[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Hi All,

The past six months has seen a complete change in my working life!

At the beginning of the year I was ploding along cleaning windows.  To be honest I rarely got my round comleted each month and was loosing £400 - £500 per month.  Thats why I was attracted to WFP.

I am now totaly WFP and can get thruogh work 25 - 30% quicker! However I am still not quite getting my round done! - Why?

Well I have decided to give up my "second job" - Retained Fire Fighter on call during the day and called of my window cleaning to attend fires and Road Traffic Accidents.

For once in my Window Cleaning life I feel very positive about my business and can now give it my full attention - I am now looking forward to completing my round each month and realy seeing just what I am capable of!!!!

David

[Clear Vision]

Good to hear your so positive.

Keep it up!

Wish I was happy with wfp as you are. I never finish my round on time. I also work on a monthly basis and I'm always 1-2 weeks late.

Do you clean downstairs windows aswell?

Clear Vision

[matt]

good on you David

its nice to hear a success story, a real 1 i mean, not the make-belive type you so often here on these window cleaning forums

good on you

[shammy davis jnr]

dave hi there mate i am also a retained fire fighter  and it is murder juggling the two ,was thinking of giving up my self shortly ive been a fire fighter 15 years  and the job has changed that much i mean  all i would need to do to begin with was work a sat morning to make it up  i can under stand but the cash is good for what you do dont you think ........i pull about seven grand a year from being a firefighter this helps with the kids pony and pays the shopping and holiday etc  but i can under stand fully why you have done this .. go for it mate at least you wont end up just a pay role no ....for some we wet behind the ears hittler in a white shirt who the closest he has been to a fire is to switch the thing on ,,just mind and visit the boys when you pass in your porche lol  and work it right up them

[Jeff Brimble]

David, I am ex retained- its peanuts really for the rtas you have to do.

Clear, sounds like you have same prob as me, your working to hard for too little, keep them prices up and loose a few.
The other way is to convert your round to 6 weekly ?

[Clear Vision]

David, I am ex retained- its peanuts really for the rtas you have to do.

Clear, sounds like you have same prob as me, your working to hard for too little, keep them prices up and loose a few.
The other way is to convert your round to 6 weekly ?

Jeff will email you later or tomorrow on this subject.

Cheers

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Shammy,

The money at the end of the month was the one of the things I had to consider.  But I honestly believe if I get ALL my round done each month and increase a little I will soon replace and more the £400 - £500 I was getting from Lincs Fire and Rescue

David

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Clear Vision,

How long have you been WFP?
And yes I do ALL windows WFP.  18ft pole for US and a little 2ft pole for DS.

David

[shammy davis jnr]

im sure u will mate ,without question ,and you wont miss the pager at half four on a frosty morning either
all the best
papa zero fore alpha three over and out 

[Cleaner Windows]

you go for it David, im sure once you DO have your complete attention set on your wfp'ing you'll be earning so much money you wont miss the other job. I reckon you'll probably get even quicker at the job too as you'll be doing it all the time!

good luck to ya mate..keep up the good work 

[sunshine windows]

and a little 2ft pole for DS.
 

Bloody hell David,

I didn't think you have to be 6' 6'' to get in the forces any more. 

Seriously though, glad to hear things are working out for you. I remember reading your posts, running us through the daily turmoil you were having when you first set the system up. It's great to hear that you've got to grips with things.

I'm sure once you give it you're full concentration your business will be booming.

Regards,
Sunshine

[jeff1]

Nice one Dave, Its nice to see someone with a Positive attitude, keep up the good work, and keep us informed how you get on, don't take any seirra, hotel, india, Tango?

[Moderator David@stives]

David

Have you already given up the second job, I would think very hard about it if i were you, the reason being it gives your life an added dimension and you get a bit of comradeship from the job. with window cleaning it is a mostly solitary confinement and gets me down from time to time. I would love to get a call on my mobile whilst i am at work , any excuse to break the day up.

The day i put money first  in my job was the day i started to hate it, I set myself targets etc and the next minute i was working like a dog with no time to myself.
I think the ideal working time is 5 hours a day, well at least for me it is, anymore than that , then the job really starts to get to me.

I have been window cleaning for 8 years now, in the beginning i had bags of enthusiasm, easily working at least 8 hours every day, after about 4 years i had burnt myself out physically and to some extent phsycologicaly, and found it really hard to drag myself to work everyday, now i have got staff it is a bit easier.

What i am really trying to say is, life isnt all about money, if you enjoy the fire fighting dont give it up simply to just earn a few extra quid window cleaning, because that few extra quid could turn your job from a happy one to burdensome one, you know the saying "too much of a good thing"

Dave

[Clear Vision]

Clear Vision,

How long have you been WFP?
And yes I do ALL windows WFP.  18ft pole for US and a little 2ft pole for DS.

David

Well david thats a tricky one to answer!

I got my system back in november last year and started to experiment on a few houses whilst still doing traditional. I never had the gutts to go compleatly wfp and do every house, so I would do a few if I knew the customer was out and the rest trad.

Now I have got to the point I dont care what they think. I do my work in areas so I have just done my first area with the wfp and put letters in the doors after I've cleaned them. No probs so far. Touch wood  

I have spent loads of my time finding the best way of using my system and have tried different poles and brush types, so If a customer comes out ranting and raving I will just tell them where to go Politley of course  )

What type of poles do you use? Does the hose run inside the pole? Do you have a brush fitted to each of the poles or do you have to swap over?

Matthew
Clear Vision

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Dave,

I get where you are coming from.  I AM NOW burnt out thats because I am trying to do 2 jobs at once and there is a lot to think about with the Fire Service (training and Drills).  Because my round is always behind it does my head in.  So I want to concentrate on one job - The main one - get out and get it done.  I am sure I will end up with some spare time for Me and My Family.

Mathew,

I'll drop you an E-Mail with some pics of my system

David

[Clear Vision]

Thanks david!

Look forward to seeing them 

Matthew
Clear Vision

[holland1945]

David, I'm 100% with you.

One of the main attractions with window cleaning for me, was the ability to determine my own working hours and schedule in plenty of time with the wife and pursuing other goals.

I like the fact that if you work hard in our line of work you get rewarded not only financially, but with the additional blessings of free-time, autonomy and flexibility.

Like you say, if you start adding an extra 2 hours to your day, everyday, to milk the cash cow harder, you end up losing your contentment and positivity ..... it just isn't worth it

[mark dew]

Nice 1 David.
I started wfp on same day and my experience is very similar to yours.
Between week 2 and week 6 i flew through my work.
Lost 4 customers and had about half a dozen complaints.
At times it felt like my business was falling apart.
I slowed down and now 4 months (and not 1 complaint) later, i have regained most of that speed just by knowing how to set up for each house.
WFP has given me more free time, pays my bills and some.
Good to hear it's all positive.

mark

[twt]

dave whats up mate? your not on call at night or weekends so you have a lot of time to yourself. i bet you would get round on time if you spend more time actually working during the day (youve told me you have lots of breaks in the day). aso are your customers complaining about you being late if not, theres no problem. i think your problably being a bit rash cos u feel fed upat the moment and feel like you can't do the job but it wasn't so long back that you said it was the best thing you had ever done. Your a pretty stuborn guy so  i know you won't like changing your mind but you really should think about it, everyone gets fed up from time to time so if i were you i'd give it a bit longer and see if you still feel the same.

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Phill,

I wondered when you might put in your contribution.
Too late mate, I've already jacked in.  Officialy 31st July but taking hols till then.
Will pop in to drill tomorrow, just to say bye.

One thing good, thats me, not a jack of all trades.
Give me a call and we can meet up and I can share my reasons fully.

David