[james44]

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!

[JRDEasiReach]

I like this idea and just as you mention it as i was canvassing the other day a man said to me i just normally ring a guy and he comes out and cleans them sure ill take your flyer and now ill ring you was annoyed in a way but when i went on and thought about it i think its a great idea, if we dont just kick these types to the kerb then we will be the ones with the extra cash in our pockets as and when and not others

[p1w1]

For me personally I would never work this way (not knocking your idea) I only want regular customers as this brings in a regular income and don't see why i should clean someones windows who say has them done a few times a year for the same price as someone who wants them doing every month/2 months. I would rather spend my spare working  time getting more regular customers then using my time cleaning houses whenever they decide they want it doing, different with gutter cleaning etc where you can charge more.

paul

[james44]

p1w1 you will still have regular customers and you will not be cleaning them for the same price as a regular clean re-read the post,

one off cleans will not all be done at the same time, different people will want them done at a different time all year round think about it

[R W C™]

Havent got time for one off cleans too busy with a full time round, I think as a newbie its a good idea but doing this youll soon get a full round any way and wont have time for one offs.

[elfords]

I think its a good idea but think you would need to charge something like £20 call out fee plus the cleaning cost to make it viable

[ccmids]

cant you just send out a load of flyers saying    ....


                                                   DIAL-A-CLEAN WINDOW CLEANING

                                                                CALL 123456789

                                                      for that one off window clean

[groundhog]

Terrible idea in my opinion!!! you want to build a quality round of well paying regular customers!! That would be like doing first cleans all day every day!!!

[Tosh]

I'd prefer it if you'd give the Chepstow and surrounding areas a miss, please!
 

[Count Phil]

Not a bad idea. AFTER finishing tell them the price for a regular service and it should sound cheap. Then it could be a new customer.

[Rob.Hall]

I think its a great idea as long as the custy understands that there is a premium like on a first clean.

You would still have regulars because some just like clean windows.

The up side is you may be able to explain that if they wanted you twice a year or once and they accept....you have them on your books.

[prestigeclean]

sorry but this is possibly the most stupid idea i,ve ever seen on here , why would you target one offs , even if you could get away with charging loads more than your normal rate it makes no sense , we all know regular compact work is what you need to be a success in this business . your idea is to charge off all over the place doing first cleans , good luck with that lol regards alan

[james44]

Ewan as for flyers the idea is to door knock a target area over a weekend say fri/sat/sun for the following weeks work,

ok you may not get a full weeks work straight away but do this on a regular basis you will, it works for carpet cleaners, this is how the wheelie bin cleaners franchises done it

i just know with a lot of hard work it will work,

take now for instance peoples windows a filthy

[Clive McDonald]

The most bone headed business idea i ever heard.

You will service the customers once, twice, or possibly three times a year. You give ten pounds as an example price.You need twenty customers a day, five days, forty eight weeks a year.Most of these customers will not want it done at all in the winter months. But assuming an even spread, 5 times 20 times 48 divided by 3 is the calculation for the number of customers needed to compare to an average round. The number of customers needed is 8000, yes eight thousand customers.

Thats why it's such a bad idea compared to the normal wc business model.

Not only that, but many of these eight thousand will be other window cleaners rejects, will find fault with your work when there is none,will not let you work without being present, and follow you around the property talking.Very hard to achieve a good hourly rate under these conditions.

[james44]

prestigeclean you wont be traveling here there and every where,
if you get say 30 customers in an area you may not get the same 30 the next time you canvass that area, you will still be working in the same areas

[prestigeclean]

you also seem to think you will retain your regular customers , how long do you think they will take before they start saying not today can you leave it till next month , you need to save yourself a load of grief and ditch this idea asap regards alan

[Tosh]

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!

[p1w1]

p1w1 you will still have regular customers and you will not be cleaning them for the same price as a regular clean re-read the post,

one off cleans will not all be done at the same time, different people will want them done at a different time all year round think about it

I have re-read it mate and i still come up with the same I just cant see the point i have a full round or as near as so for me i cant see the point of wasting my time chasing 1 off customers when it's the regular ones the bring in more money over a period of a year..If someone rings me or asks for a 1 off then if i have time i will do it but at a premium..maybe your on to something and good luck but for me i think it's a waste of time
all the best tho and would be interesting to see how you get on.

paul

[james44]

Prestigeclean

(you also seem to think you will retain your regular customers )

Your right as this option was offered to all my customers from the start,

I have put it to them again and all are happy as things are

[prestigeclean]

ok i if you reaslly think its a good idea can you please come down and do all my first cleans , we can work out a rate based on what you posted regards alan