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dazmond

  • Posts: 23617
no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« on: November 23, 2017, 06:16:57 pm »
anyone else do this?i do it every year.if they ll wait til new year they tend to be good customers. ;)
price higher/work harder!

Michael Peterson

  • Posts: 1741
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2017, 06:22:04 pm »
yeah me too

robbo333

  • Posts: 2407
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2017, 06:51:37 pm »
I tend to get the opposite.
I get existing custies wanting an extra clean before xmas (during xmas week) because they have families coming. I do clean every 8 weeks though.
I make a separate list for them.
I am more than happy because I have my holiday in January, so every bit helps.
"Thank you for calling: if you have a 1st floor flat, mid terraced house, lots of dogs, no parking, no side access, or no sense of humour, please press hold!
For all other enquiries, please press1"

Dry Clean

  • Posts: 8560
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2017, 07:08:33 pm »
Same as Robbo, existing customers looking an extra clean which I try to accommodate by working a few weekends, holiday in Jan. so don't mind.
I only take on new work when I lose work which isn't that often so there's no chance that anybody is getting a first clean
before Christmas.

Splash & dash

  • Posts: 4364
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2017, 07:37:51 pm »
We are booked solid until mid January so any enquiries are told that we would be unable to do anything until then dont know what’s going on but we are snowed under with work still doing loads of plastic cleans and softwashing houses 4 big conservatory in and out to do before Christmas as well as normal window cleaning , mad !!!!!

Stoots

  • Posts: 6079
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2017, 08:02:07 pm »
nope

but then im actively looking for work, dont care what time of year it is, you get messers all year round.

Tony dunmall

Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2017, 10:32:00 pm »
Just stopped taking work on now. Been advertising since April

Get about 5 calls a week every week sometimes more

It’s now filter time( move the furthest jobs closer to home , then there’s a few bad payers not many about 1/2 dozen and then decision time

To grow bigger take on another van and  member or stay as we are,not sure whether to become more office based and just keep growing but as always it’s a backward step to start with but by June will be same financial position who knows





Marc Stock

Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2017, 10:33:53 pm »
Im hoping to take on someone 2 days a week next april.

p1w1

  • Posts: 3873
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2017, 10:44:07 pm »
Im hoping to take on someone 2 days a week next april.
will you actually make any money off them doing that Marc? and will they work with you?

capn sparkle

  • Posts: 567
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2017, 10:53:19 pm »
I'm with you Dazmond, if they're not willing to wait till mid / late Jan then I wonder why it's such a rush?

Although today I got a £30 tip and 4 bottles of wine (1 red, 1 white,1 rose and 1 with a sparkly top) from my biggest customer - no idea why she would do that but not knocking it - I've been teetotal for 10 yrs.

Total tips last year £112... Well on the way  ;D ;D ;D

Slacky

  • Posts: 7749
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2017, 12:17:51 am »
I just take the work on, I don’t stipulate they have to wait til next year. Seems a bit silly really. I’m glad supermarkets don’t work like that, I put an online food order together earlier with Tesco’s which I haven’t done for about 6 months. Apparently they’re prepared to deliver it tomorrow  - *phew*.

dazmond

  • Posts: 23617
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2017, 07:24:51 am »
I just take the work on, I don’t stipulate they have to wait til next year. Seems a bit silly really. I’m glad supermarkets don’t work like that, I put an online food order together earlier with Tesco’s which I haven’t done for about 6 months. Apparently they’re prepared to deliver it tomorrow  - *phew*.

the reason is simple matt.im busy enough in the run up to xmas cleaning my regular window cleaning work plus ive got a few conny roofs/full UPVC cleans to squeeze in as well.in fact most new enquiries from walk ups etc dont get cleaned until next time im around no matter what time of year it is (unless its a particularly slack day).

i want to make sure i get as much of my regular work cleaned before xmas as i can.new work can wait. :)

im also having 2 days off getting my heater fitted in a couple of weeks. ;)
price higher/work harder!

Stoots

  • Posts: 6079
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2017, 08:07:25 am »
Im hoping to take on someone 2 days a week next april.
will you actually make any money off them doing that Marc? and will they work with you?

Even if you don't make much profit (you will btw) you will earn the same money per week doing less days which can only be good thing.

Doing the same as Marc in the new year will be looking for a part timer .

dazmond

  • Posts: 23617
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2017, 08:13:16 am »
Im hoping to take on someone 2 days a week next april.
will you actually make any money off them doing that Marc? and will they work with you?

Even if you don't make much profit (you will btw) you will earn the same money per week doing less days which can only be good thing.

Doing the same as Marc in the new year will be looking for a part timer .

how will that work then adam with your current van,tank and set up?
price higher/work harder!

Missing Link

  • Posts: 42251
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2017, 08:29:54 am »
I just take the work on, I don’t stipulate they have to wait til next year. Seems a bit silly really.

Same here.  It's rare someone tries to 'con us' into a one-off.  I'm clear to the point of bluntness what our terms and conditions are and I'll point out that we don't do 'one offs' (though we will if the price is right).

It's been a while since a n00b customer has tried to mess us about, and even when it happens, it's no big deal.  We just drop them and move on.



Pronouns She/Her/Madam/Ma'am

p1w1

  • Posts: 3873
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #15 on: November 24, 2017, 08:45:46 am »
Im hoping to take on someone 2 days a week next april.
will you actually make any money off them doing that Marc? and will they work with you?

Even if you don't make much profit (you will btw) you will earn the same money per week doing less days which can only be good thing.

Doing the same as Marc in the new year will be looking for a part timer .
I suppose if you're going to pay them peanuts you might make a little something. But if you just have a van with say 500lt in it how are you going to make more/ do more houses a day then what can be done by 1 person? you will have to a certain type of set up i guess eg. be able to fill up again the same day losing minimal time and get back out cleaning. But by the time you add on your employers liability etc, extra poles, reel it hardly seems worth it for 2 days a week.

davids3511

  • Posts: 2506
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2017, 09:09:08 am »
I just take the work on, I don’t stipulate they have to wait til next year. Seems a bit silly really. I’m glad supermarkets don’t work like that, I put an online food order together earlier with Tesco’s which I haven’t done for about 6 months. Apparently they’re prepared to deliver it tomorrow  - *phew*.
Supermarkets do work like that, Waitrose delivery slots for Christmas came available for booking on the 17th September. You don't book in advance you don't get. In a way the regular customers are booking in advance by being regular customers.

Tony dunmall

Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #17 on: November 24, 2017, 09:31:23 am »
I invested in a second van set up with grippa 500,  found a low mileage transit connect

I have someone out three days a week even if you pay £120-150 a day included all running costs of van  you can still add profit of about £450-500  a week from one van

For me it’s not so much earning more, just doing less out with the poles and earning the same



 


Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #18 on: November 24, 2017, 09:58:56 am »
anyone else do this?i do it every year.if they ll wait til new year they tend to be good customers. ;)
It doesn't really bother me as long as I'm earning what I need. If I can fit them in I do but obviously my long standing customers loyalty comes first. I don't even try to work out a new customers intentions anymore. I just factor in to the initial price a discount for subsequent regular cleans. Why should a new customer agree to anything until I've proven my worth ?

Soupy

  • Posts: 19710
Re: no new work/enquiries being cleaned before xmas
« Reply #19 on: November 24, 2017, 01:27:58 pm »
My Facebook post:

Last chance for new customer bookings before December!

At Soupy Window Cleaning we are committed to giving a regular, reliable service to our customers all year round.
In an effort to ensure that we get our regular customers cleaned in time for Christmas / New Year we won`t be doing any new customers in December. This is due to the reduced daylight hours and changeable weather in the winter months.

If you would like to be added to the round before then please contact us asap. Any inquiries after 01/12/17 will be delayed until the new year.