[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

Hello all,

I am thinking about starting in the window cleaning sector and have been told that the best payers are the commercial contracts...

A.  Is this true?

B. How is the best way to get these contracts?

Many Thanks....

Darren   :

[david watts]

no its a mare 1 no loyalty some one comes in your out no mater how long
you been on the job.
2 tupe law may apply loads of dosh down the pan;

3 evry one has same idea
4 you have to think outside the box i didnt get where i am to day by not thinking outside the box

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

Thanks David,

So what would you advise thinking outside the box. Please help as I would love this business to succeed...

Thanks again mate... 

[cleewindows]

my advice is walk before you can run m8!

Thanks David,

So what would you advise thinking outside the box. Please help as I would love this business to succeed...

Thanks again mate... 

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

Thanks clee windows.... You are right of course so where is the best place to start.

 mate many thanks       

[david watts]

1 you go leafleting you pick up all the crap off evryone else so
2 adverts you need to get in papers or yell . com
3 maybe villages near by that are overlooked
4 takes time good signwriten van or stick on ones on car

[daz1977]

i know some people have lost commercial contracts and it has left a big hole in there month

[daz1977]

by commercial contracts do u mean  1 shop  or all the b and q in london type thing

[Nathanael Jones]

Nearly all my commercial work contacted me through my website. I've gotten a couple of contracts by sending letters out to prime candidates and new stores/offices that have just opened.
In my experience commercial work does pay very well,.. but its also the first to go in a recession & the first that will be targeted by your competitors. I like commercial work but I have a good mix of domestic work too,.. never keep all your eggs in one basket!

Also worth noting is that chain stores (B&Q, Currys, PC world etc etc) usually are handled by national contractors & subbed out to local guys. The prices for these are silly (£50 for any size store was offered to me) and often wouldn't even cover diesel & travel time. This work suits those who employ, but isn't worth chasing as a sole trader.

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

Thanks to all of you. You are all so very helpful 

[Tom White]

I guy I know from this site ran an 'Introduce me to your workplace' scheme where he offered free cleans when his domestic customers recommended him to their workplace to provide a quote.

He said it worked well.

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

That sounds like a great idea. thanks tosh....

[Martin ccs]

oh dear oh dear! if you think that commercial work is the best payers then im affraid thats not the case.

commercial work has changed so much over the years.

years ago big shops,offices and so on would have plenty of money and have windows cleaned in and out all the time, carpets cleaned ....... and use local companies.

but now its all sub work in general, dont get me wrong there are some big companies still paying out good money and often but that is getting smaller and smaller.

now its windows every so many months and no extras, the account depts of each company try and hold on to the money for as long as they can, i know everyone says i have a 30 day policy but they will still hold on to it for as long as they can.

i do work for B&Q,ATS,AHF,Starbucks,Punch Pub Company ............ a mix of both is prob best.

[daz1977]

i know some one who use to supply ici, and ici turned around to them and said either you go on 90 payments or we get some one else and would only pay on the last day

[Martin ccs]

ive done a big job for Anglia which is part of the CO OP group, so on the 30th day i rang up to chase the invoice - was told yes we have that invoice on our system and we shall look into putting it on the list for payments to be considered! 

[daz1977]

ive done a big job for Anglia which is part of the CO OP group, so on the 30th day i rang up to chase the invoice - was told yes we have that invoice on our system and we shall look into putting it on the list for payments to be considered!

this is what is putting me off going after commercial jobs, been asked to quote a docs surgery, but am going to find out payment terms before i do it as can do jobs on domestic and wait to get paid  lol

[Martin ccs]

that may come from them or payment from your local council so maybe ok - its more bigger companies that mess you about.

bigger the company, bigger the job, bigger the price you charge and def bigger the headache!

we once worked on a new uni for two months - got paid last - so the suppliers, builders,plumbers and so on got paid before use - took 3 months to see a penny off them.

ive done jobs behind on 3 months of payments and when you chase it up you get a chq for the middle clean and not the other two months!

but hey apart from that its great!

[D woods]

Commercial work is cr*p you are better of doing domestic.............

[Craig Trevain]

that may come from them or payment from your local council so maybe ok - its more bigger companies that mess you about.

bigger the company, bigger the job, bigger the price you charge and def bigger the headache!

we once worked on a new uni for two months - got paid last - so the suppliers, builders,plumbers and so on got paid before use - took 3 months to see a penny off them.

ive done jobs behind on 3 months of payments and when you chase it up you get a chq for the middle clean and not the other two months!

but hey apart from that its great!

3 Months? your lucky that would be early for us, Dave's right stick to domestic you know where you are then.

[D woods]

We still have some custies that owe from Feb.