[SparklingWC]

HI, me and a friend have recently set up a small window cleaning business together and currently have a few houses, though we are getting more houses as we go along now and everyone is very pleased with our results we are considering doing contract work as well or possibly instead.
there are only the two of us working at the moment, but will consider employees if we feel it is needed.
what we are wondering is what do you have to do to get contracts with businesses such as shops and offices? and also, what do you need? insurance etc?

all help is appreciated,
Calum and Mat, Sparkling window cleaning.

[NWH]

You need at least public liability insurance and a hell of a lot of work before you even start to think of taking on staff,taking on staff you need constant cashflow.

[SparklingWC]

You need at least public liability insurance and a hell of a lot of work before you even start to think of taking on staff,taking on staff you need constant cashflow.

we understand this, but decided to start up as a partnership instead of on our own to make money problems easy. we want to avoid employees as much as possible unless we really needed the extra help - but is a long way away we know.

[a-r window cleanin]

Get out there door knocking and delivering leaflets you can make decent money without commercial work if you price correctly.

[Stephen Dwyer]

Myself and my business partner have been window cleaning for about a year now and as of yet we don't have any shops so I can't really help you.  I think you would just canvass them in the same way you would houses, either by leaflets or speaking with the owner/clerk.  Commercial work seems to be very competetive though so you may find that all the shops you canvass already have window cleaners. 

In terms of just picking up more domestic work you may find that you get quite a few new customers just by working on your current customers houses in the coming weeks and months.  We sometimes get people coming up to us when we are at work asking if we can do there windows as well. 

[SparklingWC]

Get out there door knocking and delivering leaflets you can make decent money without commercial work if you price correctly.

pricing is one of our major downfalls, we seem to be under pricing almost every job that we do and cant find any decent guidlines on how to price high enough to make money yet low enough to find customers. people just dont want to pay for anything these days! anyone have pricing tips for us?

Thank you.

[poles apart]

HI, me and a friend have recently set up a small window cleaning business together and currently have a few houses, though we are getting more houses as we go along now and everyone is very pleased with our results we are considering doing contract work as well or possibly instead.
there are only the two of us working at the moment, but will consider employees if we feel it is needed.
what we are wondering is what do you have to do to get contracts with businesses such as shops and offices? and also, what do you need? insurance etc?

all help is appreciated,
Calum and Mat, Sparkling window cleaning.

I was going to tell all.................until I saw where you're from

[Jeff Brimble]

Whatever you charge you should price to only  keep 60% of them, then you get good paying customers. Do not try to get all the jobs you price, you dont need the lower end.

[SparklingWC]

I was going to tell all.................until I saw where you're from

Oh, i guess you do porthcawl aswell then?

[poles apart]

All over south Wales

[SparklingWC]

All over south Wales

oh right cool. it's me and a friend who are just doing porthcawl, when we get transport and stuff we may venture further, to bridgend maybe but i doubt we'd go further than that.
any tips you'd like to share? besides, we're not into stealing other people's customers, if they say they have someone we walk away - i'd rather not fall out with any window cleaners.

[poles apart]

I do a site in Porthcawl, next time I'm down there I'll give you a shout and you can call over.
Rod

[SparklingWC]

I do a site in Porthcawl, next time I'm down there I'll give you a shout and you can call over.
Rod

ok thanks.
there will be two of us (if that is ok?)
you can give us a shout on the forums, with an email or on the phone if you want over the phone (i'll send you my number if you want)
thanks again

oh, my name is Calum by the way - just so you know.