Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Clive McDonald on April 12, 2008, 09:32:52 pm
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I aim to do this job as well as it can be done. There are some areas i'm not sure of yet, but others where i think i'm ahead of the game. Are you ready for this?
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I aim to do this job as well as it can be done. There are some areas i'm not sure of yet, but others where i think i'm ahead of the game. Are you ready for this?
Well as the old saying goes " you get what you pay for " ::)
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For instance managing the round is very important, for this I use george, but it's important to tick jobs and payments off and enter new customers. To keep on top of this i've bought a little 12" laptop with a three and a half hour battery life.I now try to do this in one of the vans where I have a wait rather than later that night or the next day. While george doesn't diffferentiate cash I also mark off cash and cash that george doesn't account for.
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I aim to do this job as well as it can be done. There are some areas i'm not sure of yet, but others where i think i'm ahead of the game. Are you ready for this?
What are you not sure of? and are we ready for what? 8) Syd
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i think most of us work that way,
you have to be organised in any business you do. ;)
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To be well organised is good bussiness practice, and if your cheap as chips you will have plenty of work to organise.
Someone said to me " Any fool can be a busy fool" hence i'm not cheap, but hey I have enough work.
So good on you.
Roy
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very fancy...but what do i have to be ready for?am i the tax man????
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I'm trying to be better organised the idea being if I come on here and bragg for want of a better word I might prompt someone into telling me an even better way.
My payment slips for instance could be better and I would like to get a version I am happy with professionaly printed.
Discount Window Cleaning called and cleaned your windows today while you were out.
You can pay either by posting a cheque made out to ‘Discount’ in the addressed envelope provided, or online via bill payment giving the first line of your address or name as a reference directly into the Discount Business Account. Please pay within 7 days. Discount banking details are as follows;
Sort Code: mmmmmm Account Number: mmmmmmm
Thank you.
Phone: mmmmmmmmmmmmm
Email: mmmmmm Website: mmmmmmmm
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Online baking is ok but i can`t see lots of people wanting to give out sort codes and account numbers,they might do it for large national companies like british gas,telecom etc but the WC i can`t see it myself.
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My debt management is poor I should add and an area I can improve on.
Many of my customers are eight weeks simply because I give them the option. I am very envious of cleaners with 4wk rounds. I can't decide if this my fault, or I am far sighted in spotting the trend for longer cleans and attracting customers because of it.
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Are you saying you don't do this NWH?
You astound me, this is very basic. This is the way to do it it's not even a disscusion, I'm asking if anyone can help me to do it better.
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i also have a prob with online baking, NWH. ;D
OI, DISCOUNT, calm down! you go to work, you get paid, you're starting to sound German.
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do the job on time, get paid on time.
its not down to being super efficient, its down to rapour with your clients and not being afraid to ask. simple, no stress.
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My website is poor . My leaflet is effective, but from there to the website must let me down.
I am strong on marketing and the tech on my van is a very advanced prototype which makes the actual work very easy, but as you say I am always looking for ways to improve.This is what I mean about being passionate.
AJ, not be afraid to ask is a good point, sometimes i'm too busy.
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do the best job you can and clients will WANT to pay you on time. it will take them a long time to find another WC as good as you. be friendly and polite to all your clients, tie that in with excellent service and why wouldn't you get paid on time. no better advertising than recommendation.
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discount, whats your website called
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Um with a name like discount, will the customers be expecting one? I don't mean to be rude but why the name Discount Cleaners? Sounds like you'll be full of special offers and cheap service.
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Nice computer set-up.
Feel inspired to set up a virtual window cleaning business. That way I could clean loads of windows cheap as chips and retire this time tommorow.
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the word discount sounds like a cheap service to me,
you only get what you pay for, people will pay a higher price for a good service that is not to say you don't offer the above
it just sound a bit to tacky for my taste
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Is it just me or does "discount" sound a lot like our long lost friend "Mr Sol"???
Not that I mind,.. I always enjoyed Mr Sol's posts.
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Discount window cleaning, this sounds like you sell cheap wc equipment etc its a bit confusing and could portray a cheap service. I am not being rude in anyway but i am sure you want the best for your buisness. All of your customers might expect a cheap service ???
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What I really want to know is if I get more computers can I clean more windows?
I think a picture of your window cleaning gear would be more interesting than a desk with several computers.
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I also think that the name "Discount Window Cleaning" doesn't quite fit the bill. OK if you're selling goods cheaply then yes you can use the word "discount". But to my mind I can't see it applying to a service because there's no benchmark as to how much a particular service should cost. Eg: Some hookers charge £25 for their services whereas others charge £100 (not that I'm an expert in such matters you understand ;D), and some window cleaners charge £10ph and others £50ph.
So really when providing a service it's how much the provider values his/her time that reflects the end price. In other words to provide a "discounted" service you'd have to be cheaper than the cheapest w/c in your area.
Anyway that aside I really think you're over-complicating a pretty straightforward business, you:
Arrive at customers house
Clean windows
Collect there and then or leave sae
Return after agreed interval
Clean windows
Collect there and then or leave sae
Return after agreed interval
etc
etc
This is not rocket science and you certainly don't need more hardware/software than mission control at NASA.
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But why does the guy need 3 computers? (also 2 calculators - 1 for each hand)
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No it’s not rocket science, but if you are trying to build a business and not remain a one man band, you do need to have in place a more complex infrastructure; otherwise you are going to hold yourself back.
The WC on this forum who wish to remain self employed, can’t seem to understand what others are trying to do and overlay there working practices on to some one else business.
I have been WC for 1 year and will be looking to take on a full time WC in the next 12 months. Advice from self employed WC’s will still be helpful but not in every area of my business as it grows. Fact is some of the advice will be totally useless, may work for them but not for me or others as it’s to simple.
Ewan ;D
My post was more referring to self employed w/c'ers. OK once it grows and you start to employ then of course you need to have some infrastructure in place eg:
PAYE
Employee Insurance
BUPA ;D
Credit Control
etc
but seriously for the vast majority of w/c'ers it's a nice little earner that anybody with a personality and IQ above a goldfish should be able to make a living from ;D
I do and I'm the laziest bugger on Earth!
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Bare also in mind Ewan that this profession/industry is pretty well unregulated, so there's no minimum training requirements or other government hoops to jump through....anybody can buy ladders, bucket, scrim and blade and call themselves a window cleaner.
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To a lot of WC it’s more than a little earner, It’s there living.
And the full time professional WC I know are smart, just because the work can be viewed as menial it’s no reflection on the people that do it.
I’m sure the ones you are referring to work just as hard, but unfortunately more than likely don’t maximise there earnings and the customer reaps the full benefit because they get more for there money.
Ewan ;D
It's my living as well and I'm not for one moment implying that w/c aren't smart. All I'm saying is that it's a lucrative trade that doesn't need a big investment and doesn't need training and doesn't need an over- in-depth business plan.
As I said:
Wash
Get paid
Wash
Get paid
...don't get simpler than that ;D
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I'm not incompetent thank you very much. I earn good money and know my business and customers as much as I need to and will be in business as long as I need to be!
I find it stress free and actually very easy and I have no intention at the age of 50 of expanding and employing people because I frankly neither need the extra money nor hassle.
You seem to be very defensive about your business and I get the impression that deep down you're ashamed of it....don't be Ewan, it's a great business but it doesn't need to be over-complicated....that's all I'm saying!
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I think with a name like 'Discount' people would automatically think of cheap & cheerful & therefore expect a low price. I would think it would be harder to command a higher price in the quality sector.
Also how is it possible to qualify or quantify that the customers are indeed getting a discount? Do you have a menu pricing system?
Not knocking your set up but it wouldn't work in some areas of the country.
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No need for apologies because no offence taken ;D
Ambitions is what you have...old is what you get (sic)!
Don't ever be pessimistic....quite honestly unless you're a complete moronic imbecile (and reading your posts you're obviously not) you would be hard pressed not to make a living out window cleaning. It's possibly the most uncomplicated job going IMO, so treat it as such, solve problems as and when they arise and above all enjoy it.
I wish you well mate.
Simon ;D
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I'm not incompetent thank you very much. I earn good money and know my business and customers as much as I need to and will be in business as long as I need to be!
I find it stress free and actually very easy and I have no intention at the age of 50 of expanding and employing people because I frankly neither need the extra money nor hassle.
You seem to be very defensive about your business and I get the impression that deep down you're ashamed of it....don't be Ewan, it's a great business but it doesn't need to be over-complicated....that's all I'm saying!
Comment was not aimed at you personally, it is just a saying, but my post was a bit strong so I apologies Simon.
Just starting, so maybe I am a little ambitious and have a lot of work to do as well as maintaining my WC round but these are my choices. I am defensive about what I do it’s only because I know a lot of people are pessimistic, so I always try to keep my guard up.
And not be influenced by these types.
Ewan ;D
You can keep your guard up and listen to what people are saying, most points on here from the experienced guys are top notch but there is a a reasonable amount of small talk too. If you've been at it for one year only you still probably have plenty to learn, if you are thinking of employing you need to pass on your experience and skills to have a quality member of staff.!! Its not an overnight thing a good buisness can take a few years to build.
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Thanks Simon & MJH, I do make a point to listen to yours and others, views and knowledge. Sometimes I like to thrash the comments out so I fully understand, and also it keeps my feet on the ground when I hear words of wisdom from some of you who have been at this game longer than me.
Cheers Ewan ;D
You sound ambitious like me, if you are dedicated and work hard you will suceed and do well!
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Discount windows is an eyecatching name for your customers as they will think "Oh goodie, cheap window cleaning" which will portray your services as cheap even though you may do a quality job and have an uphill struggle trying to quote higher prices.
I personally would ditch the 'discount' part of your name or you may find yourself becoming the 'busy fool'. No disrespect to you or your business name.
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Is it just me or does "discount" sound a lot like our long lost friend "Mr Sol"???
Not that I mind,.. I always enjoyed Mr Sol's posts.
:) I think so too.
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The idea is about being passionate with your business and doing it as well as you can by attention to detail. Some bits i've got sorted and others I know I haven't. I was hoping for a bit of inspiration to help me in the areas where I can improve, and in return I would share a bit of what i've got.
Ewan posted about nocheques and a card machine, and I can see that could be an improvement. I thought maybe someone would say they have a better payment slip. As I said my debt management is poor.
Some of the comments are a little disapointing from longer established window cleaners who seem to
lack fire in their bellies.There's not much point me giving them pointers if they know it all.
This is a big subject, with a lot of ground to cover and I simply took this as a starting point. It's supposed to be about others who share my passion and think they can do things better.My lifes not over and washed up at fifty- if yours is and you're happy thats great, but don't generalise. Churchill thought himself a failure for many years having been sidelined and passed over for his big lifetime ambition of being PM.Then quite unexpectedly at the age of sixty five guess what?
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are you really mr sol ??? ??? you seem to be on the same wave lenght
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are you really mr sol ??? ??? you seem to be on the same wave lenght
I am thinking the same thing, I liked mr Sol he thinks out the box sometimes a little ott but he obvoiusly had/has a passion for what he does.
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As promised, a dog leg clutch
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Course its MR sol , do you really have to ask !!!!!!!
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Thats funny, didn't i suggest using a clutch on your electric reel?" Good idea DJW" Why thank you Mr Sol. ;D
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My website is poor . My leaflet is effective, but from there to the website must let me down.
I am strong on marketing and the tech on my van is a very advanced prototype which makes the actual work very easy, but as you say I am always looking for ways to improve.This is what I mean about being passionate.
???
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the tech on my van is a very advanced prototype.
Stop giggling at the back!
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My website is poor . My leaflet is effective, but from there to the website must let me down.
I am strong on marketing and the tech on my van is a very advanced prototype which makes the actual work very easy, but as you say I am always looking for ways to improve.This is what I mean about being passionate.
???
Precisely.