[poleman]

Hi ever one iam andy from the window cleaning side of things, i have just posted this topic as i allso do cleaning as well ie hallways of blocks of flats and some floors, how ever Next retail have ask me to give them a quotation for a 6 times a week cleaning service in one of there BIG flagship stores iam looking for any sound advice/tips some of you mite have, iam going to have to take on staff mybe 6 part time workers to do this work, as my time at the moment is getting big contracts with my water-fed pole system but it would be silly not to qoute if i can my a profit from it, your help would be very much Appreciated, O if you needs any advice on windows iam the man


Andy

[Fox]

I may be mistaken but are next a group of dorothy perkins, top shop and burtons?  I think they are - if so I can give quiet important info - but maybe I'm wrong?!?!

[Musicman]

Fox, Next are an independant - not part of the Arcadia Group (now owned by Philip Green).

Andy, could you be a little more specific on the type of advice you want please? Is it pricing? Staffing? Putting a cleaning schedule together? Health & Saftety? Insurance? See what I'm getting at?

There is a lot of information already available on this forum but if you could be a bit more precise I will try to help you.

One comment on retail cleaning is that they expect a great service but are rarely prepared to pay for it! Also store managers change fairly regularly so contracts can be fairly short lived.

Musicman

[poleman]

Hi Musicman

thanks for your reply yes all of the above, Insurance is one thing that spring to mind....... taking on 6 part time works would this be diffrent to full time workers? what is the best way of keeping staff on the job, as the manager has told me that the present cleaning company staff dont allways turn up, is there a good system that i can put in place from the start? yes how is the best way of pricing the job? and what sort of profit margin can be made, does any one have a  cleaning schedule that i can print of to take with me, if you have any links regaring post of this topic i would be very gratefull, the meeting at the store is on monday and any help is very much needed.

ANDY

[Musicman]

Hi again Andy, sorry bout the delay in getting back to you you couldn't have picked a worse weekend - wifes birthday, footie match etc.

At this stage you need to be asking the client a few questions about what they want included in the schedule.

Is it just the retail area or offices, stock rooms, staff rooms, toilets etc that is to be cleaned?

I guess you have no idea on surveying so what are the square footages/meterages of the areas to be cleaned?

Most Next stores have vinyl floors; how often are they to be buffed? Is stripping and sealing part of the schedule? (Try to steer tha manager away from including this at this stage.)

You mention 6 cleaners - how did you get to this figure? Was it info you were given, or just a guess?

What are the cleaning hours? Probably early morning.

With regards to staff not turning up you could introduce an Attendance Bonus element in the wage rate - so if £6.00 per hour wages 50 pence of this could be retained as the bonus element.

If you can get all of the relevant info from the survey I can help you with the rest and will e-mail a cleaning schedule, price breakdown, method of working, terms and conds etc.

Musicman

[Ian Gourlay]

Dont forget TUPE. Could be a problem as you might be required to take over existing staff.

Ian

[poleman]

Musicman
Thankyou for geting back to me, the meeting is at 3pm monday, i was geting a bit worried as i have not do a big job like this, so very gald of your help

i good thing is that i know the manager as i use to clean the windows on a small next that he use to run, the store that he is in now he got me in to clean the windows and at the same time ask for a qoute for the cleaning.

yes its the retail area, offices, stock rooms, staff rooms, and toilets  it all on 2 floors with escalators.

when i cleaned the windows friday i counted 6 cleans, the manager did say to me he is not getting what the cleaning company said they was going to do.

so when i go in on monday i need to find out  square footages/meterages of the areas to be cleaned? the floors are laminate floor typ and did see a woman go round with a big floor machine Victor excel 20 and a spray botall, but will make sure i get to look in the cleaner cubberd.

the Attendance Bonus sounds very good would not of thought of that, have spoken to my cleaning supply and he said he can help with material and equipment (costing) and can take them to the store which helps things ITS NOT EASY DOING BIG JOBS so your help is very much needed Musicman, will let you know how things go tomorow and go from there.

Andy      

[poleman]

the Attendance Bonus so i tell any staff that i take on its 6 pounds a hour but if they dont turn up it only 5-50 a hour (or is it the way you have to word it), was think that if they dont turn up i wont pay them? or iam i braking the law on not paying them when they dont turn up. i will ask the manager about the persent staff and say about 2p, as it mite good to take on someone that knows the job, catch you tomorow

Andy  

[Musicman]

Andy, have sent you a PM with my phone number, give me a call and I will cover your questions directly.

[poleman]

Andy, have sent you a PM with my phone number, give me a call and I will cover your questions directly.

sorry have not been on cleanitup for a day or 2, been working hard with my big pole? just got your PM, the manager told me that he needs the qoute in by the end of next week so will give you a ring next monday if that is ok. your help is very much needed

andy

[Fox]

Musicman

Thanks for clearing that query up - the reason I asked was that I was asked quote for the floors in the Burton Group and was also asked to quote for our local next, however after a visit to the manager I didn't even submit my quote their budget was a joke!

Poleman - good luck hope all goes well.

Fox

[Musicman]

Hi Fox, how's it going with the new venture? Fingers crossed for you.

The last time I enquired about Burtons/Arcadia they had a national contract with Initial - hardly any of the store managers were happy but the trained chimps (buyers) at Head Office were as they were showing a cost saving!!!

My personal opinion is to leave retail as a market sector well alone - they are tough task masters - demanding the world but not prepared to pay for it. Also they are unrealistic in expecting the contractor to find cleaners for shifts as short as half an hour at Minimum Wage rates.

Most of the retail sector is sewn up by the 'Big Four' but some smaller chains act independantly.

Next, again in my opinion, are one of the better managed retail outlets (a neighbour of mine does a lot of their shop-fitting and says that they are good company to work for). If you have first hand experience in dealings with them you are one up on me so I bow to your comments on the budgets. All we can do is wait and see how Poleman gets on.

PS. I remember having a conversation recently with a manageress of Outfit (again part of Arcadia) and I believe that they now use LI Group - again not happy. When will they ever learn?! :-/

[Len Gribble]

Musicman

My sentiments exactly I was once into contract cleaning for a very large group ranging from local high street stores to out of town superstores, then the buyer decided centralise the cleaning contract granted I lost a lot of work, I now make more money doing one off cleans for them due to VIP visits.

Any one venturing into this field good luck.

Len

[Eureka Ventures]

Musicman

"If you can get all of the relevant info from the survey I can help you with the rest and will e-mail a cleaning schedule, price breakdown, method of working, terms and conds etc."

Apologies for dragging you back to a post so far back, but if the info is still on offer I would appreciate them all. I'm compiling a quotation package. Any additional info you deem relevant would also be welcomed.

Regards

Freddie