[MATT BATEMAN (OWC)]

I've still had four new ones totalling £63 every other month but this is the first time I can remember I've lost more than I've gained in a spring month.
Same here, March that happened here.

Watching this space. It's not as easy as it was.
True, but it's still okay out there. Ive picked up something along the lines of £1,000+ in gutters the last two weeks.

It seems to ebb and flow a little more as we are at the moment.

[andyM]

I think i'm bottling out 
Just had a stewards inquiry over frequency last ther 6th march
Custie said thought it was 6 weekly.
No monthly but do run late.
She suggested a few different frequencies but said sorry i do everyone the same otherwise too complicated.
In the end she laughed and said oh what's £15.

Nothing when you got a porsche jeep and a b class merc and a nice extended 3 bed semi with conservatory
 

Have you not considered offering these custies a longer frequency between cleans if they are quivering over the price rise?
They would save money annually and you would earn well out of them if you offered them a 2 monthly clean with a 50% price hike over the monthly price.
And you may well keep them.

[dazmond]

yep thats what i do andy.then you get to keep the customer and enjoy cleaning their property when its due!!

[lee_dewing]

Did try that apart from running 2 different frequencies which
I found hard to do; no one wanted to pay 50% more.

In my experience by halving the frequency the custie thinks
They've halved their bill then you tell em it's 50% more;

Just ends up in a haggling price debate.

Quicker and easier to say no.
I think your just giving the customer the green light to mess about
That's been my experience.

Lee

[C o z y]

Did try that apart from running 2 different frequencies which
I found hard to do; no one wanted to pay 50% more.

In my experience by halving the frequency the custie thinks
They've halved their bill then you tell em it's 50% more;

Just ends up in a haggling price debate.

Quicker and easier to say no.
I think your just giving the customer the green light to mess about
That's been my experience.

Lee

Yes Lee, to change the rythm means it should cost more etc, however, I found that going 6 weekly made a massive difference to my custy base staying with us. It means you need more custies, but the loss rate is minimal. Sometimes, I've tipped up 4 to 6 days early to fit around hols etc, and never had a moan about it yet!! Sounds like 6 and 8 weekly with only a minimum price rise may be the way to go for you mate. Give it some more thought.

[richard jagger]

Its the result of under pricing that you have to deal with Lee. These customers are used to getting your work for nothing.Best to rid yourself of this type of customer. No body really needs them. Find new customers that are prepared to pay a fair price.

[lee_dewing]

I agree Smithie, made a rod for my own back.

Chris I have toyed with the idea of going 6 weekly.

But I think what ever i do someone will moan I'm either too early or late according to customers.

I found 5 weeks seemed just right.

Now i just tell people I'm monthly but can run a week late ocasssionaley.

I think most people would have their windows cleaned 8-12 weeks if i'd let them.

which is great if you can charge double!

Time to canvass me thinks

[C o z y]

I agree Smithie, made a rod for my own back.

Chris I have toyed with the idea of going 6 weekly.

But I think what ever i do someone will moan I'm either too early or late according to customers.

I found 5 weeks seemed just right.

Now i just tell people I'm monthly but can run a week late ocasssionaley.

I think most people would have their windows cleaned 8-12 weeks if i'd let them.

which is great if you can charge double!

Time to canvass me thinks

Go for it mate. You always have options.

[robertphil]

rather than up the prices I find its better to increase the workload which then forces expansion of the business .new jobs priced a tad higher than the erlier stuff but not by much
  Each spring I dole out fliers for a few months ,this also allows me to get rid of any messers as new work rolls in . 

[lee_dewing]

yep a spring clean to rid the messers Rob 

[Mike #1]

For an 8 weekly schedule i will add between 20-40% typically depends on custy and area i offer 4-6-8 weekly cleans and will be targeting certain areas near me as i have picked up a few custys because their previous windy said no

He told custys in no un-certain terms 4 weekly or not at all even stuck a note through one door saying he would not be told what to and they had to abide by his rules . Mike

[lee_dewing]

Hi Mike,
I hope you don't live near me

How do you manage with all that chopping and changing?

Just thought it is easier doing everyone the same.

Would of thought more driving to jobs than cleaning them.
Don't mean to be sarcastic just curious.

Lee

[dazmond]

lee you say you have 230 customers.i have 340 and most of em monthly cleans and i can easily get them cleaned in any given month with days to spare(even a full week spare some months!).

mines a mixture of very compact 3 bed semi estate work,millionaires houses,larger domestic,a few commercial,offices etc and country stand alones.

how on earth are you taking 6 weeks to get round sometimes?or is most of your work big domestics?

i usually do around 5-7 hours "on the glass" most days.

[lee_dewing]

Hi Daz,
I do wonder how you push through 340 custies in 3 weeks.

Yes i have 230 custies.
When i look on george all custies get 10 cleans a year, so on average 5 weeks getting around but yes it can be 6 weeks.

customer value £2680
Monday i got £172 tue £164

This is good for me as i'd say usually £120-£140 a day.

I think it's a mixture of work being spaced out I have roads with just 1 custie but then others with 5 in.

I suppose an average through my round is probably 2 custies per road.

So I think the reasons are work is not as ompact as it could be.

Also i don't work in rain (yes drizzle, but not umbrella weather)

The other problem is i was doing school runs.

Now my partner is out of work I am getting round quicker last autum and catching up fast now.

I'm not lazy was out all through winter in ski wear -4 before xmas, been long hard winter AGAIN!

Only time off was a few days here and there with deep snow had 3 lots here through winter.

SO from this i take it fill in gaps canvassing in round price higher (or right).

Yes i am guilty of over cleaning and been looking at this, this week.
Made some alterations to equipment.

Here's my website nearly finished and will be in 2 weeks
http://www.dcswindowcleaning.co.uk/

Done biz cards as blue frog for roads i now work in stated the people door no's in road i already do.

Getting basic disclosure done to display on website (CRB check) called DBS now.

THink thats it for now.
thanks DAZ
ps. as said in previous post custies commenting a lot on frequency people seem to think 6 weeks
even though told monthly.
But odd couple a week,

[dazmond]

sounds like your going the right way mate.good on ya lee.

the problem your having it seems to me is if the custy is used to you cleaning them every 6 weeks but your pulling  them back to 4 or 5 weekly(eg monthly)they think your too early then coupled with a price rise(some longer standing underpriced customers can be the worst!)its riled them a bit.

as for compact work i have lots of runs but also have days of good priced stand alones which earn me the same,if not more money!!

have you got a tank and 100m microbore and do you use a high flow lee?this will help with speed as well as working in most weather unless its really raining hard.

its all the little tweaks that i do that keeps me on top of my round most times and keeps me working efficiently.


best wishes mate


dazmond

[lee_dewing]

Hi daz
Unfortunately do not have tank use 10  25 litre barrels.
My setup is at parents as i do not have garden and also can't park near flat (actually back to back house for what it's worth)

Parking at parents is tricky hence filling ang wheeling out barrels

But pump box and 100 metre microbore.
Just changed to gardiners pencil jets 1.4 mm
So saving on water now.
A barrel does most houses.
Using gardiners white sill brush now not vikan sill.

Your right re-price increase i'l just put up the under priced oned for now and
If i lose em so be it.
Leave other custies alone for now that was gonna do £1
As if i get nearer the month i'l be getting more money anyway.

Daz would you consider changing your round to 6 weeks.
I dither too much, and think 6 weeks would make people happier
But my hope was to get more people onto standing order and monthly makes this a lot simpler.
And of course i'd find it easier getting around quicker than getting 25% more custies.
Think i will always be too early or too late in most peoples minds.

By the way i belive you can get around in 3 weeks; but from my outlook it's hard to comprehend getting through 20-ish houses a day.

I am making notes every week on the little niggles in my day
Trying to claw back the minutes lost.

Just started using medical connectors from aqua dapter instead
Of metal rectus type really good.

Thanks for input Daz.

[dazmond]

well i had a late start today lee(1030am-430pm).5 hours "on the glass" half hour for lunch and about half hour talking to customers/having a brew and still managed 21 houses.some of em were in pockets of 3 and 4.a bit of driving about in between and i still feel like crap with this virus so im not firing on all cylinders!!

most of them were 3 bed semis, some with connys but a few were 4 bed houses.350L used.

the barrels and only having 250L will be slowing you down lee.i tradded the odd ground floor windows but most work was cleaned wfp with a high flow.

if your happy then thats all that matters mate but i would get at least a 350L tank if not 400L in your van.itll make you a lot quicker esp with a high flow on maintenance cleans.

my customers are very happy with a monthly clean and i very rarely get any problems with this frequency.all frames,sills and doors are washed down as well as a standard clean.


regards


dazmond

[lee_dewing]

Tha nks for the advice Daz
How did you get on canvassing estate that was originally for girlfriend

[dazmond]

i sacked it off as a bad idea lee after 90 mins canvassing.3 windys already on there.most people not bothered due to ongoing building work and one guy said he could get his 4 bed detached with conny and four 3 storey windows cleaned for £8 and thought my price of £25 was a rip off!!

it was a bit out of my way really as well.hey ho!nevermind!!

[AuRavelling79]

Tha nks for the advice Daz
How did you get on canvassing estate that was originally for girlfriend

Dazmond went canvassing for a girlfriend??

Daz - You told us you were 6ft 2" and looked like Adonis and that your girlfriend looked like a supermodel - all lies hmmmmmmm?