Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: eddie d on November 01, 2007, 11:02:54 pm
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even though im picking up a regular amount of domestics .ive lost a few good commercial custys in the last 2 months .
one a shopfitter employing 150 people
one a whlosale bakery .24 hour buisness.
one a prestiege car dealer .bmw s and the like .
so none of these were startups all established for 10 + years .is a recession on the way .
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Have you lost them to other w/c'rs or have they stopped completely?
I think tougher times are coming because people will think a bit more before they spend due to uncertainty in the housing market and higher interest rates.
However, older people with savings are possibly better off so it's not all doom and gloom.
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i didnt say ,"these firms have gone bust " or have recievers in .
they probably got someone cheaper ::)
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no they have gone bust .
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Those types of businesses need there windows cleaned,there`s no way a BMW dealership would stand for filthy window`s.As said they most probobly got someone cheaper.
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probably someone has canvassed yr customers and offered them a cheaper price?
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Unfortunately I can assure you tougher times are ahead. My best mate works in a specialist department of a high street bank that looks after accoiunts of businesses that are in serious difficulties and also closely with receivers and liquidators.
In his word they are flat out!!!! The banks are trying to hold off making a lot of these companies go to the wall as word spreads and people panic. Case in point Northern Rock!
However they cant "stockpile these accounts" indefinitely.
Costs will be cut and inevitably those that are a direct cost or those that dont make money will be the first to go. Cleaning is always first!! :( :(
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who started this post? it is drepressing, look on the bright side of life, at the mo there is plenty of work, plenty of money around. People will still have their windows cleaned, yes a few may stop but most will not. So for today the future looks ok in my eyes ;D
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windowwashers/ that makes sense good idea.
lets close our eyes and everything will be fine .
or open them and prepare for the future.
nwh/as i said they have closed .stopped trading,they havent got a cheaper wc.read the posts.
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Oh yes. We are definitely heading into a slowdown and probably a recession. The only question is how bad will it get? If managed well, it needn't be financial meltdown.
Although my own little business is slowly expanding, a few years ago, it expanded a lot more quickly and with less effort from me. Now I need to work a bit more at it for a slower build-up.
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many have had it too good for too long, they have reaped the rewards and will find it hard
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You can't ignore or hide away from the obvious cutbacks/close downs that are happening, have happened over the past few months and will happen in the future, thinking that it will not effect you own business, it probably will in some respect. If businesses are closing down or making cutbacks, that affects their staff too , who we clean for, so you have the knock on effect.............BUT, you also cannot run a business if you think the worst is going to happen all the time. Yes, "good" customers are harder to find now than say 3 years ago...why? because there are more WC around and interest rates etc have a big affect on the "luxury" service we provide. Over the last 2 months we have seen customers go and we have been lucky enough to replace (and more) them. We are now planning for the next six months and putting those plans into action from this weekend. This still doesn't mean that we will get it right, but hopefully should a recession hit, then we will scrape through........On a brighter note, Xmas is fast approaching, get talking to the custies about getting insides done (as well as out) in time for it, more earnngs on one place = less overheads :)
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windowwashers/ that makes sense good idea.
lets close our eyes and everything will be fine .
or open them and prepare for the future.
nwh/as i said they have closed .stopped trading,they havent got a cheaper wc.read the posts.
never did i say close your eyes and everything will be fine, I am just not worried about it, I will carry on building business regardless. thinking negative thoughts is not good for the mind and bad for business, I prefer to good positive mindset, this way I grow.
If tough times come it is the strong that get past it ;)
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I have been made redundant twice in my working life.
i use to work in the print.
I have about 250 domestic customers.
working for someone else all my eggs were in one basket.
now there in 250 baskets.
yes i could lose 20-30% of my work.
I think the most work w/c's will lose is commercial as lets face it most want this as it's the most profitable but every dog fighting over the same bone!
I like domestic not as profitable but customers are loyal
do a good job, be polite, turn up as regular as weather permits.
Winner!
I'd rather be a window cleaner in a reccession than working for a boss!
I try to clean in affluent areas people with money always seem to sail through ;)
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windowwashers/ that makes sense good idea.
lets close our eyes and everything will be fine .
or open them and prepare for the future.
nwh/as i said they have closed .stopped trading,they havent got a cheaper wc.read the posts.
never did i say close your eyes and everything will be fine, I am just not worried about it, I will carry on building business regardless. thinking negative thoughts is not good for the mind and bad for business, I prefer to good positive mindset, this way I grow.
If tough times come it is the strong that get past it ;)
Try building business in a recession.
We have been living in a low interest economy for too long now and people who know about economics realise it is a cyclical thing.
It doesn't matter how "strong" you are, or how much positive thinking you do, if a business closes, a customers mortgage goes up considerably or worse still they are put out of work the window cleaning will be the first non essential knocked on the head.
The best customers in this likelihood are pensioners who are not greatly affected by a recession.
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The best customers in this likelihood are pensioners who are not greatly affected by a recession.
Absolutely !!
And window-cleaners whos customer base is mostly pensioners 8)
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pensioners are ok but they have a tendancy to die ;D
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pensioners are ok but they have a tendancy to die ;D
very true, I think that is plain thought less
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And younger customers have tendency to become pensioners ;D
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windowwashers/ that makes sense good idea.
lets close our eyes and everything will be fine .
or open them and prepare for the future.
nwh/as i said they have closed .stopped trading,they havent got a cheaper wc.read the posts.
never did i say close your eyes and everything will be fine, I am just not worried about it, I will carry on building business regardless. thinking negative thoughts is not good for the mind and bad for business, I prefer to good positive mindset, this way I grow.
If tough times come it is the strong that get past it ;)
Well I started W/Cing in October 1991. It seemed like the whole country was going into financial meltdown. Fortunately, my personal outgoings were minimal back then so building the business slowly was acceptable (plus I had a driving job for one week in four). If I managed to start and sustain my business in the worst recession in living memory (for most people) then I'm sure I can take what the economy throws at me this time. It may mean I have to work harder at it but I will just adapt.
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it only gets as tough as you let it . where theres a will theres a way .
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i have survived thatcher major blair and soon brown is this the best or worst ? RESESION WHO CARES IT IS THE LITTLE MAN WHO SUFFERS they dont care about us. why care about them .care about your familly friends and local community and us other w.c we can care for each other then we have nothing to worry about
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nice statement tonyoliver
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That's why I never trim my round, I am 20% over subscribed, so it takes me 5 weeks to get round instead of four. The extra 20% is my rainy day insurance. Dai
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Ive been thinking about this topic this evening and in all honesty my personal conclusion is that generally throughout the nation during a recession things get tight, some people do tighten their belts, work isnt as abundant, work is generally less well paid; but with some ingenuity, ambition and diversification I would have thoguht that most of us would still be able to keep things generally well buckled down and running quite confortably.
A recession? Possibly concerning and requiring consideration, but perfectly manageable.
Matt
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Ive been thinking about this topic this evening and in all honesty my personal conclusion is that generally throughout the nation during a recession things get tight, some people do tighten their belts, work isnt as abundant, work is generally less well paid; but with some ingenuity, ambition and diversification I would have thoguht that most of us would still be able to keep things generally well buckled down and running quite confortably.
A recession? Possibly concerning and requiring consideration, but perfectly manageable.
Matt
loved that post, and so true ;) wd Matty,
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Tougher times are on the way that's for sure but if your not on rip off prices your custys will remain on the hole.
I went through the last recession, had a mortgage that went to nearly 16%, :o, it was tight but came out on top.
Grafters always win. ;)
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Tougher times are on the way that's for sure but if your not on rip off prices your custys will remain on the hole.
I went through the last recession, had a mortgage that went to nearly 16%, :o, it was tight but came out on top.
Grafters always win. ;)
rip of prices will never last in the long run as people are not stupid (ok some are but most are not) a good price for a good job always. I will work twice as much if need be if ever i got in need, it is the lazy that fail, as you just said, grafters work
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Many small businesses are struggling because of competition from abroad. In particular China. If interest rates go up ( and they have) it just tips them over the edge.
One of the great things about our business is that we don't have high overhead like shops or factories and we can go out and get our own business, we don't have to wait for customers to come to us.
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good points vince
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So what do you think?
Worst day on the financial market since 9-11
How will the recession impact on flooded out windowcleaners once the drought order is in place?
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Will have to wait and see!
Try not to lose sleep over it.
Peter
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Peter, have you ever used BCA at Blackbushe for commercial works vehicles?
Matt
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Matt
No, but would imagine you could get a good deal - depends whether you want to go the auction route.
Peter
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I was thinking about the auction route, are you implying there are other routes at BCA or do you just mean second-hand from a dealer or trade magazine etc?
I was thinking about something like an ex-British Gas Kangoo from BCA or something of that nature.
Matt
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Matt,
They often have stacks of commercial vehicles so you should have good choice. Only live down the road but have never bought from them.
Peter
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Ta, Ill give them a ring and ask about whats available with my budget.
Matt
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Just paid off my mortgage, so I've got one less thing to worry over.
I live in a place where people come to retire so they've got savings. If recession does come and interest rates go up then their savings will go up too (hopefully).
I think just keeping our noses to the grindstone and working hard should get us through. :)
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Hope you get what you want.
Peter
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This is why i prefere domestic over comercial if you get a good domestic round charge a fair price and do a good job they will stick with you but comercial you can never be too sure, they either go bust or. go with someone else because they are cheaper .
This why o got rid of all my pubs years ago with changing landlords all the time and window cleaners undercutting
Domestic is my bread and butter
Brett
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not a good thread for me thios one! planning on starting up soon part time but laying out for a van and WFP diy set up. on the otehr hand nothing in life is a certainty.
only worry about what you can change. don't worry about the things you can't change.
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not a good thread for me thios one! planning on starting up soon part time but laying out for a van and WFP diy set up. on the otehr hand nothing in life is a certainty.
only worry about what you can change. don't worry about the things you can't change.
Dont waste your time worrying about things you cant control, leave that to people that have nothing better to do, have amix in work never have eggs in one basket, there are not window cleaners that have been doing it for over 30 year for nothing saying that enough said post closed ::)
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yes
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Headlines are Global markets plunge!
Weird isn't it?
Morons in the financial world all start selling at the same time, prices plunge as they all run around like headless chickens.
A few days ago everything is fine, then overnight they panic and they force the world into recession! :'(
I'm not bothered though, there is nothing I can do about it, so it's pointless worrying about it.
For me it was during a really bad recession in the building industry that got me into window cleaning 25 years ago, and of course it wasn't just the recession in the building industry.
But I have picked up work when interest rates were through the roof, they were up in the mid teens at one point remember!
Major employers were closing the their doors, the mines, the steel works, the car industry, tens of thousands were being made unemployed...But my round kept growing.
Tough times ahead?
Probably, look at the price of fuel, everything is going up in price, we pay more and more tax, directly and indirectly, council tax soars above inflation every year (mine will be up over £1,600 this year).
But there is always ebb and flow, there will always be work out there, our disposable income may drop a little, but thats life.
Ian
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Headlines are Global markets plunge!
Weird isn't it?
Morons in the financial world all start selling at the same time, prices plunge as they all run around like headless chickens.
I'm buying.
Valuations on some stocks are now looking very cheap. ;D
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Headlines are Global markets plunge!
Weird isn't it?
Morons in the financial world all start selling at the same time, prices plunge as they all run around like headless chickens.
I'm buying.
Valuations on some stocks are now looking very cheap. ;D
nearly time to buy then ;)
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please no more of this misery , get a life , positive people always do better than backward looking doom mongers , you know who you are lol
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Got shooed away by a customer this morning. Hubby lost his job....and I quote:
" We're only spending money on essentials..."
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Got shooed away by a customer this morning. Hubby lost his job....and I quote:
" We're only spending money on essentials..."
Can understand what they mean but........would have been nice if they had phoned you to let you know before you turned up ::)
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please no more of this misery , get a life , positive people always do better than backward looking doom mongers , you know who you are lol
We are positive in the fact that this year will probably be tougher than the last few in the world of ££££, which means that we are positively gloomy that we may have to work harder to keep our income going....... ;D saying that we are positively knackered as we have so much work coming in and I say "at the moment", because I am quiet positive that in future months the level of new work will fall ;D ;D
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Got shooed away by a customer this morning. Hubby lost his job....and I quote:
" We're only spending money on essentials..."
Can understand what they mean but........would have been nice if they had phoned you to let you know before you turned up ::)
Oh well, I expect she had more important things on her mind.
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Got shooed away by a customer this morning. Hubby lost his job....and I quote:
" We're only spending money on essentials..."
Can understand what they mean but........would have been nice if they had phoned you to let you know before you turned up ::)
But she couldn't use the phone as it is now a non essential, you will probably get a letter in a few days telling you not to come last week ;D
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I'm buying.
Valuations on some stocks are now looking very cheap.
Thats not funny, I just put £36000 pension money into a shares portfolio on the 3rd January. I make it I was 4 grand down this morning. Dai
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I'm buying.
Valuations on some stocks are now looking very cheap.
Thats not funny, I just put £36000 pension money into a shares portfolio on the 3rd January. I make it I was 4 grand down this morning. Dai
You mean you invested in a SIPP?
Unfortunately when putting a large amount into shares it is all about timing but if it's any consolation your previous pension would have suffered just as badly.
It's the long haul that counts. ;)
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Yes mate they are. Not just the recession. We all been making good money from our commercial work but they notice it more when things look blacker with the economy.
Then you gotta remember that with all this cheap EU labour about, lots of new WFP vans about now. Your gonna get lot of this.
Try offing 10% reduction for two year deal or summat. No loyalty these businesses. Money talks. You WILL get undercut soon mate.
Good luck
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Lost my first job today (commercial) >:(,first one in years and i mean years i can`t even remember last time i lost one,£100 a month gone >:( and it was by being undercut :-\
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Lost my first job today (commercial) >:(,first one in years and i mean years i can`t even remember last time i lost one,£100 a month gone >:( and it was by being undercut :-\
if you had it for years didn't they give you a chance to match the new company's price?
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Lost my first job today (commercial) >:(,first one in years and i mean years i can`t even remember last time i lost one,£100 a month gone >:( and it was by being undercut :-\
if you had it for years didn't they give you a chance to match the new company's price?
it was far too low to match :-\
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Lost my first job today (commercial) >:(,first one in years and i mean years i can`t even remember last time i lost one,£100 a month gone >:( and it was by being undercut :-\
if you had it for years didn't they give you a chance to match the new company's price?
it was far too low to match :-\
if they have outpriced themselves then keep in contact you may get it back ;)
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Got shooed away by a customer this morning. Hubby lost his job....and I quote:
" We're only spending money on essentials..."
Can understand what they mean but........would have been nice if they had phoned you to let you know before you turned up ::)
But she couldn't use the phone as it is now a non essential, you will probably get a letter in a few days telling you not to come last week ;D
bet theres no stamp on the letter!
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Lost my first job today (commercial) >:(,first one in years and i mean years i can`t even remember last time i lost one,£100 a month gone >:( and it was by being undercut :-\
if you had it for years didn't they give you a chance to match the new company's price?
it was far too low to match :-\
if they have outpriced themselves then keep in contact you may get it back ;)
Oh yeah they will they get a second chance and if they want me back it will be at a higher price ;)
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Lost my first job today (commercial) >:(,first one in years and i mean years i can`t even remember last time i lost one,£100 a month gone >:( and it was by being undercut :-\
I have not lost commercial yet but one went from weekly to 2 weekly :-\ it will happen I know but I just keep feeding the machine and get more ;)
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windowwashers/
maybe your resesion proof .but ive seen 2 houses reposesed in the last wk in my area .
my shares have also taken a dive .
maybe its not a ressesion but its a bit bumpy .
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It's a given that America is heading for a recession...which naturally means the UK won't be far behind!
People will still want windows cleaned...but maybe not quite so often, so the monthly might become 6 weekly, 6 become bi, bi become quarterly....!!!
poo happens....but he upshot is:
You can't be sacked ;D
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It's a given that America is heading for a recession...which naturally means the UK won't be far behind!
People will still want windows cleaned...but maybe not quite so often, so the monthly might become 6 weekly, 6 become bi, bi become quarterly....!!!
poo happens....but he upshot is:
You can't be sacked ;D
That's a fact! :)
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windowwashers/
maybe your resesion proof .but ive seen 2 houses reposesed in the last wk in my area .
my shares have also taken a dive .
maybe its not a ressesion but its a bit bumpy .
Bumpy yes, eggs in one basket never ;) you shares should rise and I should have bought the other day would have made 5% ::)
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Only if you buy the right ones. ;)
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Only if you buy the right ones. ;)
cages in very small ones
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That's the great thing about this job - if you need more work you often can go out and get it.
Most of us get the casual "can you do mine" from across the road, but if you need to you can usually up it from that.
You also get to choose where to canvass!
Peter