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Sticking to weekly cycles?!

Nick1000

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Messages
52
Location
Lancashire
Made a decision to work a 5 week cycle having taken advice from this forum. A few customers are asking can they have it done every 8 weeks. Do you see this as an issue or are you quite strict with your round cycle? Many thanks again 

 
Personally I think if you can be pretty strict with it then thats best.

I'm all 6 weekly apart from 4 jobs that are 12 weekly but are neighbours of 6 weekly jobs so they fit in well. But I have one day that is 8 weekly which only works as they are all next to each other pretty much and it's only 4 jobs so I try and make it work with the other rounds, and one of them is a cafe that always makes me a bacon sarnie and decent coffee haha, but to be honest I won't be trying hard to keep them if they ever want to stop as it is more of a pain than it's worth. 

If you really want to offer a variety then i'd only offer multiples of your preferred round, so 5/10 weekly etc... to make scheduling easier.

 
Made a decision to work a 5 week cycle having taken advice from this forum. A few customers are asking can they have it done every 8 weeks. Do you see this as an issue or are you quite strict with your round cycle? Many thanks again 
If your working a 5 week round 8 weekly jobs would fall on the wrong day of your round so you would need to do 5 and 10 to keep them on the same day that way you can share the spot so maybe Rita at number 32 has hers cleaned one month next month bob at 34 has his done that way it keeps the day’s earnings the same each month ?

 
Made a decision to work a 5 week cycle having taken advice from this forum. A few customers are asking can they have it done every 8 weeks. Do you see this as an issue or are you quite strict with your round cycle? Many thanks again 


Nick if u do 5 weekly then u can do 5 and 10 weekly if u do 4 weekly then its 4 and 8 if u do 3 weekly then its 3 and 6 weekly , or 2 and 4 weekly, hope that makes sense ?

I know your starting up but the key to building a succesful round is for u to be strict and have your own rules about everythign, dont let the customers choose when u come, u choose when u turn up, be strict and on the ball otherwise customers will walk all over you.

Any questions feel free to ask (Y)

 
When I started out, knowing nothing, I did monthly, six weekly and two monthly, I pretty soon learned that six weekly was disruptive and stopped doing that. Getting it right at the start will be worthwhile in the long run.

 
When I started out, knowing nothing, I did monthly, six weekly and two monthly, I pretty soon learned that six weekly was disruptive and stopped doing that. Getting it right at the start will be worthwhile in the long run.
I don't know why we don't stick to monthly cycles because most folk get paid monthly and even the old age pension is paid monthly now. Kiss

 
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I don't know why we don't stick to monthly cycles because most folk get paid monthly and even the old age pension is paid monthly now. Kiss
I used to try and recruit customers for 4 weekly schedules when I started out as that was what I was advised by an experienced windy. I very quickly learnt that 6 weekly suited both me and the customers much better. I felt that 4 weekly just came around too fast, I was getting run ragged for small money. I wasn't comfortable going back so soon and charging a worth while rate. I was also getting a lot of customers saying "Is it four weeks already?"

Most of ours now is 6 weekly and it's at a slight but significant enough higher rate per visit. As I've said before so many times "The in between spaces are filled in with other jobs and again at a slightly higher rate". That one strategy increased my personal income by between £100-£200 week and the same for my son who works with me (a significant amount of extra money coming into the family) and reduced the stress as I am able to give better value for money. I can't remember the last time a customer said "Is it six weeks already?" They just don't, the windows need cleaning, they see value for money and they're glad to see us. 

When I was employed in manual work and driving I was paid weekly. I wouldn't have wanted my windows cleaned weekly in sync with that. ??

 
When I started out, knowing nothing, I did monthly, six weekly and two monthly, I pretty soon learned that six weekly was disruptive and stopped doing that. Getting it right at the start will be worthwhile in the long run.
I used to do the same for years but moved everyone to 6 weekly now and it makes things so much easier. 

I don't offer anything other than 6w for domestic now.

 
Made a decision to work a 5 week cycle having taken advice from this forum. A few customers are asking can they have it done every 8 weeks. Do you see this as an issue or are you quite strict with your round cycle? Many thanks again 
I'd offer them 6 weekly. That shows them goodwill and your willingness to compromise. Eight weeks is a long time to wait to earn your money and the windows will likely be very dirty at that spacing. Six weekly they will just be getting dirty but will be easy to clean. I've never heard of anyone regretting going to a 6 weekly cycle as standard. I do a few at 8 and 12, bigger houses and at significantly higher cost. It is important to be fair but firm with customers.

Another thought : Five weekly just seems an odd spacing for me to get my head round, even numbers seem much more natural and easy to work into a diary. I just ran it by management (da wife) she said the same, it just doesn't feel right.

We reserve the right to be wrong of course. ?

 
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42 days seems a helluva long time to get your windows cleaned. I'm monthly and only had one saying is it March already because February is a shorter month and I wouldn,t have it any other way. Have 2 that are every 2 months but trying to get them on a monthly cycle or getting rid as it makes no sense to me especially with the amount of seagulls and wood pigeons moving inland.fwiw 

 
I'd offer them 6 weekly. That shows them goodwill and your willingness to compromise. Eight weeks is a long time to wait to earn your money and the windows will likely be very dirty at that spacing. Six weekly they will just be getting dirty but will be easy to clean. I've never heard of anyone regretting going to a 6 weekly cycle as standard. I do a few at 8 and 12, bigger houses and at significantly higher cost. It is important to be fair but firm with customers.

Another thought : Five weekly just seems an odd spacing for me to get my head round, even numbers seem much more natural and easy to work into a diary. I just ran it by management (da wife) she said the same, it just doesn't feel right.

We reserve the right to be wrong of course. ?
5 weekly may as well be monthly.. most months are between 4 and 5 weeks so not really different. 

 
Made a decision to work a 5 week cycle having taken advice from this forum. A few customers are asking can they have it done every 8 weeks. Do you see this as an issue or are you quite strict with your round cycle? Many thanks again 
Very easy to be strict when you're busy, the first thing you should think about is can I afford to lose the job if I stick to my guns. Personally I'd put the price up a few quid and accept the longer schedule.

These are the jobs you'll be cutting when you're busy.

 
I do a few bi-monthly and I hate it but its a score each. I would prefer they moved to monthly but money is tight now, however they may change when their circumstances change.
I've never found any of my customers ever asking for a shorter spacing as it would cost them more per annum. That's why I very quickly settled on 6 weekly at slightly higher price as my sweet spot. When I was doing 4 weekly I used to sometimes get folk ask "Is it 4 weeks already?". Even though some  never made any comments I could tell that they were finding it uncomfortably frequent to be paying the money. As you say, from our point of view, bi-monthly is a long time between payments.

 
Started off on 4 weekly but moved them to 5 weekly as I now work 4 weeks then a week away in caravan or fit in jobs that I am behind on. Have one that wanted 8 weekly but just do it 10 weekly they never even noticed so fit in every other time I am at neighbours .

 

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