[stuartb]

Hi folks,
I’m thinking of selling a section of my business. It’s 62 houses in an area I’m struggling to justify driving too. I wondered how other people go about this process. I’m worried about long standing customers being told I’ll no longer be working for them and how this went for other people in my position.

Any advice about how it went and how to go about this would be greatly appreciated. 

Stu

[KS Cleaning]

Because I’ve sold quite a lot of work I have two or three guys who are ready to snap up any work I might be selling. You could put an ad on gumtree or Facebook, or you could approach window cleaners directly, asking if they are looking to buy any work.
I tell the customers that due to downsizing I am unable to continue with the service I provide and I thank them for their custom and I inform them that  X will be taking over from me on the next clean. For those that I don’t manage to tell face to face I put an explanation letter through their door, or give the new guy the letter to put through their door/hand to them when he cleans their windows.

[james peters]

interesting thread.  its very hard when you have had some of these customers for years.
I am contemplating a similar thing at the moment. 
I can add some to another round day, but some are just a little further.
I think I am going to do a price increase ( some by about 40/50%) to see how it goes . if they   accept it will be worth it.
I am picking up a lot of new work on my doorstep from google (i dont pay )

I just dont like letting work go or letting what have been great customers down
I know this is not a business way of thinking , but some i have been cleaning for 25 years . they have been loyal to me .
its hard

[stuartb]

Just as a matter of interest. How did you work out how much to charge for the houses you sold? And did you have any customers cancel you when they got the news you were selling?

[KS Cleaning]

There are a lot of variables to what a round may or may not be worth, hourly rate achievable being the one that I consider to be the most important. Personally I get 5x the clean for selling off work ( other areas might be more than this? ) if I were selling the whole business I would want more than 5x. As long as the work you are selling is WFP and the new guy is WFP that should keep any cancellations to a minimum. The biggest risk for cancellations is if you buy a trad round and try to convert it to WFP straight away.

[NWH]

You would want more than what x5 the monthly.

[KS Cleaning]

You would want more than what x5 the monthly.

Yes I would want more than x5 if I were selling all my work as the buyer would know I’m not just selling off the less profitable work.

[NWH]

Yeah the monthly you mean

[KS Cleaning]

Yeah the monthly you mean

Yes

[NWH]

Yeah like you say you’d want a decent % on top of that though wouldn’t you.

[Stoots]

When i sell work i clean it with the new guy, when we have done we knock the door and introduce the new guy. No one ever says anything to your face, if cancels come then they come after its sold not my problem then. Anyone whos not in gets a letter explaining.

[NWH]

Depends what work it is and how long you’ve had it and if it’s just canvassed work you’ve had for a few years and then decide you don’t want-need it anymore,I think what KS is saying is different a well establish amount of work that has been loyal for a number of years I couldn’t just sell mine like that unless I didn’t give a toss.

[dazmond]

Hi folks,
I’m thinking of selling a section of my business. It’s 62 houses in an area I’m struggling to justify driving too. I wondered how other people go about this process. I’m worried about long standing customers being told I’ll no longer be working for them and how this went for other people in my position.

Any advice about how it went and how to go about this would be greatly appreciated. 

Stu

Notify your customers....

Find a buyer....

Get a cash deposit then take him round some of your customers and introduce him/her....

Get paid and hand over your customer list...

This is what ive done in the past....Good luck...