[davetherave]

i have just started up window cleaning, i've registered with the tax office but i don't yet have any public liability insurance, i am planning on getting it eventually. i wanted to get commercial work to go with the domestic stuff nothing major offices and small factories, i figure almost all shop fronts would already have window cleaners.

but i  have some queries. Firstly i normally door knock to get my customers for domestic but i was thinking this would be a bad idea for commercial as all you are going to meet is the receptionist. you need to meet the boss who's makes the descions, with domestic its easier becuase the boss is the homeowner who answers the door. would posting a letter to the manager be a better option.

Also for commercial do you always need to do the quotation, method risk assessment and invoice forms or can you just agree a price like with domestic

another thing is i'm a traditional window cleaner, would no commercial work touch me because of this and also do you have to have public liability insurance to do commercial.

like i say i have only been window cleaning for a short while( a few weeks) and haven't built up a full domestic round yet i've only got about 60 or 70 customers. should i not even be thinking about commercial yet.
any help would be really appreciated 

[paul mather]

I think when you first start up its really important to just get work and I think you will get more work if you canvass domestic first. In my experience trying to canvass commercial work is really hard unless you just happen to hit lucky. I would concentrate on houses first and when you have enough work perhaps then think about hunting bigger game!!
 As i said in one of the other threads I have a line advert in the Thomson Local which is free and out of it I have got quite a few decent commercial jobs. Why don't you ring Thomsons and see when the next new book is coming out in your area. They will try and flog you a much bigger advert but stand your ground and they will allow you one free line.All the best.

[davetherave]

cheers paul i might try that