[michael papworth]

I'm going to suggest this to my son. He's thinking about going on to university and worried like hell about getting into tens of thousands of pounds of debt.

If he's smart enough for uni, he's smart enough to knock on doors and clean gutters during the long Easter and summer vacations.

And he might just have a bit less debt than if he didn't.

It might just teach him a bit about how the world works as well - and if he learns that and nowt else, it will be worth while.

[james44]

Prestigeclean the rates if you read the post are examples only,

God i tried to make it simple for people

[daniel worgan]

I think it potentially could be a winner.
The downside will be the amount of work needed to make ita viable year round business.
This is how it is done in australia...and it works.A lot of marketing will need to be done,but done properly could see great results.
The obvious thing that will happen is that you will nick work off other wc's...sorry but this is inevitable.A lot of customers would like a less regular service...ok not all as they are used to regular cleans.Price it right and i think it could work,it will defo cause some wc's to get p1ssed off with you...
You never know until you try...my old dad used to say....good luck.

[jonnyald]

good luck with it ,are you targetting the council estates or the big stuff . i think it will take a good opening patter to get it across that you arent just offering the normal service . then they mite start thinking "whats the catch"

 but good luck with it !

[ccmids]

if you compact the work you have, you could do this on the side to fill in the days you have free

[daniel worgan]

I sort of have the feeling its not a good idea.
Firstly, if you take a call for a one-off clean over the telephone and its not a property you're familiar with, you're going to have to travel there to quote.  You can't give a quote over the phone, not really, especially since you can't see what access issues there could be.  And the property could be absolutely filthy.

Secondly, to make it work, you're going to have to charge a (possibly) really high price, which could make the customer say 'no'.  I think there's a potential here to quote for and not get a lot of jobs = wasted time and fuel!

However, I do 'one off cleans' for our local army married quarter patch, for when they vacate their married quarters (I won't take them on as regular customers) and I charge them a high price and don't have to quote, since the houses are usually one of two types; no conservatories and simple to do.  But I wouldn't like to do this as part of my business for the 'general public'.

Its one thing knocking on the doors of an estate with a ladder, asking customers if they would like a one-off, but trying to make a business out of it is a different matter.  In my opinion!

Comment in RED


That’s because you don’t know how to make it work.

Oh i bet he does... :

[james44]

(Contact window cleaners in the USA, they clean infrequently)

Yes your right ewan i have someone in mind who is the ideal person, shes used to be on this forum

[cybersye]

now what made my mind up was i got talking to a lad on the dole and he appears in the summer to clean windows gutters etc i asked if he got many houses to do he said yes,

Now all he does is walk around all day knocking doors to get work, thing is these people see you about all the time but they dont ask you to clean there windows why! because we all want regular customers and most know this so wont ask you to do theres you may get some but not alot, i have myself turned people down because i wanted regulars.

Now just to test this way of working i got a mate to go around houses all day knocking on doors did he get work yes he did and he earned over £90.

I thought these kinda people were referred to on here as "the beer money brigade" or "fair weather cleaners" OR (ahem) "DOLE CHEATS"

I've read so many threads on here about "how we are percieved by the general public" this idea only goes to back up some of those views.
I am not against "one off cleans", I've done plenty and would say about half of those have called me back maybe once or twice a year, I just would'nt want to encourage it.
If a "dial-a-clean" style of service became common place it would be the end of a guarenteed income from regular rounds, is this how I am led to beleive it is in the states ?

[prestigeclean]

we know thats the case in the usa but why is that relevant , unless of course vyou think they would,nt like regular work , the amount of time and work you tp put in to get a wage out of it is massive when you could be getting regulars , all you will get is the moaners and messers who have been dropped by someone else regards alan

[Clive McDonald]

The trend is for longer periods between cleans, the trend is to have gutters and cons roof and white work done annually or even every couple of years.

All true, but the only people who stay in business are those that make a profit.This idea stinks because even on it's best day- my mate went round asking and made £90- the figures don't work.As a guy starting a business ,great, if he can do that from a zero base he could fly.But to start every day from zero with no scheduled cleans whatsoever is dumb.

Ref the states it's been explained before, they have storm shutters etc that detach and are cleaned bi annually.It's a much more involved and expensive job.

[james44]

Cybersye If a "dial-a-clean" style of service became common place it would be the end of a guarenteed income from regular rounds, is this how I am led to beleive it is in the states ?

Yes it is and there are plenty of really succesful window cleaning companies over there

[rg1]

I understand that this method works in other countries and therefor I can see why somebody would want to try it over here. But..I personally can't see how you can go to the job and quote, then maybe go back again to clean. Your time, fuel and cost of clean = higher price for the job. Let's face it, those people that don't want a regular service and just a one-off are looking for a cheap option so I can't see them wanting to pay for it.

I maybe wrong but there seems to be more negatives than positives to this idea.

 

[ccmids]

this idea is a good one , it will not interfere with your regulars ,if like mine they are very house proud and want them done on time .
but like i said if you compact your round it would be good for someone who needs that work .
i also have people call me when they want them cleaned ,its no big deal i just do them.
at the end of the day its what we do.
its all to do with selling yourself if you use the right approach i bet you would get them as a regular.

[james44]

rg1 I know my target areas and know what i would charge for a certain house,

Now word of mouth will get around and i know my area very well so if someone calls me for a quote i will know exactly what it will be from area to area,

I was born and raised in the area and know it like the back of my hand

first of i will be door knocking leaflet at hand

[groundhog]

I'm sorry but this is an absolutely idiotic idea!!!!! Why would you want to try and attract the kind of customers that every other successful window cleaner tries to avoid? You are making hard work for yourself, you really are!!!

[james44]

Groundhog i dont avoid that type of customer as you put it, money is money why turn it down

doing this type of customer has given me more customers in the past some have stayed as regulars why because i do a good job

dont miss windows clean frames and sills and i am the dearest in my area,

What i have found in the past is some not all dont have a regular window cleaner for different reasons

example window cleaners they have had in the past just didn`t do them right or never came back

[groundhog]

Sorry James but imo you are making hard work for yourself!! But if thats how you want to do it, then go for it!!  :

[james44]

groundhog i know what you are saying,


some customers feel they need to accept a regular clean in fear of not having a cleaner come round when they want them, customers should be given an option,

thats why i feel a clean when you want service should be offered, you don`t get the milk man telling you that you have your milk delivered every day or none at all do you

and thats why i am now offering dial-a-clean
 

you offer your customers this option and see what results you get

[leapstallbuildings]

Hi this is an idea from a post from dai,

Dial-a-clean is exactly what it is, a clean when you want it service

I have thought long and hard about this and i think dai is so right, we all seem to target a small number who want regular cleans i think the vast majority would only want your service now and again.

before anybody says about regular customers you will still have them

now what made my mind up was i got talking to a lad on the dole and he appears in the summer to clean windows gutters etc i asked if he got many houses to do he said yes,

Now all he does is walk around all day knocking doors to get work, thing is these people see you about all the time but they dont ask you to clean there windows why! because we all want regular customers and most know this so wont ask you to do theres you may get some but not alot, i have myself turned people down because i wanted regulars.

Now just to test this way of working i got a mate to go around houses all day knocking on doors did he get work yes he did and he earned over £90.

Now i am at the moment getting flyers done to target the no so regular customers who will come near easter will be looking out for a window cleaner it could be you or the guy with the ladders walking the streets, i think people will keep your number as you are not forcing them to have it done regular, i mean how many times have you done a house for them to say i will ring when i want them done again normaly we would ditch them i dont do this anymore.

If these people keep hold of your number there is a good chance you will be doing there windows in the spring and (you never know they just might decide to keep hold of you) that means less work for the street walkers as the customers know they will be coming along so why not you!

Price wise could be example:

Regular clean 4 weekly  £5:00

8 weekly £7:50

12 weekly £10:00

i have been thinking of offering a package deal like

windows cleaned

guttering

wheelie bin cleaning.


now i  am sure there will be a lot of opinions as to this set up  so what do you all think,

just to have you think about it customers call plumbers, tilers plasterers, decororators any trade as a when you want service, and most trades people get repeat work from regulars.

so lets see what we all think!

This is all very well if you charge an appropriate rate for it being the equivalent of a first clean each time and if you don't have a full workload.  Where it would fall down (IMO) is that as soon as someone has a full round, it would mean deferring the cleans of regular customers for someone who would only be a very occasional customer.  I believe this would be bad business.

[windowswashed]

If it makes you happy, go for it. Personally I think it's the most ridiculous idea going but that's my opinion.