[Scottish Cleaning Service]

I have only been going 6 years and its been growth all the way, even today I have to price 2 new monthly cleans. Reading all the negative news recently I believe we are due a recession fairly soon. Just wondering if the old timers have any experience to share the last time the economy took a dive.

[NBwcs]

I have only been going 6 years and its been growth all the way, even today I have to price 2 new monthly cleans. Reading all the negative news recently I believe we are due a recession fairly soon. Just wondering if the old timers have any experience to share the last time the economy took a dive.

The good part about recession is that it slows down house moves, death and house moves are the biggest cause of losing work imo. Most of us on here found that our businesses held their own and even grew during the credit crunch.

[AuRavelling79]

If you have a majority of customers who are retired you will be ok.

[deeege]

Just keep adding on those £8 monthlies you’ll be good as gold.

[Spruce]

My son joined me in 2008 a month for the financial crash.

I had more than enough work for one but not for the both of us. Then the credit crush hit. I panicked because I worried we could lose a third of our work.  After all British Steel on Teesside was closing as well making many external workers unemployed.

We canvassed like mad and took on everything we found. Looking back we lost 3 customers. One came back, one left the area, and the remaining one was a pita customer I was pleased to get rid of. She wanted me to take her back but I refused.

All in all it took us around 3 months of dedicated canvassing and networking to fill the round.

We still have a number of enquiries these days, but much less than we've had in the past 20 years. This could be due to a number of reasons, one being is that we don't actively search for work these days.

Of course, no one can predict how the world's economic future will impact on us individually.  But if we have a repeat of the depression of the 1930's, then nearly all of us will be affected.

[dazmond]

I have only been going 6 years and its been growth all the way, even today I have to price 2 new monthly cleans. Reading all the negative news recently I believe we are due a recession fairly soon. Just wondering if the old timers have any experience to share the last time the economy took a dive.

I started in the recession of 1993 and my immediate family said it was a bad idea,especially my dad,I've also had other people tell me to pack it in it's not worth it over the years. Luckily for me I ignored the naysayers and pessimists and carried on ploughing my own furrow....

In fact since the recession of 2008 my round has gone from strength to strength

[Bungle]

I have only been going 6 years and its been growth all the way, even today I have to price 2 new monthly cleans. Reading all the negative news recently I believe we are due a recession fairly soon. Just wondering if the old timers have any experience to share the last time the economy took a dive.

I wouldn’t worry about it. We'll be dead one day.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

I have only been going 6 years and its been growth all the way, even today I have to price 2 new monthly cleans. Reading all the negative news recently I believe we are due a recession fairly soon. Just wondering if the old timers have any experience to share the last time the economy took a dive.

The good part about recession is that it slows down house moves, death and house moves are the biggest cause of losing work imo. Most of us on here found that our businesses held their own and even grew during the credit crunch.

Nice bit of understanding house moves. Something I haven't thought about but lost a good few due to house moves. Just thought it was part and parcel of the job. Now I'm seeing some of my customers building small extensions to have a toilet downstairs rather than move.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

My son joined me in 2008 a month for the financial crash.

I had more than enough work for one but not for the both of us. Then the credit crush hit. I panicked because I worried we could lose a third of our work.  After all British Steel on Teesside was closing as well making many external workers unemployed.

We canvassed like mad and took on everything we found. Looking back we lost 3 customers. One came back, one left the area, and the remaining one was a pita customer I was pleased to get rid of. She wanted me to take her back but I refused.

All in all it took us around 3 months of dedicated canvassing and networking to fill the round.

We still have a number of enquiries these days, but much less than we've had in the past 20 years. This could be due to a number of reasons, one being is that we don't actively search for work these days.

Of course, no one can predict how the world's economic future will impact on us individually.  But if we have a repeat of the depression of the 1930's, then nearly all of us will be affected.

I don't advertise now due to the amount of customers I have. A few days ago I realised how I was getting calls from retired nurses. One of my new neighbours got me to do some work for her and now I realise she is a retired nurse. She was saying each week she meets them and gives out my number if anyone wants their windows cleaned or handyman stuff. The thing is I don't clean her windows because old guy does hers and downstairs from her off the ladder but I clean all the rest. Once he retires I will pick them up but he charges £6 and I'm a tenner.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

I have only been going 6 years and its been growth all the way, even today I have to price 2 new monthly cleans. Reading all the negative news recently I believe we are due a recession fairly soon. Just wondering if the old timers have any experience to share the last time the economy took a dive.

I started in the recession of 1993 and my immediate family said it was a bad idea,especially my dad,I've also had other people tell me to pack it in it's not worth it over the years. Luckily for me I ignored the naysayers and pessimists and carried on ploughing my own furrow....

In fact since the recession of 2008 my round has gone from strength to strength

This week I lost two customers, mother and daughter who live next to each other. They told me a relative has started up and is going to clean them. I was charging a score for both cleans. One was easy and one was quite tricky so not to bothered to lose them. Just wondering if the guy will give up when the bad weather arrives in the winter. I would take them back as I clean either side of them so should be interesting.

[Mattymarske]

I've just had that, customer for 5 years then said my nephew is starting up so we don't need you......3 years later he sees me in the street and says can you clean us again please?

 I said what about your nephew? He said oh he's a lazy a*rse and does rubbish job. 

Took them back on but with decent increase but only as clean either side.

[Spruce]

I've just had that, customer for 5 years then said my nephew is starting up so we don't need you......3 years later he sees me in the street and says can you clean us again please?

 I said what about your nephew? He said oh he's a lazy a*rse and does rubbish job. 

Took them back on but with decent increase but only as clean either side.

We've had the same thing happen to us more than once.
And of course the usual: "we don't need you now as we have bought a brush from QVC /Ebay and can do them ourselves now." 😂

We had another window cleaner's customer watch us intently as I was washing a window. She didn't need her window cleaner as she had also bought a brush to clean her own windows. Then she said, "Oh, I now see how you get the spots off the window, you rinse well after cleaning."
"It's also about your water" I commented.
"Oh that's fine, we connect our brush up to the hose pipe." 😂

Sometimes it is a comedy show.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

Out today because yesterday's cleans were rained off. Doing the top clean and the boy gets sent out to ask if I could clean theirs. I said I used to clean yours but your mum cancelled. He told me she wants it done again. I said ok and cleaned ground level flat. Got round the back and did the door and then the boy came out and said she only wants one clean. Only charged her a normal clean price but the friendship is over.

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but they can take advantage of us. I should have known when she sent the boy out but we live and learn. Easy £9 as I was there anyway but I couldn't treat anyone like that, at least it was mother's day and I felt it was a nice surprise for her, me willing to take her back on.

[NBwcs]

Out today because yesterday's cleans were rained off. Doing the top clean and the boy gets sent out to ask if I could clean theirs. I said I used to clean yours but your mum cancelled. He told me she wants it done again. I said ok and cleaned ground level flat. Got round the back and did the door and then the boy came out and said she only wants one clean. Only charged her a normal clean price but the friendship is over.

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but they can take advantage of us. I should have known when she sent the boy out but we live and learn. Easy £9 as I was there anyway but I couldn't treat anyone like that, at least it was mother's day and I felt it was a nice surprise for her, me willing to take her back on.

Cleaning on a Sunday... Bugger that for a game of soldiers.

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

Out today because yesterday's cleans were rained off. Doing the top clean and the boy gets sent out to ask if I could clean theirs. I said I used to clean yours but your mum cancelled. He told me she wants it done again. I said ok and cleaned ground level flat. Got round the back and did the door and then the boy came out and said she only wants one clean. Only charged her a normal clean price but the friendship is over.

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but they can take advantage of us. I should have known when she sent the boy out but we live and learn. Easy £9 as I was there anyway but I couldn't treat anyone like that, at least it was mother's day and I felt it was a nice surprise for her, me willing to take her back on.

Cleaning on a Sunday... Bugger that for a game of soldiers.

Great day to pick up customers. Sunny all day and everyone is usually in so had a right few nice chats with most of them. Picked up 2 gutter clears and a roof spray and they are neighbours so don't need to move Vac that much. The birds are annoying them because they are flipping the moss out of the gutters to look for grubs. I will be back up there this week to trouser an easy 2 ton so its always better to get out there when the sun is out all day. It makes folk happier and its a joy to work in. Could have went out Saturday when it was raining and got soaked and upset all my customers working in the heavy rain.

If you think like your customers then you will do really well and your business will grow exponentially. That's what's happened to me, I keep my business nice and simple and don't work when there is heavy rain. This is the best job I have done as long as you play the game right but I have a pension which makes all the difference. I went out once in the heavy rain and customers weren't happy so never done it again.

[Slacky]

You said it all there, ‘think like your customers’ and ‘ I went out once in the heavy rain and customers weren't happy so never done it again’.

If you think like them too much you’ll be giving them all a price drop soon.

[AuRavelling79]

You said it all there, ‘think like your customers’ and ‘ I went out once in the heavy rain and customers weren't happy so never done it again’.

If you think like them too much you’ll be giving them all a price drop soon.

Scottish is a 'mind dump' sort of fella.

He thinks, he posts. There is no filter it seems.

 

[Scottish Cleaning Service]

You said it all there, ‘think like your customers’ and ‘ I went out once in the heavy rain and customers weren't happy so never done it again’.

If you think like them too much you’ll be giving them all a price drop soon.

Scottish is a 'mind dump' sort of fella.

He thinks, he posts. There is no filter it seems.

 

As long as it brings in money. Our mind is our best asset. Keep feeding it with reading and watching successful window cleaners and copy them. That's all I've done and it does work. I read something on here and if its not for me I move on. We are all trying to help each other and share experiences so we can do things that work so our business gets stronger. I have set a goal next month to make £8k and try and not spend it, should be interesting.

[CleanClear]

I have set a goal next month to make £8k and try and not spend it, should be interesting.

What will be the difficult bit... earning it or not spending it ?

[Stoots]

Be a lot of £9 jobs and sundays worked to make 8k

Id rather be skint