[dai]

I went to price a job today in the next village. The women gives me a list with 10 names on it. She said they are all desperate to have their windows cleaned, and that the last guys just stopped coming a couple of years ago. I know the guys in question and have already picked up 3 days work they had abandond.
I know from past experience that once I start cleaning windows there I will get loads more work.
The thing is, I already have a round that I can't do in the 4 week period so what do I do? Take this on at better prices and pass /sell off some of the more distant work, or put up the prices on another estate knowing I would lose a few? Or put more estates on a bi-monthly basis at 50% extra?
When people tell me they are desperate I charge a pound desperate tax before I price the job. This work would be a good earner. DAI

[crystal.clear]

go to every 5 weeks. thats what i do.

[DaveBrown]

Its a great situation for your business to be in Mate. I would just do what is best for the business and you. ie; more money in the bank, less time at work.

Dave

[pjulk]

im in the same position i can't get my work done in 4 weeks anymore.
But i keep taking new work on but only at top prices.

If they say anything i just tell them im really popular and its taking about 5 or 6 weeks to get round.
I have not lost any customers and everyone seems fine with it.

After xmas there is going to be a cull and im going to sell my less productive work off.

Paul

[dai]

I am going every 5 weeks now. I don't see any point in taking on more work unless it's going to make me more money.
I bet there are loads of other guys on here that would be a lot better off getting rid of a weeks less lucrative work, and going round every 4 weeks as they should. Those of us with 5 week or more rounds are actually losing money by servicing our lower priced clients. If any big business could increase profits by ditching customers, they would do it. As axa insurance did with my personal accident policy, They no longer cover window cleaners. Dai

[matt]

I am going every 5 weeks now. I don't see any point in taking on more work unless it's going to make me more money.
I bet there are loads of other guys on here that would be a lot better off getting rid of a weeks less lucrative work, and going round every 4 weeks as they should. Those of us with 5 week or more rounds are actually losing money by servicing our lower priced clients. If any big business could increase profits by ditching customers, they would do it. As axa insurance did with my personal accident policy, They no longer cover window cleaners. Dai

your right

im doing my round in 6 weeks (thats on a good turn-around with not much time off) though i must say, ive had 3 days off (camping)  this turn-around and im 6 weeks 2 days

i could trim my round and still make the same money, the only downside is, its nice to have a bigger round as if you lose a few, its no hardship, YET if you keep a nicely trimmed round lose a few houses and you need to seek more out

[Moderator David@stives]

I dont understand ?

Why extend the length of your round it makes no business sense at all, you will just end up carrying dead wood

Stick to 4 weeks put everything up and weed out the worst jobs, believe me it works

Dave

[dai]

Dave your dead right. The only difference with us is that we develope relationships with our customers. They say there is no sentiment in business, but it's difficult for some of us just to let people down.
I've come to realise that I am a better window cleaner than I am a business man. Dai

[russ_clark]

I run around 5 weeks normally
6 and a bit at the moment due to the van crash.
In my opinion punters do not like 4 week cleans
5 is great for most !
I would take on the extra work at keen prices
then put up the lower priced stuff so it would not matter too much if you lost some of them.
Russ

[robbie14000]

Dai, take someone on and keep on growing
Good Luck
Robbie - Clearshine

[Londoner]

The theory goes like this. When You start a customer you give them a price and that price tends to stay static more or less for the duration of the time you clean their windows for them.
You might suceed in putting the prices up a bit from time to time but its a lot of hassle and you can't really put the prices up by much.

So - in theory - continually dropping the dead wood and replacing it with good new customers is the best way to improve the value of your round.

However, I'm not that hardfaced myself and don't practice what I preach. Best idea is to put your less profitable customers on every six weeks "for the winter" and make it sound like you are doing them a big favour - which you are probably.

My experience is that as long as most people know they are going to get their windows cleaned regularly they are not that bothered about whether its four weeks or six weeks or even come to that eight weeks between visits.

[simbo]

you will get less complaints on a 5 / 6 week rota as you are really saving them some cash and i think people are more likely to pay a little more so everyone wins. i have never felt right about cleaning "clean" windows every 4 weeks but when you first start up you do not have the customers to stretch to 6 weeks its the only option. i have lost count of the 10-20 pound jobs i have picked up lately beacause of this.
simbo

[Londoner]

I agree with simbo. Most of my customers are on 6 weeks now and pay a bit more. It feels wrong doing windows every 4 weeks because they are still clean.
Perhaps years ago when there was more air pollution and the like it was necessary but unless the house is on a busy main road 6 weeks is fine

[DASERVICES]

  That's my plan for beginning of next year is to increase my prices and no
  longer do windows in 4 weeks but to push it out to 5/6 weeks. This way
  both myself and the customer win.

  Another happy problem I am finding with WFP when I go back in 4 weeks
  the windows are still clean, so I feel I am robbing my customers.

[Moderator David@stives]

I have got the opposite, all my customers start to moan if i am late my round is 4 weeks and i am always on time.
I would rather go back to clean semi clean windows rather than those with an extra 2 weeks of dirt on them.
Wait for the winter gails etc, you will start seeing more dirt on them

I really cant understand some peoples business sense

[DASERVICES]

  Dave it depends what area you cover, 90% of my work is rural so there is
 not the grime and dirt you get from city centres. Another reason I am going
  this route as want to strecth my work out to 3 days a week.

  I'm happy my customers will be happy, that's what counts but I do offer a
  service if they have friends coming around etc.. and they want their windows
  cleaned earlier I'll do that.

  Make life simpler and you will have time for more important things in life,
  and it makes no difference to my income.

  Cheers

[jeff1]

Time to put up your prices and get rid of the cheapy's and moaners, this way you spend more time at home with your family with the extra money you will earn.

[Londoner]

David
          I make more money doing 6 weeks than I would doing 4 weeks. I win and the customer wins. The trick is in how you approach it. I am still refining my technique.

Basically when you get a new customer you ask them how often they want thier windows cleaned before you tell them the price. Most will say once a month so you say

"actually with this new system the glass stays clean longer so we could probably get away with every six weeks. And that works out a lot cheaper for you because its only £15 every six weeks instead of £12 a month"

Then, before they have time to think about it you say " so well make it six weeks? " like you are asking for confirmation.   Most just say OK and are perfectly happy with it. I have not had any say anything negative, and they all seem content with the arrangement.

To be truthful even after six weeks the windows are still pretty good. My windows at home haven't been cleaned at the back since July and they are not noticably dirty. If you go up to them and look you can see a bit of grime but thats all. These WFPs really do make the glass stay clean longer.

[scrimit2]

Ive been down this route, I ended up with such a huge round that I couldnt manage, at earilest I would get round in 6 weeks at worst 8 weeks, ive given up half of my work now, which was a big step because turning away work isnt in my nature, but realistically i couldnt do the work on time, for me personally cutting down to a smaller more compact round was the correct move, i earn atleast the same as before, but with less stress, I should have done it years ago.

I know its hard, as you dont know whats around the corner, and it seems natural to keep the business growing, but more work doesnt always mean an improvement to your round. good luck

[windows_chepstow]

I dont understand ?

Why extend the length of your round it makes no business sense at all, you will just end up carrying dead wood

Stick to 4 weeks put everything up and weed out the worst jobs, believe me it works

Dave

I agree with the above.  I've too much work; some of it underpriced, still, and once I find the time and a bit of 'balls'; I'll be doing just that.  It's easy to 'mince' along, doing your round, no stress, but earning less than you could; isn't it? 

However for new large - stand alone - properties, I always quote a high price I would be happy to clean 'every other month'.

So I quote a high price, giving the customer the option to have it done monthly or every other month.

On the rare occassion they want it every month; bonus.

Some say, 'Well, we'll start of monthly and then see'; still a bonus.

Others say, 'Every other month will be great'.  Still good.

Some say, 'How much; sorry, no'.  Never mind.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Having too much work is a great position to be in.  You can quote high, and there's no problems if they say no.