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What’s Your Best Money Maker/Time Saver?

Neilmnwc

Active member
Messages
210
Location
South Lincolnshire
This’ll be an interesting one (?).

Whether it’s new kit or a method, what’s made or saved you more?

Off the top of my head:

GoCardless

SLX-22 pole when I upgraded from CLX

Univavle

Swivel adapter

 
Gocardless for me. 171 on it now and I think I chase bank people up once a fortnight now, and will phase them out completely once I hit 300 on cardless

 
Increasing my prices, caring more about a good price than to keep or get the quote above anything.

Installing kit in a van  and going  hoseless was also a smart move.

 
Slx 22.

incredible pole before that I had ionic a grafter and the difference is unbelievable also with 22 I can just about reach 3 floors as I’m 6ft 2.

thank you gardiner

 
Electric hose reel would be great.  That and an Xtreme Pole and I'd be laughing (after the initial purchase cry...).

I keep debating over the Xtreme Pole and know the weight and rigidity would be a huge advantage, but I'd hate to damage it. I have dropped my SLX and regularly use it to go over extensions, conservatories where it inevitably scrapes on guttering or felt roofing.  That, if I'm correct would not do an Xtreme pole any good.

 
This is going back a while.

1. My first analogue Varistream when Williamson pumps first marketed them.

2. 100m Minibore hose and petal hose reel. It replaced my 2 x hozelock garden hose reels and 1/2" garden hose - nightmare.

3. Aquadapter - because it saved me lots of water.

4. Going from a trailer to a van mount.

5. Gardener carbon fibre poles and decent light weight brushes. (Bentley brushes were lighter but didn't work for window cleaning. The Vikan ovals were lovely brushes but too heavy.)

6. 4040 r/o. We now have plenty of water.

 
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Not necessarily in the following order but combined definitely saves time and effort.

1. Swivel

2. Univalve

3. Right brush for the right job.

4. Electric reel. 

5. Not yet purchased but extreme pole.

 
Biggest time saver....this forum! (And Youtube). Thanks to the help and wealth of information from the top blokes here I took the leap and ditched traditional and went WFP. I was lucky enough to be able to get a van (Vivaro) and jump straight into a Pure Freedom van system. I went for a Gardiner SLX 22 (with Gardiner brushes) and I installed the Uni-valve all before I even cleaned my first house via WFP. Again, doing my research mainly from this forum to see what was what and what people were finding the best. Now I'm getting through my round in basically half the time. That's enough money making/time saving for me!  :1f609:

 
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1. slx 18 with extreme brush

2. electric reel

3. high flow (no controller)

4. univalve

5. working in the rain ( you will lose thousands per year if you dont, which equals making best use of your time)

 
Without being cocky.... everything. 

Everything we do is aimed at increased productivity and profit.  

Sign written uniform and van gets enquiries that lead to customers.  Top rank web site produces work. 

Doing our own canvassing and lead generation makes and saves money at the same time. 

As for effiency.. 

Static filtration (Don't need van parked up for hours to fill as water is on demand from static unit) 

Propane unit. Hot water on demand. 

Extreme pole. Lighter and easier allowing more work to be done as less stress on the body. 

Choice of brushes.  Right brush for right window. 

Univalve & One Shot. Saves tons of water. 

Electric reel.  Saves hours and effort. 

Add on - Garage door and internals - I'm already on the job so these are the most profitable add ons around. 

Ubik 2000 - shifts the **** quick. 

Propper round planning on Google maps. Saves hours driving back and forth. 

Cleaner Planner. Best software around

GoCardless - Never have to do collections. 

Good shoes. Gotta take care of those feet. 

 
Without being cocky.... everything. 

Everything we do is aimed at increased productivity and profit.  

Sign written uniform and van gets enquiries that lead to customers.  Top rank web site produces work. 

Doing our own canvassing and lead generation makes and saves money at the same time. 

As for effiency.. 

Static filtration (Don't need van parked up for hours to fill as water is on demand from static unit) 

Propane unit. Hot water on demand. 

Extreme pole. Lighter and easier allowing more work to be done as less stress on the body. 

Choice of brushes.  Right brush for right window. 

Univalve & One Shot. Saves tons of water. 

Electric reel.  Saves hours and effort. 

Add on - Garage door and internals - I'm already on the job so these are the most profitable add ons around. 

Ubik 2000 - shifts the **** quick. 

Propper round planning on Google maps. Saves hours driving back and forth. 

Cleaner Planner. Best software around

GoCardless - Never have to do collections. 

Good shoes. Gotta take care of those feet. 
Gotta to agree with the internals, I'm doing them much quicker than my son can wfp with my modified squeegee on maintenance cleans. 

 
1. slx 18 with extreme brush

2. electric reel

3. high flow (no controller)

4. univalve

5. working in the rain ( you will lose thousands per year if you dont, which equals making best use of your time)
I’ve been thinking about an 18ft for most jobs. I can do 75% of them with the shorter lighter pole.

Do you get custy’s moaning when you turn up in the rain? I do the odd commercial in the rain but get tired of trying to convince people that it makes no difference, they won’t have it no matter how I seem to tell them.

 
Without being cocky.... everything. 

Everything we do is aimed at increased productivity and profit.  

Sign written uniform and van gets enquiries that lead to customers.  Top rank web site produces work. 

Doing our own canvassing and lead generation makes and saves money at the same time. 

As for effiency.. 

Static filtration (Don't need van parked up for hours to fill as water is on demand from static unit) 

Propane unit. Hot water on demand. 

Extreme pole. Lighter and easier allowing more work to be done as less stress on the body. 

Choice of brushes.  Right brush for right window. 

Univalve & One Shot. Saves tons of water. 

Electric reel.  Saves hours and effort. 

Add on - Garage door and internals - I'm already on the job so these are the most profitable add ons around. 

Ubik 2000 - shifts the **** quick. 

Propper round planning on Google maps. Saves hours driving back and forth. 

Cleaner Planner. Best software around

GoCardless - Never have to do collections. 

Good shoes. Gotta take care of those feet. 
Something often forgotten...footwear.

i started getting backache, it got to a point where I’d have needed time off, this went on for two or three months. I changed my boots and it went within a day or so. The heel had worn down and affected my posture standing at the glass for so long.

 
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I’ve been thinking about an 18ft for most jobs. I can do 75% of them with the shorter lighter pole.
 
Do you get custy’s moaning when you turn up in the rain? I do the odd commercial in the rain but get tired of trying to convince people that it makes no difference, they won’t have it no matter how I seem to tell them.
aslong as I can get to the job safely I’m cleaning the windows , I’m not checking the weather every 2 minutes to see if it’s guner stop raining , if people don’t want me to clean when I turn up that’s fine , they get bagged off


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I’ve been thinking about an 18ft for most jobs. I can do 75% of them with the shorter lighter pole.

Do you get custy’s moaning when you turn up in the rain? I do the odd commercial in the rain but get tired of trying to convince people that it makes no difference, they won’t have it no matter how I seem to tell them.


Since I bought the 18ft I feel better out on the job.

The lightest pole you can afford and an electric reel may sound minor but if it gives you an extra hour a day before you start feeling like you've had enough it's well worth it.

I would say I use it on 80% of jobs, I have a 30ft that covers the rest.

Absolutely yes you will get customers that moan when it's raining. 

You must get rid of these customers.

I tell them we clean in the rain, explain why and let them know I guarantee they will be perfect or I will return to re clean.

You don't ask them, you tell them when you take them on this is how we work, that's it. No idea or buts do you want your windows cleaning or not?

That leads me onto another tip..

A lot of windows cleaners will say things like oh I can't clean in the rain or my customers won't pay online or they are skipping cleans etc etc.

Well don't put up with it, you need to be advertising constantly and getting rid of any customer that ruins your efficiency.

That goes for bad payers, Messer's, do poo gardens, skippers, can't clean In rain, must be a certain day etc etc.

It has to be your way or no way.

 
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learning to work how you want,not how the customer wants,not worrying about sacking those fickle customers plus the other stuff thats already been mentioned, some i use;some i dont,but this forum has without a doubt made the biggest difference

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