I'm not sure about that particular squeegee, but I have used similar looking channels.....I hate them
They are just too rigid and clumsy for me, and to bulky too.
Most of my work is shop fronts, and mostly now done with WFP, but when it was 'all' squeegee I used an 18 inch channel a lot of the time.
But if your squeegee technique is up to scratch, you will be plenty fast enough with a 14 inch squeegee.
Now getting the work in the first place is a different matter!!
Shops are great if you have a lot of them, if you only have one or two they aren't so hot.
Prices on shops are the tightest of all, a shop front may only be £2.50, next to useless if you have to travel any distance to clean them, but fantastic value if you have half a dozen of them next door to one another.
It takes years to build up a decent amount of shops, and in any town centre there will be at least 2 or 3 other window cleaners competing directly for any new shop that opens up.
It also means getting in to town for a very early start too, my average start time is around 6.30am - 7am.
You generally have to get in early to get around parking restrictions, if you have something like a cake shop or bakery you may have to clean it twice a week, and that means being as regular as a metronome, either the moment they open the door in the morning, or at the other end of the day.
If most of your work is shop fronts its ok, but when you have to link it in with your normal domestic round it is pure hassle.
If you are lucky enough to drop into a void and can pick up a half dozen shops then you are ok, or to buy the work of a retiring window cleaner and so on.
But it takes a very long time to build up a good client list.
Shops are very loyal, when they have a regular window cleaner they will stick with them.
Don't bother handing out or posting flyers, they'll all go in the bin, total waste of time.
If you do want to test the water then get out there and call into ever single shop in your local town centre, ask for the boss and give it your best pitch, but for gods sake don't try and undercut
Prices are generally cut to the bone anyway.
You might call on 200 small businesses, shops, estate agents, small offices and so on, if you can pick up more than two or three accounts at more than a couple of quid a shot you'll be doing well.
If you pick up more than that then your local competition must be a pile of sh**e
And any shop that will swap over at the drop of a hat to the first guy that comes in touting for business isn't likely to be a secure account either!!
But the best of luck to you!
If you are patient and keep your eyes open for when the shop fitters move in you can gradually build up a foothold, won't happen overnight though
Ian
