[Paul Coleman]

I converted to WFP this year and to be honest it was the best thing I ever did. But what I really want to acknowledge is the support and confidence this forum gave me to make the change.
It doesn't seem much now looking back but at the time it was a big deal.

Like a lot of other people who have made changes for the better the inspiration has come from talking to forum members who are in the same position and learning from them. Thank you Cleanitup

I'd like to second that too.  It has been a steep learning curve and it was tough at times even with this forum to come to.  Without it, I wouldn't have even started with WFP, never mind continued.  To find out how normal it was to feel like throwing it all in during those first two or three months of WFP was quite a relief.  Without knowing that, I might well have gone back to traditional window cleaning.

[simon knight]

I am so bloody envious that I can't use wfp

[brett walker]

When i first changed over to wfp for many weeks i thought what the hell have i done, its been a real learning curve but with plenty of help from this forum i am getting much faster at it now and in a year only had a couple of complaints.

Financially its been a better year with wfp it allows me to work less hours for more money having said that wether it be trad or wfp window cleaning is hard work.

I predict next year will be a much better year, it seems to be a matter of getting the right equipment for the job and picking your work and getting rid of the rubbish.  I used to take everything on every job anywhere but now i just select the best i have sold on a lot of low priced work this year and made a good profit and bought better work.

In 2007 i want to get some of my prices up a bit and sort issues out with customers like payment and back gates etc and taking no nonsense from customers.  There are so many new sites round here i can see me being very busy for the next 2 yrs or so

Happy new year

Brett

[tonylee]

hi all
mine has been fantastic. after 5 years of trad i moved over to a trolley system from freedom. mainly domestic i have increased my round by over £500 per 4 weekly cycle since may without much effort! the system has given me back my enthusiasm as i work the same amount of time as i did before. there is plenty more for me to do like dropping the bad payers and those who have poor access but for now im just plain greedy!
fantastic site want to wish you all well for the new year.
tony

[AuRavelling79]

Terrible
Lost over 50 grands worth of work, all commercial

Strike a light Telboy - how did that happen?

[telboy]

Subbed from 3 cleaning contractors

One lost a contract cost us £4.500 a year

Two other contractors worked for a management company
We had been cleaning the windows for 12 years

New facilities manager arrives brings in people he had used before
had there own window cleaners so we were out £45.000.00
gone

Thats about it Malc still onwards and upwards

[Ian Lancaster]

When quoting for any sort of commercial work always make the point that as a small sole trader you can't wait months for the money.  Tell them your terms are "cash on invoice".  they can do it if they want to.  I do Everest Double Glazing's local office suite (the factory's local too, but I don't do that!!).  I do it the 9th of every month, the manager gives me a cheque in return for my invoice.

If a company as large as Everest can make a special arrangement, any company can.  Just depends if they want your service or not.

Cheers,

Ian

[DaveWilkinson]

Getting paid at the end of the following month is called 30 days net and is a pain in the rear but in larger businesses is the norm, however there are always companies that take a lend and waiting 3 months or having to threaten then with court action isn't unknown.

The hardest part of this is the amount of extra work it involves keeping track of what is owed and chasing it up when you should be out working. I used to turn down every job that couldn't issue a cheque or pay cash as soon as we had finished but we still got caught with some companies saying yes no problem and then when the work was done getting fobbed off to send an invoice to head office.

I used to put all these in a big file and chase them when we were quiet ( not the way to do it ) and at the end of the year decided to threaten then all with court action, wrote out all the letters and counted up the total........35k invoiced value...ouch

[scrimit2]

Hi, mine wasnt ideal, but lessons have been learned,

I started the year, with a big and ever growing round and with a full time helper just about to start, he lasted a few weeks, so  I struggled on until the end of may, when I had an accident, and damaged my ankle ligaments, which is still a problem for me, by autumn I was very stressed because i could no longer manage my work load, I bit the bullet and gave up 100 jobs,

which was the a brave decision, but it was the right decision, it took the pressure out of the job, and I still earn the same if not a bit more,

I ended the year in the need of a break, as I hadnt had a week of for a year,
next year I plan to again cut back my work load and a price increase,

but who knows i didnt expect last year to go quite how it did.

i wish you all a great new year