[clear-view]

How do you normally go about recruiting guys to work for you and how reliable do you find them to be. I'm fed up with guys wanting a job and then telling me night before they dont want it or even worse just not turning up on first day. anyone else experience this

[LWC]

tell me about the ones not turning up! i had the same in 2 weeks, 2 guys not turning up with no phone call or explanation...

if you dont want any stress mate, get rid of some of your smaller work and work on the bigger stuff and earn some good money

[geefree]

Do you think its generally across the board, this attitude?... people not turning up... not lasting...

or do you think its because its window cleaning... and they either get stick from family/friends..... or they realise at the last minute that its not what they want....

for the same reasons above.

Im just curious, because i still get raised eyebrow,... funny looks, and even... "are you really window cleaning seriously"?

so i just wondered.

im not knocking what we do, because i love it. 

[Steve CM]

2 of my guys have worked for about 4 other companys and both have said that the way i run things is by far better and they don't feel as much like dogs and i show them respect!

I'm not greedy. if they finish early they go home with full pay. I have my targets. once there reached they go home.

I have various systems in place to keep an eye on what's going on. this has proved invaluable. as every now and the rein can be pulled in to keep things on course

I think its probably a combination of various things of how to make employing successful. but i guess what springs to my mind when handling most situations is "If i was employed by me, would i do what i asked if i said it like that?" i guess i'm saying treat people as you would expect to be treated yourself. paying good money probably helps as well

[clear-view]

I think the thought of just getting out of bed in the morning nd doing some work actually puts a lot of people off nowadays. weather does not help. I also think when you tell guys you are expecting so much to be done but your only paying a lot less than they are bringing in they dont seem to realise the expenses that we have like insurance equipment tax licenses etc they think clean £15 worth of work in an hour and are only paid £7 means we have £8 profit they are far wrong.

[Steve CM]

clean £15 worth of work in an hour and are only paid £7 means we have £8 profit they are far wrong.

that would be your problem from the start. you couldn't build a viable business on them only brining in £15 per hour!!

[Chris Galloway]

We do window cleaning probably because we enjoy doing it - i know i do. Its not that great a job for those that dont have pleasure in doing so.

Out in most weathers, cold, miserable - and thats just the custies.. nah kidding but you know what i mean

Very few new starts ups actually make it cos its much harder than they think to build up a decent round whilst combating the weather, and people you take on, will just treat is as any other "job". They say all the rights things at an interview but when it comes to it, are not all there.. Especially when if there on min wage or thereabouts its better for them to work in the comfort and warmth of a pub or restaurant for example.

[trevor perry]

clean £15 worth of work in an hour and are only paid £7 means we have £8 profit they are far wrong.

that would be your problem from the start. you couldn't build a viable business on them only brining in £15 per hour!!

   i would have to disagree with you on this a lot of businesses make a profit from charging less than £15 an hour a lot of our large jobs pay less than this and we still make an healthy profit and often still get undercut on price

[Pristine Clean]

clean £15 worth of work in an hour and are only paid £7 means we have £8 profit they are far wrong.

that would be your problem from the start. you couldn't build a viable business on them only brining in £15 per hour!!

   i would have to disagree with you on this a lot of businesses make a profit from charging less than £15 an hour a lot of our large jobs pay less than this and we still make an healthy profit and often still get undercut on price

Hi Trevor,

I have to agree with you on this.

Most companies not all work on an average of 30% profit labour only.

If you pay some one £7.00 an hour well 30% profit £2.01 thats £9.01 in total.

Now if your getting £15.00 for every £7.00 you are on around 113% profit. per hour.

If you cannot run a successful business on that well you should go and work for some one else.

Because even if you take out insurance for that person... yes the cost will vary but on average its around £78.00 per person. So I think if you have even a small business you should still make a tidy profit.

Dave   

[Cleaningcaddy]

I had someone approach me who was on the dole about a "Work Trial" which means they can work for you for two weeks without pay (They still get all their benefits). After the two weeks you can either take them on or tell them they are not suitable. You just have to register with the Job Centre, who check you are adequately insured etc:-. You can tell after the first day if there the right person for the job. I believe you can do this for up to a year.

[Steve CM]

clean £15 worth of work in an hour and are only paid £7 means we have £8 profit they are far wrong.

that would be your problem from the start. you couldn't build a viable business on them only brining in £15 per hour!!

   i would have to disagree with you on this a lot of businesses make a profit from charging less than £15 an hour a lot of our large jobs pay less than this and we still make an healthy profit and often still get undercut on price

you must have masses of man hours to be able to return a tidy profit on each employee. how many do you employ???

[Pristine Clean]

It can be about the numbers of hours.

Obviously yes the more hours you have, the less you can charge the client.

As I have said before my main area at present is Contract Office cleaning, Janitorial supples, Sanitary bins etc etc.

I have only recently started an add on service Window Cleaning.

But the ethics of business remains the same no matter what line of work you are in.

I personally work on an average of 30 - 70% but you have to remember that £15 per hour on window cleaning on avaerage house that will be about 3 residential houses as on average they only take 20 minutes. So You have got around £35 in one hour so your employee has only cost you £7.00 in 60 minutes. 

Thats a profit of 400% with the costs of insurance etc

Commercial work is obviuosly prices different and more expensive.. know your market and your competitors. If you want the work.. give excelent work at the cheapest possible. While still retaining a profit thats worth while..

But as to recruiting put them on a trial, go with them as if and when they do not turn up, you can or another employee cover it. After a while and trust is built up then let them on their own

Dave

[Steve CM]

i have just done my sums on £15 an hour and it looks like a lot of hassle for minimal return unless your talking 20 employees plus.

your margins sound a little similar to my dads business but his mark up is lower than that but he has about 200 people out working a day. i can see the logic when your talking a mass amount of people like that but for anyone employing say under 20 i can't see the return there

am i  missing something?

[Pristine Clean]

No your not missing the point.

But to you it may not seem as there is much point. But how are you going to build a company then. Lets say you are in the early stages of growth.

The only way to grow is

1. Have the work
2 Have the man power & technology to do the work.

Now if a client asked for a tender and said right I am offering you this, lets face it alot of tenders are given to people by back handers or who they know.

He says this job is £50, 000 a year. + vat yes im VAT registered!

Sounds alot but its 18 hours a day x 2 staff + 1 supervisor 3 times a week.

Plus all chemicals everything included.

Now work out even if on mimumum wage what that is.

Now work out the cost of actually running the the contract with all the equipment and chemicals everything incl travel. Plus staff cover holiday...

Would you turn it down just because you dont get more than 12% profit P.A

There are huge companies out there with less profit than that. per job.

If you want to grow then dont be too greedy! Alot of people are too greedy and trust me even on that price and 12% profit many companies will undercut that.

Dave

[Mike 108]

I personally work on an average of 30 - 70% but you have to remember that £15 per hour on window cleaning on avaerage house that will be about 3 residential houses as on average they only take 20 minutes. So You have got around £35 in one hour so your employee has only cost you £7.00 in 60 minutes. 

I don't understand this, Dave. Can you explain it again. Thanks

Mike

[Pristine Clean]

I personally work on an average of 30 - 70% but you have to remember that £15 per hour on window cleaning on avaerage house that will be about 3 residential houses as on average they only take 20 minutes. So You have got around £35 in one hour so your employee has only cost you £7.00 in 60 minutes. 

I don't understand this, Dave. Can you explain it again. Thanks

Mike

We were working on £15.00 per hour for an employee.

You pay the employee £7.00 per hour

On average and its only an example..

It will take your employee to do 3 houses in 60 minutes. Thats cost you £7.00

You have from your customer £35.00

- Minus £7 That leaves you with £28.00 Now work that out over a day. Then a week.

It works out at 400& profit with out insurance etc

Hope that helps. Steve CM said that if your are going on £15.00 for an employee that is where you are going wrong. And I disagree.

Dave

[Steve CM]

No your not missing the point.

But to you it may not seem as there is much point. But how are you going to build a company then. Lets say you are in the early stages of growth.

The only way to grow is

1. Have the work
2 Have the man power & technology to do the work.

Now if a client asked for a tender and said right I am offering you this, lets face it alot of tenders are given to people by back handers or who they know.

He says this job is £50, 000 a year. + vat yes im VAT registered!

Sounds alot but its 18 hours a day x 2 staff + 1 supervisor 3 times a week.

Plus all chemicals everything included.

Now work out even if on mimumum wage what that is.

Now work out the cost of actually running the the contract with all the equipment and chemicals everything incl travel. Plus staff cover holiday...

Would you turn it down just because you dont get more than 12% profit P.A

There are huge companies out there with less profit than that. per job.

If you want to grow then dont be too greedy! Alot of people are too greedy and trust me even on that price and 12% profit many companies will undercut that.

Dave

to me its not greed my friend!   to me its about working smart!! regardless of what other companys are  doing. for the average wc £15 is to small! your talking about a mass of business. i've looked into the contract cleaning sector myself but came to the conclusion its to much hard work for minimal return.

maybe later when i'm bigger i may look at it. but when there is wc work out there that can earn masses more than £15 an hour thats where i will concentrate my efforts first.

[Steve CM]

I personally work on an average of 30 - 70% but you have to remember that £15 per hour on window cleaning on avaerage house that will be about 3 residential houses as on average they only take 20 minutes. So You have got around £35 in one hour so your employee has only cost you £7.00 in 60 minutes. 

I don't understand this, Dave. Can you explain it again. Thanks

Mike

We were working on £15.00 per hour for an employee.

You pay the employee £7.00 per hour

On average and its only an example..

It will take your employee to do 3 houses in 60 minutes. Thats cost you £7.00

You have from your customer £35.00

- Minus £7 That leaves you with £28.00 Now work that out over a day. Then a week.

It works out at 400& profit with out insurance etc

Hope that helps. Steve CM said that if your are going on £15.00 for an employee that is where you are going wrong. And I disagree.

Dave

you won't get any decent wc's on £7 an hour. you will only employ muppetts.

[peter holley]

It can be about the numbers of hours.

Obviously yes the more hours you have, the less you can charge the client.

As I have said before my main area at present is Contract Office cleaning, Janitorial supples, Sanitary bins etc etc.

I have only recently started an add on service Window Cleaning.

But the ethics of business remains the same no matter what line of work you are in.

I personally work on an average of 30 - 70% but you have to remember that £15 per hour on window cleaning on avaerage house that will be about 3 residential houses as on average they only take 20 minutes. So You have got around £35 in one hour so your employee has only cost you £7.00 in 60 minutes. 

Thats a profit of 400% with the costs of insurance etc

Commercial work is obviuosly prices different and more expensive.. know your market and your competitors. If you want the work.. give excelent work at the cheapest possible. While still retaining a profit thats worth while..

But as to recruiting put them on a trial, go with them as if and when they do not turn up, you can or another employee cover it. After a while and trust is built up then let them on their own

Dave

thats not £15 per hour, if he does 3 houses in an hour, thats a minimum of £30 / hr ...
i dont understand where your £15 comes from

[Pristine Clean]

you won't get any decent wc's on £7 an hour. you will only employ muppetts.

In most cases I would agree! But there are so many people out there without jobs in this economic climate. But that hourly rate was just an example.

And not everyone is on £30 + an hour that do window cleaning. Sorry to say it not the highest paid profession, neither is Contract cleaning.

Plus not everyone wants to run their own business and wants to be a fat cat!

There are lots millions of people just on minimum wage, thats one of the reasons many of us work for ourselves, have opur own business Yes its about working smart I agree 100%

Im not saying people can't do more or dont pay more yes they obviously do, Ive seen adverts for window cleaner here in Kent for £700 p/w advertised in the KM. But you have to do a reasonable amount of mid terraced houses to make that employee pay and earn a profit.

Commercial work is different and you can earn more and price higher.

Dave