[supernova77]

Things are going to get worse, nows the time to start saving.

I agree... Some people are borrowed up to the hilt!

I heard one guy on the radio yesterday - He bought a flat in Leeds 3 years ago for £180k with a 100% mortgage... The flat is now worth about £120k!!! You do the maths! And there are many many more people out there like him.

Like my local pub landlord says - Cash is King!

Andy

[windowwashers]

I've been waiting for someone else to post about this, as when I mentioned it some months ago people on here just laughed and went off on their usual rants about window cleaning being a real neccesity.
No it's not, it's something that is bottom of the customer's must have accessory to their outgoings.
The sooner some on here get this message the sooner there will still be 95% of us still existing this time next year.
Rant over
You were warned.

I posted on your topic last time and I still say the same thing, some people have there windows cleaned because it is a neccesity for them.(not all but some)
it is getting a little harder but thats a challenge to overcome. I am not worried about it at all as we pick up more than we lose. If it turned round the other way then I would worry a little and find a solution to fix it. I watched my mum and dad lose everything when I was a kid when the interest rates hit 15%, I was in hospital with Cancer something had to give and it was the shop they owed and the nice car, we got housed in a b&b then what I would class as a shed, many will have been through this before and learnt from it, I did and I was a kid. Be Lazy then there will be a problem over spend the same.

I hate reading doom and gloom posts as its not good for the mind, every customer you lose replace with 2 more it is not that hard.

if customers feel the pinch offer a way for them to save money over the year by switching to 2 monthly quarterly and charge more for it, they still save and you end up with a higher paying job.

Have a great day today

Ian

[karygate]

i think your customers are probably just using it as their latest excuse. not seen any problems from it yet .

[Helen]

I don't think this is a doom and gloom topic at all, it is and should be a reality check for some.
As for this being the "latest" excuse from customers, we have experienced this excuse a long time before the so called credit crunch. It does not take just a credit crunch to stretch peoples finances and as Andy said respect to them for being honest, they could have just said "thanks but don't come again" and saved face and really hacked Andy off by doing so.
Window cleaning is not a necessity to most people. It is a luxury item for domestics and standard commercial premises.
The only places where it would be a necessity are in "hygiene areas" and the like, where dirt and dust has to be kept to a minimum or less!
Electric supply, gas supply,water supply, food  those are necessities. "I think I will have my windows cleaned, but will go without my supply of water this month"
I take my hat off to people starting up in any industry at the moment. All sorts of businesses, large or small around here are cutting back or worse, the salary ranges in the local rag have gone down over the past 18 months, the job section is now down to 4 pages, instead of the 12 or more we saw last year.
The reality is that the outlook isn't good, that's not doom and gloom, it is just something else as a business  that you have to face, have to overcome and learn from in order to take your business forward when there are better times.

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

Had an old dear in her 70's, in an £8.50 bungalow with con warn me that she might have to cancel because things are getting tight, I'll give her the option of going every other month.  First time I've heard it from a retired homeowner.

Simon.

[nat]

thats because if she has a state pension it isn't rising as quick as bills and food...my nana is struggling the same although she is having 3k's worth of double glazing being fitted next week crafty old girl 

[simon knight]

One thing is for certain: I ain't putting me prices up one penny for the foreseeable future.  Also where I can reasonably walk to a job I will.

[Tosh]

I don't think it's that bad; ...

I spoke too soon! 

A customer told me today that she had no cash and would I mind calling back (first time ever), and then she went onto say that after this clean she'd have to cancel, since her son works nights and is having trouble getting a decent day's sleep in since the dog barks when-ever someone (including the window cleaner) comes.

I let her cancel then and there, was polite; I'm not bothered really; it was one of my old accounts and not well priced.

On a personal note, I reckon we're spending about £30 a week more on food and I've just had a gas bill in, upping my monthly DD from £35 to £50; and we've got a brand new top-spec combi boiler; cavity wall insulation; loft insulation and I often burn wood in the open fire on those mild winter evenings, instead of putting the heating on.

I've also picked up a nice monthly £60 pub, due to be cleaned on Friday; so it's not all bad.

[prestigeclean]

picked up 26 new cutomers since last friday , yes there are people with financial problems , but make sure your not one of them and being positive will really help , personally i think these recession type posts should be deleted regards alan

[David Slater]

Why?

[AuRavelling79]

My domestic side is still burgeoning and I'm getting significantly more than those who cancel.

But - my commercial side worries me - nothing lost due to economy yet but I clean a brick factory - they are part of a nationwide group (but arrange the local office window cleaning on site here) and who's going to buy bricks over the next couple of years?

As I do the internal office windows too I see signs up saying they are closing one of their plants in Scotland and are cutting back on production at other sites. Nothing been said yet, but watch this space ...

I also clean the office windows of a large Japanese car manufacturer's distribution depot - ok now, but the site manager told me that while they are gaining custy's from posher european manufacturer's (and had already gained some Rover-buying custy's) they are seeing a swing to Korean manufacturer's at the bottom end.

Finally I do three or four haulage firms offices!


Good portfolio, eh? 

[Feen]

Things are going to get worse, nows the time to start saving.

I agree... Some people are borrowed up to the hilt!

I heard one guy on the radio yesterday - He bought a flat in Leeds 3 years ago for £180k with a 100% mortgage... The flat is now worth about £120k!!! You do the maths! And there are many many more people out there like him.

Like my local pub landlord says - Cash is King!

Andy

I agree with lots being said on this thread, but let's not get too carried away. This guy in Leeds. His flat is worth £120k IF he tried to sell it. At the moment he has to continue to pay his mortgage, and interest rates aren't 15% or whatever. So he is no worse off on a monthly outgoings basis than if his flat was still worth £180k. If he loses his job and needs to sell then he is in the proverbial. But not yet.

[Feen]

I don't think this is a doom and gloom topic at all, it is and should be a reality check for some.
As for this being the "latest" excuse from customers, we have experienced this excuse a long time before the so called credit crunch. It does not take just a credit crunch to stretch peoples finances and as Andy said respect to them for being honest, they could have just said "thanks but don't come again" and saved face and really hacked Andy off by doing so.
Window cleaning is not a necessity to most people. It is a luxury item for domestics and standard commercial premises.
The only places where it would be a necessity are in "hygiene areas" and the like, where dirt and dust has to be kept to a minimum or less!
Electric supply, gas supply,water supply, food  those are necessities. "I think I will have my windows cleaned, but will go without my supply of water this month"
I take my hat off to people starting up in any industry at the moment. All sorts of businesses, large or small around here are cutting back or worse, the salary ranges in the local rag have gone down over the past 18 months, the job section is now down to 4 pages, instead of the 12 or more we saw last year.
The reality is that the outlook isn't good, that's not doom and gloom, it is just something else as a business  that you have to face, have to overcome and learn from in order to take your business forward when there are better times.

I think this is a superb post. This may appear to contradict my last reply, but it doesn't. Things aren't that bad yet, but there is worse to come. I saw the boss of Ryanair on TV the other night saying he welcomes an economic downturn. Gives him the chance to improve his business, trim the fat and that gives him an edge over his competitors. Sound advice?? Hope they don't go bust

[sjm]

Dont you just hate the media for making the most out of this ?  On a positive note , at least first time buyers can now maybe afford there first home    My dad paid £300 for his first home 

[jaykie]

Luckily enough for you guys you have big rounds and dont have to take on new work, im building a round at min and out each day canvassing, i havent had a day that i havent got work, worst day ive had is only 3 customers, went out today from 4 till 6 got 5 new customers all in one street 1 at £12 and 4 at £15 so things cant be that bad.

Chris

[NWH]

Luckily enough for you guys you have big rounds and dont have to take on new work, im building a round at min and out each day canvassing, i havent had a day that i havent got work, worst day ive had is only 3 customers, went out today from 4 till 6 got 5 new customers all in one street 1 at £12 and 4 at £15 so things cant be that bad.

Chris

Jaykie your a real grafter you are,everytime i read 1 of yours you`ve just got more work you smooth talker you lol.If i need any work in the future i`ll have to employ you as a doorknocker lol.

[Neil Williams]

i think these recession type posts should be deleted regards alan

WHY?
We are all part of a community on here and try to help each other, so the warning here is simple.
I'm not saying that we are going to lose 80% of our customers but we have to adjust how we look after our businesses.
For over 12 months I have had no need to put out leaflets but if we start to lose customers then we would have to leaflet drop again, and yes I agree we could easily replace lost ones with better. Trouble is as jobs start to go so will the number of guys getting into window cleaning, and we all know that their prices will be more on the appealing side to possible customers than those of us who have moved onto top level pricing.
Overall keeping customers will need some tender care and taking on new will need some more careful pricing, and I'm as guilty as some for pricing on the basis of....
Think of a number
Double it
Add on £15
Then offer a special discount of 10% because it's Friday and I'm in a good mood  

[prestigeclean]

why , because i prefer to fill my head with positive thoughts and there doe,snt seem to be a day go by without one of these posts starting up , usually after someone has lost a customer , posts by jaykie are far more enthusing , oh and i don,t read the papers for the same reason all doom and gloom , what will be will be , lots of people prosper in a turndown , me for one regards alan

[jaykie]

NWH ive set myself a minimum of 3 a day, but when i get 6 i dont think to myself that i wont go out tomorrow, I am really enjoying door knocking, I believe i come across as a trust worth person, ive even sat in a old couples house the other day during door knocking and had cake and tea. Any way sorry to go off topic

Chris

[prestigeclean]

well done jaykie regards alan