[scrimit2]

I could canvass take people on and earn 4k a week. But I chose not to. I like being a one man band,I love w/c because their is no stress involved. Get an awkard customer kick them into touch. I love working outdoors it feels real, the sky the clouds are my celing not some papered wallpaper. The birds the trees are sounds I love to here at work.


That's quite poetic Neil, brought a tear to my eye.

I like that! we all do have different ideas and capabilities when it comes to work, i think the important thing is that you mould your business, to suit your needs and ambition. then that is what i call success.

personally, I know these days I havent got the energy or desire to work 7 days a week, I used to, but now i would rather have the choice in the morning to work or relax, of course the bills have to be paid, but I think window cleaning gives you the freedom to choose.

[Majestic]

I like the bar code idea

[scrimit2]

http://www.ezy-clean.co.uk/website/default.asp?active_page_id=14

here you can get a price estimate, for your home my house is £8.25 for 9 windows, you would be lucky to get £6 around here, although other parts of the country you might get £8

[Sir Squeaky]

Change may be on its way, but it will not come the way that as been described on this topic.

It will come from the customer who in 10 years time can pop into Wilkinsons and buy a pole and a cannister of resin to clean his windows for £15.00. £15.00 for a years w cleaning with no risk of falling off a ladder and he will only be to happy to clean his neighbours windows for £2.00 to help recover the cost.

Sorry to backtrack, but I only just noticed this post.

Very likely scenario I think.
One reason why I'm not ploughing any money in this job or thinking long term.

[paul mather]

I dont think it's a likely scenario at all. Think, how many customers do you have rhat have requested you just to do upstairs, 1 maybe 2. Well they could easily do the bottoms themselves. But they don't cos most people don't want to & they have enough disposable income to pay people like me & you to do it for them. As this country gets wealthier service industries such as ours will increase not get smaller.

[captain lard]

I have picked up a couple of jobs where the homeowners had done the windows themselves but where really happy to step down and let me come in and do them monthly,have one woman wanting me to do tops only as well like.
Really interesting thread though,when I started up earlier this year I said to my wife the way to make a lot of money would be to set up rounds and employ people to do the clean but I used to work in offices and manage and dont want the hassle,at the minute I am happy earning enough to keep ticking over as a one man band,know I can rely on meself.

[windows_chepstow]

Change may be on its way, but it will not come the way that as been described on this topic.

It will come from the customer who in 10 years time can pop into Wilkinsons and buy a pole and a cannister of resin to clean his windows for £15.00. £15.00 for a years w cleaning with no risk of falling off a ladder and he will only be to happy to clean his neighbours windows for £2.00 to help recover the cost.

Sorry to backtrack, but I only just noticed this post.

Very likely scenario I think.
One reason why I'm not ploughing any money in this job or thinking long term.

Roger,

Your positive outlook on life always impresses the hell out of me.

[Extremeclean]

Hi Extremeclean
Is this the company www.ezy-clean.co.uk

I've just seen this.

No it's not the same company.

It does help to illustrate what I am saying though. I,ve met the owner of ezy-clean a couple of times in passing. Apparently he used to run a contract cleaning company and used to sub window cleaning out. All they look for is domestic window cleaning work. He told me he gets all his work through telesales and the website. Think about it. Housewifes wanting to earn a few quid doing a few hours on the phone in the evening can't cost much at all.

I like the idea of the premier service as well. I bet they charge well for that.

[scrimit2]

Hi Extremeclean
Is this the company www.ezy-clean.co.uk

I've just seen this.

No it's not the same company.

It does help to illustrate what I am saying though. I,ve met the owner of ezy-clean a couple of times in passing. Apparently he used to run a contract cleaning company and used to sub window cleaning out. All they look for is domestic window cleaning work. He told me he gets all his work through telesales and the website. Think about it. Housewifes wanting to earn a few quid doing a few hours on the phone in the evening can't cost much at all.

I like the idea of the premier service as well. I bet they charge well for that.

extreme do you think, a such large company, could compete with local window cleaner? because of overheads etc.

[dai]

The one thing that is changing is the way we get paid.
I have a lot of young customers that never have money in the house, and don't have cheque books. This trend of not having cheque books seems to be increasing.
Not all of them are computor litterate enough to pay electronically either.
I can see the time coming when we are going to have to have some kind of machine that takes credit/debit cards.
Many people forget about us as soon as we leave their door. They know that we come every month,  it would be an easy matter to ensure they had the cash in the house to pay for our service. Even when I leave a cleaned the windows slip and collect next day. I am still faced with "sorry we have no cash".
To be honest I think a lot of customers just take us for granted.
What would they say if their boss told them he had forgotten to put their pay in the bank this month? Dai

[captain lard]

I have one young couple that never seem to have cash unless we arrange a specific call for payment!

[Extremeclean]

Good question Scrimit.  And a great nic

Ok here's my two pennorth on the whole issue.

Initially no. But in the long term I think we will see many more companies like this springing up. Well run, effecient all with a good image in the public's eye. Branding and corporate image is here to stay. Sorry but I dont want this to be long winded but it isnt easy to give a well reasoned reply in a few words.

As these companies become more at the forefront as they surely will the pressure will be on us to compete on their terms. Image will be very important. Just as much as a good job done will be. Basically we will have to sharpen our act up to compete on equal terms. Many here already do that by the way from what I see. It just wont be good enough to say. I do a good job and my customers know me and therefore are loyal. The corner shop owners used to say exactly the same kind of things and look what's happened to them.

Then. In time I honestly think the market will become saturated and thats when the real hard work will begin. The most efficient companies will start to compete on cost whilst still providing a high standard of service and appearance etc. Basically the fittest will survive in the end. Labour is already cheap if you know where to find it. Mr Knight pays a fair wage at £10.00 per hour. I am sure his staff are good workers and ambassadors for his company. If you were to pay that amount to Eastern Europeans they would think they were on a fortune and be the best workers you could ever wish for. You dont have to pay that now though. £6 or 7 an hour will get you great workers.

This is happening all over in the commercial window cleaning sector. I've lost good contracts to companies who have undercut me big time and are still able to make money from them. I just believe the same issues will come to bear in the domestic sector. I think though that there is a window of opportunity left to establish a well known and respected domestic window cleaning company with a corporate image and realistic prices to offer the customers. Those that dont will probably be OK for a while but will eventually feel the effects.

I am so convinced of this that I am recruiting, investing in technology, not just the window cleaning equipment but the infrastructure to run an efficient organisation and I have a business plan that I am going to execute.

I am sorry top be so long winded but us Northerners do like to go on a bit you know.

[windows_chepstow]

Extreme,

I've enjoyed reading your post.

[dai]

I don't agree, I can't see this happening to the older guys servicing domestic customers. Many of us older guys can only dream of getting some of the prices we see on here.
Do you really believe that a guy who has been a good reliable cleaner for many years, to long standing customers, is going to lose work to some Johnny come lately in a flashy new van. Not when he is on first name terms, and even knows the name of the kids.
Your customers trust in you, is a far more valuable asset than any new van or professional image. You can present yourself any way you like, trust has to be earned, with that comes respect and loyalty. Dai

[Extremeclean]

Thank you Tosh

Many seem to think I am some sort of prophet of doom. I am just saying it as I see it. Probably from a different standpoint to most domestic only window cleaners. You have to expereince this sort of thing to appreciate it really. Its prevalent in the commercial sector and thats why many are getting out or being pushed out of business. Or, more to the point diversifying.

Off topic a bit now.  Extreme (I like that word for some unknown reason) Bad boys is on TV now. Our yob culture could do with a bit of what they dish out.

[Sir Squeaky]

Do you really believe that a guy who has been a good reliable cleaner for many years, to long standing customers, is going to lose work to some Johnny come lately in a flashy new van. Not when he is on first name terms, and even knows the name of the kids.
Your customers trust in you, is a far more valuable asset than any new van or professional image.

Most sensible thing written so far Dai.

I'm not worried about others, I've only ever lost jobs I messed around because I wasn't interested.

Off topic a bit now.  Extreme (I like that word for some unknown reason) Bad boys is on TV now. Our yob culture could do with a bit of what they dish out.

What? Man-action in the showers?

[windows_chepstow]

Your customers trust in you, is a far more valuable asset than any new van or professional image. You can present yourself any way you like, trust has to be earned, with that comes respect and loyalty. Dai

Extreme,

As I say, I've enjoyed this whole post, and good luck to those 'go getters'; I wish I had more 'spunk' in me at times to get my fat-lazy ass out there and go for the good accounts.

I have to agree with Dia though; residential customers like good honest window cleaners.  It's what I've been saying all along.

I also think many commercial customers think along the same lines; maybe not the chain-hotels where the managers change every three years or so (along with the widnow cleaners; maybe), but the smaller commercial work seem to appreciate good, honest, local and reliable window cleaners too.

I honestly don't think we're under any threat from the big boys; not now or ever.

It's human nature to stick with the Devil you know.

(And before the 'kids' start (again), I can see the innuendo in my post).

[windows_chepstow]

Off topic a bit now.  Extreme (I like that word for some unknown reason) Bad boys is on TV now. Our yob culture could do with a bit of what they dish out.

If you're referring to the programme where 'bad boys' undergo 'national service'; then start a new topic in the 'off topic' section.

I joined the army at 16 years old, spent 17 years as a soldier, and I was a complete 'bell-end' till around the age of 25 years old and have a few views on this subject.

[billozz]

can i just say that i think the point that is being missed here is that extreme has been "told" all of this by an "aquaintance" so i think it is "pinch of salt time" dont you

[Sir Squeaky]

I joined the army at 16 years old, spent 17 years as a soldier, and I was a complete 'bell-end' till around the age of 25 years old and have a few views on this subject.

If you were a squaddie for 17 years Tosh, then you were a bell-end until you were 33.