Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: richywilts on May 17, 2011, 10:00:05 pm
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because i get asked a lot if my business is part of a franchise im considering running an operation like ian lancasters as i think it takes away a lot of stress knowing each man is left to run his area and chase his own debts etc also with the name window clean direct its quite limited with work i would like too go for but suits domestic window cleaning
my vision is too get quite a few franchisees working in the north west region so window clean direct name becomes quite renowned
does anyone know how i go about looking into this iv googled n read a bit on business link, im considering this and setting up a canvassing type business with a friend who a top salesman in all companies hes worked at electric area manager roles business development manager at advertising company where hes the top boy
hes currently looking for a fresh start
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bloody hell richy, dont you ever just do one thing and stick to it ;D concentrate on getting a full round of top notch great paying custies, then when your beating them off with a big smelly stick (or gav) then look into branching out. thats all my opinion of course so dont take it personally and please dont shoot me down and ignore me forever ;D
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i dont like the window cleaning side of it ste n now im experimenting with employees i find it hard to trust them and stuff and dealing with complaints etc its just an idea at moment what were gna look into as me mate isnt available til july
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Hi Richard
Franchising is a complex area, and I speak from experience (having been a master franchisee). Franchisees rightly expect a huge amount and are not always the kind of people suited to hard outdoor work. Collecting £500 in royalties from an unhappy franchisee can be much harder than collecting £12 from Mrs Smith who's been on holiday for a month. (is it maybe worth adding a card payment page to your excellent website? ;))
An acquaintance of mine operates a system which may or may not interest you. He hires window cleaners on a self-employed basis, allows them the use of an X-reg Escort van, supplies the equipment, the water (they fill up at his house) and the customers. They pay for fuel. He gives them a round sheet every morning and they go out and do the work. He gives them 50% of the value of the work and keeps 50% for himself. He does no cleaning himself. Your top salesman could do the canvassing for the areas that you want to open and instead of offering a franchise (which is very hard to sell, believe me) you are offering a job and you've got 100 people biting your hand off.
This does still leave the responsibility of canvassing and collections in your hands, but it will be far more profitable per unit than selling franchises.
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cheers for that lee
from what i know if someone is basically only working for you and no one else being self employed they shud be employed
having website redone by new designer soon after having a refund from previous designer who was going to redesign current website
it is just an idea at moment but it works for ian lancaster just thinkin about lookin into his business model
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i dont like the window cleaning side of it
In my opinion you have to be prepared to actually clean the windows when needed if your going to setup and run a successful window cleaning business!
I have a guy who works for me, but I clean all new customers at least 3 times before I "let him loose" on them so they get know and trust me.
Andy
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in richy's defense his business would run
better if richy wasnt cleaning windows ;D ;D
and secondly if he employed a secratary ;D ;D ;D
thirdly he could give me all his work ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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yes this is what i have found customers like too know who there dealing with i didnt expect it to be that much of a problem i think people are more inclined to complain when they know its employees carrying out work too
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hahahahahahaahahahaahaha gav u tosspot
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its true my friend lol ;D ;D ;D
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cant wait to take over wrexham "whats that comin over the hills...is it a window cleaner"
il let ya have ya buckley work to buy ya family bread etc n water
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lol no wooley backs allowed in m8
told ya sit in the office booking me
the jobs
cuz i have to say you price well ;D
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cant wait to take over wrexham "whats that comin over the hills...is it a window cleaner"
il let ya have ya buckley work to buy ya family bread etc n water
no one in wrexham could afford ya ;D ;D
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An acquaintance of mine operates a system which may or may not interest you. He hires window cleaners on a self-employed basis, allows them the use of an X-reg Escort van, supplies the equipment, the water (they fill up at his house) and the customers. They pay for fuel. He gives them a round sheet every morning and they go out and do the work. He gives them 50% of the value of the work and keeps 50% for himself. He does no cleaning himself. Your top salesman could do the canvassing for the areas that you want to open and instead of offering a franchise (which is very hard to sell, believe me) you are offering a job and you've got 100 people biting your hand off.
I reckon if for some reason your mate was taken to court for some reason, he would be legally classed as the employer, and not a 'hirer of self employed people' since he provides the tools and the work.
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An acquaintance of mine operates a system which may or may not interest you. He hires window cleaners on a self-employed basis, allows them the use of an X-reg Escort van, supplies the equipment, the water (they fill up at his house) and the customers. They pay for fuel. He gives them a round sheet every morning and they go out and do the work. He gives them 50% of the value of the work and keeps 50% for himself. He does no cleaning himself. Your top salesman could do the canvassing for the areas that you want to open and instead of offering a franchise (which is very hard to sell, believe me) you are offering a job and you've got 100 people biting your hand off.
I reckon if for some reason your mate was taken to court for some reason, he would be legally classed as the employer, and not a 'hirer of self employed people' since he provides the tools and the work.
One of my customers owns & runs a large roofing business, well known & respected in the area. They're never short of work & do many large contracts. He also runs his business like this- the workers are self employed, he provides them vans which they drive out of the yard every morning & return at night. His words to me were "when they are employed they're lazy & have too much time off. When they are self employed they work their butts off & are never off sick" ;D ;D
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il let ya have ya buckley work to buy ya family bread etc n water
I own Buckley :-)
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not for long we all know ur minimum charges ;D ;D ;D
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not for long we all know ur minimum charges ;D ;D ;D
thats only only for new customers still plenty at a tenner ;D
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you dont like the window cleaning side of being a window cleaner. is that a spelling mistake or are you just being stupid
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if someone is given work orders,uses your van,works mon-friday etc etc he is employed,in the eyes of the law.
you have to break it up by allowing him/her to work for someone else for so many weeks of the year and if they say they are self employed they then have to produce invoices for the second employer
then we get into the public liability situation
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i dont like the window cleaning side of it
Why carry on setting up a window cleaning business at the start if you don't like window cleaning? you are all ways going to have to do it no matter how big you get
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I reckon if for some reason your mate was taken to court for some reason, he would be legally classed as the employer, and not a 'hirer of self employed people' since he provides the tools and the work.
Yes, fair enough. I don't know exactly how he works it, only that he makes a lot more money than I do. Maybe they are employees, but the point is that they can control their income by working quickly and being reliable and he has a successful business. Not suggesting that anyone should break the law!
"when they are employed they're lazy & have too much time off. When they are self employed they work their butts off & are never off sick"
Or at least when they have some control over their own income. Good point.
Richy, if you really do want to explore the franchising route then maybe go down to this event - happening in your area in June with 4 seminars on how to franchise your business :
http://www.franchiseinfo.co.uk/exhibition-sub/manchester-franchise-exhibition-2011-your-business
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when i setup the business i had intentions to setup a fair sized firm which i would manage i dont mind the window cleaning in all fairness but its not the ambitions i had when i started and get frustrated when i was out cleaning all the time etc because of this now im sort of managing the business not that well i may add im finding it a lot harder than anticipated. iv had more setbacks than most average people n iv just got too plod on n hopefully things will develop and evolve but its my first time basically managing people and just find it bit difficult, once i get enough of a round again where i have too start using the second van and once i have a setup in it il be out cleaning again until i can afford a third member of staff
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I used to work for a big firm on Wirral does most of the commercial flats housing association's stuff 25 years on 6-8 lads working for him he still has to go out cleaning windows!! what ever business you own you going to need to muck in at some point
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i enjoy doing it every now n then and il be happy going out cleaning windows once iv got my business built too a stage im content with
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when i setup the business i had intentions to setup a fair sized firm which i would manage i dont mind the window cleaning in all fairness but its not the ambitions i had when i started and get frustrated when i was out cleaning all the time etc because of this now im sort of managing the business not that well i may add im finding it a lot harder than anticipated. iv had more setbacks than most average people n iv just got too plod on n hopefully things will develop and evolve but its my first time basically managing people and just find it bit difficult, once i get enough of a round again where i have too start using the second van and once i have a setup in it il be out cleaning again until i can afford a third member of staff
From that statement i would suggest that turning your business into a franchise would be a disaster.You have openly admitted that you are not that good at managing a business???? what do you envisage the responsibilities of running a franchise to be?
:)
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Richard, focus on what your good at success will come, you have a great business and Chris is a great asset to you. Set your goals and manage the change, their is greatness in you, I see it mate :)
Cheers
Geoff
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CHEERS GEOFF SPECK SOON