Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: DASERVICES on June 21, 2007, 05:29:16 pm
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I am in a situation either take some one on or drop work as I currently have way too much and more coming in each day. Today had 5 jobs totally £100, have passed some work that has come in to other window cleaners.
Here is where I need your input for those who have done it, what has been the reaction when you have dropped your lowest accounts that are spread out. How did you go about it.
I have a good rapore with my customers so really don't want to get a bad name for dropping them as I will always bump into them now and again.
Thanks
Doug
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I'm in this position too. Any advice welcome!
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Could you not just tell your customers that because of work comitments you will not be able to clean there windows anymore and give them the number of another window cleaner.
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I`ve been in the same situation aswell,first off make a list of all the work you know you wouldn`t mind losing,do a pro looking letter telling them you will have to either put the price up to X amount otherwise you will be unable to continue cleaning there windows.You will be very surprised how little work you`ll lose,if you`ve gone to the effort of doing a letter and letting them know they will appreciate it rather than you just not bothering to go back,in a way it tells them that you care.They will prefer to pay a bit more and stay with the devil they know rather than the devil they don`t so to speak,most of them don`t want the hassle of finding another wc.The most important thing from the customers point of view i find is trust,if they trust you they wont even batter an eyelid.A few years ago i had to do this and in some cases prices had to be doubled,all i got was yes that`s fine but can you do them more often.
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Could you not just tell your customers that because of work comitments you will not be able to clean there windows anymore and give them the number of another window cleaner.
Or drop them off a letter explaining in general terms why you're dropping them, giving them the numbers of some local lads.
I bet we've all dropped customers and not told them though; I know I have (I know I know).
Then they catch you while you're out shopping in Tescos on a Saturday... ;D
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I hate it when that happens,the Mrs says where did you get to.
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The problem is I'm in a situation where I am not getting around my round in the usual 5 weeks. I can't even go to the pub without someone asking me to clean their windows which is a good situation to be in.
As well as window cleaning I am getting asked to loads of other jobs which is good money. There will be the days which I'm sure a lot of you have where you do more travelling that work as the customers are spread out, these days I do not make as much money as some days. I have put the prices up on these houses.
I also want to just have 3 days work in a week which I am in the position to do now. So have to crop a lot of less paying jobs without it having a knock on effect.
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DA,
I'm in a similar position; just too much work and I don't know what to drop.
I'm preparing myself to stick my prices up and let my customers do the dropping...
if I find the back-bone to do it, mind.
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If there`s travelling involved and that`s the main problem explain that to them,like i said i`ve had this same problem as a lot of my work is very rural.I told them that sitting in the van was costing me money,they all agreed to pay the new price which in most cases was double as i said.When you sit down and work it out you`ll end up doing the same amount of work for a lot more money,that`s the position to be in.Most sensible customers will understand this and not put up a fight as they know other wcs will view this kind of work the same as you.
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how about 8 weekly cleans.... ;D could you go that way at all?
Dave.
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i gave all my low priced work to the lad who used to work for me, as he done the work anyway got me out of a hole ;D
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how about 8 weekly cleans.... ;D could you go that way at all?
Dave.
Dave, for more money, yes! But I'm not going to clean the same property, for the same price at longer intervals; they'll be dirtier and take longer.
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Tosh....I have a few 4 weekly and the difference between 8 & 4 weekly is not in my view that great....Like I said, it was just a thought :)
You could try it on a 'batch'
Dave.
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why try to sell them on to someone local who needs more work?
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Tosh....I have a few 4 weekly and the difference between 8 & 4 weekly is not in my view that great....
Dave.
I agree , but the terms and conditions just seem far to much weighted in the customers favour.
I'm about to put my prices up; and I normally do this by letter; 'cos I think it's better to do it this way. It's not exactly an 'easy' way of not facing a customer; because when I collect, I've got to face them and ask for the higher price. I just think it's a better way of increasing your prices.
But I may design a form which gives an option for an every-other-month clean (I clean calandar monthly), as well as the regular monthly clean; just to see what the take up is.
For example, I reckon my average account is £8.00 to £8.50. I could put them up by 50p, or give them the option of having it done every-other-month at £11.00.
What do you think?
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Tosh we all know we should not band prices around but ...My average for this year projected in 'George' is xx.xx pounds per job (should I not take/lose any this year)jobs, now all areas are different this I know but the 8 weekly does allow me to up the prices per clean...given that I am building my round slow...thats fine with me but in the end I hope to have a round that pays me well and perhaps will give me the ability to take someone on or just get rid of slow payers or 'the pool' woman who is like that Mrs. Bucket woman!!
8 Weekly for me means higher prices per clean/visit and the customer gets a deal too...
As with all things, different folks different strokes...it'll take me a little while longer to get anywhere near what I am after but get there I will and this 8 weekly to me makes sense for me and most people here in think 4 weekly is far to often anyhow...but in view of time and income 8 weekly is my choice and given the projections I have created for my business...I am happy with the choice.
Dave.
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Hi Doug
All the responses so far make a lot of sense but stop hedging and bite that employers bullet.
We are up in Perth and we were in the same situation as you now find yourself about four years ago. We now employ 28 "mollies"(that stands for molly mop) five window cleaners and have six vans on the go.Registered for vat with a new office in a fancy office block,spending my days behind a desk.
Was it easy? No
Do i miss my solo days out with a ladder? Yes
Do i still have a shed load of cash ? No
Are good staff easy to find?No
Why do it? cos its fantastic running your business instead of having a job,i love it when our mollies work is complimented or when a client calls to say thanks for the great job done on their windows.I take great pride to watch our team members progress from a new start to an important team player.
What do i hate?
Employers insurance, national insurance contributions,employers tax,maternity leave,sick pay,etc etc etc
Go on and try it, its not easy, yes you get let down again and again, yes it costs money but go on be brave and do it its great.
cheers
gordon
ps if it all fails i can always go back on the windys
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Tosh we all know we should not band prices around but ...My average for this year projected in 'George' is 19.56 pounds per job (
Dave,
When your prices are like mine, you can definately band them about; I'm not one of the 500-quid-a-day mob!
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why not sell the work
get together the stuff you dont want and sell it
from the posts last night, 20 ( TWENTY ) times the amount is about right ;) you will be richer than a rich thing in richville
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I was not being funny...re: 'banding'...
At the end of it, the main reason I went 8 weekly was scope for the future and possible expansion of this business....for me....
I have to admit I like 8 weekly....the 4weekly jobs come around to soon...I get to move around a little more and leaflet more areas....
But at the end of the day up your prices and see what your custys do, treat it like an expirement 'just to see'.
Dave
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mine are all 6 to 8 weeks now
it works well
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Tosh, I stated offering 8 weekly cleans about 3 years ago. I did it one estate at a time, and currently have 3 estates on 8 weekly cleans at +50%.
I explained to the customers that I was far cheaper than many of my competitors.
In order to make my business economically viable, I had two choices. Put up the price substantially, or pass the under priced jobs to another cleaner.
I told them that I would be prepared to carry on doing their windows, but only on an 8 weekly cycle for 50% extra.
I pointed out that they would save on their annual window cleaning costs, and that it would then be economically viable for me to continue doing them.
All but one accepted this, I was a bit surprised as I had expected to lose more.
As has been said above, I too find very little difference when I clean 8 week accounts, as opposed to 4 weekly ones. Dai
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My work is 6wkly 8wkly and a handfull of 12wkly,in my opinion 4wkly is far to regular even on 6wkly cleans i never get round on time.I think a lot of wcs that have mainly 4wkly work are fairly new to the job i might be wrong but at the prices i charge my customers wouldn`t want to see me every 4wks,that`s the thing about longer intervals you can justify charging far more cos the customer can see they need cleaning,if you get not today thankyou your to regular.
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The good thing about the 6-8wkly time span is that you could go round even a week early sometimes and they wouldn`t care,if like squeaky your 4wkly and turning up a week early your in trouble you need more work.The chances are that the week you have free cos of lack of work the sun will be shining until the other work is due up.I never turn work down until i`ve at least had a look at it,only then if the type of work is not for me i`ll pass it on but i always pop round and have a look first.
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i dont see the " its much dirtier at 8 weeks " claim
yes they are dirtier
BUT
its the same effort to clean them, you either WFP or mop and sqeegee them off, still the same motions :)
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when i quote for a larger property i will quote 4 or 8 weekly, i.e £25 four weekly or £30 8 weeks, all my £20+ customers are 8 weekly as of there choice, i prefer doing them every 8 weeks cause i have an excuse to charge more, none of them takes more than an hour to do so £30 for an hours job is acceptable to me.
however on smaller properties i will do it only if customer asks but i do charge more, i quoted a house yesterday at £16 but customer wanted 8 weekly so i charged £20 and customer accepted.
i think its a good way of doing it, i wouldnt want more than 10 percent of my round to be 8 weekly though.
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Cheers Guys lot of good comments here.
I have two choices dump or employ. Been the employ route but had numpties, which was proved when I let my 12 year old daughter help me with one of the jobs I do. She did it quicker than the guys I employed last year so that tells you something.
One thing when talking to fellow window cleaners up and down Scotland is the no hopers from the job centre they get. This year I went to one of them meetings where you meet up with local businesses and met an American chap who told me the most successful business was started by a guy employing students from the university. Now it is a billion dollar company so has got me thinking as do not want the hassle of giving someone a full time job etc.. Has anyone used uni students, I think this is the way to go as they are flexible and always looking for part time work.
Weighing up my options as I am in a situation where what I earn is not to live on but extra. What I have to do is cut my working days down to 3 days to spend more time with the family, coming up to the teenage problems ( I'm sure aliens come down and abduct them) ???
Once again thanks for your replies, need to ponder it over the weekend.
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Put a professional advert in your local paper.
Do not state 'window cleaner required'
Try 'reach and wash operative required'
How nuch did you pay your 'numpties'
Try 'up tp £10 per hour'
You pay for what you get IMO.
Russ
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i have recently put all my prices up , and only had about a dozen cancel , and a few went 2 monthly ,so you might be surprised at how well the customers take the increase ( mostly i increased between £1 and £3 ) . and as most of you have commented on i also have new customers coming in from everywhere !