Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: geefree on December 09, 2008, 10:40:39 pm
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I know it can be disheartening, when one are two people are worried they have lost customers... or think they are about to...
This is the way i look at things, im not an economist or into politics,
but if unemployment is at 5.%.... thats 95 people out of 100... who are working
Thats a huge amount of houses bringing in an income. so thats a huge amount of potential for the growth of your business.
So lets say you drop 1000 leaflets and you normaly get 1 or 2% return... just drop a couple of hundred more.
The cup is still 95% full.... not 5% empty
Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
There are people worse off.
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Agree with you. Have just put an ad in mag with circulation of 8000 got a £10 and £12 regular plus a £300 one off since Sunday. Got another quote tomorrow be about £10 to 15, if I get it.
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Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
Christmas is a nightmare! I think i was Jewish in a previous life or something, i just find the run up to it stressfull at best. still look forward to opening the black socks christmas pressie from the in-laws though :/
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Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
Christmas is a nightmare! I think i was Jewish in a previous life or something, i just find the run up to it stressfull at best. still look forward to opening the black socks christmas pressie from the in-laws though :/
thats negative..... apart from the socks ;D
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I totally agree at being positive in times like we are going through at the moment.
The problem for some people,not just wc's,is that their businesses survive in areas where a large amount of new unemployment occurs,and this can be really disheartening.
I have one customer who works in woolworths,and she is all doom and gloom at the moment,and who can really blame her.Now if your round was concentrated in an area where there was woolworths,mfi,honda,sony,hbos....get my meaning,those poor sods are not going to get that positive vibe that others get.
Lets just hope that no one on here,or anywhere else,suffers to badly due to the incompetance of greedy politicians and others who have milked the system.
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there was a news article yesterday about a small town where i do a shop every now and again, my wife used to work near there so i would do it on way back its like £8 for one big shop front, good job....anyway i was thinking maybe i should canvass round there and do half a day.....this news item though said that area is the highest in the country for people claiming disability, 50% of work age people there claim!!!mental....no way there are that many........it used to be a centre for industry and textiles but when that died the place became a poo hole, anyway sorry thats pretty negative but just found it interesting,
On a positive note, although i have only bagged 1 maybe 2 of them, i have been getting offered some massive contracts recently, and the phone rings steadily......and im not lucky before you think that, ive been dropping 1000 leaflets every 1-2 weeks, and posting as many letters too business as i can find time, and built 3 websites....so it all takes effort to set yourself apart! the work comes but gradually
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I know it can be disheartening, when one are two people are worried they have lost customers... or think they are about to...
This is the way i look at things, im not an economist or into politics,
but if unemployment is at 5.%.... thats 95 people out of 100... who are working
Thats a huge amount of houses bringing in an income. so thats a huge amount of potential for the growth of your business.
So lets say you drop 1000 leaflets and you normaly get 1 or 2% return... just drop a couple of hundred more.
The cup is still 95% full.... not 5% empty
Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
There are people worse off.
Official unemployment figure is 5.8%
With 55 million people in the UK that .8% equates to an extra 440,000 people 'officially' not working.
The 5.8% DOES NOT inlcude:
1. Those on sickness benefit
2. Training (college or uni)
3. Long Term sick (disability benefits)
4 Economically inactive parents (single parents)
5. Carers
The true figure of those "not working" is probably closer to 20%
Theres a whole host of other "groups" the government has conviently removed from the official figures.
Sorry to pop your bubble....it is BAD out there. and it WILL get worse before it gets better.
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Well said Gazzap8..you just have to think postive and act positive...if we act like our throats have been cut that is just what will happen.
We all know that plugging away trying to build a round is hard but what is harder is keeping a round turning over and increasing it's worth. Ignore the pundits, pub experts and all the other doom and gloomers....
So stop whinging pull you finger out and crack on!!! (if this does'nt concern you...ignore it ;)).
Cheers
Dave.
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I know it can be disheartening, when one are two people are worried they have lost customers... or think they are about to...
This is the way i look at things, im not an economist or into politics,
but if unemployment is at 5.%.... thats 95 people out of 100... who are working
Thats a huge amount of houses bringing in an income. so thats a huge amount of potential for the growth of your business.
So lets say you drop 1000 leaflets and you normaly get 1 or 2% return... just drop a couple of hundred more.
The cup is still 95% full.... not 5% empty
Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
There are people worse off.
Official unemployment figure is 5.8%
With 55 million people in the UK that .8% equates to an extra 440,000 people 'officially' not working.
The 5.8% DOES NOT inlcude:
1. Those on sickness benefit
2. Training (college or uni)
3. Long Term sick (disability benefits)
4 Economically inactive parents (single parents)
5. Carers
The true figure of those "not working" is probably closer to 20%
Theres a whole host of other "groups" the government has conviently removed from the official figures.
Sorry to pop your bubble....it is BAD out there. and it WILL get worse before it gets better.
You can probably add another 10%, of people on the dole are actually working but screwing the system.... so they are better off too....
so we are back to nearer 5%
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Got over £100 worth of new customers these last 2 weeks, didn't even canvass, they just came up to me. :)
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I know it can be disheartening, when one are two people are worried they have lost customers... or think they are about to...
This is the way i look at things, im not an economist or into politics,
but if unemployment is at 5.%.... thats 95 people out of 100... who are working
Thats a huge amount of houses bringing in an income. so thats a huge amount of potential for the growth of your business.
So lets say you drop 1000 leaflets and you normaly get 1 or 2% return... just drop a couple of hundred more.
The cup is still 95% full.... not 5% empty
Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
There are people worse off.
Official unemployment figure is 5.8%
With 55 million people in the UK that .8% equates to an extra 440,000 people 'officially' not working.
The 5.8% DOES NOT inlcude:
1. Those on sickness benefit
2. Training (college or uni)
3. Long Term sick (disability benefits)
4 Economically inactive parents (single parents)
5. Carers
The true figure of those "not working" is probably closer to 20%
Theres a whole host of other "groups" the government has conviently removed from the official figures.
Sorry to pop your bubble....it is BAD out there. and it WILL get worse before it gets better.
You can probably add another 10%, of people on the dole are actually working but screwing the system.... so they are better off too....
so we are back to nearer 5%
I think you'll find 20% minus 10% equals 10%....and not 5% ;D
Its OK guys, I didnt want to rain on your parade.
If you think everything will "fine" by thinking nice thoughts, then the very best of luck to you :)
I choose to operate a businnes plan which reflects the part of the economic cycle we are in (or entering) depening on your view.
Do I want house prices to be dropping - NO!!!
Do I want companies to be making redundacies - NO!!!
Recognising that they are (and it may continue) is nothing more than reading the weather report saying its going to rain tomorrow....I "wish" it wasnt. But that doesnt make it any less reliable.
So I'll make plans for tomorrow on the strengh of the information I have today - its going to rain....I'll do some inside work :)
However, in the face of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, you choose to do outside work.....then lets hope your "wish" comes true and it doesnt rain.
I'm not saying its the end of the word guys...
Just that maybe you need to step up your game and canvass more and hang onto customers you've got and save a little more and spend a little less.
Does that make me a doom monger?
Its probably NOT a good time to be thinking of buying that new van. Or new system. Or that extension on your house or remortaging....
Sit tight. Work hard. Save a few quid for a rainy day.
Its all to do with spending money you havent earnt yet!!
Do you expect to earn the same amount this year as last year? Do you expect all of your customers to be with you from last year, next year?
Its BASIC business guys!!!!.....NO, I wont be spending money this year I havent earnt on the strengh of economic output from last year.
I choose to look forward - and not back over my shoulder.
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David Slater, well said, spot on!! I second you business plan.
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I agree with Dave Slater, He's thought it through the way it is, not what we would like it to be.
Our government tell us that we are the best placed nation to ride out this storm, well they would wouldn't they? They told us a few months back that we were not going into recession.
Our european cousins are buying none of it, that's why if you go down to the post office in the morning you'll only get one euro for your pound. When I was in Jakarta this summer I could get $2 for a quid, I would now get $1 and 40 odd cents. Why is it that with the US economy being in the mire, the US dollar is worth so much more?
They tell us what they want us to hear, I'm sorry I don't trust them, looking at the bigger picture my gut instinct has set off the alarm. We are borrowing billions from the very institutions that got us in to this mess to begin with.
The good ship Great Britain is heading for the rocks, we haven't hit them yet, but no matter how they try and turn the wheel or go astern, we will hit them. OK we may not sink, but it's going to take a hell of a long time to repair the damage.
The insatiable greed of the few, will cause a great pain and suffering for the many, always has, always will.
Some thing never change.
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Yes, it does make you a doom monger.
Instead of talking about what you have heard in the news, how has the current credit Crunch directly affected your business so far?
In the north west in general - 16,000 job losses IN 12 WEEKS
In my specific region (Greater Manchester) -
House prices DOWN by 30% in 12 months - check landregistery or Hometrack or or Haliwide (acronym for Halifax Nationwide)
RICS - Royal Instute of Chartered Surveyors - commercial prices DOWN by 30% and expected to fall further in 2009
RICS - lowest level of mortgage approvals since record began.
NAEA (National Assocition of Estate Agents) - member going bust at highest levels ever recorded.
Audit Office (government body) - lowest levels of mortgage approvals since records bagan
General - Citigroup: heading towards worst reccession since 1930's
If you can put a positive "wish" on that.....then the very best of luck to you :)
Otherwise, I'd start thinking about what may happen when my customers LOSE their jobs.
If you want to stick your herad in the sand....I supppose thats a totally valid option -
.....just one I choose not to follow.
1. I have been unable to raise money.
2. I have been unable to refinance.
3. My credit card facilities have been reduced.
4. My overdraft has been reduced.
...should I continue?
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So lets say you drop 1000 leaflets and you normaly get 1 or 2% return... just drop a couple of hundred more.
The cup is still 95% full.... not 5% empty
Lets be positive . ;).... its christmas too.... so lets feel lucky too at this time of the year.
There are people worse off.
the post is not saying everything is ok.....where on earth did that come from?
as you can see from my text above... its about planning ahead and concentrating our business on the people who ARE working.... and that is a positive thing... the whole post is positive..... whover thinks i am trying to be happy in this time of doom and gloom..you are right... i am !!.....
because if we all start thinking the end is near, we may as well give up right now!
Forward thinking, planning ahead, and working harder at building our business is the key... and targetting the millions who are working , by putting the extra mile in,
its not about raining on my parade, or about me getting the figures wrong... that was not an add up... it was a snide comment at the thousands who are working and claiming benifits.... they have money, so they can afford us... is the point i was making.
The post is about being positive, working hard and staying afloat... if some people take that to be ... well. lets say.. not the way to do it.. and wants to stop others thinking positive,...well ok...
but i for one posted it because i dont see nagative... and its not a jolly happy post, or a happy bubble, to be burst.
its think positive, concentrate on biulding, work is still out there... millions are employed.
the cup is very full, not a little empty.
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Keep it up Gazzap8....
Cheers
Dave.
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Keep it up Gazzap8....
Cheers
Dave.
Yeah Gaazasp8,
PLEEEEASE show me what am I am reading is wrong, lies, press spin, doom mongers....etc etc etc
I presume you too will be providing some quality sources for you information :)
For GAWDS sake guys!!!.....do you think I WANT this to be happening???
Anyway, the very best of luck to all of you....go buy another system, and a new van and a new house and spend like a crazy person on your credit card for Christmas....because we all know Slaters just a doom monger and you'll earn it all back in the New Year ;D ;D
HURRAYYYY!!!!! :)
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Cheers dave.
its geared at steering us through the bad times,
we all know the facts... but its how we choose to deal with them thats important.
there are too many doom and gloom topics, which people can post on, if thats how they feel, although i do understand the facts and figures,
this is not what this topic is about.
its about being positive, and i dont mean being positive by saying its getting worse, or look whats happening here there, or anywhere.
Heads down , work hard, plan your strategy, move your customers to 8 weeks if need be when in danger of losing them, canvass more.. leaflet more, ask friends and neighbours and customers for recommends.... fill any gaps that may appear in your round, or fill them before ...if you feel you have to.
Be positive. ;)
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Keep it up Gazzap8....
Cheers
Dave.
Yeah Gaazasp8,
PLEEEEASE show me what am I am reading is wrong, lies, press spin, doom mongers....etc etc etc
I presume you too will be providing some quality sources for you information :)
For GAWDS sake guys!!!.....do you think I WANT this to be happening???
Anyway, the very best of luck to all of you....go buy another system, and a new van and a new house and spend like a crazy person on your credit card for Christmas....because we all know Slaters just a doom monger and you'll earn it all back in the New Year ;D ;D
HURRAYYYY!!!!! :)
i think you must be reading another topic.
so if you owned a shop you would close it, in case customers stopped coming in?
because of facts you are reading...?
or would you be positive and do more to entice customers to stay with you...?
oh i know... you would probably tell them the world is coming to an end so go and shop somewhere else..
it strikes me you are frightened to death Dave. you are in the doom and gloom mode tonight.
we all know about the blooming economy.
but..oh never mind.
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I suppose it is about seeing this 'time' as a opportunity/wake-up call or something of that ilk...
Yes people are losing jobs and yes the movement of money be it real or numbers on a computer somewhere is slowing rapidly....but and here it is...
Live with it....or die by it....
Were all on this fourm for as many reasons as there are members but I suppose we are all here to hear the gossip and the whats and wherefores of our industry both good and bad...
Cutting back at the moment is very sensible...am tightening my belt as much as the next man...but I shall make 2009 a year where I strive to make my business a better one than I have made it this year...will be entering my 3rd proper year of w/c and this is the year that I will be able to say I am where I want to be.
So plans and preparation are key to this....but act like a dog and generally you'll be kicked like one...I prefer to do the kicking... ;D
No disrespect meant to anyone.
Cheers
Dave.
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[Its probably NOT a good time to be thinking of buying that new van. Or new system. Or that extension on your house or remortaging....
Sit tight. Work hard. Save a few quid for a rainy day.
I do agree hard times are coming and we have to be vigilent to make sure we ride it out but what you have said is exactly why it will get worse and worse.
If now isn't a good time to buy a van (and I am not saying it is) when is? Is it when the motor industry is on its knees and all the staff layed off and we have lost them as customers?
Same for the systems, is it a god time to buy when Brodex and the others are bust because nobody is buying? Same for the builders, is it a good time to get an extention when all the suppliers and trademen are either bust or working in other industries?
Meanwhile we will have lost these as customers so will not be able to purchase anything ourselves because everyone else hase gone to the wall and dumped us.
Same for just about every trade going. If everybody takes this attitude we will be bankrupt as a country with nobody buying anything.
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The winning strategy is quality, cost and volume.But what's great about it is that as Ewan points out this is counter intuitive so very few in our game have the smarts to figure it.
Of course there aren't 95 out of a hundred people working. People not registered such as school kids, pensioners, housewives, sickness claimants, immigrants, illegals, people too affluent or on the first six weeks of redunacy money etc- these number quite a few.
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Thats the way guys.
Blooming Heck, Thanks for all your replies.
Thank god for positive people.
;)
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Cheers dave.
its geared at steering us through the bad times,
we all know the facts... but its how we choose to deal with them thats important.
there are too many doom and gloom topics, which people can post on, if thats how they feel, although i do understand the facts and figures,
this is not what this topic is about.
its about being positive, and i dont mean being positive by saying its getting worse, or look whats happening here there, or anywhere.
move your customers to 8 weeks if need be when in danger of losing them, canvass more.. leaflet more, ask friends and neighbours and customers for recommends.... fill any gaps that may appear in your round, or fill them before ...if you feel you have to.
Be positive. ;)
i agree ...we may well be on the down, but ill go down FIGHTING :P I HAVE A CUSTOMER WHOS A RETIRED MILLIONAIR OOPS SORRY FOR SHOUTING.....his advice was work hard !work hard !work hard! then work even harder! :P :'( :'( :'( :'(
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his advice was work hard !work hard !work hard! then work even harder! :P :'( :'( :'( :'(
I take it he doesn't advocate an electric reel then ;D
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his advice was work hard !work hard !work hard! then work even harder! :P :'( :'( :'( :'(
I take it he doesn't advocate an electric reel then ;D
lol ;D
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It doesn't matter what the situation is like. The worries can be debated forever. There isn't really much point.
There are 3 ways i can go. Carry on working the same way. Reduce prices, or give up.
All i can do is to keep trying to do a good job and keep hold of what customers i have, instead of dropping them cos they take a couple of months to pay. Look for opportunities and hopefully grab them when they arise.
Whatever happens, i'll just carry on. I will let other people worry about it.
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Your a long time dead, and negative thoughts tend to be people feeling sorry for themselves, Look at what you have and what you can get, some just dont know how lucky they are, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
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It doesn't matter what the situation is like. The worries can be debated forever. There isn't really much point.
There are 3 ways i can go. Carry on working the same way. Reduce prices, or give up.
All i can do is to keep trying to do a good job and keep hold of what customers i have, instead of dropping them cos they take a couple of months to pay. Look for opportunities and hopefully grab them when they arise.
Whatever happens, i'll just carry on. I will let other people worry about it.
Mark we all have to carry on mate, I agree with Gazza, and even dare I say it Ewan on this occasion, we do have to think positive to move forward, hence my post a few weeks ago about this being no time to rest on our laurels.
We will lose customers and we will have to face working in a more competitive environment.
There is nobody more positive than me, I did start back in this game when I was in my 50's, and built my round from scratch, this following redundancy and the loss of my wife.
We are sailing through uncharted waters, we have to think about the worse case scenario and develop strategies to cope with it. one strategy is to try and recruit as many new clients as possible now, to make up for any future losses.
Now does anyone have a round made up entirely of policemen, social workers, school teachers, armed forces members and health care workers?
If you do you only have to worry about undercutting Newbies.
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hey windy have you paid your ad fee?
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Well i'm still picking up work, so i'm doing something right ;D yes there is a bad patch to get through but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have my own plan and in less than 8 wks i have more work than i can cope with. I will need to lose 100 custies before i start to worry ;D ;D
*******Merry christmas*******
;D
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Now does anyone have a round made up entirely of policemen, social workers, school teachers, armed forces members and health care workers?
Keep away from army married quarters; they're a nightmare as customers! They keep on getting sent off to Afganistan or Iraq and their wives go home to Mum; and the married quarter is left empty for months on end; or you when you've built up a good customer base, they up-sticks and do a 'unit move' and you lose all your customers.
They're not good customers.
But getting back on topic, I can't say we've felt the 'credit crunch' here; maybe a few lost customers but last Autumn was probably our best ever period for taking on good quality new work.
And for the first time since I started window cleaning, this Christmas is all paid for, bills covered till January; we're going to have two-weeks off and we're only working part-time uptill we finish anyway.
What credit crunch?