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Customer Profiling

Fair play, thought provoking, I’ve started to realise some of the points you make myself, did a gutter the other day and did it because it was Work/money but wasn’t taking me any nearer to my goal of expanding my window cleaning round. I’m on the same page with payment but am not as rigid with customers to my own/ buisness detriment. I’m going to be window cleaning for a long time so customer profiling is a good way to get a buisness that works the way I want it. Very good video! 

 
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I absolutely follow your profiling setup, and the way you run things it's a perfect fit and helps streamline your business, especially with  workers and several vans.

Though for a sole tradesman perspective I do strongly disagree on the 25 feet pole rule. My 47 feet extreme have paid its own weight back in gold, and is the one single tool that have made it possible for me to run my business effectively. Granted I'm focused on high commercial jobs and everything impossible to do with a ladder, so my customer profiling is different.

Not saying you should change your profiling at all of course. But you do speak with such authority and confidence, it could make those starting out think it's necessary to stick to such a strict customer profile from the get go. Whereas when you're starting out you're better off having a much looser customer profile, and then refine it and your round as the books fill up.

Just my 17 danish øre.  :1f609:

 
I agree with profiling as a concept, however I'm unsure I will refuse to deal with people if they don't fit certain criteria.  I think it makes more sense to price each job accordingly, quoting extra for dealing with ass holes, poor access, 1 off cleans etc.  It certainly does at my stage anyway..

 
I absolutely follow your profiling setup, and the way you run things it's a perfect fit and helps streamline your business, especially with  workers and several vans.
 
Though for a sole tradesman perspective I do strongly disagree on the 25 feet pole rule. My 47 feet extreme have paid its own weight back in gold, and is the one single tool that have made it possible for me to run my business effectively. Granted I'm focused on high commercial jobs and everything impossible to do with a ladder, so my customer profiling is different.
 
Not saying you should change your profiling at all of course. But you do speak with such authority and confidence, it could make those starting out think it's necessary to stick to such a strict customer profile from the get go. Whereas when you're starting out you're better off having a much looser customer profile, and then refine it and your round as the books fill up.
 
Just my 17 danish øre.  :1f609:
how can you see the cleaning results at 47plus foot up? and how much scrubbing pressures can you apply?

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how can you see the cleaning results at 47plus foot up? and how much scrubbing pressures can you apply?
 Standing directly below the window makes you able to see bird droppings. But from time to time it's necessary to check from the inside.

The weight of the pole and brush gives more than adequate pressure, as long as you have the correct angle of attack and the height fits the pole length.

 
Sounds like you’ve got a very strict regime going on there. Do your customers also have to fill in an application form as well. Haha
Joking aside I get what your trying to do: create a perfect round where you charge as much as possible for doing as least as possible whilst having a stress/hassle free day. I think that’s what we all strive for to be honest. I must be easily pleased as I only ask for one thing and that’s to line my pockets on a regular basis. As long as they can do that then I’m happy. Not that I don’t take pride in my work as I leave my customers property as I would like leave my own but I’m in it for the money, pure and simple.


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I get what your trying to do: create a perfect round where you charge as much as possible for doing as least as possible whilst having a stress/hassle free day.
Sorry @Dave Shaw but you don't get it at all. 

It has nothing to do with charging 'as much as possible' it has to do with getting paid a FAIR price for a top quality service.  

The customer expects you to be regular, reliable, professional and provide quality.  And for this they need to pay a FAIR price.  (Not be charged as much as possible) 

I work 8am til 4.30 Mon - Fri.  Don't want to then have to spend my 'personal' time collecting money I have ALREADY earnt.  Why should I?  Insisting on GoCardless simply means there is NEVER issues with payments. 

As for doing the 'least amount possible'  well not to blow my own trumpet but you're going to have to go a long way to find someone that puts in the time and dedication that I do in developing the business. 

What I am doing Dave (Not trying to do but doing) is developing a business that works, runs smoothly and is profitable.  

When everything is in place and your systems work then your pockets are always lined. Simple as that. 

Please do not for a minute think I am trying to tell you how to run  your business (after all I don't want you to feel that I would 'berate' you for charging too little for example) All I am doing is sharing my experience and experiences that have helped me build what is a successful operation.  

Everything I say and think is nothing more than my personal opinion and thoughts not a mandate on what you should do mate.  That's entirely down to you. ?

 
Very interesting video of how you go about your business, you seem to have a rigid profile of who you want as a part of your customer base. I would bend a little more than you would though, part and parcel of any job IMO & everyone is different.

Personality for me is a huge one, the unfortunate thing for me being commercial is the turn over in staff. You could be dealing with a lovely person for years and then they leave & you get a battle axe replacing that person. To be honest though 99% of the people I deal with are really nice.... always going to be a bad egg in there now and again but no big deal. I always know who are going to be the awkward customers though within the first few seconds of speaking to them. It becomes very apparent very quickly IMO.

I take all forms of payment, because I deal with stores they have their own payment system for all their suppliers. Cash at the till is easiest for them and me but in recent years a lot have gone the way bank transfers. It can be a pain in the backside waiting to get paid, they will always pay but they certainly aren't like clockwork. Completely agree with what you are saying about looking in your account and seeing some random number with a figure beside it lol. My bank in recent times have introduced a detailed summary of the payee so I can distinguish who paid without having to make a call to the bank... always a bonus. Cash is great but then going around collecting is time consuming. It's something that I have thought about knocking on the head at some point and just going through the bank completely.... would save been hours every week. Your Go Cardless system seems to work great for you so happy days.

Buying tools for specific jobs, it's one that I can relate to aswell. For example, I have a good contract with a big coffee chain and have recently bought a specific item to try remove acid etching graffiti... didn't cost me much but I still had to go out and purchase it. They pay a fair whack every week to me in several of their stores so for me.. it is worth going that extra inch to try and please them. No onus on whether of not I can remove the graffiti. If I can't remove it no harm but if I can then I have done the operations manager a massive favour. 

Anyways, always interesting to hear how other people go about running their business. Cheers for taking the time to do the vid and best of luck in the job.

 
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The points are valid but are critical on what you size you want to get to and what you want from it

We would all like a perfect round for a fair price but 9/10 of us will never get it.

And any of us of a certain scale definitely won’t but again we aren’t all square pegs so each to there own well done and all the best


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