[macleod]

thats right... ive been cleaning windows for just over a year now (01/01/05), and have gone from £00.00 to £60k in one year.

i started off by going out with a window cleaner every day for a month  then brought a 1000 lt ionic system & van (would have gone bankrupt in 3 months if i didnt get the work to pay for it...) 

i focus on commercial, and have just won a contract to clean a buliding that takes 80 hours!! 

by the way i work 4 - 5 days a week... 48 weeks a year 

i think what i am saying is that professional, safe & reliable window cleaners are in such short supply that there really is no shortage of work...

i'd think the kids that live in my village could get off the dole and maybe through a grant... for just a few hundred pounds they could start right away!

anyway my real point is i started off with a ladder strapped to the top of an old escort (cos thats what the other window cleaners did) but now realise that in the commercial world those days are gone...

i do trad & wfp, and have no axe to grind either way, my only viewpoint is that i dont mind w/c who only use ladders, without them i wouldnt keep on winning new work...

love to hear any other success stories

[Morph]

errrmmm.....I'm thinking..

[Andrew McCann]

errrmmm.....I'm thinking..

HAHAHA     

After the day I've had I needed that... thanks PJ 



Andrew

[stuart webster]

I started working for myself 15 years ago, battered old car and a scrim.

Now I have 46 people working for me and a turnover of £7.2million.

I recently lent Roman some money for his football club sideline.

Sorry, did that sound like bragging

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

not being the one to boast but i started my window cleaning yesterday and have so far managed to earn £62,678 in 24 hours, not bad considering i've taken on a workforce of 152 unemployable lay abouts and we only charge 45p per house regardless of size,

tommorrow i have to go to london to put in a bid to clean buckingham palace now  i know there are a lot of windows there so i think i may have to overprice ........
say £1-02p what do you think is that a fair price.

at this rate i can see me and all my 152 lads being millionaires by the end of the week

sorry if this sounds like i'm bragging but i just wanted to share my fortunes or missfortunes with you all

[steve k]

is there an air of disbelief knocking around this post...??

[Moderator David@stives]

well i earnt £45.00 today

beat that one

[stuart webster]

is there an air of disbelief knocking around this post...??

It's not disbelief but "self praise is no praise"

[Paul Coleman]

well i earnt £45.00 today

beat that one

I earnt bugger all and spent £700 on my business.
Beat that   

[stuart webster]

hi everyone.... just a thought, but when i had a demo (ionic) i actually got them to demo on a prospective customer site... then the day before and on the day i went round all the other local companies and got the H&S or Facilitity managers to come for the 'grand viewing' - and ended up with work at the value of £3000 per year...

This bloke knows how to do it.

[windows_chepstow]

well i earnt £45.00 today

beat that one

We didn't do too much more!  Honest.

I thought we were doing well going from 0 to 30K in three years!

[AuRavelling79]

I started working for myself 15 years ago, battered old car and a scrim.

So what N&W? So what?

I started working for myself only 10 years ago, battered old car and a scrim and now I've got a battered old car and two scrims!

Malc Gold

[windows_chepstow]

I started working for myself 15 years ago, battered old car and a scrim.

So what N&W? So what?

I started working for myself only 10 years ago, battered old car and a scrim and now I've got a battered old car and two scrims!

Malc Gold

I heard you had some 'car trouble' around the Chepstow area today, Malc!

[macleod]

of course i am pleased with what i have achieved but sorry if some of you thought i was bragging, what really hope to say was:

i was inspired by the old boy who let me go window cleaning with him for a month to show me the ropes, and avoid the mistakes - even though he only used ladders, he taught me the basics
i have also been inspired by other 'friendly' window cleaners who have helped me and given great advice (the ex fire man bloke in Banbury for example)

i gave up my 'real' job to have more time with my wife & kids and just wanted other new window cleaners to see that it IS possible to earn a good wage if you take the time to always do a great job, and not being afraid to approach 'big' companies..

my last point was i wish i had discovered window cleaning years ago and have 'given' lots of work away to young lads who have also just started up who see window cleaning as a real career...

i try to always think of new ways to get customers, and find face-to-face and a demo of your ability to be the best route... some customers have taken me over 8 months to 'win' so its not all been easy...

finally i always enjoy this forum, and long may it last!  

[windows_chepstow]

Here here, Macleod.

I hope you share with us some of your experience at winning over commercial work.

My recent attempts have been pretty naff.

Welcome to the forum.

[preston powerblast]

I made £50 today, but have gained 17 new customers this week, which I am due to clean tomorrow.
One new estate, one leaflet drop.

[macleod]

firstly i have a look at 'fairly' big offices blocks... where the staff spend all day looking out of their windows...
i usally bowl into reception and as for a compliment slip - girls usally pleased thats all you want, and as they are passing it over i ask for the name of their h&s person....
as they are writing this down i say, who does your window cleaning? do they use ladders, how often, how many blokes how long do they take... just general chit chat

the perfect answer is when they say 2 blokes on ladders... cos i know with a wfp i can do the work of 2 blokes on ladders

then phone and ask to speak to the h&s officer
chat to the h&s officer and say "...you've probably haerd about the new work at height regs...."
cos they are h&s officers they either a) havent a clue what your talking about or b) pretend to know what your talking about
i say i will pop somthing in the post... usally dont ever get round to it as...
i then phone and ask to speak to who ever is responsible for window cleaning (facility manager etc etc)
then i say to them ive just been chatting to their h&s bloke about new regs, would they like a demo/quote

then bosh... i clean the van (new van with logo etc so looks very professional) have a clean shirt in the van, and go in and find out how important h&s is to their company, and what they are currently paying and see if i can honestly beat it - also most importantly i carry a huge file with all my traing certs, insurance and sample risk assesment and method statements showing exactly how i would go about the work...

very rarely have to actually do a demo, and win maybe 1 out of every 3


 

[D woods]

Hi Macleod
That sounds a great way to win commercial contracts.I have won the odd contract
or two over the years but i have never tried this method.
do you use any other sales methods ?

[stuart webster]

Macleod,

Take no notice of the snipers, their either jealous or 14 year old school kids using their dad's laptop.

Apart from Tosh, but he's a Geordie, so he's got his own problems.

The Bear

[Sir Squeaky]

....do they use ladders....?

Dirty amateur underhanded poaching tactic.
I'd snap someone's Omnipole for less.

Chat amongst yourselves.