[GDwindowcleaning]

Having compact work is the one of the most important things I think a lot of guys spend as much time driving between jobs as they do with the brush on the window.  That's why some can't understand how make as much as people say. My dad is 54 and he can still do £200 to £250 easy himself cus he has little or no driving, pulls into a street and he's there all day. Also I think it is a better move to get a bigger lwb van with as big a tank as possible than get second van. 3 plus men working from one van. Less cost more profit.

Yes but richard is saying they do 500 a day with one pole!!!!

[Richard iSparkle]

I love that one fella has to drive and just help out, not sure what he does but thats hilarious....

the truth is, when you're cleaning at this speed the van driver has to move fast too, reeling in and out, posting a slip, moving obstacles, laying out the hose, opening gates, and moving the hose onto the next house so the cleaner can just walk on and not stop cleaning.

but if you want to just ridicule it, then you can carry on working how you are now  

[GDwindowcleaning]

Just for the record I know concept has a very good business and achieves good figures...

[concept]

I love that one fella has to drive and just help out, not sure what he does but thats hilarious....

the truth is, when you're cleaning at this speed the van driver has to move fast too, reeling in and out, posting a slip, moving obstacles, laying out the hose, opening gates, and moving the hose onto the next house so the cleaner can just walk on and not stop cleaning.

but if you want to just ridicule it, then you can carry on working how you are now  

It gets better...

[Richard iSparkle]

Including travelling, reeling in, out, posting slips, etc etc...someone's feeding their Internet ego.

In short, no.

Comparing themselves to McDonald's? Wow, some bold claims being made.

can i ask what you yourself manage a day?

You can ask all you like, but I certainly wouldn't post figures in here.

You carry on doing what you're doing, and you'll retire before this is posted

if you're unwilling to enter the discussion by talking about what figures you think are realistic, then you're not really adding to discussion.

[Richard iSparkle]

Just for the record I know concept has a very good business and achieves good figures...

to be frank, their figures clearly aren't that good if he cant envisage what we're doing are they  :

[GDwindowcleaning]

Not everyone has paid 20 grand for a frachise so they have to rush around like mad men to make it pay either....

[concept]

If you can GENUINELY, and I mean GENUINELY, hit those figures, AS AN AVERAGE, as you say, taking into account front onlys, not today thanks, on domestics, then f*** me, you've just re-invented the wheel, and I would have my ears and eyes and possibly something else open for you to teach me how you do it.

[Richard iSparkle]

Not everyone has paid 20 grand for a frachise so they have to rush around like mad men to make it pay either....

that's a different question altogether...  and only i;ll be in the position to judge that really...  i;m aiming to be a medium sized business in the next 5 years and felt the franchise route was the easiest and least risky route for me to take...

[GDwindowcleaning]

Do you pay a fee on turnover?

[Richard iSparkle]

If you can GENUINELY, and I mean GENUINELY, hit those figures, AS AN AVERAGE, as you say, taking into account front onlys, not today thanks, on domestics, then f*** me, you've just re-invented the wheel, and I would have my ears and eyes and possibly something else open for you to teach me how you do it.

the simple answer is we do and you're quote right, it is very clever the whole business.  they've covered almost everything.  for instance we don't accept not todays except in unusual situations.  people pay by standing order which means they pay if we only clean the front or if they turn us away.  we're also careful about the houses we clean, and those we dont clean, and we charge good rates taking into account the problem cleans.

[Richard iSparkle]

Do you pay a fee on turnover?

i dont pay any ongoing fees no.  i got a good deal.  just paid upfront money for the franchise package, but i;m not actually a franchisee strictly speaking. 

[GDwindowcleaning]

So how did you get such a good deal? A franchise is just a frachise surely? You got all the benefits with no ongoing fees? Genius...

[thermoclean]

Richard is right it can be done but u missed the point of having a helper.
my point was to the guy that started this thread that a big van with a big tank with the three of them working from it would be from my experience a much better idea than buying another van with all the extra expense that would bring.
Also fantastic returns can be made with the right compact well priced work when some people points this out they get shot down in flames but it's true.

[concept]

Is that why there are plenty of Concept2o vans for sale throughout the year?

Standing orders, ok, I hear you, so, your guy turns up to granny smiths, and she decides "not today" you take the standing order credit and don't clean, or you clean anyway as you don't accept that?

If you are choosy about your customers and houses, what are your criteria? Must only pay s/o? Must be non council? Must be next to another one? No cash or cheque payments?!

Really, I'm intrigued.

[Richard iSparkle]

So how did you get such a good deal? A franchise is just a frachise surely? You got all the benefits with no ongoing fees? Genius...

i didnt expect the offer and it did make it an easy decision for me yes.

i say its not a franchise as i do not have a franchise agreement in place with them. no fixed territory, no fees etc etc.

they are going for BFA accreditation and need a couple of recent franchisees who've been through their program so that they can use us as case studies.  seemed too good to refuse

[GDwindowcleaning]

Nobody got shot down for suggesting compact work, its the holy grail of window cleaning and is massively important...

So if you on that package how long have you been going richard?

[thermoclean]

If you have 20k to spend then u would better to spend that on buying rounds
And get a decent reliable system

[Richard iSparkle]

Is that why there are plenty of Concept2o vans for sale throughout the year?

Standing orders, ok, I hear you, so, your guy turns up to granny smiths, and she decides "not today" you take the standing order credit and don't clean, or you clean anyway as you don't accept that?

If you are choosy about your customers and houses, what are your criteria? Must only pay s/o? Must be non council? Must be next to another one? No cash or cheque payments?!

Really, I'm intrigued.

when we sign people up we tell them we come every 4 weeks, so there's not really a problem after that.  if they dont like us coming so often they cancel, but if we turn up to clean we charge them full price if we clean or not.  we take the view we cannot loose out on earnings because someone decides to defer.  once clients know this, they either accept it, or they leave.  either way, you build up a round of great clients.

we have a couple of houses who we practically never get around the back to clean, but still pay us in full every month by standing order.  its insane!

we don't accept cash payments ever, and we let them go 3 cleans by cheque but them straight onto standing order, and we only offer this if they say no to standing order first.

standing orders them selves get rid of people who dont want a clean every month, as they know theyre gonna be paying for that!

[Richard iSparkle]

If you have 20k to spend then u would better to spend that on buying rounds
And get a decent reliable system

if you buy rounds you end up with a mixed bag of clients, frequencies, prices...  to maximise your eventual earning your better to get your own work