[Tosh]

I've got to say that I'm finding I've lost a few of my best commercial accounts due to the credit crunch and I've got a few under threat of being lost at the moment.

Luckily enough, 90% of my work is domestic, and we've been targetting 'higher end' residential work in the past few years; which we prefer (higher end domestic work is £20+ to us; but we're very micky mouse).

I'm just wondering how you guys are getting on with your current commercial accounts given the current economic climate?

[gerard mcmanus]

I've been lucky all my comercial has been fine but lost one or two customers this month, fortunately small accounts but gained about 30 so really isnt affecting me that much. One or two have also went 8 weekly which is fine as well, I would rather do a customer less frequent than not at all and let then go to a competitor.

[S.A.J]

I've got to say that I'm finding I've lost a few of my best commercial accounts due to the credit crunch and I've got a few under threat of being lost at the moment.

Luckily enough, 90% of my work is domestic, and we've been targetting 'higher end' residential work in the past few years; which we prefer (higher end domestic work is £20+ to us; but we're very micky mouse).

I'm just wondering how you guys are getting on with your current commercial accounts given the current economic climate?

Only lost one this year because of them getting a national contractor in (Anchor ), apart from that things are good on the commercial and residential front.

Started a new retail job today and just priced up anther commercial unit, picked up 10 new commercial this year already! And still have 8 big quotes out there.

So not affecting me (Yet )

Stuart

www.sajwindowcleaners.co.uk

[johns window kleen]

Havent lost any commercial jobs through the credit crunch, but i've dumped a few I didnt like or want anymore.
I wont go looking for any new commercial at present, and in all honesty think that whilst domestic is less lucrative it's the better bet.

[ducky]

havent lost any. picket up 27 shops plus there warehouse that was cos my pal never wanted to do them and passet it on to me.he doesnt want to travel to do them .

[leapstallbuildings]

I've got to say that I'm finding I've lost a few of my best commercial accounts due to the credit crunch and I've got a few under threat of being lost at the moment.

Luckily enough, 90% of my work is domestic, and we've been targetting 'higher end' residential work in the past few years; which we prefer (higher end domestic work is £20+ to us; but we're very micky mouse).

I'm just wondering how you guys are getting on with your current commercial accounts given the current economic climate?

Lost a £34 x 6 weekly commercial fairly recently.  They became terrible payers though so I already had them earmarked for the drop once I got paid (I did).

[collins82002]

just pick up a care home today if things got to plan i'll get the chain of them 12 in total i think

Happy Days

[sparklebright]

i've had a few go a Barratts shoes went pop, another high end shoe shop went from 3 x £8 cleans a week to one, Debenhams have cut back on their window cleaning, so all in all I am down £700 a month.
Or I would be if I hadn't bought someones window round. So I am up but not by much even though I shelled out for a load of work  
But on the good news front have increased a canopy cleaning job I do, and have picked a new commercial contract today, only a little one worth £100 a quarter and several domestic jobs. I think I'll concentrate more on resi again.

I agree with an earlier poster residential isn't as lucrative but probably more reliable in the present climate
But I do feel optimistic things aren't dreadful

[matt]

in the past 5 weeks i have lost just over 9 K of work for the year, all commercial and have reduced the freq of the cleans

so i am about 800 quid a month down, it was all done early or late in the day, i still have my domestic houses, so all is not lost, but 9 K of work still hurt

[gerard mcmanus]

woww, that’ll take a couple of months to pick back up. You must have had quite a bit of commercial % to residential

[mr D]

domestic is manic I'm turning new customers away coz I just dont have the time as for commercial? I'm like you Tosh 90% domestic. the few commercial jobs are getting funny, likely to go down I think.

I much prefer domestic work I can never understand w/c only doing commercial work. I dont even think its more lucrative.

my old man wont clean a house unless its £40+ silly if you ask me.

[matt]

woww, that’ll take a couple of months to pick back up. You must have had quite a bit of commercial % to residential

to be honest i dont think they will ever go back to what they used to have

and i am not in any hurry to replace them,  i think the days of earning silly money on commercial jobs have gone for a while

[s.hughes]

in the past 5 weeks i have lost just over 9 K of work for the year, all commercial and have reduced the freq of the cleans

so i am about 800 quid a month down, it was all done early or late in the day, i still have my domestic houses, so all is not lost, but 9 K of work still hurt

Sorry to hear that Matt.

[matt]

in the past 5 weeks i have lost just over 9 K of work for the year, all commercial and have reduced the freq of the cleans

so i am about 800 quid a month down, it was all done early or late in the day, i still have my domestic houses, so all is not lost, but 9 K of work still hurt

Sorry to hear that Matt.

no drama mate, as i said, its only the work i do early in the morning / late at night , it pays for my lifestyle, i have explained to my 6yr old that it might not be the norm to holiday in orlando / disney every 18 months, she understood which helped my mood no end

all is not lost though, i still have my domestic round, life goes on

[WCE]

Well I cant say I've lost any commercial (apart from the build cleans but in a lot of ways I was glad to see the back of them)  despite having some poorly performing names in there and spent yesterday looking at a contract for a new shopping centre - They want 135 shops to be cleaned (along with the entrance and low level glass on a daily basis! There is also a hotel, the high level and 3 roofs to be done regularly. That contract would more than replace the missing build cleans - funny world isn't it?   

[Tosh]

and spent yesterday looking at a contract for a new shopping centre - They want 135 shops to be cleaned (along with the entrance and low level glass on a daily basis!

I'm not sure I believe this post!

Who in their right mind would want 135 shop windows cleaned every day?

That would be plain daft!

[Ian_Giles]

Mmm....I find that hard to believe too, in 26/7 years of commercial window cleaning I've only ever come across one shop that wanted their windows cleaning daily...that was Citereo....er..nope...what the hell was their name!! ahh, ciro cetero? something like that, big chain, went bust...go figure!

I've lost quite a few commercial accounts, either through them cutting back on expenses or going bust or retiring at end of the lease, the problem is that no one then moves into them as the rent and rates are extortionate!!

I've also been asked to price up an account on a local trading estate (newhouse trading estate for the locals!) as they are looking for cheaper quotes, it'll  be the first one I've got to supply risk assessment and method statements for...which is a sod because I've not needed to do them until now...sigh...means I'll have to post a thread  for one of you guys to email me a template I can crib off

Residential work is increasing though, but perhaps not at the same rate as before; like Tosh I prefer higher end domestic where possible, the last few quoted for have been (from latest to earliest) £70, £18 and £45, which helps offset a few of the commercial losses.

Ian

[AuRavelling79]

Holding up at the mo'

[Tosh]

I've also been asked to price up an account on a local trading estate (newhouse trading estate for the locals!) as they are looking for cheaper quotes, it'll  be the first one I've got to supply risk assessment and method statements for...which is a sod because I've not needed to do them until now...sigh...means I'll have to post a thread  for one of you guys to email me a template I can crib off


Ian

Ian,

I'd rather you stick in a really high price for this one; IT'S ONE OF MINE!

And the only reason you have to supply a method statment and risk assessment is because I told the manager that that's what she needed; plus public liabilty insurance.

It's a small World, isn't it?

Don't be mean, Ian, please!

[WCE]

and spent yesterday looking at a contract for a new shopping centre - They want 135 shops to be cleaned (along with the entrance and low level glass on a daily basis!

I'm not sure I believe this post!

Who in their right mind would want 135 shop windows cleaned every day?

That would be plain daft!

Mmm....I find that hard to believe too, in 26/7 years of commercial window cleaning I've only ever come across one shop that wanted their windows cleaning daily...that was Citereo....er..nope...what the hell was their name!! ahh, ciro cetero? something like that, big chain, went bust...go figure!

I've lost quite a few commercial accounts, either through them cutting back on expenses or going bust or retiring at end of the lease, the problem is that no one then moves into them as the rent and rates are extortionate!!

I've also been asked to price up an account on a local trading estate (newhouse trading estate for the locals!) as they are looking for cheaper quotes, it'll  be the first one I've got to supply risk assessment and method statements for...which is a sod because I've not needed to do them until now...sigh...means I'll have to post a thread  for one of you guys to email me a template I can crib off

Residential work is increasing though, but perhaps not at the same rate as before; like Tosh I prefer higher end domestic where possible, the last few quoted for have been (from latest to earliest) £70, £18 and £45, which helps offset a few of the commercial losses.

Ian

Well you think what you like. I was there yesterday and looked at it so I know that it's real  Anyway to answer Tosh the shopping Centre I am talking about has it given the responsibility of the external shop windows in the new development to the facilities management company because the owning company decided to include it in the lease. Some of the shops included are held by the nationals but this will be an exception. It's not a millions miles from you towards my way and will be last of it type likely to be built so really the last chance to get in on a contract of this type from the start!

Mmm....I find that hard to believe too, in 26/7 years of commercial window cleaning I've only ever come across one shop that wanted their windows cleaning daily...that was Citereo....er..nope...what the hell was their name!! ahh, ciro cetero? something like that, big chain, went bust...go figure!

Ian

   

Ian as I explained above it's not one chain  

I've also been asked to price up an account on a local trading estate (newhouse trading estate for the locals!) as they are looking for cheaper quotes, it'll  be the first one I've got to supply risk assessment and method statements for...which is a sod because I've not needed to do them until now...sigh...means I'll have to post a thread  for one of you guys to email me a template I can crib off

Ian

No offence but without these you wouldn't be eligible for this job. I am quite surprised that you have never had to produce these before I certainly have in the 5 years I have been going many times. I send out  at least general examples
 of the risk assessment  and a method statement with all quotes.