[Ian101]

Speaking to my junior partner Bob Plumb today he tends to recall Mr G just  swapping all his customers over to standing order one day .. sorta like it or lump it offer.

Not sure if this is accurate but anyone else gone totally over to standing order.

Im thinking of offering it to current customers but any new customers making it compulsary.

Was thinking about payment dates and think Ive settled on 7th 14th 21st 28th so should be suitable date for all customers and easier for the missus to process it all.

[Alex Gardiner]

Speaking to my junior partner Bob Plumb today he tends to recall Mr G just  swapping all his customers over to standing order one day .. sorta like it or lump it offer.

Not sure if this is accurate but anyone else gone totally over to standing order.

Im thinking of offering it to current customers but any new customers making it compulsary.

Was thinking about payment dates and think Ive settled on 7th 14th 21st 28th so should be suitable date for all customers and easier for the missus to process it all.

Hi Ian

I did indeed do this about 4 years ago. I have mainly commercial rounds with some (up to 15) local private residences per round and it was getting too complicated to try and collect from them all especially as a lot of the work is carried out for me rather than by me personally visiting.  I prepared a SO slip with all of the details and combined this with a price rise. I said that they could have the price rise or switch to SO. All bar one older lady switched and it made life so much easier.

Suggesting a suitable payment is a good idea as they nearly always ask.

I also now only take on private jobs if they agree to having the work carried out for a full year and payment by standing order - helps sift through the less desirable work as well. These new private jobs also have to be within 75m of one of our commercial contracts as I will not move the van for them!

[Fin Clearview]

Can i jump in on this thread and also ask some advice on how this might be feesable for myself. In 14 years of WC my round used to have a very varied frequency. This is due to a combination of weather, hours worked (winter/summer) and increasing client base. I hardly ever pre booked any jobs in and just organised my round in a circuit (milk round). Also the ladder had a big impact as there was a pinnacle whereas i couldn't earn anymore, my name isnt Lance Armstong and i could only do so much in a day....i then went wfp, the frequency is reducing from 8ish weeks to around 6.

I'd love to take the next leap into SO payments but would be worried about how to commit to the work with some of the points above. How do you manage Alex etc?...Cheers

[Ian101]

Speaking to my junior partner Bob Plumb today he tends to recall Mr G just  swapping all his customers over to standing order one day .. sorta like it or lump it offer.

Not sure if this is accurate but anyone else gone totally over to standing order.

Im thinking of offering it to current customers but any new customers making it compulsary.

Was thinking about payment dates and think Ive settled on 7th 14th 21st 28th so should be suitable date for all customers and easier for the missus to process it all.

Hi Ian

I did indeed do this about 4 years ago. I have mainly commercial rounds with some (up to 15) local private residences per round and it was getting too complicated to try and collect from them all especially as a lot of the work is carried out for me rather than by me personally visiting.  I prepared a SO slip with all of the details and combined this with a price rise. I said that they could have the price rise or switch to SO. All bar one older lady switched and it made life so much easier.

Suggesting a suitable payment is a good idea as they nearly always ask.

I also now only take on private jobs if they agree to having the work carried out for a full year and payment by standing order - helps sift through the less desirable work as well. These new private jobs also have to be within 75m of one of our commercial contracts as I will not move the van for them!

cheers Alex .................... 75 metres ... ooo your a hard man to do business with 

ps got any offers on new sl extreme poles ... 47ft .. shop soiled etc etc 

[Alex Gardiner]

Can i jump in on this thread and also ask some advice on how this might be feesable for myself. In 14 years of WC my round used to have a very varied frequency. This is due to a combination of weather, hours worked (winter/summer) and increasing client base. I hardly ever pre booked any jobs in and just organised my round in a circuit (milk round). Also the ladder had a big impact as there was a pinnacle whereas i couldn't earn anymore, my name isnt Lance Armstong and i could only do so much in a day....i then went wfp, the frequency is reducing from 8ish weeks to around 6.

I'd love to take the next leap into SO payments but would be worried about how to commit to the work with some of the points above. How do you manage Alex etc?...Cheers

Hi Fin

Frequency and regularity is crucial to the success of SO payments. Also you need some space in the round to keep things running on track.

(All of the following information is based on when I used to work more than I do now.  Although all the work still gets done, it is mainly carried out now by my Sub-Contractors which makes it easier for scheduling as two rounds can be done on the same day by different teams.)

I ran all of my rounds on a monthly basis (some jobs are bi-monthly but sit within these monthly rounds) as all of my commercial work are on monthly contracts not weekly cycles. Therefore I schedule every month as a 4 week month. Each commercial round sits on it own day - say for instance Round 1 is the first Monday in each month, round 2 is the first Tuesday in each month etc. Clients really like this easy to remember scheduling.

This in itself creates some spare space in each month as most months are longer than 28 days. I also personally tried to schedule just 3 rounds per day each month. So therefore I would schedule in the 1st Monday, the 3rd Monday and the 4th Monday. Then I would schedule the 1st Tuesday, the 2nd Tuesday and the 3rd Tuesday and so on. This allows you time to work around weather and holidays. It also makes sure that you keep the work life balance in order as I would only schedule a maximum of 15 days work a month. I personally would rather work 15 full days every month without any missed or overdue work than schedule 20+ days and not actually get through the work each month.

Using the above system means that I have never had to credit a client yet for a missed clean as there is always time to re-schedule the round - even if it is a couple of days late and into the beginning of the next month.

Switching all of my work to monthly rounds instead of 4 weekly/8 weekly was a very good decision. Switching to SO was also a very good decision.

[Alex Gardiner]

cheers Alex .................... 75 metres ... ooo your a hard man to do business with  

ps got any offers on new sl extreme poles ... 47ft .. shop soiled etc etc  

Indeed I am - I do not really like taking on new private work so go out of my way to make it difficult! If anyone sees me working and stops in their car I simply give them a telephone number of a local window cleaner as finding out where they live is too much like hard work. I usually give out window cleaners number about 1 a day when working. The 75m is purely practical as I use 100m of hose and I need enough to go around their house.

I also have a minimum call-out fee for commercial work of £16 even if it's just 1 window - I do have jobs that I charge £16 for and they are just 3 easy windows. Driving the van there with 2 workers on board is just not worth doing otherwise. Obviously if I was new and building up my rounds I would be a lot more flexible and easier on the price.

Shop-Soiled Xtreme47 poles, mmm..................... No. You can have a free carbon gooseneck and brush and beanie hat when you order one though

[bobplum]

firstly i am the SENIOR partner
secondly,Alex do you carry a tape measure with you

[steven ainger]

firstly i am the SENIOR partner

Is that through AGE or responsability Bob  

[bobplum]

the HOSE LENGTH as just answered the tape measure question

i can just imagine Alex rolling out the hose,getting to 75 metres and the boundary is 2 cm too short"mmmm sorry Mrs jones" rolling it back up and driving away  

[bobplum]

firstly i am the SENIOR partner

Is that through AGE or responsability Bob  

sorry to say ....age
Ian has the brains and the drive

[SunShineCleaning]

Over the past 2 years my regular houses got 10 visits each year so when they went on SO they pay 1 12th of their annual spend. It's not been a problem so far. Monthly commercial pays the regular monthy amount. 

I do mostly private houses.

[SB Cleaning]

cheers Alex .................... 75 metres ... ooo your a hard man to do business with  

ps got any offers on new sl extreme poles ... 47ft .. shop soiled etc etc  

Indeed I am - I do not really like taking on new private work so go out of my way to make it difficult! If anyone sees me working and stops in their car I simply give them a telephone number of a local window cleaner as finding out where they live is too much like hard work. I usually give out window cleaners number about 1 a day when working. The 75m is purely practical as I use 100m of hose and I need enough to go around their house.

I also have a minimum call-out fee for commercial work of £16 even if it's just 1 window - I do have jobs that I charge £16 for and they are just 3 easy windows. Driving the van there with 2 workers on board is just not worth doing otherwise. Obviously if I was new and building up my rounds I would be a lot more flexible and easier on the price.

Shop-Soiled Xtreme47 poles, mmm..................... No. You can have a free carbon gooseneck and brush and beanie hat when you order one though

How come I never had a free beanie hat with my CLX 4 then?

It says "free with every gardener pole" I feel robbed now

[Alex Gardiner]

cheers Alex .................... 75 metres ... ooo your a hard man to do business with  

ps got any offers on new sl extreme poles ... 47ft .. shop soiled etc etc  

Indeed I am - I do not really like taking on new private work so go out of my way to make it difficult! If anyone sees me working and stops in their car I simply give them a telephone number of a local window cleaner as finding out where they live is too much like hard work. I usually give out window cleaners number about 1 a day when working. The 75m is purely practical as I use 100m of hose and I need enough to go around their house.

I also have a minimum call-out fee for commercial work of £16 even if it's just 1 window - I do have jobs that I charge £16 for and they are just 3 easy windows. Driving the van there with 2 workers on board is just not worth doing otherwise. Obviously if I was new and building up my rounds I would be a lot more flexible and easier on the price.

Shop-Soiled Xtreme47 poles, mmm..................... No. You can have a free carbon gooseneck and brush and beanie hat when you order one though

How come I never had a free beanie hat with my CLX 4 then?

It says "free with every gardener pole" I feel robbed now

Depends when you bought the pole as these new hats only came in last week  

[evo]

that's nice all i got with my slx22 was a pen and that was only 2 weeks ago 

[Fin Clearview]

Can i jump in on this thread and also ask some advice on how this might be feesable for myself. In 14 years of WC my round used to have a very varied frequency. This is due to a combination of weather, hours worked (winter/summer) and increasing client base. I hardly ever pre booked any jobs in and just organised my round in a circuit (milk round). Also the ladder had a big impact as there was a pinnacle whereas i couldn't earn anymore, my name isnt Lance Armstong and i could only do so much in a day....i then went wfp, the frequency is reducing from 8ish weeks to around 6.

I'd love to take the next leap into SO payments but would be worried about how to commit to the work with some of the points above. How do you manage Alex etc?...Cheers

Hi Fin

Frequency and regularity is crucial to the success of SO payments. Also you need some space in the round to keep things running on track.

(All of the following information is based on when I used to work more than I do now.  Although all the work still gets done, it is mainly carried out now by my Sub-Contractors which makes it easier for scheduling as two rounds can be done on the same day by different teams.)

I ran all of my rounds on a monthly basis (some jobs are bi-monthly but sit within these monthly rounds) as all of my commercial work are on monthly contracts not weekly cycles. Therefore I schedule every month as a 4 week month. Each commercial round sits on it own day - say for instance Round 1 is the first Monday in each month, round 2 is the first Tuesday in each month etc. Clients really like this easy to remember scheduling.

This in itself creates some spare space in each month as most months are longer than 28 days. I also personally tried to schedule just 3 rounds per day each month. So therefore I would schedule in the 1st Monday, the 3rd Monday and the 4th Monday. Then I would schedule the 1st Tuesday, the 2nd Tuesday and the 3rd Tuesday and so on. This allows you time to work around weather and holidays. It also makes sure that you keep the work life balance in order as I would only schedule a maximum of 15 days work a month. I personally would rather work 15 full days every month without any missed or overdue work than schedule 20+ days and not actually get through the work each month.

Using the above system means that I have never had to credit a client yet for a missed clean as there is always time to re-schedule the round - even if it is a couple of days late and into the beginning of the next month.

Switching all of my work to monthly rounds instead of 4 weekly/8 weekly was a very good decision. Switching to SO was also a very good decision.

Thanks Alex, it sounds like a smooth operation, and like you say eliminating the need to refund using a 4 weekly rule. I will give it some thought as I'm unsure whether it would work. My client base has got used to the frequency, although it is reducing. When I first started it was 4 weeks, then, as the round grew it became 6, and in the last couple of years 7-8. Whilst I was at the 6 week stage I stopped offering bi monthly's as that would of meant 12 weeks between cleans. Anyway it's back down to around 6 weeks now so it may be awkward trying to use your methods. I do envy it though!  

[SB Cleaning]

cheers Alex .................... 75 metres ... ooo your a hard man to do business with  

ps got any offers on new sl extreme poles ... 47ft .. shop soiled etc etc  

Indeed I am - I do not really like taking on new private work so go out of my way to make it difficult! If anyone sees me working and stops in their car I simply give them a telephone number of a local window cleaner as finding out where they live is too much like hard work. I usually give out window cleaners number about 1 a day when working. The 75m is purely practical as I use 100m of hose and I need enough to go around their house.

I also have a minimum call-out fee for commercial work of £16 even if it's just 1 window - I do have jobs that I charge £16 for and they are just 3 easy windows. Driving the van there with 2 workers on board is just not worth doing otherwise. Obviously if I was new and building up my rounds I would be a lot more flexible and easier on the price.

Shop-Soiled Xtreme47 poles, mmm..................... No. You can have a free carbon gooseneck and brush and beanie hat when you order one though

How come I never had a free beanie hat with my CLX 4 then?

It says "free with every gardener pole" I feel robbed now

Depends when you bought the pole as these new hats only came in last week  

Received it last Monday....

[Alex Gardiner]

that's nice all i got with my slx22 was a pen and that was only 2 weeks ago 

Just before this offer!

Did you get a free carbon gooseneck and brush though?

[Alex Gardiner]

Received it last Monday....

It would have been sent out to you on the Friday then before the hats arrived at the end of the day. If you give the girls in the office a call they can arrange to send you one out