[AJ]

I dont think £14 ph is too bad when you consider NI, holiday pay etc + the reduced risk to yourself if he turns out to be half wit with a good line in BS.

[Archer]

I would be very carefull if i was you.

Whats to say, that he has basically gone behind the agencys back but he wont go behind yours ?


Example being, if you where to pay him a basic salary and then increase possibly incentives on performance whats stopping him taking your basic salary and then being approached by another window cleaner who offers him good money for potential customers ?

It goes on, trust me on that


I would seriously have a good think what can he do for your business that you cannot do yourself ?

[richywilts]

i take on board what your saying chris im flexible on the pay structure etc with him and will place a bonus structure in place etc but we both agreed were not going to expect many contract for a couple of months as its going to be groundwork being made with contacts etc getting key decision makers name number and emails for larger contract, then hopefully begin getting appointments but we are going to target smaller businesses i,e kids nurserys and shops and small offices to get ball rolling and get a few coming in.

this guy worked for a liverpool based van and car tracking business until they sold up and compant relocated, he came across with a plan of how he would like to begin building the business after being prepped by the agency and found it impressive.

hes been working as a courier recently and this is the type of sales role he enjoy building up small companies

i could do this role myself im sure but motivation and sales skills i have would prob take me a year to bring in as much work as i expect nick to bring in in 3-4 months.

im not a great talker give me a pen and paper and i can express myself but chatting to strangers im quite introvert even tho i have knowledge i find it difficult to engage and put case across in an interesting way

[Small but perfectley formed]

We did this years ago the guy was a waste of space basically took our basic salary whilst building his own sales in janitorial.
Why dont you try the telesales that was advertising on here small campaign for £300 I think , they specialise in cleaning services appointments?

[Dave Willis]

So that will be two of you spinning around in the office chairs all day?

Have I read all this before somewhere?

Don'f forget you'll need a pretty secretary too.

[Neil Gornall]

Did this guy have a contract with the agency? If so he could find himself in trouble and drag you in too so I would be careful.

Personally I think what you are doing is wrong although I understand your motives as lack of funds can be a problem when wanting to move forward.

Trouble is I wonder how you would react if any guys you employ starting cleaning your customers houses at weekends and cutting you out of the deal? The principle is the same.

I hope the guy works out for you but I have a feeling it could all go wrong.

[Smudger]

good move Richy doing an underhand side deal and then posting it on an open forum ! 

Carrie was in recruitment for years and all candidates sign a contract they can also prove they
introduced you not only could you be liable for all the fees and costs ( both of you ) but you
may find other penalties arise.

i think it will all end in tears, if this guy was any good he'd be in demand and headhunted NOT trying to
stiff the agency out of their fee's.

Darran

[richywilts]

ive met up with a chap who i was introduced through a recruitment agency and we have decided we would like to work together and cut out the agency

im certainly not an expert in the commercial side of window cleaning and struggling to know what to make this guy aware of in terms of knowledge/training for when hes meeting up with facilities managers and business owners/key decision makers etc

so im hoping some of the bigger guys who do major commercial can help me out

if you were taking on a sales rep what would be the main things you would be training him up on??

i am prepared before people moan i just want to make sure ive covered everything and not missed vital things

Although I've not tried your approach, after trying several things down the years, I've come to the conclusion that the person who knows my own business the best is me.  There are plenty of guys in fancy suits who talk a better brand of English than I can manage but people being what they are, their own self interest always takes precedence.  I've found that back to basics is the best for me.  To canvass my own work (if required), clean it, dump customers who want to control too much (and cost me time/money in the process).  Taking window cleaners on for employment is all very well but the majority of them are a liability.  Most will take the mick one way or another.
If you are starting out with an agency guy who wants to dump the agency, that's bad karma straight away IMO and if he causes you to fall flat on your face, you'd be getting exactly what you deserve.  Is there away of taking him part time via the agency?  Or, at the very least, paying the agency rate for a short while (until he's proven his worth), then paying them so that you can keep him.  It sounds to me as if a full timer like this would be a massive drain on resources unless he's also prepared to change out of his suit  to clean windows.
I wish you well in your endeavours and respect what you're trying to achieve.  However, although it's hard to be certain on a forum, it sounds like you keep repeating the same mistake - trying to run before you walk and as soon as you earn something decent, make your business too top heavy on expenditure.  I do appreciate that it's better to spend some money on business expansion in preference to paying it out in tax - but not if that expenditure leaves you up the creek without a paddle.

the situation is i have three vans to go out cleaning because i had a domestic canvasser who was pulling in 50-60 customers a week hes now in jail!!! so i have three vans two being used one spare going out doing odd bit of adhoc work no major extra cost really as insurance is same price as before as now on fleet insurance, ive got two options take on a canvasser and keep having to clean crap work at crap prices where they can cancel after 2-3 cleans and drag payments out and have to take on another window cleaner which i have to train up to my standards etc etc which takes time

or second option is go after commercial work and try and get a 50/50 split domestic and commercial, i dont consider myself a professional salesman, im not great at telesales, so appointments will few and far, im not great at asking for business and closing deals and asking to sign contracts etc im not a great talker im quite quiet. but what i am quite good at is window cleaning to high standards so im quite prepared to go out window cleaning again, i have a part time admin assistant now who can run the office three days a week

so this is the reason ive decided to go down this route, also if i get office blocks and apartment blocks etc i can take on cheaper labour i.e if someone doesnt possess a driving licence, younger lad who i can supervise

[Neil Gornall]

Richy,
Off topic slightly, sorry,
you say you have fleet insurance. Who is it with? I am with swinton and have been told I can only get fleet insurance on 5 vans and above. I currently have 3, maybe 4 soon.

[richywilts]

its with autonet insurance any driver over 25 with up to 7 points thats for three vans

think premium finance are the underwriters or aviva or sumfin

[AJ]

If you are going to go down the BDM route, I think it would be wise to get one that knows your industry inside out.
You really want him to get leads, follow leads and close deals and have a proven track record. There is not much point in him getting leads then passing them on to you to quote and close them, especially on a wage. He will be basically doing a cold callers job.
If he does start pricing work that he knows nothing about, you could well end up with whole stack of under priced work that you will ultimately have to look after.
If you pull someone in from within the cleaning industry, he/she will often have a 'little black book' of clients that can be called on immediately.

Have a look at this company, they have a good list of contract cleaning BDM's in all areas with CV's and track records.
If you give them a call they will send you email updates when candidates come on the market.

www.humres.co.uk

[Neil Gornall]

its with autonet insurance any driver over 25 with up to 7 points thats for three vans

think premium finance are the underwriters or aviva or sumfin

Great thank you

[Ian101]

Richy Im out canvassing for commercial work starting mid of next week for about 5 straight days ... if I come across owt too big for me I will give you a call 

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

Richy Im out canvassing for commercial work starting mid of next week for about 5 straight days ... if I come across owt too big for me I will give you a call 

what n not me 

[Ian101]

Richy Im out canvassing for commercial work starting mid of next week for about 5 straight days ... if I come across owt too big for me I will give you a call 

what n not me 

im anyones for free food 

[Approved]

Richy get in the real world, if you want a decent business development manager, you will be looking at around £50k a year, to grow your business

[Ian101]

Richy get in the real world, if you want a decent business development manager, you will be looking at around £50k a year, to grow your business

For £50k ..... im in !

[mlscontractcleaner]

I love reading these posts.
It would appear that the lad's ambition or opinion of his own abilities far outways reality.
Please keep posting lad as it makes me feel better about myself :

[Erithwc]

I reckon richy is just one of those people that love's to have a good wind up  

Paul

[AuRavelling79]

So that will be two of you spinning around in the office chairs all day?

Have I read all this before somewhere?

Don'f forget you'll need a pretty secretary too.

Harsh, very harsh; but oh so true ...

I think that richy and the new guy will last three months tops. No make that two and one half - they'll have parted ways by Xmas.