Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: shammy davis jnr on June 26, 2007, 09:07:30 pm

Title: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: shammy davis jnr on June 26, 2007, 09:07:30 pm
i have 2000 customers a month but just lost an employee cant be bothered with the hassel at retraining at this time so should i do a door kill my rounds are really tight so how would you go about it
ie price rise and lose twenty our so
our keep the cream and chuck the cheese
just looking for you guys input anything is worth a punt to stream line
so input please i need ideas

Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: jeff1 on June 26, 2007, 09:14:36 pm
Can't yoou sell the stuff you don't want Shammy?? there must be someone near you who needs it??   Just a thought.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: shammy davis jnr on June 26, 2007, 09:24:41 pm
jeff i did think of that but in these new estates the prices vary so much you know 3 to five with coservatory you let some one else in and it could turn sour plus you descriminate between your beter payers than the less payers on same street  could open the door for a right mess
if you know what i mean mate
its tricky but cheers for your reply there must be a way dont you think
regards davis
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Clive McDonald on June 26, 2007, 09:27:50 pm
No real ideas, but;
1. You explained before how you work(don't go into it again). Why not try the franchise route. I don't mean a proper franchise, just an agreement or understanding. From what you say it would be win win.

Other threads on this (what Jeff suggests) conclude that you can't just give it away because you are giving your competition one or two houses in the midst of your clusters etc.
Ring your man upand offer him a deal (I've had a rethink and a chat with the wife what's it all about? we always clashed because we are so much alike etc), and make sure you top him up big time by lending of his dad or bank.

2.There isn't a two except to say I like the phrase, door kill.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Clive McDonald on June 26, 2007, 09:31:10 pm
The other thing about keeping ex's sweet whether it be wives or whatever, they grass you up.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: jeff1 on June 26, 2007, 09:32:07 pm
I had this same situation many years ago, I binned one complete area, I gave another area to another W/C (that I knew was good) and in the last area, I boosted the price right up, and most of the bu***rs took the price rise, so I wished I had done the same to the other 2 area's, we live and learn all the time.
Do whats best for you and your business. ;)
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: shammy davis jnr on June 26, 2007, 09:40:25 pm
i will
but there must be some other ways drop half and chase ind work and dont get payed for eight weeks lol our more
our go totaly loyal to your top paying customers the fifty quiders etc lol its a funny old game
its like a chemestry set a little of this
our a little of that mix it wrong then BOOM
does anyone think they have the right mix
so who just gets on with it day to day and who tinkers with it
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: DASERVICES on June 26, 2007, 10:44:26 pm
jeff i did think of that but in these new estates the prices vary so much you know 3 to five with coservatory


Shammy,

 Are you saying £3 to £5 house + conservatory ,if so that is very low
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Stevie G on June 26, 2007, 11:02:10 pm
if thats the case £3-5. then put up the price! stating theres no way you can
carry on doing them at that price and that your not makeing a profit.
surely that way they drop themself and then keep the cream.

no one can slag you off for the that.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Paul Coleman on June 27, 2007, 03:35:25 am
I understood it to mean 3 - 5 bedrooms with conservatory.  If it was £3 - £5 I reckon I would bin it.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Ian Rochester on June 27, 2007, 05:21:49 am
Whatever way you do your "door kill" you will be letting competition in, do you think that if you drop someone they are just not going to bother getting their windows cleaned ever again? 

No, they'll find someone else to do them, they may even be cheaper, better, more reliable....... your ex customer will tell their neighbours and their friends in the next street about their new window cleaner and before you know it there will be a new window cleaner on "your patch" and you've suddenly got competition.

What do you do ???  If you really want to downsize, then find someone to buy it off you, at least that way you'll get something back from it.

Otherwise, and in my opinion the only option, keep it and replace the person you've lost.

How do I know this, because there has been many times over the last few years that I have done this to others, gone into a street with one phonecall from a potential new customer who has been let down by her window cleaner and we have ended up taking most of the street/area.

If you have 2000 customers a month that is a BIG concern, even if they are just 2 up 2 downs, don't throw it away otherwise someone like me will come along and take it all off you ;D
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Mike_G on June 27, 2007, 05:54:43 am
If it is 3-5 quid with conservatory I would bin the lot
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Clive McDonald on June 27, 2007, 06:55:33 am
Prices vary from a standard three bedroomed house, to a neighbouring five bedroomed house with a conservatory. That's what he is saying.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Trevor Knight on June 27, 2007, 07:51:35 am
If your on your own and don't want to lose customers why not change a 4 weekly round to a 6 weekly round?

I am sure if you explain to your customers the reason why you are having to change the round frequency most of them would be fine?

Lets face it, we all know how hard it is to find a reliable, good window cleaner!
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Clear Vision on June 27, 2007, 08:47:39 am
Do you work on your own now?

2000 customers is a LOT!!!!!!!! :o
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: shammy davis jnr on June 27, 2007, 10:55:28 am
SORRY GUYS IMEANT 3 TO 5 BED ROOMS  ranging from 7 pound to 18 pound
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: shammy davis jnr on June 27, 2007, 11:01:56 am
no have six other employees  thus cant be bothered going through the hassel of having every one held back in the summer months  trying to pull sombody up to speed 
i like the idea of going to a six week  run  as some one said  i do it every four just now but the past three months have took me five weeks and the way the phone is going it could be a hot fav
but they compain im a week late as it is lol
its a hard one  our do i just fill his shoes and be done with it
how did the transaction go when you changed to a six week run ????
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: davids3511 on June 27, 2007, 11:08:20 am
How do you manage to stop any of your 6 staff from taking a slice of your round for themselves. Do you always collect yourself so the customers know your face or you you constantly rotate your staff so they don't get too familiar with any part of the round?

 i suppose it could be in an employment contract that they have to keep away for a few years if they leave but I am not sur f tehy are worth the paper they are writtingon. Just wondering how you keep it all together with 2000 customers.
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: LSB on June 27, 2007, 11:48:32 am
i would do both !
put the prices up , and take someone new on !
put them on a trial period , just long enough to see if you actually lose many customers .
i recently put the prices up on just over a 1000 customers , and have had very few cancellations , and a few went 2 monthly .
good luck either way ( or both ) .
lloyd .
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: Count Phil on June 27, 2007, 04:29:46 pm
Most actually love 6 weekly. I do all mine 6 and if their last was four weekly, they always think its great. Go for it!
Title: Re: the best way to do a door kill
Post by: shammy davis jnr on June 27, 2007, 04:34:52 pm
its been a long slog but after sixteen years my staff are all hand picked through the years and get good pay plus im well known round here with the customers , aswell as using george systems its like a mobile till they bring it in every night i hot sink it if there a mile out with there kitty ,there is serious questions get asked ,
but it would leak back eventually through  the grape vine if they were at it , and to find guys this good i would normaly go through about five employes to get one worth his salt i train them my self so know in a few days if they are worth bringing on up through the ranks then let him in with the old guys for a week to get there wisdom ,and attidude fathomed ,and they will give me the yes our no ,if yes he goes with the young guns (the rockets )lol and thus its sink our swim this gives them time to produce the speed ,with the older ones feeding back to me so now you know why in the summer months i cant be bothered with the hassel when really we should all fill our boots for the comming few months ,the big money ones every thing done on time etc ,i usually take on in october but due to one getting done for assault i fired him on the spot  ,,,, its hard i know but if you want the best you have to let them know you take no s,it