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deeege

  • Posts: 5008
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #20 on: May 16, 2022, 03:21:23 pm »
I’m with Daz on this one. Sticking to a mega strict schedule full time is a recipe to disaster, I personally couldn’t think of anything worse and it’ll sooner or rather lead to burnout.

I don’t think sticking to a schedule is the issue, the workload is the issue not the schedule

Disagree.

Having a strict schedule, that piles pressure on and falls to pieces in the event of Illness, vehicle issues, prolonged stormy weather etc will cause burnout long term. I’d hate to be constantly worried of any of the above and constantly playing catch-up. Not for me thanks.
"....and it's lend me ten pounds, I'll buy you a drink, and mother wake me early in the morning."

Shrek

  • Posts: 3931
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2022, 03:59:56 pm »
I’m with Daz on this one. Sticking to a mega strict schedule full time is a recipe to disaster, I personally couldn’t think of anything worse and it’ll sooner or rather lead to burnout.

I don’t think sticking to a schedule is the issue, the workload is the issue not the schedule

Disagree.

Having a strict schedule, that piles pressure on and falls to pieces in the event of Illness, vehicle issues, prolonged stormy weather etc will cause burnout long term. I’d hate to be constantly worried of any of the above and constantly playing catch-up. Not for me thanks.

Yes but that only happens if your workload is too much and your round is bursting at the seams. When I had a small round it was never an issue taking days off and working when I liked. You don’t burnout with having 200 semis

Smudger

  • Posts: 13438
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #22 on: May 16, 2022, 05:29:11 pm »
Strict schedules have worked like a dream for me for 13 years now - won’t. I changing the system anytime soon

But I know this way doesn’t work for many

Darran
Never argue with an idiot, they will only bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience

robbo333

  • Posts: 2419
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #23 on: May 16, 2022, 06:12:13 pm »
Time for re-jig, price increase and cut down...thanks guys.
"Thank you for calling: if you have a 1st floor flat, mid terraced house, lots of dogs, no parking, no side access, or no sense of humour, please press hold!
For all other enquiries, please press1"

dazmond

  • Posts: 23966
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #24 on: May 16, 2022, 06:46:05 pm »
Time for re-jig, price increase and cut down...thanks guys.

You ll be happier for sure mate....a 20% price increase across the board,sub out ,pass on or ditch the add ons at weekends and you ll have a better work/life balance...👍🙂
price higher/work harder!

windowswashed

  • Posts: 2577
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #25 on: May 16, 2022, 08:12:04 pm »
Hell,I’m 58 this year and a 3 and a half day week for me is more than enough 😧
I’m lucky to have been mortgage free for about 5 years so that definitely makes it easier.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease 2 years ago after struggling with it for years,just glad I’m in a pretty settled routine,as this disease can flare anytime ....that’s what I like is the flexibility of my little round👍

Sorry to hear you have Crohn's disease, I had an ex girlfriend suffered with it so cooking two different meals everynight and taking care of her 24/7 was a handful at times and sympathise with you.

windowswashed

  • Posts: 2577
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #26 on: May 16, 2022, 08:16:26 pm »
Commercial bang on time, best earners bang on time, decent work mostly on time, awkward, pita customers get done last, that's my routine and allows flexibility and some spare days every month.

windowswashed

  • Posts: 2577
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #27 on: May 16, 2022, 08:32:26 pm »
I’m with Daz on this one. Sticking to a mega strict schedule full time is a recipe to disaster, I personally couldn’t think of anything worse and it’ll sooner or rather lead to burnout.

If you get too busy and try keeping to a strict round routine you'll end up losing your good work as your bottom end work will never leave you as you'll get too busy, burn yourself out and get cheesed off. Work smart and look after your best paying work on a regular basis whilst relaxing without worrying about poorer paid work falling by the wayside, it's just the way things are, better that way for flexible days off when needed.

motod

  • Posts: 74
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #28 on: May 27, 2022, 06:50:36 am »
How do you deal with customers not sticking to the schedule? Example; nice big  detached house  in the middle of your area, priced high for 6 weekly job. Arranged for tomorrow with others in the street, text day before; she wants next week Wednesday at midday...  I have a few new customers like that recently, higher paying nice jobs, but not "trained" yet  :)

Do I explain the price is for 6 weekly visit on the day we can, on request visits are double?  Or accommodate for few months and try to educate how to be a good reliable customer? Worried I'll be wasting time, probably why last window cleaner left.

I work by the area, and return visits costing me money (travel time).

Smudger

  • Posts: 13438
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #29 on: May 27, 2022, 07:30:20 am »
needs to be a valid reason - t if its not or a regular thing they are informed its now a bespoke service @2x the regular clean - if they don't like it they are no longer a customer - no matter how "nice" a price if its costing you to go out of your way to and from its not a good job

Darran
Never argue with an idiot, they will only bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience

Stoots

  • Posts: 6211
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #30 on: May 27, 2022, 07:51:33 am »
How do you deal with customers not sticking to the schedule? Example; nice big  detached house  in the middle of your area, priced high for 6 weekly job. Arranged for tomorrow with others in the street, text day before; she wants next week Wednesday at midday...  I have a few new customers like that recently, higher paying nice jobs, but not "trained" yet  :)

Do I explain the price is for 6 weekly visit on the day we can, on request visits are double?  Or accommodate for few months and try to educate how to be a good reliable customer? Worried I'll be wasting time, probably why last window cleaner left.

I work by the area, and return visits costing me money (travel time).

Simple.

You message them saying you'll be round tomorrow. They say not suitable, you say no problem see you in 6 weeks.

When they moan you tell them how you work, it's when you are in the area or leave till next time.

Now they will either fall in line or get the hump and cancel, which is great as you have now got rid of one pita job off the round. If you have 20 of these jobs then in no time at all they will be gone which again is great.

If there's one thing I've learnt that will make your life much easier is do not hang on to poor work , constantly be advertising and willing get rid of jobs like they were turd on your shoe.

Think about it what does keeping that job do for you ? Nothing but lower your profit and stress you out. Its like choosing to sit on a park bench full of bird muck rather than walking further down the path and finding a clean one. It's the easy option and fear that there may not be another clean one come along but youll never be happy sat eating a sandwich next to bird muck. I've done it in town sat outside Gregg's eating a pasty and those benches put me right off.


james peters

  • Posts: 950
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #31 on: May 27, 2022, 08:06:03 am »
Commercial bang on time, best earners bang on time, decent work mostly on time, awkward, pita customers get done last, that's my routine and allows flexibility and some spare days every month.

this has been my strategy also.....

Shrek

  • Posts: 3931
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #32 on: May 27, 2022, 10:01:44 am »
Commercial bang on time, best earners bang on time, decent work mostly on time, awkward, pita customers get done last, that's my routine and allows flexibility and some spare days every month.

How does this even work? So if you’ve got 10 custards on one street , you’ll clean the best payers then you’ll move to the next area and come back to the same street a few weeks later to clean the pita custards?

Perfect Windows

  • Posts: 4179
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #33 on: May 27, 2022, 11:58:12 am »
How do you deal with customers not sticking to the schedule? Example; nice big  detached house  in the middle of your area, priced high for 6 weekly job. Arranged for tomorrow with others in the street, text day before; she wants next week Wednesday at midday...  I have a few new customers like that recently, higher paying nice jobs, but not "trained" yet  :)

Do I explain the price is for 6 weekly visit on the day we can, on request visits are double?  Or accommodate for few months and try to educate how to be a good reliable customer? Worried I'll be wasting time, probably why last window cleaner left.

I work by the area, and return visits costing me money (travel time).

Simple to deal with: "No problem missing you tomorrow. We'll catch you next time."

If they question it: "Sorry, I'll be out of the area next Wednesday. I'm sure you can see that it would be uneconomical to drive several miles to carry out one clean."

And if they then cancel: "Sorry to hear that. Thank you for your business over the past few years/months"

Vin

dazmond

  • Posts: 23966
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #34 on: May 27, 2022, 02:13:39 pm »
How do you deal with customers not sticking to the schedule? Example; nice big  detached house  in the middle of your area, priced high for 6 weekly job. Arranged for tomorrow with others in the street, text day before; she wants next week Wednesday at midday...  I have a few new customers like that recently, higher paying nice jobs, but not "trained" yet  :)

Do I explain the price is for 6 weekly visit on the day we can, on request visits are double?  Or accommodate for few months and try to educate how to be a good reliable customer? Worried I'll be wasting time, probably why last window cleaner left.

I work by the area, and return visits costing me money (travel time).

Customers have to fit into my schedule  not the other way round so I would politely say if not tomorrow then it'll be in 6 weeks time when I'm next due...take it or leave it...

No time for fannying around with these type of customers..... if they dont agree/toe the line then its goodbye I'm afraid. :)
price higher/work harder!

zesty

  • Posts: 2452
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #35 on: May 27, 2022, 07:51:09 pm »
Strict schedules have worked like a dream for me for 13 years now - won’t. I changing the system anytime soon

But I know this way doesn’t work for many

Darran

Same here,

It really helps me stay organised, plus I started to earn more once I got into a fairly regiment work round.

windowswashed

  • Posts: 2577
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #36 on: May 27, 2022, 07:59:00 pm »
Do all my rounds by area. Clean in several affluent areas and the least affluent areas are left until last. The odd customer who requests to leave because of buiders in or exterior painters, etc, fair enough excuse. Will try to accomodate the odd customer providing I'm in the area for several days otherwise it's left until the next time I'm in the area.

Pointless making detours for the sake of the odd customer, that is a waste of time and not profitable working that way.

Some places have a high turnover of replacing customers, other places you need a million quid just to buy a house and they tend to stay with me forever until the end and then normally their children take over the house so you still got them.


Splash & dash

  • Posts: 4364
Re: Organising/scheduling work
« Reply #37 on: May 28, 2022, 10:19:32 am »
How do you deal with customers not sticking to the schedule? Example; nice big  detached house  in the middle of your area, priced high for 6 weekly job. Arranged for tomorrow with others in the street, text day before; she wants next week Wednesday at midday...  I have a few new customers like that recently, higher paying nice jobs, but not "trained" yet  :)

Do I explain the price is for 6 weekly visit on the day we can, on request visits are double?  Or accommodate for few months and try to educate how to be a good reliable customer? Worried I'll be wasting time, probably why last window cleaner left.

I work by the area, and return visits costing me money (travel time).


Once you start letting the customer dictate when you do the job you are on a down ward slope we are always reasonable with customers but wouldn’t go and do a regular job at a different date from our pre agreed arrangement if they want an add hock service it’s going to be 3x the price ,