[Stu Wallace]

Hi

Which is the best schedule system to use?

When I started my business I cleaned customers windows whenever they wanted me to.

ie Monthly/Bimonthly/4/6/8 weeks

But now I'm getting busier it is becoming a nightmare trying to sort out my weeks work.

So I need to change it to monthly or weekly but I only want to change it once.

I will probably sent letters to my customers explaining.

Many Thanks

[Positivity]

Hi Stu
I am changing mine from 4 - 8 weekly to as near as possible Monthly on the day!
We are getting more and more paying by Standing Order and these are monthly and don't really fit in with a 8 or 4 week schedule.
Plus most people get paid monthly now not weekly.
And for commercial jobs I try to avoid two invoices going in for the same month.
In case some jobs worth starts questioning how much they are spending on window cleaning.

[Smudger]

From the outset we offered 4 8 or 12 weekly they this way the customer knows what day and date you will be returning 4 weekend get 13 cleans a year or if you have a couple of holidays then they still get 12 cleans -  8 and 12 weeks also mean you are in the area when they come around for cleaning.
Our rounds are set out from 1 to 20 ( 4 weeks of 5 days )

Darran

[rg1]

From the outset we offered 4 8 or 12 weekly they this way the customer knows what day and date you will be returning 4 weekend get 13 cleans a year or if you have a couple of holidays then they still get 12 cleans -  8 and 12 weeks also mean you are in the area when they come around for cleaning.
Our rounds are set out from 1 to 20 ( 4 weeks of 5 days )

Darran

+1

Exactly how it should be done cos your customers know when you're coming

[bobplum]

i went from  4 weekly to monthly and now back to 4 weekly.
if you clean in all weathers then arriving on the same day is not a problem,i dont so all i was doing was re scheduling and spending lots of time on AWORKA / GEORGE going thru the diary.

I am now back on 4 weekly and as some have said, i work to 20 days in the month,so in effect if i get a "5 week month" i wont clean the customers if they have been done early in the month,yes that mean i wont do 13 cleans but in this country and its weather will you ever?

If your not on a fixed date then you have room to manoeuvre the work around your life

this is just my opinion other opinions are available from other window cleaners

[Peter Prince]

i work around when my giro money lands ... if im skint ot need a few tins of stella then im out cleaning

[Peter Prince]

I am now back on 4 weekly and as some have said, i work to 20 days in the month,so in effect if i get a "5 week month" i wont clean the customers if they have been done early in the month,yes that mean i wont do 13 cleans but in this country and its weather will you ever?

youve lost me ... my head hurts 

[formb]

We organise our rounds into a circle. The circles take 4 weeks to complete. If you are a few days early / late the circle just moves round by that much. The aim is to get the rounds done 13 times per year, in 22 years this has never happened 

[Positivity]

i went from  4 weekly to monthly and now back to 4 weekly.
if you clean in all weathers then arriving on the same day is not a problem,i dont so all i was doing was re scheduling and spending lots of time on AWORKA / GEORGE going thru the diary.

I am now back on 4 weekly and as some have said, i work to 20 days in the month,so in effect if i get a "5 week month" i wont clean the customers if they have been done early in the month,yes that mean i wont do 13 cleans but in this country and its weather will you ever?

If your not on a fixed date then you have room to manoeuvre the work around your life

this is just my opinion other opinions are available from other window cleaners

Hi Bob I thought you were big on Standing Orders only or BACS.
How do you get on with standing orders on a 4 week basis?
I thought you could only set them up monthly - at least that's what our custys have told us!

[p1w1]

We organise our rounds into a circle. The circles take 4 weeks to complete. If you are a few days early / late the circle just moves round by that much. The aim is to get the rounds done 13 times per year, in 22 years this has never happened 

  so true

[Ian101]

Tried monthly and weekly both have good and bad points however now have a new system which is so long as each day is filled with customers at my desired earning level then im happy.

So long as not too early or too late customers aint bothered.

[windiewasher]

i work around when my giro money lands ... if im skint ot need a few tins of stella then im out cleaning

You must be charging too much if your drinking stella.

[8weekly]

From the outset we offered 4 8 or 12 weekly they this way the customer knows what day and date you will be returning 4 weekend get 13 cleans a year or if you have a couple of holidays then they still get 12 cleans -  8 and 12 weeks also mean you are in the area when they come around for cleaning.
Our rounds are set out from 1 to 20 ( 4 weeks of 5 days )

Darran

I am almost exclusively 8 weekly. I always refuse 12 weekly except for big country houses. I think offering 12 weekly is problematic because 9 out of 10 wold prefer a longer frequency if available. I find the odd 4 weekly a pain also as I have to visit some streets for one house.

I don't know what sort of setup you are in terms of full or not/employees but my two reasons for not liking your approach for me are:
1: Customers will opt for longer frequency so less revnue per customer. I used to offer 4 or 8. Very, very few wanted 4 weekly and most of those that did switched later to 8. If I offered 12, I know what would happen.

2: Wasteful of time in travelling out of normal round to 4 weeklys and just inefficient.

[dazmond]

most my customers are monthly or 2 monthly.in reality its 4 and 8 weekly but i also wont clean a customers windows at the end of a 5 week month if ive cleaned them early on the same month.i just enjoy the time off.

i have some customers on 6 weekly but they are away from my other work so i can easily fit them in.with round software its easy to keep track of whats due.

i also have a church on a 6 monthly.easy to fit in as well.

[bobplum]

i went from  4 weekly to monthly and now back to 4 weekly.
if you clean in all weathers then arriving on the same day is not a problem,i dont so all i was doing was re scheduling and spending lots of time on AWORKA / GEORGE going thru the diary.

I am now back on 4 weekly and as some have said, i work to 20 days in the month,so in effect if i get a "5 week month" i wont clean the customers if they have been done early in the month,yes that mean i wont do 13 cleans but in this country and its weather will you ever?

If your not on a fixed date then you have room to manoeuvre the work around your life

this is just my opinion other opinions are available from other window cleaners

Hi Bob I thought you were big on Standing Orders only or BACS.
How do you get on with standing orders on a 4 week basis?
I thought you could only set them up monthly - at least that's what our custys have told us!

i make sure i clean 12 times not 13,its easy to track and set up
as i say i work 20 days in a month and when it comes to a 5 week month i move it along if i dont do the 12 cleans by the year end,weather etc customers can have an internal clean
i appreciate it may not work for some but i just feel comfortable, a little bit like when you try your wifes dress on 

[bobplum]

i think alex gardiner works his window cleaning round the same way his is 15 days in a month,that allows him to always clean in the month but not as a monthly clean...........if you see what i am saying

[wfp master]

monthly ish. 6 weekly ish. 8 weekly ish. 12 weekly ish. shops weekly & fortnightly.
commercial always on time. weather usually stops me being on time.  

[bobplum]

I am now back on 4 weekly and as some have said, i work to 20 days in the month,so in effect if i get a "5 week month" i wont clean the customers if they have been done early in the month,yes that mean i wont do 13 cleans but in this country and its weather will you ever?

youve lost me ... my head hurts 

peter lay down, take a tablet and all will be come clear in the morning

[Smudger]

From the outset we offered 4 8 or 12 weekly they this way the customer knows what day and date you will be returning 4 weekend get 13 cleans a year or if you have a couple of holidays then they still get 12 cleans -  8 and 12 weeks also mean you are in the area when they come around for cleaning.
Our rounds are set out from 1 to 20 ( 4 weeks of 5 days )

Darran

I am almost exclusively 8 weekly. I always refuse 12 weekly except for big country houses. I think offering 12 weekly is problematic because 9 out of 10 wold prefer a longer frequency if available. I find the odd 4 weekly a pain also as I have to visit some streets for one house.

I don't know what sort of setup you are in terms of full or not/employees but my two reasons for not liking your approach for me are:
1: Customers will opt for longer frequency so less revnue per customer. I used to offer 4 or 8. Very, very few wanted 4 weekly and most of those that did switched later to 8. If I offered 12, I know what would happen.

2: Wasteful of time in travelling out of normal round to 4 weeklys and just inefficient.

2 vans and currently 3 men
We have always done a rigid schedule as I have found that many people want a reliable service and wish to know what day date the winow cleaner is coming
As for 4 or 8 weekly we charge extra ( or should I say discount 4 weekly cleans ) for 8 weekers so they pay just as well - 12 weeks is not offered as standard but will accommodate anyone who wants it but again charged a 1st clean price which is usually double a 4 week price 12 weeks is offered to larger cleans we do like manor houses country estates and large farming properties and commercial buildings

Only been doing this 4 years as so far managed to get 13 cleans in every year 

Darran

[DG Cleaning]

From the outset we offered 4 8 or 12 weekly they this way the customer knows what day and date you will be returning 4 weekend get 13 cleans a year or if you have a couple of holidays then they still get 12 cleans -  8 and 12 weeks also mean you are in the area when they come around for cleaning.
Our rounds are set out from 1 to 20 ( 4 weeks of 5 days )

Darran

I am almost exclusively 8 weekly. I always refuse 12 weekly except for big country houses. I think offering 12 weekly is problematic because 9 out of 10 wold prefer a longer frequency if available. I find the odd 4 weekly a pain also as I have to visit some streets for one house.

I don't know what sort of setup you are in terms of full or not/employees but my two reasons for not liking your approach for me are:
1: Customers will opt for longer frequency so less revnue per customer. I used to offer 4 or 8. Very, very few wanted 4 weekly and most of those that did switched later to 8. If I offered 12, I know what would happen.

2: Wasteful of time in travelling out of normal round to 4 weeklys and just inefficient.

2 vans and currently 3 men
We have always done a rigid schedule as I have found that many people want a reliable service and wish to know what day date the winow cleaner is coming
As for 4 or 8 weekly we charge extra ( or should I say discount 4 weekly cleans ) for 8 weekers so they pay just as well - 12 weeks is not offered as standard but will accommodate anyone who wants it but again charged a 1st clean price which is usually double a 4 week price 12 weeks is offered to larger cleans we do like manor houses country estates and large farming properties and commercial buildings

Only been doing this 4 years as so far managed to get 13 cleans in every year 

Darran

Dont you take holidays?
Surely this will prevent you doing 13 cleans