[pdale]

Hi guys,

Could you please take 2 minutes to fill in a survey that I have put together.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QX7GTF7

The survey is completely confidential.

Many thanks

Paul

[roundbuilder]

1. How do you currently gain window cleaning work? (tick all that apply)

How do you currently gain window cleaning work? (tick all that apply)   Advertise

Website

Search Engine

Employ canvasser

My own canvassing

Leaflet

Other
2. What kind of area is your current window cleaning based?

What kind of area is your current window cleaning based?   Low Demographic

Mid Demographic

High Demographic
3. How useful would canvassing be to you?

How useful would canvassing be to you?   Extremely useful

Very useful

Moderately useful

Slightly useful

Not at all useful
4. How likely are you to buy a canvassing service in the next 3 months?

How likely are you to buy a canvassing service in the next 3 months?   Extremely likely

Very likely

Moderately likely

Slightly likely

Not at all likely
5. Would you be more likely to employ a window cleaning canvasser than buying a round?

Would you be more likely to employ a window cleaning canvasser than buying a round?   Yes

No
6. Should you decide to use our canvassing service to gain work what package would you likely consider?

Should you decide to use our canvassing service to gain work what package would you likely consider?   £500 of monthly work

£750 of monthly work

£1000 of monthly work
7. Charged at 2x the monthly clean, how do you feel this service is priced?

Charged at 2x the monthly clean, how do you feel this service is priced?   Expensive

About right

Cheap
8. Have you recently enquired about canvassing from any other company? What was your opinion? (confidential)
Have you recently enquired about canvassing from any other company? What was your opinion? (confidential)
9. Should you decide to employ a canvassing company in the future would you be more likely to employ Paul Dale, Window Cleaning Solutions than other canvas companies?

Should you decide to employ a canvassing company in the future would you be more likely to employ Paul Dale, Window Cleaning Solutions than other canvas companies?   Yes

About the same

No
10. Any other comments you wish to make about our canvas service, competitors services or canvassing in general?
Any other comments you wish to make about our canvas service, competitors services or canvassing in general?

[roundbuilder]

Why the need to be confidential...in your game you surely want to be exposed as much as possible or am i missing a point???
You should post the survey results on here so we can all look as its a public forum.

[pdale]

Why the need to be confidential...in your game you surely want to be exposed as much as possible or am i missing a point???
You should post the survey results on here so we can all look as its a public forum.

I'd like people to answer without thinking that I will publicise their answers. The survey is for my own personal use so that I can gauge how my business model currently sits with window cleaners in general, rather than just those who use my service.

[windymiller]

Paul,  how  do you advertise your business,  do you have a website? 

[pdale]

No, i've only been canvassing for other window cleaners a few months so just advertised my cv from Linkedin on a couple of forums and a window cleaning facebook page.

Did some canvassing at the beginning of the year when the snow was on the ground, which did well so sold part of my own round, got a couple of canvassing jobs in the summer then it really took off with bookings so decided to sell what was left of my own window cleaning round about 3 months ago and been booked up throughout with repeat and new business.

I'm currently booked up with repeat business until the end of the year, so no need to advertise at the moment. But considering going national next year with it taking off. So hopefully can gauge a little from this survey as to how to take this forward.

[windymiller]

Paul,  I could be interested in your services in North Shropshire in the spring that's why I was asking. 

[roundbuilder]

No, i've only been canvassing for other window cleaners a few months so just advertised my cv from Linkedin on a couple of forums and a window cleaning facebook page.

Did some canvassing at the beginning of the year when the snow was on the ground, which did well so sold part of my own round, got a couple of canvassing jobs in the summer then it really took off with bookings so decided to sell what was left of my own window cleaning round about 3 months ago and been booked up throughout with repeat and new business.

I'm currently booked up with repeat business until the end of the year, so no need to advertise at the moment. But considering going national next year with it taking off. So hopefully can gauge a little from this survey as to how to take this forward.

Can i ask what made you decide to give up window cleaning to go soley canvassing??
A brave move if it all fails, id have thought you would have got a website and advertise properly if canvassing is now your main source of income.
Im not knocking you as i like canvassing threads just think your mad selling up just to canvass.

[pdale]

 

Paul,  I could be interested in your services in North Shropshire in the spring that's why I was asking. 

North Shropshire is not too far, i was only in Shrewsbury on Saturday for the afternoon   ... my email address and linkedin is on my profile page here.

[pdale]

Can i ask what made you decide to give up window cleaning to go soley canvassing??
A brave move if it all fails, id have thought you would have got a website and advertise properly if canvassing is now your main source of income.
Im not knocking you as i like canvassing threads just think your mad selling up just to canvass.

Purely because it took off. Initially i only did it for when the snow was on the ground, but on that first afternoon got £175 for the guy and realised there was potential in it to make some decent money.

I didn't make the decision lightly but thought i could always set up a round again if it fails.

I've always been good at canvassing, in the 90's spent a few years selling double glazing and training canvas teams, that along with the fact that i have window cleaned on and off since leaving school in '86 means i can earn some decent money canvassing.

So far results have been good and hit the targets set and beyond with compact rounds. Everyone's a winner.

[Crystal-clear]

Oh hello canvasser how far do you  travel?
I havnt really heard about you but you must be doing something right . Can I ask how do you take care of cancelations?

[pdale]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

[Crystal-clear]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

the only thing you must understand fella is cancelation is normally around 50% could be better sometimes but really around half the people who pay could end up being one offs i know sometimes it could be better but i think prepaire for the worst hope for the best, how would you handle this situation?

also as you know being an X windie in that first week you dont really get cancelations infact you dont get cancelations till the first clean has been done,that said you are up northstick rates are better i know that window cleaning is an easier job up north however i was cheaper those days and maybe that was a contributing reason,

i also heard of a canvassing company who gets £7 full houses but charges 3x cleans well for that price you will have a low cancelation and the canvasser still walks away with £21 for a few seconds while the window cleaner grafts away

[Don Kee]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

the only thing you must understand fella is cancelation is normally around 50% could be better sometimes but really around half the people who pay could end up being one offs i know sometimes it could be better but i think prepaire for the worst hope for the best, how would you handle this situation?

also as you know being an X windie in that first week you dont really get cancelations infact you dont get cancelations till the first clean has been done,that said you are up northstick rates are better i know that window cleaning is an easier job up north however i was cheaper those days and maybe that was a contributing reason,

i also heard of a canvassing company who gets £7 full houses but charges 3x cleans well for that price you will have a low cancelation and the canvasser still walks away with £21 for a few seconds while the window cleaner grafts away

Cancellation is normally around 50%.....?
You're joking right?

[Don Kee]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

Err???
You sold up your round to take on canvassing full time as your main income yet you only cover 100 mile from dudley and have no website, twitter or facebook or any advertising apart from "survey threads" avoiding paying advertisment charges ??
Why not shed out £300 on a website then pay to advertise on forums, post recomendations as word of mouth and good reviews is what keeps canvassers going, a flyby night never lasts i should know as was 1 of them.
Id follow whizz bizz's way of doing things and get noticed properly otherwise how will you get the amount of work you require to live.
Its verey hot out there now with many new starters and people adding to there rounds
If someone puts into google "window cleaning canvasser" you will be nowhere seen which to me doesnt make sence as you will be missing your slice of the cake??.
Just saying.

Errrr.....
Why is the bloke avoiding paying for advertising??
If the guys already booked up i hardly call that avoidance, he just feels he doesnt need to....
I'm not teying to argue here with anyone its just that everytime there is a canvassing thread you seem to jump on quicker than a greyhound putting someone down.
You even did it to whizz bizz at first but seem to have come round
And then you wonder why you tend to get peoples back up....
Again i aint teying to slag you down, i apologise if it seems that way, but why do you always tell people they're doing it wrong?!?! Your way isnt always the best way


And no im not a canvasser, never employed a canvassing company amd dont know the op

[Crystal-clear]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

the only thing you must understand fella is cancelation is normally around 50% could be better sometimes but really around half the people who pay could end up being one offs i know sometimes it could be better but i think prepaire for the worst hope for the best, how would you handle this situation?

also as you know being an X windie in that first week you dont really get cancelations infact you dont get cancelations till the first clean has been done,that said you are up northstick rates are better i know that window cleaning is an easier job up north however i was cheaper those days and maybe that was a contributing reason,

i also heard of a canvassing company who gets £7 full houses but charges 3x cleans well for that price you will have a low cancelation and the canvasser still walks away with £21 for a few seconds while the window cleaner grafts away

Cancellation is normally around 50%.....?
You're joking right?

yes for canvassed work im talking the real serious customers....
also depends on the window cleaner
would you do a £10 appointment must be 2pm must be 8.05 then you will keep more, will you give them ladder work? will you be botherd if they want to skip this month,will you collect? all these things add up and make the rates higher

or do you want a regular income that you can turnup no collecting,online banking only.....and charge the going rate then yes id say 50% is quite reasonable

[Don Kee]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

the only thing you must understand fella is cancelation is normally around 50% could be better sometimes but really around half the people who pay could end up being one offs i know sometimes it could be better but i think prepaire for the worst hope for the best, how would you handle this situation?

also as you know being an X windie in that first week you dont really get cancelations infact you dont get cancelations till the first clean has been done,that said you are up northstick rates are better i know that window cleaning is an easier job up north however i was cheaper those days and maybe that was a contributing reason,

i also heard of a canvassing company who gets £7 full houses but charges 3x cleans well for that price you will have a low cancelation and the canvasser still walks away with £21 for a few seconds while the window cleaner grafts away

Cancellation is normally around 50%.....?
You're joking right?

yes for canvassed work im talking the real serious customers....
also depends on the window cleaner
would you do a £10 appointment must be 2pm must be 8.05 then you will keep more, will you give them ladder work? will you be botherd if they want to skip this month,will you collect? all these things add up and make the rates higher

or do you want a regular income that you can turnup no collecting,online banking only.....and charge the going rate then yes id say 50% is quite reasonable

Fair enough.
Do you mean 50% from work got from a canvassing company, or would you say its still 50% if you canvassed work for yourself?

Reason i ask is  most of my work is canvassed, pay by bacs, 4weekly etc....and cant say ive lost anywhere near 50% (canvassed by myself)

[roundbuilder]

Deleted so dont cause an argument.

[Crystal-clear]

I cover a 100 mile radius of Dudley.

With reference to cancellations ..  if cancelled in the week of canvassing i refund off the following days canvas, at the end of the canvas run leave with an extra 10% work free of charge to cover any potential messers. Should the following month more than this 10% cancel then i canvas to top up, or if booked on repeat business gain this work before charging again.

the only thing you must understand fella is cancelation is normally around 50% could be better sometimes but really around half the people who pay could end up being one offs i know sometimes it could be better but i think prepaire for the worst hope for the best, how would you handle this situation?

also as you know being an X windie in that first week you dont really get cancelations infact you dont get cancelations till the first clean has been done,that said you are up northstick rates are better i know that window cleaning is an easier job up north however i was cheaper those days and maybe that was a contributing reason,

i also heard of a canvassing company who gets £7 full houses but charges 3x cleans well for that price you will have a low cancelation and the canvasser still walks away with £21 for a few seconds while the window cleaner grafts away

Cancellation is normally around 50%.....?
You're joking right?

yes for canvassed work im talking the real serious customers....
also depends on the window cleaner
would you do a £10 appointment must be 2pm must be 8.05 then you will keep more, will you give them ladder work? will you be botherd if they want to skip this month,will you collect? all these things add up and make the rates higher

or do you want a regular income that you can turnup no collecting,online banking only.....and charge the going rate then yes id say 50% is quite reasonable

Fair enough.
Do you mean 50% from work got from a canvassing company, or would you say its still 50% if you canvassed work for yourself?

Reason i ask is  most of my work is canvassed, pay by bacs, 4weekly etc....and cant say ive lost anywhere near 50% (canvassed by myself)

To be honest with you I think its similar (provided the canvasser was doing a fair job)
I think the rest is down to all the other factors also price and area.

[Don Kee]

Deleted so dont cause an argument.

Sorry, i wasnt looking for an arguement, apologies for coming across aggressive.
Just gets a little irratating for people who are genuinely thinking of possibly looking at a canvasser and all they see is constant nitpicking.
I agree with alot you say, and by the sounds of it you've built a great business so again, my apologies