Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Daniel Watson on April 22, 2010, 08:00:01 am
-
I am really new to this job but business is expanding rapidly and i am really enjoying myself.
i cant help but think this is all a bit too easy, there must be some troubles ahead that i have not accounted for.
any advice?
-
i also started about 4 months ago and the same as you i am finding it so easy there are more windows to clean than there are window cleaners to clean them i have never known such an easy business to build up the only downsides for me have been the very cold weather when i first started one thing i learned early on from this forum was never underprice any work because just around the corner there is another house who will pay what you want i have been pricing at between £2 to £3 per window depending on size frames leaded etc and have been enjoying between £25-£30 per hour i get at least two enquiries a day from an advert in a local parish mag and my mail shots
-
the only real pit fall is the winter , gets a bit hard then
-
Start sticking money away for the tax man.
-
I am really new to this job but business is expanding rapidly and i am really enjoying myself.
i cant help but think this is all a bit too easy, there must be some troubles ahead that i have not accounted for.
any advice?
My advice would be save for tax and get an accountant.
dont spend hours trying to save pennies ;)
and get a website ;D
-
Put money away for Tax, winter, sickness ...every week.
Dont become a friend of the customers family if you get my drift..you supply a service thats all..be friendly by all means but 1st and foremost you are a business.
Don't do freebies unless it makes you feel 'good'.
Don't underprice just to get the job, you'll end up hating that job forever.
When you loose a customer go out and get 2 more.
When you have had enough of a customer go out and get 2 more then drop them.
Don't drop a customer that day...go home...sleep on it and if you still feel they should be culled...see the above item.
When it's raining and you just don't want to go out...go out and then make the decision whether to scrap the day or not.
Watch every facet of your business..this will enable you to make better decisions about what and how you want to change.
Set each day with a target amount to be earnt...then earn it...re-evaluate, alter target and then go for that.
Not every customer is trying to have one over on you...but watch out for those who are.
Clean...then get paid, if not paid don't clean until paid.
Do an honest job for an honest bob.
Do what you promise when you promised you would do it and and do it well.
Have at least 12 weeks money in the bank just for bad weather, time off.
For most this window cleaning can become boring especially when the buzz of building that perfect round has dulled....think about how you will cope with it.
Don't take it all as a personal attack...people are just people and they make mistakes as well.
Just a few that I have made up for myself and a few I learnt from here.
If you go wfp:
All connections will leak, break or explode without reason or cause at any time, hoses do have a miind of thier own and they hate you, batteries will completely discharge themselves just because they want to..and they hate you too...
Pole will break, snap, jam..because they hate you too...anything that needs to connect to anything else will not do so...again because it all hates you.
;D ;D ;D
-
Start sticking money away for the tax man.
Ah, don't worry about them. ;)
Make sure you've got enough for clothes, a new telly, and beer.
-
think most of the things have been covered.
dont let customer muck you about and make sure you get your pricing right from day one, otherwise you will have older customer that have a lower price than newer ones (hope that makes sense).
winters are getting worse with the snow so save up. Jan & Feb can be a nightmare with xmas just gone and non stop snow for weeks.
i always find just when things are going well something will come and bit you in the ass - van breaks down, big commercial job closes down, ladder fall ..............
-
Put money away for Tax, winter, sickness ...every week.
Dont become a friend of the customers family if you get my drift..you supply a service thats all..be friendly by all means but 1st and foremost you are a business.
Don't do freebies unless it makes you feel 'good'.
Don't underprice just to get the job, you'll end up hating that job forever.
When you loose a customer go out and get 2 more.
When you have had enough of a customer go out and get 2 more then drop them.
Don't drop a customer that day...go home...sleep on it and if you still feel they should be culled...see the above item.
When it's raining and you just don't want to go out...go out and then make the decision whether to scrap the day or not.
Watch every facet of your business..this will enable you to make better decisions about what and how you want to change.
Set each day with a target amount to be earnt...then earn it...re-evaluate, alter target and then go for that.
Not every customer is trying to have one over on you...but watch out for those who are.
Clean...then get paid, if not paid don't clean until paid.
Do an honest job for an honest bob.
Do what you promise when you promised you would do it and and do it well.
Have at least 12 weeks money in the bank just for bad weather, time off.
For most this window cleaning can become boring especially when the buzz of building that perfect round has dulled....think about how you will cope with it.
Don't take it all as a personal attack...people are just people and they make mistakes as well.
Just a few that I have made up for myself and a few I learnt from here.
If you go wfp:
All connections will leak, break or explode without reason or cause at any time, hoses do have a miind of thier own and they hate you, batteries will completely discharge themselves just because they want to..and they hate you too...
Pole will break, snap, jam..because they hate you too...anything that needs to connect to anything else will not do so...again because it all hates you.
;D ;D ;D
THAT is the bible as far as I can see. . Best piece of advice I've seen on here for a long time. Apart from the WFP points which I can't comment on as I'm not WFP yet.
Impressive.
-
So Dave Anderson = Pingu! Yay! Glad you're back!
-
Steer clear of internet forums.
-
top post Dave Anderson ;)
-
Put money away for Tax, winter, sickness ...every week.
Dont become a friend of the customers family if you get my drift..you supply a service thats all..be friendly by all means but 1st and foremost you are a business.
Don't do freebies unless it makes you feel 'good'.
Don't underprice just to get the job, you'll end up hating that job forever.
When you loose a customer go out and get 2 more.
When you have had enough of a customer go out and get 2 more then drop them.
Don't drop a customer that day...go home...sleep on it and if you still feel they should be culled...see the above item.
When it's raining and you just don't want to go out...go out and then make the decision whether to scrap the day or not.
Watch every facet of your business..this will enable you to make better decisions about what and how you want to change.
Set each day with a target amount to be earnt...then earn it...re-evaluate, alter target and then go for that.
Not every customer is trying to have one over on you...but watch out for those who are.
Clean...then get paid, if not paid don't clean until paid.
Do an honest job for an honest bob.
Do what you promise when you promised you would do it and and do it well.
Have at least 12 weeks money in the bank just for bad weather, time off.
For most this window cleaning can become boring especially when the buzz of building that perfect round has dulled....think about how you will cope with it.
Don't take it all as a personal attack...people are just people and they make mistakes as well.
Just a few that I have made up for myself and a few I learnt from here.
If you go wfp:
All connections will leak, break or explode without reason or cause at any time, hoses do have a miind of thier own and they hate you, batteries will completely discharge themselves just because they want to..and they hate you too...
Pole will break, snap, jam..because they hate you too...anything that needs to connect to anything else will not do so...again because it all hates you.
;D ;D ;D
that about sums it all up wish i read that years ago :)
-
u n me both stu ::) :)
-
time u were in bed hitman lol ;D ;D
-
time u were in bed hitman lol ;D ;D
m8 i give up on that ;D i know im ugly :o im way past beauty sleep ;)
-
at 18st n 6ft 2" id say u were ugly shrek lol
-
:o :o thats not v nice :o true but not nice ;D
-
only aving u at it
lad ow do u think i feel
im yr besty m8 so im
DONKEY lol lol lol ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
only aving u at it
lad ow do u think i feel
im yr besty m8 so im
DONKEY lol lol lol ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
hah donkey is my fav ;D
-
Getting back to the topic.
Get used to the fact that your INCOME will work out at about 50% of your TURNOVER.
So if you make £800 per week you actually will have £400 to live off. The other 50% should be put away for tax, expences, illness, holidays and bad weather.
If you dont put it away you will have problems!