Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dave0123 on November 05, 2011, 01:00:23 am
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Hating it at the moment can't be bothered doing anything, late payers and all the rest of it.
Wish i had a job on PAYE
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Most late payers just pay late to wind us up. ;D
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Don't give up bud. I did and totally regret it. Now I'm thinking of starting back up I'll be back to square one. What's doing your head in so much mate?
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go and get a job in a factory packing boxes on 8-5 and min wage,
then let us know how fed up you are ;D
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I get spells where the job gets me down a bit but when I weigh up the pros and cons versus a job being employed by somebody else I normally snap out of it.I must admit I'm starting to consider the possibility of running something else alongside the window cleaning though.
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go and get a job in a factory packing boxes on 8-5 and min wage,
then let us know how fed up you are ;D
Make sure it's a night shift too. ;D
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Window cleaning can be very distressing at times.
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haven't found it distressing yet! I suppose it depends what kind of outfit your running. be being a man and his faithful assistant, its easy. comparatively! have staff working for ya, and multiple vans and can imagine its stressful.
not always easy to get motivated to get out there in the mornings, but when remind yourself that harder you work, more you earn, gets slightly easier!
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how long you been window cleaning dave?
ive been going 17 years.started when i was 23 im 40 now! ;D ;D
in all that time ive only had a handful of times when ive thought about jacking it.i was trad for many years and the ladder climbing wasnt much of an issue until i fell off twice!then i thought maybe i need a proper job!! ;D ;D
my attitude,lifestyle etc was all wrong though.lots of underpriced work and my heart just wasnt in it.
also i wasnt well mentally or physically.i was drinking myself to death.it was like wading through treacle to get out of bed in the morning.lots of debts.not earning much or if i did id waste it on drink,drugs and women!! :D :D
i was in danger of losing my home as well as my business,my health was getting worse.you get the picture!!
that was years ago during my early 30s.im clean and sober now and ive paid all my debts off,invested in wfp,uniform,sign written van etc and over the last few years especially i love this business.
1.never rely on getting all your money in.debt is part and parcel of running a business.i find its only a small percentage that drag their heels over payment generally.
2.customers have busy lives and sometimes genuinely forget to send cheque/BACS etc.
3.dont try and work 6 days a week!work hard but know when to take a break for a few days.works wonders for me.
4.start early(8-9am)and get into a organised routine.fill up as soon as you get home in the afternoon and any other end of the day jobs ready for the next working day.
5.take a good look around you!!do you really want to work for someone else?dance to their tune?not being able to have a day off when you want?having to force yourself to get out of bed knowing if you dont you could get the sack?
6.dont take your round for granted.lots of people would love to be in our position earning a good steady income,low stress and hassle.fresh air etc.
unless of course your not making much money.i remember when i was barely making ends meet.that soon got me de-motivated!!
its been a struggle to get where i am today.its took hard work,determination and a few heartaches along the way but im in a great position to push forward and build an even better business for myself and loved ones.
im unemployable i know that for sure!window cleaning is perfect for a high school drop out like me!! :D :D
best wishes
dazmond
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dump some of the crap work and bad payers, you will be suprised how great you feel after a dasy work when you know they will all pay
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I think most people go through this at some stage and in all walks of life. Daz's advice above is excellent and I've worked the factory night shifts on min wage too - self employed is much better :)
You'll feel different on Monday. Plan the week and imagine coming home with a load of payments - that makes it all worth while. Don't let the few bad ones spoil it for you - concentrate on the majority of good ones.
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go and get a job in a factory packing boxes on 8-5 and min wage,
then let us know how fed up you are ;D
Make sure it's a night shift too. ;D
no, twilight hours! and in a meat cold store factory with ex jail birds! ;)
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Hating it at the moment can't be bothered doing anything, late payers and all the rest of it.
Wish i had a job on PAYE
No you don't (re paye).....but fully understand.
Sell it for as much as you can and do something else, you only live once so why fill your days with something you hate doing :) You can always start up again in the future if you wanted :)
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My Lad has just come home from working an 8 hr night shift ( One off, through my daughters agency). In a crappy factory with a bunch of none speaking immigrants.
£56 less tax and travel.
He's working Next Sat for £120 for probably 2 hrs work max. Gutter clean and a bit of PVC.
The bad payers are the companies who employ staff at min wage and treat people like ***T
Have a few days off and come back refreshed.
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I just use this blokes firm to collect from bad payers. ;D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HAQ3pNHwj4
If bad language offends don't watch.
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Hating it at the moment can't be bothered doing anything, late payers and all the rest of it.
Wish i had a job on PAYE
stop doing the bad payers
canvass some new cstomers
put all your prices up by a quid or two
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Good post Dazmond :)
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go to a 3 day week and max out them days then get a hobby and do them on the other days and you will feel better, as if you only have a certain number of days to work, you will only do the jobs where you get paid, i did this the other week before i went on holiday felt great, no none payers, just money at end of week,
i am going to a 3 day week after xmas, got my self a bigger van, so can stay out longer, sick of employing muppets who cant even use a pole properly, going to stay on own and just be happy
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i feel the same sometimes, ive dropped a load of annoying custies, that helps a bit, and try and work 3 days a week. drop low payers.
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go to a 3 day week and max out them days then get a hobby and do them on the other days and you will feel better, as if you only have a certain number of days to work, you will only do the jobs where you get paid, i did this the other week before i went on holiday felt great, no none payers, just money at end of week,
i am going to a 3 day week after xmas, got my self a bigger van, so can stay out longer, sick of employing muppets who cant even use a pole properly, going to stay on own and just be happy
i'm at a stage where i think i can put another van on the road,but i'm put off by the stress that comes with that.i'm working with my brother at the moment which is fine and want to put him on a van with someone else and me alone,but i don't know if i want to have all the stress and work long hours to have enough work for both vans.
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simple solution replace the bad payers. when you get a new customer dump a bad payer & so on.
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That's a brilliant way of looking at bad payers: "The bad payers are the companies who employ staff at min wage and treat people like ***T". You can either put up with the 20 odd percent who pay when they decide it's time or you can get badly paid successfully 100% of the time. I agree that if you really do hate it then money isn't everything and whatever job you do, if you're happy doing it, you have enough anyway. As said don't get bogged down working all the hours. I only work part-time (I know I would go off my head if I didn't). Don't live beyond your means. Let's face it this job is so well paid that I really don't think it's necessary to work full-time, especially if you're compromising your happiness. I need to work on being a bit more firm with customers. It does seem if you give them an inch they'll take a mile. I'm never going to be a miserable sod because I couldn't but it is my livelihood at the end of the day and the customers aren't my friends... Every week your round has the potential to improve. I only started a year ago and still need those bad payers for now but with time I'll be able to say good bye to them because there's so much work out there. It's up to you to make it as successful as you want :)
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There will always be bad payers.But to make sure i am not loosing good customers that are just scatter brained. I text gentle reminder 10 days after the cleaned day and ever 5 days there after. 99% PAY AFTER THIS REMINDER.my text says This is a auto reminder fro Magic window cleaning:Our books reflects your account is now overdue.TO AVOID AN ADMIN FEE PLEASE PAY WITHIN 2 DAYS THANK YOU GEORGE. tHE NEXT TEXT WILL HAVE 2 QUID ADDED.3 THREE OF THESE IN ONE MONTH AND THEY IN THE TRASH DIN.
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isold my bussines a year and a half back biggest misake ever i now work for a large company and despite being on 30k a year i hate it so much all the staff attitude and unreliable idiots am now going back to window cleaning if the only stress i have is a handfull of people owing money then i cant wait lol
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sorry to here that dave,but if you want to sell any work ill be interested
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Hope your feeling better today bud?
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Feeling a little better but still fed up with it, being doing it for 8 years non stop just fed up of always trying to get the money in. I have dumped loads of bad payers and dead wood but still just getting a bit fed up of it all.
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you need a holiday
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Take time out from work and open your eyes to what other jobs are available, how much they pay together with the fact that someone else is going to tell you what to do if in employment elsewhere.
I have two chronic illnesses to overcome with positive attitude and stubborn determination on a daily basis so I'm working part time for myself, wouldnt have it any other way. Get in a rut..........take time out or set realistic new goals or buy some new equipment or something for the home.
Life is not easy, only get out of it what you put into it :)
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get organised,try and keep to work schedules whenever possible and have a few slack days or days off at the end of each month to do as you please.
try and get your work completed mon-fri so you dont have to work at the weekends.works for me.
regards
dazmond
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Dave if theres anything I can do to help just shout. Personally I'd love to swap places with you.
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Hating it at the moment can't be bothered doing anything, late payers and all the rest of it.
Wish i had a job on PAYE
After working on PAYE for 15 years in engineering, then getting in to window cleaning due to a illness.
I wish i never seen PAYE work, and there was me feeling sorry for the kid and is dad collecting window cleaning money, while i was a engineer.
God i was so blind
Dave