[Richard iSparkle]

Never.

I am geared up for window cleaning. I’m expert at window cleaning. I’m insured for window cleaning. I have all the perfect equipment for window cleaning. I know how to price window cleaning.

I’m not geared up for anything else, and I know I won’t be as efficient at anything else.

If I have extra time available, I’ll fill it with... window cleaning!

If a customer asks for anything else, I have a collection of business cards in the van for various trades people.

I'm not knocking you but i think it would drive me round the twist just doing windows day in day out, it's such a boring mundane job with little to no job satisfaction.

I like doing the extra jobs and they pay better than windows if priced right and usually a lump sum instead of driving around for little bits.

that makes complete sense.

i think there is a big difference between people who are still working on the tools and who employ other people to do the jobs.

its much simpler and more cost effective if you are emptying to be niche and simplify your service.

if you still do the cleaning work yourself, and you have time and want to do other things that makes complete sense.

if you want to get yourself out of the cleaning, and grow a sustainable business, this is much easier to do if you offer a simple service

R

[Smudger]

Never.

I am geared up for window cleaning. I’m expert at window cleaning. I’m insured for window cleaning. I have all the perfect equipment for window cleaning. I know how to price window cleaning.

I’m not geared up for anything else, and I know I won’t be as efficient at anything else.

If I have extra time available, I’ll fill it with... window cleaning!

If a customer asks for anything else, I have a collection of business cards in the van for various trades people.

I'm not knocking you but i think it would drive me round the twist just doing windows day in day out, it's such a boring mundane job with little to no job satisfaction.

I like doing the extra jobs and they pay better than windows if priced right and usually a lump sum instead of driving around for little bits.

that makes complete sense.

i think there is a big difference between people who are still working on the tools and who employ other people to do the jobs.

its much simpler and more cost effective if you are emptying to be niche and simplify your service.

if you still do the cleaning work yourself, and you have time and want to do other things that makes complete sense.

if you want to get yourself out of the cleaning, and grow a sustainable business, this is much easier to do if you offer a simple service

R

Totally disagree - if thats all your staff do, assuming  they have half a brain cell then they are going to get bored - when bored they  start to look for better things to do ( just like ourselves ) - the guys love s/f/g cleans - Conny work or a day pressure washing to break up the routine - they also like the satisfaction of seeing a big difference in the end result from cr@ppy to clean with much more appreciation from the customer than you get from regular window cleaning

for me it also has the added benifit that they earn x2 p/h what window cleaning brings in

Darran

[Richard iSparkle]

Never.

I am geared up for window cleaning. I’m expert at window cleaning. I’m insured for window cleaning. I have all the perfect equipment for window cleaning. I know how to price window cleaning.

I’m not geared up for anything else, and I know I won’t be as efficient at anything else.

If I have extra time available, I’ll fill it with... window cleaning!

If a customer asks for anything else, I have a collection of business cards in the van for various trades people.

I'm not knocking you but i think it would drive me round the twist just doing windows day in day out, it's such a boring mundane job with little to no job satisfaction.

I like doing the extra jobs and they pay better than windows if priced right and usually a lump sum instead of driving around for little bits.

that makes complete sense.

i think there is a big difference between people who are still working on the tools and who employ other people to do the jobs.

its much simpler and more cost effective if you are emptying to be niche and simplify your service.

if you still do the cleaning work yourself, and you have time and want to do other things that makes complete sense.

if you want to get yourself out of the cleaning, and grow a sustainable business, this is much easier to do if you offer a simple service

R

Totally disagree - if thats all your staff do, assuming  they have half a brain cell then they are going to get bored - when bored they  start to look for better things to do ( just like ourselves ) - the guys love s/f/g cleans - Conny work or a day pressure washing to break up the routine - they also like the satisfaction of seeing a big difference in the end result from cr@ppy to clean with much more appreciation from the customer than you get from regular window cleaning

for me it also has the added benifit that they earn x2 p/h what window cleaning brings in

Darran

i doubt you would disagree that its simpler and easier that you highlighted?

the more different jobs you have, the more reliant you are on staff who can do those jobs. the harder it is to be efficient. the more wasted equipment you have, the less effective your marketing will be, worse profit margins, a more complicated business to run.

you need higher trained and more experienced staff on the cleaning side as well as the office side.

you need more equipment and different systems and processes in your business

yes it can make the job more variable for them. but also it comes with headaches for them too of more problems with unfamiliarity.

i think it is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy also.

if you have staff that are used to the variety and how things work. the staff will tell you they like it how it is.  you then run a risk when you try and change their job. they will tell you they like that variety and if you change it you may well loose some of them.

obv when they do leave you are then at risk of being pulled back into the cleaning work because the skills you have lost are not simple to train up. so you start doing jet washing, and conny cleans or whatever.

 you also get staff who like the routine. they like a job and knock off. who like things hassle free.

they may not work for you as long, but they can last 3 years or more before they move on

its certainly a lot easier to replace staff when they have a simple job, which is quick to learn, and they are able to master the work side of it quickly.

if you want to scale a business and spend more time working on your business rather than cleaning, AND spend less time working in your business...  niching it down and simplifying your service is the way to do that.

if thats not what you want, and you like it the way it is, thats fine

[Smudger]

as I say Richard,  diversity works well for us - none of the services on offer are "rocket science" - basically if you can't trust your staff with anything more than a stick with a brush on the end thats your issue - personally apart from the odd roof clean im not on the tools - I only do the roof stuff because I love it ( I usually suffer later on in the week ) I whole thing runs pretty much like clockwork - we have cleans booked in uptown 4 weeks in advance and with CP and what we know the guys do p/h work just slots in

If I were to do windows only id need to have at Least 5 more vans on the road to bring in the same sort of turn over as "add on" works currently do - to me another 5 employees with holidays and all the extras that go with that is more of a hassle than taking better paid work ( oooh I sound like Nigel! ). windows is a good base line business and with the right person at the helm can/will expand and make good money - but at a lower overall % to doing one off works

The trick is bringing in a good flow of new work and as you know ive got an excellent person driving that side of the biz 

Darran

[davids3511]

Never.

I am geared up for window cleaning. I’m expert at window cleaning. I’m insured for window cleaning. I have all the perfect equipment for window cleaning. I know how to price window cleaning.

I’m not geared up for anything else, and I know I won’t be as efficient at anything else.

If I have extra time available, I’ll fill it with... window cleaning!

If a customer asks for anything else, I have a collection of business cards in the van for various trades people.

I'm not knocking you but i think it would drive me round the twist just doing windows day in day out, it's such a boring mundane job with little to no job satisfaction.

I like doing the extra jobs and they pay better than windows if priced right and usually a lump sum instead of driving around for little bits.

that makes complete sense.

i think there is a big difference between people who are still working on the tools and who employ other people to do the jobs.

its much simpler and more cost effective if you are emptying to be niche and simplify your service.

if you still do the cleaning work yourself, and you have time and want to do other things that makes complete sense.

if you want to get yourself out of the cleaning, and grow a sustainable business, this is much easier to do if you offer a simple service

R

Totally disagree - if thats all your staff do, assuming  they have half a brain cell then they are going to get bored - when bored they  start to look for better things to do ( just like ourselves ) - the guys love s/f/g cleans - Conny work or a day pressure washing to break up the routine - they also like the satisfaction of seeing a big difference in the end result from cr@ppy to clean with much more appreciation from the customer than you get from regular window cleaning

for me it also has the added benifit that they earn x2 p/h what window cleaning brings in

Darran

i doubt you would disagree that its simpler and easier that you highlighted?

the more different jobs you have, the more reliant you are on staff who can do those jobs. the harder it is to be efficient. the more wasted equipment you have, the less effective your marketing will be, worse profit margins, a more complicated business to run.

you need higher trained and more experienced staff on the cleaning side as well as the office side.

you need more equipment and different systems and processes in your business

yes it can make the job more variable for them. but also it comes with headaches for them too of more problems with unfamiliarity.

i think it is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy also.

if you have staff that are used to the variety and how things work. the staff will tell you they like it how it is.  you then run a risk when you try and change their job. they will tell you they like that variety and if you change it you may well loose some of them.

obv when they do leave you are then at risk of being pulled back into the cleaning work because the skills you have lost are not simple to train up. so you start doing jet washing, and conny cleans or whatever.

 you also get staff who like the routine. they like a job and knock off. who like things hassle free.

they may not work for you as long, but they can last 3 years or more before they move on

its certainly a lot easier to replace staff when they have a simple job, which is quick to learn, and they are able to master the work side of it quickly.

if you want to scale a business and spend more time working on your business rather than cleaning, AND spend less time working in your business...  niching it down and simplifying your service is the way to do that.

if thats not what you want, and you like it the way it is, thats fine

Don't know about this. Smudger reconed he'd turned over nearly 200k by the time Corona hit and as far as I am aware he has 5 staff. Doing ok if you ask me.

[Ooooooog]

Window cleaning is the add on for us. About 15% of turnover last year.

[dazmond]

I hate it when customers ask for extra jobs like guttering etc.  On the odd occasion I'll do it but normally I'll have to reject it which can sometimes be a bit awkward.  Even if they just want me to do inside windows it can be a bit of a blow to have someone spring it on you when you don't expect it.  It's even worse I find if working trad as when you have a ladder out you seem to get more requests for little extras but I'm definitely of the pursuasion not to want to do anything other than actual window cleaning.       

Haha yes it is soul destroying when a customer says by the way would you be able to clean my fascias whilst your here. You've got a full day's windows booked in and in your head thinking ffs how do I get out of this. 

So you mumble something like, oh er ill have to do it next time.

Next time comes around and you just clean the windows hoping they forget. You finish off and they collar you and reluctantly you swear and sweat your way through the next hour with your shoulders on fire vowing to just say NO next time. 😂

Personally I think this is a unprofessional way of operating......I wouldn't dream of doing this....if a customer asks me to clean their  f/s/g/conny roof,etc I price them up there and then and if they agree to my price book them in next time I clean their windows(usually)....I also text them the night before so they know I'm coming.......

9 times out of 10 they say no to my add on price which suits me......if they say yes then I know I'll earn well out of it for the extra work/hassle involved.....

[NWH]

5 staff turning over 200k = 40k per  man then before vat and tax,I’m never normally to far away with my numbers 🤣🤣.

[Smudger]

5 staff turning over 200k = 40k per  man then before vat and tax,I’m never normally to far away with my numbers 🤣🤣.

Oh Nigel,so sorry to disapoint you,  go and read the thread and the post - this referred to a period leading up to the lockdown not a years turnover  love and kisses 

Darran 😁

[davids3511]

5 staff turning over 200k = 40k per  man then before vat and tax,I’m never normally to far away with my numbers 🤣🤣.

Eh, you are out a bit here. Only by a factor of about 5 though so close.

[dazmond]

it really is "each to their own" in regards to add ons........personally i dont think you can beat just regular window work with the odd add on job here and there....esp if your a sole trader

having a good base of regular window cleaning work is self sustaining,no advertising needed,you can also earn well out of it for short hours and its less tiring than add ons....

it makes me laugh when some chaps say just window cleaning is "boring"....as if pressure washing,f/s/g cleans and conny roofs are that much more interesting!

[SB Cleaning]

Window cleaning is the add on for us. About 15% of turnover last year.

What do you do for the other  85%?

[NWH]

Daz you are right it’s each to there own I agree but sit down and factor in tax differences and vat m8 the numbers aren’t great with lots of vans out,I’d like to think if I had 5 + vans out I’d be Netting 150-200k to myself but a loud noise would wake me from my slumber.
Forget all the Tax and Vat the biggest thing you’ll be hit with is hassle and stress,no government grants for that I’m afraid 🤣🤣.

[Richard iSparkle]

Never.

I am geared up for window cleaning. I’m expert at window cleaning. I’m insured for window cleaning. I have all the perfect equipment for window cleaning. I know how to price window cleaning.

I’m not geared up for anything else, and I know I won’t be as efficient at anything else.

If I have extra time available, I’ll fill it with... window cleaning!

If a customer asks for anything else, I have a collection of business cards in the van for various trades people.

I'm not knocking you but i think it would drive me round the twist just doing windows day in day out, it's such a boring mundane job with little to no job satisfaction.

I like doing the extra jobs and they pay better than windows if priced right and usually a lump sum instead of driving around for little bits.

that makes complete sense.

i think there is a big difference between people who are still working on the tools and who employ other people to do the jobs.

its much simpler and more cost effective if you are emptying to be niche and simplify your service.

if you still do the cleaning work yourself, and you have time and want to do other things that makes complete sense.

if you want to get yourself out of the cleaning, and grow a sustainable business, this is much easier to do if you offer a simple service

R

Totally disagree - if thats all your staff do, assuming  they have half a brain cell then they are going to get bored - when bored they  start to look for better things to do ( just like ourselves ) - the guys love s/f/g cleans - Conny work or a day pressure washing to break up the routine - they also like the satisfaction of seeing a big difference in the end result from cr@ppy to clean with much more appreciation from the customer than you get from regular window cleaning

for me it also has the added benifit that they earn x2 p/h what window cleaning brings in

Darran

i doubt you would disagree that its simpler and easier that you highlighted?

the more different jobs you have, the more reliant you are on staff who can do those jobs. the harder it is to be efficient. the more wasted equipment you have, the less effective your marketing will be, worse profit margins, a more complicated business to run.

you need higher trained and more experienced staff on the cleaning side as well as the office side.

you need more equipment and different systems and processes in your business

yes it can make the job more variable for them. but also it comes with headaches for them too of more problems with unfamiliarity.

i think it is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy also.

if you have staff that are used to the variety and how things work. the staff will tell you they like it how it is.  you then run a risk when you try and change their job. they will tell you they like that variety and if you change it you may well loose some of them.

obv when they do leave you are then at risk of being pulled back into the cleaning work because the skills you have lost are not simple to train up. so you start doing jet washing, and conny cleans or whatever.

 you also get staff who like the routine. they like a job and knock off. who like things hassle free.

they may not work for you as long, but they can last 3 years or more before they move on

its certainly a lot easier to replace staff when they have a simple job, which is quick to learn, and they are able to master the work side of it quickly.

if you want to scale a business and spend more time working on your business rather than cleaning, AND spend less time working in your business...  niching it down and simplifying your service is the way to do that.

if thats not what you want, and you like it the way it is, thats fine

Don't know about this. Smudger reconed he'd turned over nearly 200k by the time Corona hit and as far as I am aware he has 5 staff. Doing ok if you ask me.

its not a Q if you are doing alright,

its 100% fine to run your business how you want to.

 there are plenty of ways of making decent money.

Smudger seems to have a very nice business worked out and thats a credit to him and his Mrs

their business seems to work great for them so there's no need for them to change it.

i stand by the fact that the less services you offer, the more niche you are, the simpler your business it, the more easily scalable your business is and the more profitable you can make it.

be that niche window cleaning, or be it another [cleaning] service.

but if you like having multiple services for variety or whatever, and are happy, and making good money with a good lifestyle, and its sustainable that is genuinely great (and I'm sure I can learn a lot from you)

 

[KS Cleaning]

Daz you are right it’s each to there own I agree but sit down and factor in tax differences and vat m8 the numbers aren’t great with lots of vans out,I’d like to think if I had 5 + vans out I’d be Netting 150-200k to myself but a loud noise would wake me from my slumber.
Forget all the Tax and Vat the biggest thing you’ll be hit with is hassle and stress,no government grants for that I’m afraid 🤣🤣.

Why are you so hung up about how other people run their business? Because you run your business using a certain business model doesn’t mean that business model will work for everyone. Have you ever heard the saying ‘ there’s more than one way to skin a cat ’?

[NWH]

I’m not hung up about anything m8 maybe some people are hung up about diesel heaters.

[Ooooooog]

Window cleaning is the add on for us. About 15% of turnover last year.

What do you do for the other  85%?

Solo parnells.

[Smudger]

Please remember that Nigel inherited his business from his family he’s never really needed to start out and make a living like most of us

Daz your right window cleaning is a superb way to earn an income and has the benefit of repeating constantly that’s why it’s an excellent thing to do either as a main work source or as one on many strings to your bow ( just don’t have too many!) how ever it your scaling up the overall return on a windows only biz is not great enough for the number of staff vehicles customers required - I think mr. Bannatyne found that out

Darran

[Pete Thompson]

Please remember that Nigel inherited his business from his family he’s never really needed to start out and make a living like most of us

This explains a lot.

[davids3511]

Never.

I am geared up for window cleaning. I’m expert at window cleaning. I’m insured for window cleaning. I have all the perfect equipment for window cleaning. I know how to price window cleaning.

I’m not geared up for anything else, and I know I won’t be as efficient at anything else.

If I have extra time available, I’ll fill it with... window cleaning!

If a customer asks for anything else, I have a collection of business cards in the van for various trades people.

I'm not knocking you but i think it would drive me round the twist just doing windows day in day out, it's such a boring mundane job with little to no job satisfaction.

I like doing the extra jobs and they pay better than windows if priced right and usually a lump sum instead of driving around for little bits.

that makes complete sense.

i think there is a big difference between people who are still working on the tools and who employ other people to do the jobs.

its much simpler and more cost effective if you are emptying to be niche and simplify your service.

if you still do the cleaning work yourself, and you have time and want to do other things that makes complete sense.

if you want to get yourself out of the cleaning, and grow a sustainable business, this is much easier to do if you offer a simple service

R

Totally disagree - if thats all your staff do, assuming  they have half a brain cell then they are going to get bored - when bored they  start to look for better things to do ( just like ourselves ) - the guys love s/f/g cleans - Conny work or a day pressure washing to break up the routine - they also like the satisfaction of seeing a big difference in the end result from cr@ppy to clean with much more appreciation from the customer than you get from regular window cleaning

for me it also has the added benifit that they earn x2 p/h what window cleaning brings in

Darran

i doubt you would disagree that its simpler and easier that you highlighted?

the more different jobs you have, the more reliant you are on staff who can do those jobs. the harder it is to be efficient. the more wasted equipment you have, the less effective your marketing will be, worse profit margins, a more complicated business to run.

you need higher trained and more experienced staff on the cleaning side as well as the office side.

you need more equipment and different systems and processes in your business

yes it can make the job more variable for them. but also it comes with headaches for them too of more problems with unfamiliarity.

i think it is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy also.

if you have staff that are used to the variety and how things work. the staff will tell you they like it how it is.  you then run a risk when you try and change their job. they will tell you they like that variety and if you change it you may well loose some of them.

obv when they do leave you are then at risk of being pulled back into the cleaning work because the skills you have lost are not simple to train up. so you start doing jet washing, and conny cleans or whatever.

 you also get staff who like the routine. they like a job and knock off. who like things hassle free.

they may not work for you as long, but they can last 3 years or more before they move on

its certainly a lot easier to replace staff when they have a simple job, which is quick to learn, and they are able to master the work side of it quickly.

if you want to scale a business and spend more time working on your business rather than cleaning, AND spend less time working in your business...  niching it down and simplifying your service is the way to do that.

if thats not what you want, and you like it the way it is, thats fine

Don't know about this. Smudger reconed he'd turned over nearly 200k by the time Corona hit and as far as I am aware he has 5 staff. Doing ok if you ask me.

its not a Q if you are doing alright,

its 100% fine to run your business how you want to.

 there are plenty of ways of making decent money.

Smudger seems to have a very nice business worked out and thats a credit to him and his Mrs

their business seems to work great for them so there's no need for them to change it.

i stand by the fact that the less services you offer, the more niche you are, the simpler your business it, the more easily scalable your business is and the more profitable you can make it.

be that niche window cleaning, or be it another [cleaning] service.

but if you like having multiple services for variety or whatever, and are happy, and making good money with a good lifestyle, and its sustainable that is genuinely great (and I'm sure I can learn a lot from you)

 

I think that last bit about learning is key. Nothing I do is original , it's all been thought up by other people and I apply it to my business. If I see a guy cleaning anything, I'll watch how that do it. You never know when you'll learn something new which can further your business be it a new service or just a different way of doing things.