Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Clive McDonald on June 12, 2009, 07:30:46 pm
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I mentioned getting a helper and things have gone really well. Turns out he could already trad and was poling solo within half an hour.Me doing backs which are usually harder, and him fronts.
Things couldn't have gone better, he's carefull and i have stressed that it's quality and lack of complaints thats important. He hasn't got my speed, but he's good enough.
For three and half weeks we went like trains, but this week, next week, and the week after we have hardly any work.It never occured to me that we would burn through the work so fast that we wouldn't have any.
For the two poor weeks i will be on about the same wages as him.
I'd like to hear your comments on this, don't worry about upsetting me- if you feel like taking the mick thats fine- I just wondered what your take might be on this.
Am i getting what i deserve? or is this a necessary capacity adjustment in my growth strategy?
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go out and do some canvassing when the work runs out then at least it wont be an ongoing issue, well done in getting someone reliable first attempt as getting goood staff is the hardest part.
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Pull up in a street let him set up and start the job while you put some flyers out or canvass, should slow you both down a little and you'll start picking up more work.
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You've done really well Slumps! Now canvass like Billy Whizz!
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just send him out you put your feet up while he makes the money ;)
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get both of you out canvassing.
work on the same road either side or take every other house each.
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Take a day or 2 off and rest a bit. Canvass the areas where you want to work while he is doing the windows. Also rember the slack you have now will be easily lost when the winter sets in again....
Regards
Mr H
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You havent got nearly enough work to employ someone. It may look good my man but his wages should be going into your pocket and I suspect youv realised this.
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Just canvass with him, he will see the benefits. Have you any customers who might need gutter clearing? Facias etc. If you let him go you will have too much work, just put up with the lack now get more jobs.
Well done though! What is he on? ie. hourly or %. Employed or casual subbie?
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I mentioned getting a helper and things have gone really well. Turns out he could already trad and was poling solo within half an hour.Me doing backs which are usually harder, and him fronts.
Things couldn't have gone better, he's carefull and i have stressed that it's quality and lack of complaints thats important. He hasn't got my speed, but he's good enough.
For three and half weeks we went like trains, but this week, next week, and the week after we have hardly any work.It never occured to me that we would burn through the work so fast that we wouldn't have any.
For the two poor weeks i will be on about the same wages as him.
I'd like to here your comments on this, don't worry about upsetting me- if you feel like taking the mick thats fine- I just wondered what your take might be on this.
Am i getting what i deserve? or is this a necessary capacity adjustment in my growth strategy?
What you asking us for?
You have the formula to sucsess, the drive, the passion, the business accumen! Come on man, why don't you "drive to a new area & come back with a pocket stashed with cash" like you used to?
Sir. I do hope you're not pooping it!
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Had to happen really, you need nearly double the work of a fairly relaxed month that you would normally do. in hindsight maybe it would be better to employ part time untill the work had built up?
I've had far too much work lately on my own but it would be nothing like enough to employ.
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You havent got nearly enough work to employ someone. It may look good my man but his wages should be going into your pocket and I suspect youv realised this.
This may be true, i don't know yet.I did find the pressure of working on my own, never having a day off, finding it hard to attend to new work, and also going along with my wifes pressure for holidays and then dealing with the backlog tough.
I was prepared to settle for earning less, but being able to cope mentaly and physicaly better. By this i don't mean that i was having a breakdown, or that i wanted to work half days. Just that i could catch up after a holiday etc.
Some very good replies and food for thought for me. I see my george list virtually empty for the coming week and i start to panic.
Employed sunshine.That's what i thought sunshine take the loss. It's not fair to give him days off when i expect him to work like a dog when the works there.
Macmac i'm always a little scared. I've been lucky with the guy i've got i know that, but how can one person sustain enough work for two? I think my capacity is now half as much again and that is leaving gaps. The three and half weeks that were untrammeled were a bit like looting the treasury of a small country, so i expect i shall get by somehow.
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Slumpbuster
I would let him clean the round on his own, while I canvass more work to add to his round untill it is full,.
I would then built up a new round up to 60% then look for another cleaner, and repeat the proceduce untill you have 5 full time cleaners, you then promote one to be the cleaning manager, who looks after the other cleaners and to make sure that all new cleans are clean by him to maintain your quality standards, he also has to canvass for new work as well.
You can then concentrate on getting the bigger contracts by networking and promoting you business more personally.
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William, has just said everything I would have.
I would not get your single guy out canvassing with you, they only need to learn some aspects of your business if you get what I mean.
when i first emplyed I went from 6 weeks to three weeks then down to 2 and a bit weeks. Gives you time to do what is needed to grow whilst he is working.
Ian
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All good replies so far. When I was younger (30ish ::)) I got my work up to the size where I needed 1 full time and now and then 2 or 3 part timers too. The hardest part was getting and staying on top of the work before I set the full timer on.
It sounds like you have "jumped the gun" by setting the guy on full time and that's why you are running to catch up and get more work. Sounds like you will cover it in the near future though mate.
Perhaps before you set the next guy on, it might be best to set him on part time first. Don't forget , I went to university and studied the "bleeding obvious" ;D
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All good replies so far. When I was younger (30ish ::)) I got my work up to the size where I needed 1 full time and now and then 2 or 3 part timers too. The hardest part was getting and staying on top of the work before I set the full timer on.
It sounds like you have "jumped the gun" by setting the guy on full time and that's why you are running to catch up and get more work. Sounds like you will cover it in the near future though mate.
Perhaps before you set the next guy on, it might be best to set him on part time first. Don't forget , I went to university and studied the "bleeding obvious" ;D
You did a window cleaning degree at uni, :o
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How many custies you got?
I'm mostly on my own and after 31/2 years if wfp am covering 800 custies in 51/2 weeks.
So maybe you canbox cleverer?
I hope to increase numbers till I get up to 8 week intervals. Then work with a part timer to bring it back down to 6, then canvass a bit more & so on.
I reckon 1 man can handle 1200 custies every 8 weeks.
Kevin.
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All good replies so far. When I was younger (30ish ::)) I got my work up to the size where I needed 1 full time and now and then 2 or 3 part timers too. The hardest part was getting and staying on top of the work before I set the full timer on.
It sounds like you have "jumped the gun" by setting the guy on full time and that's why you are running to catch up and get more work. Sounds like you will cover it in the near future though mate.
Perhaps before you set the next guy on, it might be best to set him on part time first. Don't forget , I went to university and studied the "bleeding obvious" ;D
You did a window cleaning degree at uni, :o
Joking mate, what I meant was, in a perfect world it all works out in the end. I think in this game, a 1 man band and a 10 man team work and earn well, everything inbetween is a juggling act that is hard to keep in balance, if you know what I mean.
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Thought window cleaning wasn’t rocket science! It’s probably just a case of missing the blindingly obvious. ::)
Another pearl of wisdome there Ewan. What, in this thread is blindingly obvious?
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How many custies you got?
I'm mostly on my own and after 31/2 years if wfp am covering 800 custies in 51/2 weeks.
So maybe you canbox cleverer?
I hope to increase numbers till I get up to 8 week intervals. Then work with a part timer to bring it back down to 6, then canvass a bit more & so on.
I reckon 1 man can handle 1200 custies every 8 weeks.
The number depends entirely on the ave price of the customer, you would never be able to handle 150 of my customers per week!
Kevin.
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Im in the same position mate, but i would just pay him to go leafletting and canvassing with you when theres no work and work your backsides off, soon you will have enough :)
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How many custies you got?
I'm mostly on my own and after 31/2 years if wfp am covering 800 custies in 51/2 weeks.
So maybe you canbox cleverer?
I hope to increase numbers till I get up to 8 week intervals. Then work with a part timer to bring it back down to 6, then canvass a bit more & so on.
I reckon 1 man can handle 1200 custies every 8 weeks.
The number depends entirely on the ave price of the customer, you would never be able to handle 150 of my customers per week!
Kevin.
Not so much price as size of house.
Most of mine are 3 beds with a splattering of conservatories.
My speed has increased with the quad. Iwouldnt have looked at 20 houses a day let alone 30 as now.
Box Clever,
Kevin
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You might not have enough work but do you earn enough you might well do,as long as you`ll earn enough the empty days can be used then to try and get more work.In the start like i say it`s not how much work you have it`s how much your earning per month,you might get through 4 weeks worth of work in 2.5 but as long as your doing the money it dosent matter.
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By form of leaflet let all your current customers know of other services you offer such as gutter cleaning ,conny cleaning drive cleaning thus creating more turnover for yourself and worker
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Thanks for all the replies. This has worried me and i've found it reassuring that others have faced the same problem.