 this was back in May the woman said yes please can you do it , a few weeks ago she phoned me as he hadn’t bothered to turn up , we did the job at a slightly higher price but it was done and she was delighted , this is now a 4 weekly window clean as well at £30 per clean and takes 15 muinits to do , I don’t understand why someone would go and price the job get it and not bother to do it ???? We get a lot of jobs this way , I don’t know if it’s peculiar to my area or common country wide . I think a lot of window cleaners are missing a trick if you offer several services to the customer you need less customers, the working day is more enjoyable doing different types of work and certain  jobs will pay 3-4 times the hourly rate that windows will pay , no brainier really , I also find it keeps staff motivated they enjoy a variety of different work .

 

[wezza13]

 I don’t know if it’s peculiar to my area or common country wide . 

It's common this way too.

I've had lots of jobs and am always surprised that some say they had a quote, accepted it and then they never bothered showing up.