[pingu]

So how has your business coped this year, did it bring you what you wanted?

So far this year 09....

Dropped/was dropped/moved 24 accounts
Gained 52 new accounts...now have 240.
Bought the new SL-X...nice pole
Bought a 4040HF-5 setup...
In the process of going from George to WCP

Totally on schedule for 2010 & 2011...in just a little over 3 years have gone from 0 to my projected annual turnover and more....

Am happy with the time I spend at work and equally with the amount of time I am not at work and it works very well for me...6,5 weeks work then 1,5 weeks off then start the cycle again.

When I first started someone on here told me that working a 8 weekly scheduled/dated service would never work...it can....it just takes a little more thinking and effort when the weather goes bad.

This December has been dire to say the least..lost 10.5 working days. Glad I put away a little each week as my 'slush fund'.

Other than that..all is well in the land of cloggs, cheese and bad driving.

So to all those just starting out...good luck and plod on  and for those who are real ol' sweats...how has your year been?

Cheers all.

Dave.

[mci services]

start of the year i dropped about 200 quids worth(should have kept it and uped the price :) over the year gained £400 quid per month

all in all not a bad year that couldve been better with a bit more motivation

[Ian Lancaster]

Hi Dave,

Well done

A question:  if you've lost 10.5 working days this month, how do you keep on track with your dated schedule?  Surely at least 10.5 days worth of work can't be done on its scheduled date, and if you move it then work which should be done on the re-scheduled date has to be re-re scheduled (if you see what I mean)

[pingu]

Hi Ian...what I have had to do is...just skip them (not something I like to do)...this time of year most do not seem to mind ....I give them a leaflet I have had made and it explains why and if they are not happy...call us and we will try to re-arrange soemthing else..

Normally in the year I have enough space in the rounds to do the job a couple of days later...but this weather has been something else...so...a little more effort cleaning them next time.

I make sure that during the year I do what I say I will when I have said I will do it...so when it all goes pear shape...I hope they will understand.

Hope this explains it

Cheers
Dave

[Window Washers]

Dave does that mean you skip the late work and start from where your meant to be ?

[pingu]

Unfortunatly this has had to be the case...I do this very rarely as I do have 'slack' with the 8 weekly schedule but this weather has been very bad here...so...I have had to bite the bullet and skip them.

I think during this year I have skipped only about 10 jobs in total...but this December has been 'not so nice'.

Cheers
Dave.

[Ian Lancaster]

Sounds fine, unless you have a full round.  Skipping them wouldn't be an option for us because they would soon start to look elsewhere, especially if we worked an 8 week cycle as you do, that would make it 16 weeks between cleans and if the next scheduled call was a washout, you're really in trouble.  

We just keep going round the work, if we have to stop for weather we pick up again where we left off.  All custies know this so they don't worry if we're up to a week or so late - makes scheduling much easier and more flexible and we're never tied down to specific dates.

Maybe when you've got all the work you can handle, you may find your rigid promise type of service becomes a real pain trying to keep to it :

[pingu]

Hi Ian I know you have a very good business there so my way does seem a little 'rigid' but for me having a 'schedule' keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Like I have said.this weather has affected me a little more than I thought but in general..I am normally on the dot.

I did look at all this and workout that I would have a certain amount of days of no work per year and saved accordingly during the year just for that to happen.


 

Cheers
Dave.

[Ian Lancaster]

Like I said, well done

If it works for you then best of luck.  I'm a bit more 'laid back' - my custies know we'll get to them when we're ready so no need to worry about sticking to promises

[matt]

my domestic work hasnt changed much

i lost 10 weeks after my hernia op at the start of the year, but my insurance paid the bills

a fair bit of commercial work have cut me back in freq, some more than others, one particular commercial cut back has made a ( around ) 10 K PA dent in my work another around 5 K PA of work, but hey ho, easy come, easy go, no point in moaning about it

just completed a nice online project which has just paid out ( 24 dec as it happens ) and has made the start of the year look nice and rosey

yes i have lost a fair few days recently, but thats the nature of the work

[dazmond]

ive done well this year.i upped some prices in april and december.dumped about 30 accounts,gained 50+.earned 3grand more than year before.paid all debts off.use george now for round organisation.bought brand new laptop/printer/flatscreen tv/stereo.done flat up and managed to start building emergency fund up.

im looking forward to the new year debt free and saving for smart van/WFP.

UP PRICES AGAIN IN APRIL!

KEEP HONING AND BUILDING A BETTER BUSINESS!!

OH!and had a great 12 days in new york in august!not bad for a sole trader trad lad!

[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

Went self employed & started up my business in August. Started £0 a month, now i'm on £900 a month.

Not done that bad really 

Realised the difference in traditional tools available, ie; usin unger ergotec rather than cheap brass blades.

My confidence has really got a lot better ie; door knocking.

Learned a few tips n tricks.

Learned that punctuality is what customers like

[Ste M]

Started much as i have for the last 6/7 years, got the desire to expand my round towards the winter time as my full time job was looking a bit dodgy. Got myself a van and a full water set up after buying a back pack and seeing the future .

Picked up a new estate with more work and everything is fitting in just right, will really hit the doors and canvass like mad in the new year with the hope of doubling/trebling my business by this time next year. I also hope to have someone working for me within the next few months and i just help out when its a busy time.

I wouldnt of done the majority of the things that i have done in the last few months if i had not found this forum, so for that i would like to thank everyone of you

[Blue Frog Systems]

Been 9 months and ive done more than i thought. Infact im at a point now where im earning double what i needed when i started. Though my costs have gone up a little due to having to buy a van.

On the whole my business has gone from strength to strength in this short period.

Next year -

Sell my current business, start a new one when i move.
I want a 70/30 split of domestic/commercial work
To be earning 20% more this time next year, same hours or less
Branch out a little from just window cleaning (jet washing & guttervac)

[pingu]

So good to hear that in this world of media induced doom and gloom you are all doing so well....


Onwards and upwards....worked out last night last if I add 37 new customers to my rounds at the current average rate our business will be as full as I want it to be....so 37 added custys is the number....once that is done I'll put my prices up...I am so scared to do that...

Cheers
Dave

[ccmids]

2010 i'm going to work so hard ,i will be going for at least £200 £250 a day if i can .
Its all to do with sorting out the round , last year i was chaseing around like a nutter and weather did not help. going to some villages twice just to do one house that could not be done due to weather.

[gewindows]

Not sure of the numbers lost or gained. I gained more than lost though.


Picked up my biggest domestic, as a direct result of this forum, £170.00 and also started to target directly a lot more aggressively particular places I want to aim for.


Gutters went mental around the first half of the year (March through to July)

[ccmids]

hi matt happy new year to you .
have you got a gutter vac ?

[gewindows]

No I haven't mate. So far all my guttering jobs have been done off ladders. Ive had a couple of enquiries this year where I wished I did have a gutter-vac, particularly one from a housing association.


When I say gutters I also mean con roofs and external gutter cleans, upvc fascias etc.

Happy New Year to you too.

Matt

[ccmids]

dont do many gutters but when i do i charge around £20 £30 for avrage 3 bed.
dont know if this is any good , i do them of ladders too.
 solar panels  i'm going to start to asdvertise the cleaning of these ,think it could be a good earna.