Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 11:27:48 am

Title: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 11:27:48 am
Just had a booking for our thousandth customer - we've had more but this is one thousandth active custy.

Should I give her a free clean?

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: ben M on February 06, 2014, 11:30:17 am
 ???
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: TomCrowther on February 06, 2014, 11:30:21 am
Hey, congratulations Vin. Still just two of you? That's good going.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: PurefectWindowCleaning on February 06, 2014, 11:34:26 am
I'd scrap the free clean and add £5 to the quote just for banter.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 11:36:47 am
Hey, congratulations Vin. Still just two of you? That's good going.

Three. Me, pretty much full franchisee and half-full franchisee.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: H20cleaning on February 06, 2014, 11:51:34 am
Im only about 840 behind!! Hahaha well done mate
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: C o z y on February 06, 2014, 11:55:04 am
Outstanding Vin. Don't forget to let BARBY know how far sighted he was when he said it wouldn't work.  ::)roll
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Dave Willis on February 06, 2014, 11:55:26 am
Well done Vin.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 12:10:16 pm
Outstanding Vin. Don't forget to let BARBY know how far sighted he was when he said it wouldn't work.  ::)roll

Indeed.

All started on Star Wars day 2010 (May the 4th be with you).  Barby (on another forum) banged on about how customers were impossible to get with the economy in the state it's in but I'm so stupid that I ignored him and had a go anyway.

Big thanks to the Jakester who had the courage to jump in and become franchisee number one on my word that it'd all work.  And big thanks to Frankiebadboy who showed me what WFP was all about around four years ago.

Now for the next thousand...

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: TomCrowther on February 06, 2014, 12:56:12 pm
Long live the leaflet eh.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Soupy on February 06, 2014, 01:00:59 pm
First 1000 is easy.

Fourth is proving more difficult.  :P

Oh yeah, and don't clean windows for free. Ever.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Rayleigh Window Cleaning Services on February 06, 2014, 02:00:47 pm
Sometimes wish we we only had a 1000, I must stop taking work on one day.

Only been saying that for the last 30 years  ;)

Well done though.

Steve
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: capn sparkle on February 06, 2014, 02:22:22 pm
Promised myself I would give a bottle of champers to my 250th custie...

When I eventually hit that number I didn't actually like the custie so as I still had my 1st ever custie I gave the bottle to her instead!!  ;D ;D ;D

Seems such a long time ago...

Well done fella - keep up the good work
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Paul Coleman on February 06, 2014, 02:50:07 pm
I've got about 210.  I've let it slide in the past couple of years.  I will build it up to 300 by mid summer.  300 enough for this sole trader I think as no ambitions to grow it huge.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: andyM on February 06, 2014, 03:02:04 pm
Well done.
A fantastic achievement.  8)
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 03:22:18 pm
Long live the leaflet eh.

Didn't you know?  They don't work.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Michael Peterson on February 06, 2014, 03:53:30 pm
Hi vin I wonder if I could call you for advise as we are expanding and would like to do it as fast as you have
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: tlwcs on February 06, 2014, 04:04:17 pm
Posting again Vin, fantastic. Welcome back and heres to more continued success.
Tony
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 04:24:11 pm
Hi vin I wonder if I could call you for advise as we are expanding and would like to do it as fast as you have

Sure. Number findable via website.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Frankybadboy on February 06, 2014, 04:54:09 pm
weldone vin ;D ;D ;D

do I get a free bottle of the finest Tesco wine  ;D
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: hasti on February 06, 2014, 04:58:02 pm
Long live the leaflet eh.

Didn't you know?  They don't work.

Vin

Hi vin
Congratulation and well done, so how come you say leaflet don’t work? How do you advertise then ?
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Blue Giraffe on February 06, 2014, 04:58:33 pm
Good going!  Long way to go on that myself, but well get there....in the end :)
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on February 06, 2014, 05:07:38 pm
Hi vin
Congratulation and well done, so how come you say leaflet don’t work? How do you advertise then ?

It was said tongue-in-cheek.  873 of the thousand came from leaflets, as it happens.  I was joking about the fact that I've been told countles times that leafletting doesn't work.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Clever Forum Name on February 06, 2014, 05:20:15 pm
I often think these guys with 100 customers at £10 each have the right idea.

No stress, £250 a week, prob work two days max then stay at home for the rest of the week lol
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Jonny 87 on February 06, 2014, 06:09:54 pm
I often think these guys with 100 customers at £10 each have the right idea.

No stress, £250 a week, prob work two days max then stay at home for the rest of the week lol

Where do you live if you can afford to live on £1000 a month? Lol

Need double that to just tick over!
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Spruce on February 06, 2014, 06:10:52 pm
Nice to hear from you again Vin. I missed you although as you've said. Barby will have a comment to make. Good on you.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Clever Forum Name on February 06, 2014, 06:14:19 pm
I often think these guys with 100 customers at £10 each have the right idea.

No stress, £250 a week, prob work two days max then stay at home for the rest of the week lol

Where do you live if you can afford to live on £1000 a month? Lol

Need double that to just tick over!

In the van of course  ::)roll ;D ;D
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Ian101 on February 06, 2014, 06:16:50 pm
well done mate .... Im on a mission this year to grow
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Jonny 87 on February 06, 2014, 06:17:12 pm
I often think these guys with 100 customers at £10 each have the right idea.

No stress, £250 a week, prob work two days max then stay at home for the rest of the week lol

Where do you live if you can afford to live on £1000 a month? Lol

Need double that to just tick over!

In the van of course  ::)roll ;D ;D

Der. Silly question.  ;D
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: hasti on February 06, 2014, 06:37:53 pm
Hi vin
Congratulation and well done, so how come you say leaflet don’t work? How do you advertise then ?

It was said tongue-in-cheek.  873 of the thousand came from leaflets, as it happens.  I was joking about the fact that I've been told countles times that leafletting doesn't work.

Vin

Thanks for in lighting me vin, i wish you all the success in future.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 06, 2014, 08:29:31 am
Just had a call from our 1,050th a month to the day since our thousandth.

Lost a handful over the past month so this is net.

Target is 2,000 by this date next year, so need to get our skates on.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: lal on March 06, 2014, 08:50:45 am
Just had a booking for our thousandth customer - we've had more but this is one thousandth active custy.

Should I give her a free clean?

Vin

Well done Vin, congrats.  sod the free clean.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Paul Coleman on March 06, 2014, 09:04:41 am
Just had a call from our 1,050th a month to the day since our thousandth.

Lost a handful over the past month so this is net.

Target is 2,000 by this date next year, so need to get our skates on.

Vin

If we are talking "net", I probably took on my thousandth many years ago.

I had about 400 after 3 years and it came close to 500 at one point.
It wasn't worth a light though.  I was doing it all by ladder in those days.  It was mostly underpriced.  Anything between a quarter and a third were regular "not todayers".
I didn't know any better.  I had no mentor and there was no internet.  I went into it from desperation due to unemployment and that showed in my prices.  The problem was that new customers tended to know existing ones so it was hard to charge them more.  I reckon I cleaned more than 50% of the houses in one large village (very small town?).  In one road, I cleaned 20 of 35 properties.  All underpriced.
Eventually I got resentful enough to wise up.  I make far more from my current 220 than I ever did from the 400+ - even allowing for many years of inflation.
At least when building it this time I can focus more on quality than quantity.  It will make the build-up slower but I'm OK with that.
I will have 300 average to very good customers on the books by mid summer.  That ought to be sufficient.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 06, 2014, 09:07:34 am

If we are talking "net", I probably took on my thousandth many years ago.


Sorry, I wasn't clear. By net, I mean still on the books, so in the past month we took on 55 and lost 5.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Ben wood on March 06, 2014, 01:08:02 pm
How many leaflets have you put out this month to get 55 jobs mate. So glad it all worked out for you
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 06, 2014, 01:53:02 pm
How many leaflets have you put out this month to get 55 jobs mate. So glad it all worked out for you

20,700.

But remember, leaflets don't work, so please don't try this at home.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 06, 2014, 01:59:35 pm
By the way, 20,700 is more than I'd normally expect for the number of customers but it's early in the year; things tend to pick up after the clocks go forward (as we all know).

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Ben wood on March 06, 2014, 02:03:45 pm
Lol yeah leaflets are poope haha well done vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: roundbuilder on March 06, 2014, 03:21:21 pm
Out of interest how much does it cost to get 20,000 leaflets delivered??
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 06, 2014, 04:25:30 pm
Out of interest how much does it cost to get 20,000 leaflets delivered??

Including leaflets, about £1,100.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Paul Coleman on March 06, 2014, 05:29:48 pm
How many leaflets have you put out this month to get 55 jobs mate. So glad it all worked out for you

20,700.

But remember, leaflets don't work, so please don't try this at home.

Vin

So, roughly 1 in 400 then?  Sounds thereabouts.  I've had better and worse hit rates than that but only ever measured it over smaller samples.  I've delivered a thousand before and got as many as 10.  Another time I've had nada.  I don't do big drops as I tend to do it all myself and finding time and energy can be tricky.  I prefer it that way because I can select which places to leave.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 06, 2014, 05:36:38 pm
Three more since I posted earlier so now nearer 1 in 350.  Doesn't sound a lot less but it's much better.

The thing about response rates is that it's in the nature of statistics that you need big samples to infer useful data.  At those volumes you're getting closer to being able to believe the data.   Remember though, that it's our leaflet in our area, so anyone reading this shouldn't base any decisions on it.

Our response rate in the summer is much, much higher, which you'd expect.

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on March 06, 2014, 06:31:39 pm
Mick, if you are looking for stats on leafleting, I started my 2014 'round building' on January 7th 2014. Delivered so far 3000 (give or take a few hundered) leaflets. All personally delivered AND personalised to specific estates and areas that we already work in, all delivered at 'peak' viewing times on the 'best' days to deliver. To date we have 76 new domestic customers to be cleaned every 4 weeks.
I would say it has taken me in total 24 hours to deliver these so a rate of just over 3 an hour has been achieved, this will change as I do expect to gain a few more off these leaflets as the weather turns.

Like your plans Vin, not bad this window cleaning game.   
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: johnwillan on March 06, 2014, 07:55:24 pm
That's a very impressive return David, is that normal?
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on March 07, 2014, 08:09:46 am
Very normal, better in fact are the results when the weather turns. Its all about branding, timing, frequencey of leaflet delivery and of course whether or not you can be bothered to put the effort in. Most just have a load of leaflets printed and have them delivered in a blanket drop.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: johnwillan on March 07, 2014, 09:16:51 am
Yep that'd be me! Interested to hear your views on frequency on time, I notice a previous post suggests early afternoon & Sunday mornings after 10, followed up weekly, anything more to add?
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on March 07, 2014, 10:52:08 am
sorry JOHN, lol terrible with names.
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: johnwillan on March 07, 2014, 11:54:58 am
Any chance of discussing your leafleting techniques further? My email is johnwillan@me.com
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Perfect Windows on October 06, 2014, 11:34:25 am
Just bunged on the 1,500th customer.

Bit slower than we would have wanted but I do tend to forget the number of one-clean and three-clean wonders we get through.  One-clean wonders are self-explanatory but three-clean wonders are different.  I think they just book us thinking they'll last forever as a customer.  Then, three cleans later they have clean windows, they suddenly realise that they're going to be paying us forever and so they cancel.  So, we've booked far more than 500 customers since February; this increase is just the ones who have stuck.

It used to bother me but now I just see it as a self-culling mechanism that helps to get rounds to their core of great customers...

Onwards and upwards!

Vin
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Ian101 on October 06, 2014, 11:42:57 am
excellent mate !!


leaflets don't work you know  :)
Title: Re: Thousandth customer
Post by: Roberto Smith on October 06, 2014, 01:10:18 pm
Hi, thats pretty impressive with flyers. Do you go over the same area more than once over the year?