clean

who can`t cope
« on: January 14, 2008, 06:27:19 pm »
With all this rain we are having and it looks like it`s going to be here for a while longer is it causing any real problems for anyone,i don`t mind working in the rain up to a point but i`m not going to let it stop me completley as we all have our own bills to pay,is anyone starting to get a bit concerned ?

Rob_Mac

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2008, 06:31:38 pm »
On our local news it has just shown rain for the rest of the week

Get your waterproofs on and get on with it

Rob ;D

LWC

  • Posts: 6824
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2008, 06:35:04 pm »
i can cope but it dam well annoys me, especially when im sitting around, paying my employee to sit round doh!

hes fair though so that good

Majestic

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2008, 06:38:01 pm »
The rain wasnt to bad here today , it was the wind.
It was hard work keeping my pole up

Londoner

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2008, 06:38:28 pm »
You have all heard the expression "Put something away for a rainy day". Rain is just a fact of life, you have to allow for it.

LWC

  • Posts: 6824
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2008, 06:40:31 pm »
typical i get a £500 bill for my van coming wednesday hey

sussex187

  • Posts: 95
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2008, 06:44:42 pm »
You have all heard the expression "Put something away for a rainy day". Rain is just a fact of life, you have to allow for it.


rainy day you can put away for pretty much rain solid for 2 weeks after xmas not so easy lol

would not say i cant cope but it certainly plays on ur mind a bit

Londoner

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2008, 06:57:14 pm »
Yes and we are all in the same boat. The point is if you live that close to the edge that you can't afford a few idle days then you are going to get clobbered this time of year.

I went out Sunday to do some catch up after last Thursday and Friday were washed out. You can bet the "Who me? work weekends? No way!" brigade weren't out.

Blackbushe Windows

  • Posts: 349
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2008, 07:20:34 pm »
Remember in the early 80's I lost a whole month, snow fell, below zero day and night, just didn't let up. At least with the rain it's wet one day and dry the next (sometimes)

Peter
Blackbushe Windows.
Est. 1983
www.blackbushewindows.co.uk

Rob_Mac

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2008, 07:29:17 pm »
Diversification is the key

We have been working outside for years now and without a doubt we are getting extended periods of rain that seem to be worse year after year.

Is the answer to look at the sky every time we get a downpour and go back in the house and lose money, by not working.

Or are there other ways of dealing with it;

Rain guarantees have proven that they work and the reality is that the only people who don't lke us working in the rain is ourselves. The customers may moan but they will get used to it. We work in the rain and I earn no less money for it raining.

Diversification - Look at a low cost start up that can be run alongside what you are currently doing - carpet cleaning, something online, an angle that will not be affected by black clouds and start marketing and developing that line till it has a income comparable to what you are currently earning.

We have just invested in something that I believe will be the future of our business, whilst still retaining a strong presence with our residential workload and our commercial national work.

The cost to me so far is around the £800.00 mark - I have got to have a website created and then market in magazines and other areas.

I am not going to say whay we are doing because I want to establish a market first but I am saying because It doesn't have to cost thousands to look at another avenue.

I need to make sure my investment is solid but I genuinely believe it can only make money in the right hands and when I have this avenue of money coming in I definately will have no concern over the weather.

If you wait for the weather to stop you earning and then do nothing about it when it hits  and you keep doing nothing but losing money and don't learn from it and adapt youselves, then you only have yourself to blame.

If you went out to work for a period of two weeks worth of rain and lets say you earnt 100.00 per day over this period and you worked 14 days then you would have 1400.00 put on one side that you would not have earnt.

Use this money to look at alternatives and you are on your way to creating a solution

Good luck

Rob ;D

D.Salkeld_Ltd

  • Posts: 951
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2008, 07:35:31 pm »
We are pretty lucky here in Lincs.
When its raining hard in the west theres not much left by the time it gets here
 ;)
Not Perfect - But Honest

pootwo

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2008, 07:57:59 pm »
8 years & onley 2 days rolled over .holidays, just  carey on wear i left off so 48 or 47 weeks work / one day wos frost the other wos rian

Rob.Hall

  • Posts: 1067
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2008, 08:53:25 pm »
Like that Dave  ;)

NWH

  • Posts: 16952
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2008, 09:00:48 pm »
If your worried about customers wondering where you are don`t worry they know,they have window`s you clean them and just latley when they`ve been looking out of them it`s been raining.

Paul Coleman

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2008, 10:15:07 pm »
With all this rain we are having and it looks like it`s going to be here for a while longer is it causing any real problems for anyone,i don`t mind working in the rain up to a point but i`m not going to let it stop me completley as we all have our own bills to pay,is anyone starting to get a bit concerned ?

I work through most of it.  It cost me a customer today and it had almost stopped raining at the time.  It's more profitable to work in the rain and lose the occasional customer than it is to stop work because of it.  She wouldn't let me start so I suggested she try to contact her previous window cleaner.  Easy decision when it's one job on its own where the access is sometimes unreliable.  Perhaps a bit trickier on more compact work.  Got to think with a business head these days - not think like a customer.

macmac

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2008, 11:16:24 pm »
Yes and we are all in the same boat. The point is if you live that close to the edge that you can't afford a few idle days then you are going to get clobbered this time of year.

I went out Sunday to do some catch up after last Thursday and Friday were washed out. You can bet the "Who me? work weekends? No way!" brigade weren't out.

So, if you "don't live that close to the edge" & like you say "put money away for a rainy day", why were you out working on a sunday trying to catch up from thursday/friday?

tony

matt

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2008, 11:23:05 pm »
Yes and we are all in the same boat. The point is if you live that close to the edge that you can't afford a few idle days then you are going to get clobbered this time of year.

I went out Sunday to do some catch up after last Thursday and Friday were washed out. You can bet the "Who me? work weekends? No way!" brigade weren't out.

So, if you "don't live that close to the edge" & like you say "put money away for a rainy day", why were you out working on a sunday trying to catch up from thursday/friday?

tony

i wondered that aswell

macmac

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #17 on: January 14, 2008, 11:25:07 pm »
Yes and we are all in the same boat. The point is if you live that close to the edge that you can't afford a few idle days then you are going to get clobbered this time of year.

I went out Sunday to do some catch up after last Thursday and Friday were washed out. You can bet the "Who me? work weekends? No way!" brigade weren't out.

So, if you "don't live that close to the edge" & like you say "put money away for a rainy day", why were you out working on a sunday trying to catch up from thursday/friday?

tony

i wondered that aswell

 ;D ;D ;D
This forum is better than little britain sometimes :D

tony

supernova77

  • Posts: 3547
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #18 on: January 15, 2008, 12:34:33 am »
Quote
It was hard work keeping my pole up

Thats what she said!

 ;)

Tim Rose

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #19 on: January 15, 2008, 07:04:37 am »
If I had a w/c and he/she/it turned up when it's raining I'd tell them to ;k off!

Londoner

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #20 on: January 15, 2008, 07:05:30 am »
Yes and we are all in the same boat. The point is if you live that close to the edge that you can't afford a few idle days then you are going to get clobbered this time of year.

I went out Sunday to do some catch up after last Thursday and Friday were washed out. You can bet the "Who me? work weekends? No way!" brigade weren't out.

So, if you "don't live that close to the edge" & like you say "put money away for a rainy day", why were you out working on a sunday trying to catch up from thursday/friday?

tony

Mostly because I have got so much blinking work to get covered. Been working out of a hired van for six weeks which slows me down.
I am behind now and falling further behind. Rain again today, so not much will be done .

Paul Coleman

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #21 on: January 15, 2008, 09:14:18 am »
If I had a w/c and he/she/it turned up when it's raining I'd tell them to ;k off!

Which is why many good, reliable domestic window cleaners eventually take on more and more commercial work and leave so many domestic customers wondering why they can't get a reliable window cleaner.
I'm not going out there today though.  I don't think I could work safely as the wind keeps gusting up and would make it very hard to control the pole.

Sir Squeaky

  • Posts: 8341
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #22 on: January 15, 2008, 09:23:08 am »
If I had a w/c and he/she/it turned up when it's raining I'd tell them to ;k off!
Same here.
Especially with these gales about blowing it onto the glass.
Total waste of money having them done.

I know, because I did mine two days ago and they're dirty already.

groundhog

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #23 on: January 15, 2008, 09:28:51 am »
If I had a w/c and he/she/it turned up when it's raining I'd tell them to ;k off!
If you were my customer I would be better off without you! I work in the rain, and find that most customers are understanding when you explain to them that you cannot afford to stop work every time it rains, which is quite often in this country! I always add that if the rain has made there windows dirty they should call me and I will come straight back to clean any windows that they are not happy with. So far I have not had a single customer call me back!

So I say stop wingeing, get your wet weather gear on and get on with it!!!

clean team

  • Posts: 118
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #24 on: January 15, 2008, 09:47:43 am »
with wfp you can work in the rain but who wants to i dont mind if its light rain. but its the wind that is the biggest problem.not so much from blowing the pole about.its when it blows muck and dust all over the windows and becouse we leave them wet all the dirt sticks to them. now that is when i get people phoneing up not happy.i think it is differrant all over the country as to where you live and how much you charge if i was only earning £100 a day then i think i would have to work in all conditions.but where i live its £300 a day min .i do not have a full round any more after getting rid of my partner so am not allways flat out i have a weeks leeway but you can never get that day back when you have lost it cos you carnt really turn up any earlyer not by more than one or two days any way.

Sir Squeaky

  • Posts: 8341
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #25 on: January 15, 2008, 09:51:33 am »
if i was only earning £100 a day then i think i would have to work in all conditions.but where i live its £300 a day min
Are you sure? ;D

clean team

  • Posts: 118
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #26 on: January 15, 2008, 09:52:36 am »
 ;)

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #27 on: January 15, 2008, 09:55:41 am »
That's cheered me up, you can't beat a good laugh on a grey day. ;D ;D ;D ;D :o

billhope_1

  • Posts: 23
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #28 on: January 15, 2008, 10:01:05 am »
£300 a day,£1500 a week!!!! yeah right  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;

Paul Coleman

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #29 on: January 15, 2008, 10:06:56 am »
If I had a w/c and he/she/it turned up when it's raining I'd tell them to ;k off!

You have to acknowledge surely that Saturday was a decent day (in the southeast at any rate).  If I had cleaned your windows on Saturday, the weather of today and Monday would still have happened.  Yet on Saturday,  presumably you would not have sent me away.  However, the end result on your windows (whatever that might have been), would still have been the same.

xxmattyxx

Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #30 on: January 15, 2008, 10:14:21 am »
In that case we just as well all pack up and go home, its going to rain november 2011 apparently.

D.Salkeld_Ltd

  • Posts: 951
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #31 on: January 15, 2008, 12:51:16 pm »
We are pretty lucky here in Lincs.
When its raining hard in the west theres not much left by the time it gets here
 ;)

Me n ME GOB ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

P'in it down 'ere :'( :'( :'(

David
Not Perfect - But Honest

Phil Mitchell

  • Posts: 129
Re: who can`t cope
« Reply #32 on: January 15, 2008, 03:35:40 pm »
Ha ha
When I saw your post yesterday I knew you were tempting fate! I live in Norfolk so I know where your coming from, we do seem to miss most of it.
Tomorrows ok though, catch up time :)