Dropping nice customers

Havent got a jam packed round yet, but have started dropping sometimes nice customers since start of year, not because they are bad payers or grumpy so and so,s.

but I am at the stage where I have decided to pick and choose for my convenience the jobs I take on.

Jobs I have dropped for example are 3 terraces on a main road where I have to park on a side street and carry my ladder about a hundred and fifty yards to first one, hassle.

Had these since I started, but have to think more about what is easier for me, and parking near the customers house is one of my new factors.

Another I have dropped are two bungalows next to each other, with these it is because to get to rear one owner has to let me through his garage so I can get to rear(so he has to be there), and next door, have to take my big ladder and climb on to her garage, ladder down other side to get to the back, hassle...and she has leaded front too!!!.

These two I have had from the start too ,At the outset your glad of every new account, whether access is a pain, the windows are hard to reach, location out of the way, your price was too low etc and maybe that is our apprentership to the business. But after time you get wiser, and better convenience means you work better and more efficiently, and earn  more.

Yep.

First ones to go are bad or non payers

Then low prices jobs

Then the ones that are fine but a ballache to access.

I don't take on poor access at all now as I know own they just stress me out everytime. Just yesterday I went to view a quote for a mid terraced. It was a muddy alleyway to get to the back. Not interested in it.

Unfortunately I've taken on a new lad recently so I'm now in the build phase again so having to deal with lots of Messer's at the moment.

It's a good place to be when you are full then start refining. 

End of the day we all need to be looking to improve our rounds constantly. Whether you are looking to grow or just stay solo.i don't understand those who just carry on the same for years, don't put prices up , don't look for new work etc. Keep collecting and dealing with awkward access.

You should always be looking to make the most money for the minimum effort imo.

Also I noticed you are working trad.

Maybe the next step would be to consider wfp? Earning more in less time...it's all part of the evolution.

I could of written that myself Mike. I was basically EXACTLY the same when I first started. The walking for miles with ladders to get round backs, over the roof jobs just like you mentioned. All for next to nothing money wise. I was taking on jobs in different villages to do ONE house. Back in the car and off to the next village! But like you said you take on anything when you first start and then you quickly start to learn. Once you get built up and start getting customers all together, who are, preferably good customers, you can start to drop customers even one at a time replacing them with ones that enhance your round. Keep going and aim to try and get into WFP like Adam said and you'll get through your customers even quicker!

I've had to drop a few nice customers recently that were out of my way so i wrote them a letter explaining and the date i would stop.  Leave on a good note that way.

Same here, I've been dropping my outlying random custys but they're all reliable customers I've had for years from when I was building my work fast and would take jobs on anywhere. So far I've managed to pass em all on to various mates with a letter of introduction. Don't like leaving them at the mercy of the local rag men.

Many of us will take on anything to get going but it can sometimes be more har. than good to round growth. This is why we find profiling customers so important.  

18 minutes ago, Green Pro Clean Ltd said:

Many of us will take on anything to get going but it can sometimes be more har. than good to round growth. This is why we find profiling customers so important.  

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I have to say to say this is a very logical way of doing things , but and it’s a big but only working to 25 feet would greatly reduce the work we would be doing particularly commercial, go cardless this would also restrict our commercial work as they will only pay by bacs, if you are refining a round then I see where you are coming from but I would think it would be very difficult to start off like this , I know it would be impossible for us to build the work we have now in our area if you are in a large city environment maybe it would work for you but not in smaller towns and villages , lol I have customers that don’t evan have the internet but are good customers 

totaly agree with the dog mess , climbing over roofs , I like the idear of go careless not having to wait on the customer paying I think I will have to look into this haven’t got a clue how it works , we stoped collecting about 7 years ago and since then always have around 4 k outstanding at any one time , cash flow is ok but I would rather the money was In my account after the jobs done than in there’s , good video I think things like this are very good it gets you thinking about how you run your buisness and how it could be improved ?

Suhrly said:

I could of written that myself Mike. I was basically EXACTLY the same when I first started. The walking for miles with ladders to get round backs, over the roof jobs just like you mentioned. All for next to nothing money wise. I was taking on jobs in different villages to do ONE house. Back in the car and off to the next village! But like you said you take on anything when you first start and then you quickly start to learn. Once you get built up and start getting customers all together, who are, preferably good customers, you can start to drop customers even one at a time replacing them with ones that enhance your round. Keep going and aim to try and get into WFP like Adam said and you'll get through your customers even quicker!

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Have started using backpack wfp mostly on upstairs now and trad downstairs, in fact just got a univalve fitted last night to save my precious water!!

mike007 said:

Have started using backpack wfp mostly on upstairs now and trad downstairs, in fact just got a univalve fitted last night to save my precious water!!

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I'm in the same situation as you Mike.  Backpack for upsstairs, trad mostly for downstairs.  I'm doing any downstairs ones you would use steps etc for with wfp too, saves putting it away getting steps etc.  The other benefit of doing a few lower ones (and i did this too late) is you can actually see a lot better what's happening with the soap residue and like yesterday i got a spot free finish on several windows when it was their first clean on wfp.  The univalve is one of those products that I can't believe i went so long without it!  The next upgrade for me is longer hose so i can park the trolley and do the whole house without chugging it everywhere!  

@Pjj I am not saying YOU restrict yourself to 25ft.  This is just the profile that fits our business. Your profile may be commercial only, nothing below 30ft. Minimum job value £500 and so on. 

It is just a guide, just how I run my round. Not all profiles will suit all operators. It's about having a profile that works right for you. 

How long does the gardiners backpack last until you need to refill it?

On 22/03/2018 at 22:19, Green Pro Clean Ltd said:

Many of us will take on anything to get going but it can sometimes be more har. than good to round growth. This is why we find profiling customers so important.  

Click to expand...

That kn0b on the steering wheel (not you ?), any idea where you got it please, looks handy ?

Steering wheel handle **** - Halfords, Amazon, eBay.......


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Green Pro Clean Ltd said:

@Pjj I am not saying YOU restrict yourself to 25ft.  This is just the profile that fits our business. Your profile may be commercial only, nothing below 30ft. Minimum job value £500 and so on. 

It is just a guide, just how I run my round. Not all profiles will suit all operators. It's about having a profile that works right for you. 

Click to expand...

I have taken on board a few bits from your vid along with the fact that I have being fairly hard line GC for over a year now, no sign up no clean and they have to sign up before the first clean commences. Their is a guy in another discussion else were who is pushing to hit a 80k turnover and thinks GC is almost pointless  :1f635: , 4 years in and GC has helped my business massively. 

I would like to stick to the 25ft rule but I'm only 5ft  :1f602:  I struggled to clean velux windows on a town house last week with a 32ft pole, which i thought would be no issue as I do others in the street but unfinished road surface on new housing estate etc 

Iron Giant said:

I have taken on board a few bits from your vid along with the fact that I have being fairly hard line GC for over a year now, no sign up no clean and they have to sign up before the first clean commences. Their is a guy in another discussion else were who is pushing to hit a 80k turnover and thinks GC is almost pointless  :1f635: , 4 years in and GC has helped my business massively. 

I would like to stick to the 25ft rule but I'm only 5ft  :1f602:  I struggled to clean velux windows on a town house last week with a 32ft pole, which i thought would be no issue as I do others in the street but unfinished road surface on new housing estate etc 

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I use the SLX22. If it doesn’t reach, I’m not interested. 

I’m 51 now, rarely use my ladders because I’m trying to wind down and make my job as easy as possible 

steve garwood said:

I use the SLX22. If it doesn’t reach, I’m not interested. 
I’m 51 now, rarely use my ladders because I’m trying to wind down and make my job as easy as possible 

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I have a xtreme 22 as my everyday pole but have 2 Slx extensions which I have had a good while so no point turning higher work away more so on new housing estates.

There has being 8 new developments built near me and 100's of houses are yet to be built about an 400 are planned.

County Durham Lad

steve garwood said:

I use the SLX22. If it doesn’t reach, I’m not interested. 

I’m 51 now, rarely use my ladders because I’m trying to wind down and make my job as easy as possible 

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Just curious, most new housing estates these days contain some with 3 levels, usually 2nd storey dormer or 2 storey townhouse. I don't really find these much harder than the first storey windows but can add a lot to the price as they're too high for the trad cleaners. I've a 27' pole and sometimes am at full extension on them but I've never found a house that I can't reach with it. 25' would suffice really.

Can you reach 3rd level with your 22' +5' height or do you have 2nd level as a cut off? 

Skxawng said:

Just curious, most new housing estates these days contain some with 3 levels, usually 2nd storey dormer or 2 storey townhouse. I don't really find these much harder than the first storey windows but can add a lot to the price as they're too high for the trad cleaners. I've a 27' pole and sometimes am at full extension on them but I've never found a house that I can't reach with it. 25' would suffice really.

Can you reach 3rd level with your 22' +5' height or do you have 2nd level as a cut off? 

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I can just reach 3rd level with my slx-22' but I have to use a 2 step ladder because I'm only 5ft 7' 

Iron Giant said:

I have a xtreme 22 as my everyday pole but have 2 Slx extensions which I have had a good while so no point turning higher work away more so on new housing estates.

There has being 8 new developments built near me and 100's of houses are yet to be built about an 400 are planned.

County Durham Lad
 

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If you can get your round packed with easy work for good money, there is a point to turning away work that’s more difficult I.m.o.

Each to their own etc

steve garwood said:

If you can get your round packed with easy work for good money, there is a point to turning away work that’s more difficult I.m.o.
Each to their own etc

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Totally agree, I now I typically won't take on new work unless it's on these new estates and town houses in a terraced row are easily knocked out when they next door to each other, Just the odd ones with veluxs which the house builders are setting further back I just need to put some manure in boots to grow a bit taller ?

County Durham Lad

AGlassAct said:

Steering wheel handle **** - Halfords, Amazon, eBay.......


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

Click to expand...

I've had a **** on my steering wheel for years, old OAP next door had one so I bought one. Great investment as long as you tighten the nut up properly. Mine came off when driving and I nearly crashed. :1f635: