[Marc Stock]

Just an interesting thought. Wonder what the window cleaning industry is going to look like in 10 years time?

30% market franchises

50% or more?

Seems to be the way everyone is going; that said if everyone uses ians business package he is going to be one rich man (if he isnt already)

Is the way of the sole trader with a clapped out estate car and a wooden pointer on top already a rarer sight? I hope so.

I have noticed a lot more very professional setups about over the last 15 months

whats your opinion guys?

[Jonny 87]

There will always be the sole trader.

In my area there isn't a single franchise.

Possibly on cities mad heavily built up areas you will see more franchises. But the sole trader will always be there.

[dave0123]

I think it will be very saturated in 10 years time with the cheapness of WFP and not needing a ladder to clean windows anymore. Internet searches relating to earning potential doesn't help either.

[Jonny 87]

I think it will be very saturated in 10 years time with the cheapness of WFP and not needing a ladder to clean windows anymore. Internet searches relating to earning potential doesn't help either.

Cheapness of WFP?

I would say ladders appeal more if it's cheapness. Lol

[dave0123]

Not really because wfp system can be as little as £300 odd pounds these days... people don't like climbing ladders!! was where i was coming from.

People are starting this trade now just for the fact you can use WFP and get it cheaply

[SeanK]

There might be more wfp than there is now other than that it wont be any different.
At the end of the day cleaning windows is hard and at times miserable work something that a lot
of new starts don't realise until they're in at the deep end.
If it was a handy easy way to a fortune it would have been saturated already never mind 10 years from now.
Feels like every second person I meet is an ex shiner.

[Richard Neal]

I think it will he the same as it is now, unless they invent the hoseless wf pole, I'd have one of them.
And we'll all be millionaires

[colin bird]

I'm going to throw a cat amongst  the pigeons here,re franchising,think I might be missing the point.but you buy a franchise for x amount of thousands,that is then branded by the franchise owner,so basically your promoting there bussiness  name along with that you have to give them a percentage of what you earn.

Would it not be better to promote your own business and business name,keep all what you earn,then if you want to sell your business you keep all the money.

Am I correct it what I am thinking,or is there a big chest of gold that I can't see if you go down the franchise route

[windowswashed]

Even more competition and cheaper prices sadly. In times of recession so many dole brigade join in as well lowering prices even further. Many bosses in many career paths are replacing people for computers so maybe in 20 or 30 years time most jobs will be obsolete.

[Window Lickers]

10 years from now?

I might have managed to have caught up, looking at the work we've got outstanding it's going to take that long methinks

[gary999]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

[PoleKing]

I'm going to throw a cat anumptyst  the pigeons here,re franchising,think I might be missing the point.but you buy a franchise for x amount of thousands,that is then branded by the franchise owner,so basically your promoting there bussiness  name along with that you have to give them a percentage of what you earn.

Would it not be better to promote your own business and business name,keep all what you earn,then if you want to sell your business you keep all the money.

Am I correct it what I am thinking,or is there a big chest of gold that I can't see if you go down the franchise route

Read some if the franchise posts bud, think you've missed the points the franchisers make...
But I think you are right.

[PoleKing]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

With Southy?

[robertphil]

the ladderman and his old estate will always be in the majority due to zero overheads  . my guess is they outnumber the fancy van brigade by 20-1  perhaps more

[Window Lickers]

Good, let's hope they keep it that way. The more ladder monkeys there are out there the better IMO.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Just an interesting thought. Wonder what the window cleaning industry is going to look like in 10 years time?

30% market franchises

50% or more?

Seems to be the way everyone is going; that said if everyone uses ians business package he is going to be one rich man (if he isnt already)

Is the way of the sole trader with a clapped out estate car and a wooden pointer on top already a rarer sight? I hope so.

I have noticed a lot more very professional setups about over the last 15 months

whats your opinion guys?

Don't forget the sole trader can knock 20% off his price & still be equal in profit to the franchisee. Could a franchisee knock "another" 20% off his price to compete?

[G Griffin]

Does anyone remember that programme 'Tomorrow's World' ? It used to do stuff like this thread.
It was a load of shyte.

[Tom White]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

Or you might be dead.

There's no guarantees. 

[gary999]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

With Southy?

 

[gary999]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

Or you might be dead.

There's no guarantees. 

thats why i said all being well

[robertphil]

Does anyone remember that programme 'Tomorrow's World' ? It used to do stuff like this thread.
It was a load of shyte.

raymond baxter ,the legend .    he did a few years on the ladders



 after the spitfire that is

[PoleKing]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

With Southy?

 

The window cleaner/fisherman fella.
Selling a van. Selling a round. Jobs fallen through (repeat for about 3 weeks)

[gary999]

10 years from now all being well i will be living in tuscany
running a small comercial fishery...so to be honest i wont care
a jot

With Southy?

 

The window cleaner/fisherman fella.
Selling a van. Selling a round. Jobs fallen through (repeat for about 3 weeks)

im talking about angling matey! big carp and catfish that type of thing
seen a couple of possibilities the only thing that is stopping me know
is my 21 and 16 year old lads.nine/ten years will be ideal for us all.Whatever
happens  i finish at 55

[Ian101]

in 10 years time I will be resurrecting this post  to see if I have 10 vans on the road  and to see who is still a member

[AuRavelling79]

Let's imagine that Gold is alive and kicking in ten years time - humming the Beatles' hit "When I'm 64."

Hopefully I'll have a small income from overseeing my round with a worker or two on it in a van.

But I might keep my favourite custies and drive round in the family car with a trailer; or a little old van one day a week.

Anyone seeing me will think "poor old git" - on the tools at his age. 

[Perfect Windows]

in 10 years time I will be resurrecting this post  to see if I have 10 vans on the road  and to see who is still a member

Are you not taking the job you were offered back in the motor trade?

Vin

[Nathanael Jones]

In the last 10 years the industry has changed a lot in terms of methods - but not much in terms of structure.

You  still have the big boys employing dubious characters on minimum wage and working oblivious to current H&S regs.
You still have the franchisers - the vast majority of whom are only out to bleed you dry (Ian is one exception to this, and there are a few others).
You still have the sole trader outnumbering both of the above at least 1000:1 and working happily away - usually making a decent living.
You still have the entrepreneur who's passionate about his company and has a few vans on the road with some highly trained & well paid staff - - and while he'd love to take over the window cleaning world he knows that much more expansion will mean he's spreading himself too thin & quality will suffer, so the vast majority in this category will reach a comfortable limit & never exceed it for long.

10 years from now the tools may have improved, self cleaning glass that actually works may have been invented (I doubt it!), but honestly - I don't think there will be any major overhaul of the industry at all.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

10 years from now the tools may have improved, self cleaning glass that actually works may have been invented (I doubt it!), but honestly - I don't think there will be any major overhaul of the industry at all.

Window Wipers are now being installed onto new self clean windows - now supplied by Ford!

[Ian101]

in 10 years time I will be resurrecting this post  to see if I have 10 vans on the road  and to see who is still a member

Are you not taking the job you were offered back in the motor trade?

Vin

No your post and 1 other made me think really hard money now was tempting but long term franchising will be better .... very hard decision but your stuck with me for another 10 years

[G Griffin]

Let's imagine that Gold is alive and kicking in ten years time - humming the Beatles' hit "When I'm 64."

Hopefully I'll have a small income from overseeing my round with a worker or two on it in a van.

But I might keep my favourite custies and drive round in the family car with a trailer; or a little old van one day a week.

Anyone seeing me will think "poor old git" - on the tools at his age. 

They might be thinking why is he using an obsolete method. Wfp might be old hat.

[Perfect Windows]

in 10 years time I will be resurrecting this post  to see if I have 10 vans on the road  and to see who is still a member

Are you not taking the job you were offered back in the motor trade?

Vin

No your post and 1 other made me think really hard money now was tempting but long term franchising will be better .... very hard decision but your stuck with me for another 10 years

Blimey.  Now there's a feeling of responsibility.

Give me a call any time at all about my experience of franchising.

Vin

[Ian101]

in 10 years time I will be resurrecting this post  to see if I have 10 vans on the road  and to see who is still a member

Are you not taking the job you were offered back in the motor trade?

Vin

No your post and 1 other made me think really hard money now was tempting but long term franchising will be better .... very hard decision but your stuck with me for another 10 years

Blimey.  Now there's a feeling of responsibility.

Give me a call any time at all about my experience of franchising.

Vin

thanks Vin appreciate the offer ... Bob and I also going to go and see David S as well

[jonboywalton75]

in 10 years time I will be resurrecting this post  to see if I have 10 vans on the road  and to see who is still a member

Are you not taking the job you were offered back in the motor trade?

Vin

No your post and 1 other made me think really hard money now was tempting but long term franchising will be better .... very hard decision but your stuck with me for another 10 years

Blimey.  Now there's a feeling of responsibility.

Give me a call any time at all about my experience of franchising.

Vin

thanks Vin appreciate the offer ... Bob and I also going to go and see David S as well
[/quote


Is that Dave from Altrincham?

If it is,  he's  a top bloke]

[Ian Sheppard]

In the last 10 years the industry has changed a lot in terms of methods - but not much in terms of structure.

You  still have the big boys employing dubious characters on minimum wage and working oblivious to current H&S regs.
You still have the franchisers - the vast majority of whom are only out to bleed you dry (Ian is one exception to this, and there are a few others).
You still have the sole trader outnumbering both of the above at least 1000:1 and working happily away - usually making a decent living.
You still have the entrepreneur who's passionate about his company and has a few vans on the road with some highly trained & well paid staff - - and while he'd love to take over the window cleaning world he knows that much more expansion will mean he's spreading himself too thin & quality will suffer, so the vast majority in this category will reach a comfortable limit & never exceed it for long.

10 years from now the tools may have improved, self cleaning glass that actually works may have been invented (I doubt it!), but honestly - I don't think there will be any major overhaul of the industry at all.

I tend to agree with Nat, There will always be room for a sole trader, I also agree that the industry will be more get better recognition based on the professionalism of the vast majority. there will be a greater range of tools and systems enhancing the professional nature of the work you do.