[Richard Cookney]

I'm just about to try my hand at window cleaning as my sole profession. I'm currently a civil servant and used to work with my Dad part time doing it. I currently despise my job and am 100% getting out of it asap and I think that Window Cleaning is my calling as it can also fit in with my coaching kids football as well.
Can anyone give me any advice of how is best to go about doing this profession on my own without it failing?

[Neil Gornall]

Best advice I can give is......

Dont go anywhere near Vinces patch 

[bobplum]

or gavs,bobs,richy and ians patches

my advice would be get straight on to wfp

bob

[mark mann]

I'm just about to try my hand at window cleaning as my sole profession. I'm currently a civil servant and used to work with my Dad part time doing it. I currently despise my job and am 100% getting out of it asap and I think that Window Cleaning is my calling as it can also fit in with my coaching kids football as well.
Can anyone give me any advice of how is best to go about doing this profession on my own without it failing?

hi mate
i got into window cleaning a year ago and likewise had decided id had enough of working for others i too had been a civil servant at one time even year as a heo. got fed up of the grind wanted my own business but has failed on two previous businesses. Biggest challenge to new business cashflow and surviving lean times. This time i secured to part time jobs and started to build round, now have one part time job and my round that has not failed to grow month on month. this is a good time of year too start as sun out people think of windows.

highly reccommend door knocking and leaflets more so than adverts and if you aim to deliver an honest and good reliable service then you will derserve to succeed. i would advise dealing with folk that havent got one for one reason or another so just ask if theyd like a window cleaner and describe the service you offer. dont price someone who already has a window cleaner -i never have - an unwritten rule you dont try to alienate fellow wc- i have made friends with 3 local to me and well often have the odd chat or help each other out - its nice that way,  ive even said well have our own christmas lumch this year. wfp is the way to go and you can get that up and and running for under a grand if money is tight.

it will give you flexibility -it will at times make you feel 80 years old as well, with aches and pains pretty much everywhere inc your hands. personally i love it, i love the freedom and that im building a round slow and steady. tho i aim to achieve much more this year now my speed is up (happens with practice and finding your technique)

winter aint all that fun and too hotter days can be equally a pain tho great to splash yourself of with your water which you cant do in a stuffy office.   

[mlscontractcleaner]

I reckon the bset bit of advice you could receive is to take most of what you read on this site with a large pinch of salt; the guys who say they wont do a house for less than a million quid - more if they want the frames done too!!!!
Take it slow, get your prices right as soon as possible; not as easy as it sounds and we've all priced a job too low without realising it 'til we went to clean it for the first time, Be as reliable as the weather will allow and if you know you're going to be later than a couple of weeks let the customers know so they don't think you've simply disappeared.
Start with WFP from the outset but learn to use a squeegy for when you clean the inside windows.
Be better than the competition; attention to detail mate; little things like pvc doors make a world of difference and the customer will notice!!

Above all try to make the customers actually like you; it'll be a lot harder for another WC to take your work that way.

And enjoy; some days are crap others are brilliant, treat them both the same.

Good luck.

[MJHolmes]

Hi mate.....I started out last july after being on the dole and being a bum having before worked for one of the best retailers in the country and i learned alot from dealing with customers and what there expectations are for 12 years....but realised that window cleaning is a easy, cheap and relaxing profession to have. I started with £150 to get the basics and now have great round that im proud of.

MARKET REASEARCH IS KEY...FIND OUT WHAT A CUSTOMER WANTS FROM A WINDOW CLEANER.

My advise is to build a website,,,I get 70% of customers throught it even tho i leaflet drop and have a sign written car and a uniform to make you look professional. Find out what your competition is doing around you, but do not under cut them,, some can be very nasty.

Having a customer come to you, is more better than you trying to poach customers from others. This then backs you up that you have done nothing to poach this customer from others and you can go about your monthly Cleans with out any fuss. I had one asked me....HOW DID YOU GET THAT CUSTOMER... I replyed to him that they had contacted me and asked if i could do there windows. I then said IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUTS THEN PLEASE ASK MY CUSTOMER. But remember theres no need to be funny with him asking this. as he proberly has most of the customers on his street. But that customer.

1. May not want to use him
2. But still want a Window Cleaner
3. So why cant you clean that customers windows.
4. Try to bulid a repor with fellow window cleaners in your area (i have).

I hope this Helps you..

Matt

[Ian101]

or gavs,bobs,richy and ians patches

my advice would be get straight on to wfp

bob

 

[AuRavelling79]

Get a part time job and build up your round on the days off.

[Richard Neal]

Get a part time job and build up your round on the days off.

And always close the gate when youve finished 

[sf]

Always price what you think your worth.Its too easy to fall in to the trap of under pricing because your desperate for the work. AND LEARN TO BITE YOUR TONGUE lol

[lcwalker]

Get a part time job and build up your round on the days off.

And always close the gate when youve finished 

Totally agree even when i deliver leaflets i make sure i shut the gate everytime it shows you care.

[Erithwc]

Get a part time job and build up your round on the days off.

And always close the gate when youve finished 

Totally agree even when i deliver leaflets i make sure i shut the gate everytime it shows you care.

i was delivering leafets the other week went to the door and the keys were still in the key hole so i knocked on the door told the person that anwsered and gave him a leaflet 

[deela1]

have answers ready for the following...........

is it a month already?

i didnt know you cleaned them in the rain?

which day did you do them?

and of course....how many sugars 

when canvassing dont let the knockbacks get you down....keep going, you will get results

have a clear price per window/hour you want to charge.... collections, bookkeeping, travel etc is work

[Dave Anderson]

Put money by for winter, sickness, etc, etc...hard at the start.

Do what you say you'll do when you said you would do it.

Be fair to both the customer and yourself.

Don't price the job just to get it.

The 1st couple of years are great then the post 'build excitement' ends...keep this in mind.

Leaflets alone do work but combine this with doorknocking and you'll be amazed how many customers will come.

When you remove a customer from your round, replace them with 2 (Thanks Cozy).

Unless really prevoked do not 'dump' a customer that day, sleep on it....see above.

Not all customers are out to get you or put obstacles in your way.....but some are!

Put money by for winter, sickness, etc, etc...hard at the start.