[dai]

We all hate the "not this month brigade." I have practiced the three strikes and your out method since I started. I am finding that some reliable long time customers are really starting to feel the pinch.
I was talking to one today, a lady in her early fifty's, she just can't find a full time job, even at minimum wage, she asked me to cancel until her circumstances improved. Things will get worse when the 30% cas increases kick in. That's the second customer of over ten years standing that I have lost this week.
I have some sympathy for these people, and have decided not to be so inflexible during the present economic climate, I'm 20% over subscribed as it is, so losing a few is not a problem, but I do detect that the the pinch is being felt by an increasing number of my customers.
Are you guys finding it the same?

[Clive McDonald]

It's on everybodys minds, but we;ve had a few weeks to adjust. This present crisis has come on us very fast, and for any one who hasn't been around,let's  say someone who's been lying on a beach for six weeks, is as brown as berry and longing to tell his custies all about it.... then let's just say there might be a bit of a disparity. I think your idea to cut the custies some slack is a good one.

[AJ]

instead of giving them up, offer to change the frequency to every other month until things straighten out or something.
give too many up and you might start feeling the pinch.

[Andrew McCann]

instead of giving them up, offer to change the frequency to every other month until things straighten out or something.
give too many up and you might start feeling the pinch.

That is very good advice. This is just the beginning of the real crunch. Property prices are forecast to drop by 35% by 2010 so lots of people are going to be in negative equity with much higher mortgage payment to meet. This one really is going to bite long term.

Andrew

[Clive McDonald]

Does it mean less window clean start ups because start ups generally will be down or does it mean more because it's the cheapest entry level biz even with wfp...

I think you'll be bizzy on the system side. But,.. I still can't figure why you didn't use your own name instead of a spreadsheet?

[dai]

I really need to cut back on my work load, I'm 66 in a couple of weeks and there's other things I want to do.
It takes 5 weeks of fine weather to get round, that's working 5 days a week, I only want to work 4 days maximum. I am not passing any work on, so should have no problem riding out any storm. If the worse came to the worse, I would have to do the same as millions of others and live off my pensions

New window cleaners with a mortgage and debts could be facing a tough period though, I'm glad not to be in that position.
Maybe this week is just a blip, we will Know next January when the credit card bills come in.

If any of my customers resent the fact that I can spend a month on the beach in Bali, so be it, it gives the "he's only the window cleaner" element something to think about.

[pjulk]

I never used to take on 8 weekly work but i have had a lot ask so now take them on i would like all my customers 8 weekly to be honest it would be easier to get round to them all.

[Clive McDonald]

Dai
I was just joking, but it's all anyone here can talk about. If it is a struggle to pay and the wc takes month long holiday then you must see that this could be resented.
"even my window cleaner has foriegn holidays. Why can't i? (and he don't have just a week he's gone for six)"

[scud]

  I am now not turning down any work, which I have been doing so until recently if it wasn't a big house or next door to an existing customer.

  If a customer explans the situation to me I am happy to put them on hold and have them back on my books when their situation improves, we all have a tough time every now and then.

  If people lie to me and won't give me BS reasons then they won't be able to use my services at a reasonable price ever again.

  Alot of my customers have commented that I have just got a brand new van in times of trouble.

[simon123]

I blame the media for really going overboard on the " credit crunch " .   There is still I believe much work out there !      As to being flexible , you have to do what you have to do to keep going Dai ,   We are all in different circumstances , so what goes for one person doesnt always work for another . 

[brett walker]

yes i think its time to give a little leaway in the present financial climate, ive had a few cancellations from young generation customers on new build estates due to them feeling the pinch on their mortgages etc.
When i have asked them why they want to cancel they have all been honest and told me they have got to make cutbacks in which case i appreciate their honesty and will take them back on when their circumstances change.

You just have to keep your eye out for 'can you leave it this month brigade' that just mess you about for no good reason, they do not get back on my books

Brett.

[Wayne Thomas]

Dai, why worry about taking them back on when their financial situations improve. You're winding down from a full round so why worry with the hassle. You don't need to replace them unless you're planning on taking on new work at better prices.
If you really want to wind your round down, up your prices on your lowest work to cut your hours but maintain your income.
Life's too short; raise your prices, wind down the round to a safe but comfortable level and enjoy your spare time with your family 

[Londoner]

Does it mean less window clean start ups because start ups generally will be down or does it mean more because it's the cheapest entry level biz even with wfp...

I think you'll be bizzy on the system side. But,.. I still can't figure why you didn't use your own name instead of a spreadsheet?

In the past whenever things get hard in the building trade there is an influx of window cleaners because its so damn easy to just start up. I suspect that people put out of work from other totally unrelated industries will be looking at window cleaning.

The problem is that the reasons we like the industry makes it equally attractive to others.

And now there are people out there promoting window cleaning as a good business opportunity in order to sell their systems/packages/ franchises.

Expect more new window cleaners, one of my customers told me this week she has been canvassed twice since I came last.

[Wayne Thomas]

Plenty of builders around my way who've lost their jobs (employees) and builders (employers) running short on work looking for alternative work for the short term to tie them over.

One of my customers tried to turn me away yesterday because I wasn't wearing my baseball cap, so they didn't recognise me. Nice to know they won't accept a new window cleaner turning up on their doorstep.

[matt]

ref the holidays

im taking loads of stick over mine, wish i hadnt have started to tell people im going away, though most ask " have you been away this summer holidays " , we havent, but are in oct

[dai]

Well the chancellor has announced this morning that we are entering the worst economic period for 50 years. If he admits it, it must be serious.

[Oakley Windows]

Well the chancellor has announced this morning that we are entering the worst economic period for 50 years. If he admits it, it must be serious.

What he's only just cottoned on

[Roger Slater]

instead of giving them up, offer to change the frequency to every other month until things straighten out or something.
give too many up and you might start feeling the pinch.

This is exactly what i have done, Ive had 3 custys wanting to cancel as they were tightening there belts, so i talked them into monthly or six weekly cleans until things pick up again. The custys were very happy to do that.

Happy custys
Happy me

There is a lot of leaded windows and a lack of wfps where i live so i have a waiting list of about 30 custys i can call to fill the gap.

Everybody wins

[Jeff Brimble]

I really need to cut back on my work load, I'm 66 in a couple of weeks and there's other things I want to do.
It takes 5 weeks of fine weather to get round, that's working 5 days a week, I only want to work 4 days maximum. I am not passing any work on, so should have no problem riding out any storm. If the worse came to the worse, I would have to do the same as millions of others and live off my pensions
.

If any of my customers resent the fact that I can spend a month on the beach in Bali, so be it, it gives the "he's only the window cleaner" element something to think about.

Hi Dai, now that everyone seems to have had their say, I have a complicated question  that I would value your respected opinion.( I suppose it should have gone in a private email but others are welcome to chip in). I am in the process of deciding a 5 year financial plan/forecast that will go nearly all the way to retirement.
Having got there is there any help you or others could pass on ?

I have enough work and I have a round that is split 33% between shops/domestic/commercial. My wife wants to retire next year and usually does all the shops and helps me on the rest. Paper work is just about OK thanks to George,  I think my options are :-
Sell one part
Sell the lot.
Put all the prices up until it hurts.
Keep the ones I like doing.
Expand.
Something else ?

[dai]

My own situation is different to most, I am 66 in a couple of weeks but still have a young wife and two step daughters to support.
Because I continue to work and my wife does not, as she has to be home when the kids finish school.
I am entitled to my old age pension as a couple.
This has left me in a bit of a prediciment. My wife was also my business partner, so we claimed two personal allowances against our tax bill, she stopped working when we brought her children here, apart from spending an hour a day filling my water containers.
Because my wife was getting half the business profits, I could only claim my own old age pension, if she does not work I can claim an extra £50 a week pension, but we would lose her personal allowance against the tax bill, that would mean that I would me paying tax on an additional seven grand, this would amount to about £1500, so I am grand  better off by dissolving the partnership and claiming a pension as a couple.
I have to work thirty hours a week to qualify for family and child tax credits.
 The best solution for me is to put as many customers as possible on bimonthly cleans, and the recession can help me do this, Even if I only charged an additional couple of quid per house, I would be better off with a more manageable work load.
One day I will have to pack it in, I was thinking of franchising the round out for say £100 a week, but this route is not without considerable pitfalls. I think legal advice is a must if I do that, it would have to be a water tight arrangement. Selling the round for three times it's income value, would not produce an income of five grand a year, no matter how well I invested the money.