[windowswashed]

First tried it four years ago, itmwas a bit of hit and miss at first then got carried away with valves, air plates and all sorts

It works really well the trick is the thickness of the copper pipe how long the pipe is and of course how tight you wind it in the coil

Circulating the water as I drove took me a while to figure but you track the feed pipe and outlet pipe through a split a bit like the points on a railway and use our old friend gravity to keep it moving

Gordon

I came up with the idea of circulating water for wfp through a calorifier tank using the vehicles radiator pipes 9 years ago along with a few other ideas

[James Leet]

Im not sure I really get this.

Dont get me wrong I respect the amount of work you have put in so far.

It seems that the one thing that makes our jobs so much better than other trades is repeat cleans not one offs. Maybe im missing something but this idea seems to kill that.

If all my customers started doing this then it would be a nightmare to co-ordinate and the regularity would be gone.

It doesnt work

I have a Street with 40 houses, I clean 30 of them on the 3rd week of the month, it takes me 2 days, they then take up this offer and phone me when they want them done, 6 decide on every 3 weeks, 1 wants them done on the 12th, 1 on the 18th, 6 decide on every 5 weeks and so on

I now have to call back to this street many times per month  :

just daft

[gordonswindows]

James I can't decide if you are trying to find problems are genuinely interested or just playing hard to please

If you looked at the site we work the town in areas in a weekly cycle which means the client never has to wait longer than a week for a clean and we know where and when to fit them in

It is not a single person cleaning the windows it is a team backed by a well thought through plan.

Let me believe that you are interested and try to explain. I used Tesco as an example earlier but to show how this works let me try a budget airline. They tell you where they are flying when they are flying and what it will cost then you the client choose what doesn't happen is they pay for a flight and tell you when to fly and where to fly too just as we do

We show you where we will be when we will be there and how much it will cost your example doesn't work due to you already having customers in a present schedule. We don't do domestic window cleaning at present apart from the odd large home so it was a blank canvas for us to work from

Windowwashed well done for coming up with your idea, has it worked well for you? I feel like you are trying to "protect" your idea by showing how much earlier you were than I was but really you have no need to worry on my account. I am very pleased to find a similar thinking person and I wouldmlove you to share your other ideas too.

My copper wrapped around an exhaust gave a bloke an idea for ambulances that need hot water so I wrote to a charity that works with the red cross and they use the basic system helping others in the third world, to think that I may have helped even in the tiniest way to help others is very rewarding

I also thought up the use of tin foil placed under the insoles of work boots,it works by reflecting the cold back out of the boot while retaining the heat generated from the foot. I cam up with this after discovering that the rubber s
Les of boots freeze which means you end up standing on a piece of frozen rubber. I sent a pair to Doc Martins who wrote a kind letter in reply along with a pair of their new style of work boots

Gordon

[bluez]

Where I am based we dont have the same tradition of regular scheduled window cleaning that you do across the pond so generally the number of one - off cleans is much greater. This caused me a lot of frustration building my business, searching for the discerning client that would not only commit to a regular clean but also not turn me away on a whim.

So I gave up looking for them and decided to take all one-offs, I put set prices on houses based on a very general phone converstaion, no visiting to quote and I took my chances. Built up a database of 4500 customers. Nearly all of them ad hoc, some once a year some 12 times a year, I didnt care, the price was the price.

Did I cock up some prices?
Sure I did but I cocked lots in my favour as well, swings and roundabouts. After the first clean I would charge what I had quoted and give an ongoing quotation.

It worked fine for me and I didnt put anything like the effort that Gordon has into it.

After year 1 it got pretty easy because the majority of calls were for repeat business and I had the accurate details in the database, hardest thing was saying I cant do it this week cos Im too busy.

Anytime I hit a slow patch I would send a text or flyer a particular area with a seasonal special offer.

I am certain that it will work for Gordon, I am also certain that it wont take over the existing tradition of window cleaning in the UK but it will corner a great big slice of the market where Gordon works.

Last point, nothing wrong with operating as a " cab office" generating the window cleaning clients and spreading them out to decent window cleaners in the area. Its not what most of us do but then its business, so whatever makes a crust.

[James Leet]

I also thought up the use of tin foil placed under the insoles of work boots,it works by reflecting the cold back out of the boot while retaining the heat generated from the foot. I cam up with this after discovering that the rubber s
Les of boots freeze which means you end up standing on a piece of frozen rubber. I sent a pair to Doc Martins who wrote a kind letter in reply along with a pair of their new style of work boots

Gordon

Gordon, This was done on building sites in the 1970's

You are either taking us for Fools or just trying to look smart.

[Richard iSparkle]

i think the people who already have WCs who they're happy with wont look for this type of service.

people who dont have WCs dont really look online for one at the moment.  so canvassing and leaflet drops are the best way to get them.

you will pick up work, but theyll be people who want one off cleans, and irregular cleans.  it wont really tap the same market as the regular WCs.  

for me, i think these ireg clients are the worst.  most hard work.  least loyal, most price focussed, so we dont want them.

i like the innovation, and applaud the hard work, but think that the basic premise is flawed.  you will get work, but not the type you want.
 

[Perfect Windows]

I also thought up the use of tin foil placed under the insoles of work boots,it works by reflecting the cold back out of the boot while retaining the heat generated from the foot. I cam up with this after discovering that the rubber s
Les of boots freeze which means you end up standing on a piece of frozen rubber. I sent a pair to Doc Martins who wrote a kind letter in reply along with a pair of their new style of work boots

Gordon

Gordon, This was done on building sites in the 1970's

You are either taking us for Fools or just trying to look smart.

Oh for heaven's sake, leave it.  Does it matter?

[mikecam]

Anyone running a book on how long its gonna last or take to become a 'success'?

[Tom White]

Don't you think that people still have a perception (and maybe justified judging by some recent press reports) that window cleaners are burglars in disguise, and cleaning someone's property is quite a personal thing; so they like to meet their window cleaner and know the same one turns up each clean?

Isn't that what the customer purchases - the tradesman - and not just the labour of getting their windows cleaned?

[dazmond]

i love the fact that ive got a good solid customer base of regular repeat window cleaning on 4 weekly/6 weekly/8weekly frequencies.ive also got a good paying account on a 6 monthly.

i also pick up fascia/soffit and conservatory roof cleaning add on jobs usually from existing customers throughout the year esp in spring/summer when i can fit more in.

the best thing is my customers understand the way i work and ill normally give them 2 frequencies(4 or 8 weekly).

i never get the 8 weekly customers saying "is it that time already?"

as for collecting it keeps me in contact with my customers and puts a "face" to my business.quite a lot of my customers pay on the day of clean,some by SAE and BACS transfer.

it works well with good cash flow most of the time.

the absolute best thing is the low stress and simplicity of it all.

your idea gordon will probably give you one long headache!!

its not for me.im perfectly happy with the way my business is run as it is!


regards


dazmond

[gordonswindows]

Thanks to everyone who read this thread and a special thanks to those who took the time to post, it doesn't matter if you are for or against it only matters than everyone's opinion can be heard.

The way that business is being done has changed and change is always worrying really change is what has brought us all to here

The Internet allowed the majority to discover wfp, the forums allowed many myself included to share and learn from each other but most of all the Internet is now a trusted place to shop.

The credit crunch no matter who was to blame has changed the way we borrow the way we work and most of all the way we spend. The traditional ways of doing business whether it be our own special trade are dying out the new ways of recent years are now the traditional way and after the chaos the country went through there are new new ways and our site click2clean is only a natural progression of our business.

The people who believe window cleaning will always be in demand are the same people that believe we will always need window cleaners. But ask yourself who would have thought a few short years ago that a lot of ashtray manufacturers would be out of business video rental stores would lose their popularity and the one that still shocks and saddens me every time I walk down the High St, Woolworths who would ever have believed a few short years ago that Woolies could close.

And yes I know they still trade but where do they trade? yep online and where are the staff that said "oh they can't do without us" ?

We might not have the right answer to change we might even as some posters hope  crash and fail but at least we are trying

Over 900 times this thread has been read so there just might be something in our idea

best regards

Gordon

[dazmond]

i agree wholeheartedly tosh.gordon doesnt understand the domestic market!

customers will often be "won over" by my easy going nature and after years of cleaning for them trust and familarity!

im sure i pick up work because im not as ugly or rude as some window cleaners in my areas.also one trusted reliable(easy going!)tradesmen is more attractive than 3 lads clambering all over your house eyeing up their daughters and the MAC PC/flatscreen TV in the living room!!!

[BORBRYCE]

Gordon, honestly. You have been dealing in commercial too much to understand residential. It is the trust factor in residential that is important to all too many. I feel your hard labour, although very well thought out and technically well implemented, will however be wasted on the cream of residential work, most of which will already have been taken.
You say the best money will not be in window cleaning but in the add on work. You know that is simply not true and I suspect you already have missgivings about posting your new venture on this forum, which is full of your competitors and I believe you are now trying to subtly play it down just in case someone somewhere copies this idea.
The idea is unique from your point of view and does take some thought to implement and credit to you for at least trying something new.
I wish you all the best Gordon..

[mci services]

I get the feeling some are worried about this idea, but to be honest, I can't see a problem with it. initially the market that no one else wants will like this way and maybe in the future this could have a knock on effect but people are strange and some will love this method and others will still prefer the guy they trust and know.

But yes the market is changing all be it slowly and we all may have to adapt in the future.

anyway good luck Gordon, hope it goes well, You certainly have covered all the basics, and yes there will be few headaches as domestic customers are a pernickity bunch at the best of times

[deela1]

Honestly think this is a good idea in the long term,just as we find new work by word of mouth so will this imo
people like to know prices before they commit, i know i have given quotes for cleaning gutters etc,the customer has agreed but i got the feeling at the time they were embarassed to say no thanks.....this way at least you know where you stand
good luck anyways

[zimzam]

the local surveys we completed showed the most annoying thing for a customer is having money collected from their house.

local surveys of window cleaners say they hate collecting from houses.

[Richard iSparkle]

Over 900 times this thread has been read so there just might be something in our idea

best regards

Gordon

that's not evidence that it's a good idea!  it's because of the title you gave it! 

[groundhog]

the local surveys we completed showed the most annoying thing for a customer is having money collected from their house.

local surveys of window cleaners say they hate collecting from houses.

I've been full time window cleaning for 10 years and never collected once! I'm like most on here, I leave an addressed envelope with an invoice.. and a stamp if its a larger customer ie £25+, some also like to pay direct debit or internet transfer. 

[Paul Coleman]

One of the items you mentioned Gordon was about people waiting in for the window cleaner - either to make payment or for them to clean.  I believe this is less of an issue these days.  I do mostly domestic window cleaning and I haven't collected for quite a few years.  Cheques in the post or bank transfers are the ways I accept payment when a customer is not at home. Same thing if they are at home - though some prefer to settle with cash.  As for waiting in for the window cleaner to do the clean, if a customer insists on being home when I clean in order to give me access, this is a customer who I don't work for.  I will text/phone the night before for a few but I won't usually do appointment times.

I'm sure you will get work the way that you propose.  I'm not so sure that you will get enough to keep the guys fully occupied.  However, if they are all subbies, you won't have to pay them for the slack periods anyway.  I feel it is more likely that it would work as just a fairly small percentage of your overall work - but my guess is that you would need the usual regulars in order to keep it going.

I've been asked quite a few times over the years for one off cleans.  Whether or not I'm able to do them depends on whether I'm working the area in the next few days or not and/or how busy I am, (I won't deplete the service I give my regulars in order to supply a one off).  However, the biggest obstacle to me doing one off is that the potential customer tends to give very little notice of it.  They generally want the job done for a particular occasion and clean windows seems to be their very last afterthought.  I was recently asked to do a clean before a particular date.  Their house was 10 miles in one direction from my base.  I was working 10 miles in the other direction for those few days.  With a team, you would be able to cover that.  As a sole trader, I had to decline.

What you propose probably will work but only if most of your customers are regulars.  Be prepared to price them a lot higher than the regulars though.

[James Leet]

I also thought up the use of tin foil placed under the insoles of work boots,it works by reflecting the cold back out of the boot while retaining the heat generated from the foot. I cam up with this after discovering that the rubber s
Les of boots freeze which means you end up standing on a piece of frozen rubber. I sent a pair to Doc Martins who wrote a kind letter in reply along with a pair of their new style of work boots

Gordon

Gordon, This was done on building sites in the 1970's

You are either taking us for Fools or just trying to look smart.

Oh for heaven's sake, leave it.  Does it matter?

Yes it does

He is claiming to have thought up the idea

What is next ?  we thank him for inventing the wheel, cause he said he did