[Clive McDonald]

Finally took the plunge and someone starts for me next week.The lucky chap is going to be taught by the best in the business.

I've been moaning on here about the hard work involved for some time, but when i come back off holidays it's just impossible with about twelve pages of high value stuff.So, i always dread coming back and have to jump straight in.And then, no matter how well  i do on a daily basis, i always feel stressed and think I will never catch up.By the time i do it's holiday time again. So even though i like to have my say when i spot slackers on here who finish early and don't work saturdays etc, i have to admitt it's not much of a life when you're constantly under the cosh.

I feel better already, it's not about money, it's about being able to cope and pull back a huge list without dreading work.

I seem to have made a few other desions lately too. My Ladda limpet came today, mainly because a thread on here put it into my mind again.My ladder has slipped three times and each time i curse myself for being too mean to get one of these.

The other thing i've done is order a load of post cards off cheap leafelts dot net, not the cheapo gloss, but the quality gear 5000 for £135.

The one decision i can't seem to make is to junk my scudo and get a ducato. The scudo cost 8k two years ago and i bet i'll lose a packet if i sell it.But at the same time a two man operation needs something able to handle more weight.

For now my new employee will just have to run alongside in the mornings untill my water kilo-age has gone down a bit.

[dave0123]

See how good he is first,

I just had to get rid of a lad who made me no money at all and after 7 months still was not on a ladder and could not clean a window perfect even when being so slow!

should of been gone after 3 months really but anyhow, see how it goes first 

[martinsadie]

Finally took the plunge and someone starts for me next week.The lucky chap is going to be taught by the best in the business.

when am i learning him then 

[Oakley Windows]

Finally took the plunge and someone starts for me next week.The lucky chap is going to be taught by the best in the business.

when am i learning him then 

Id say that was just a reference to the newboy running alongside the van, but then you probably knew that Stan when you asked :0) lol

[mark dew]

He will be well trained in the discount way, i'm sure.  

Is that 2 blokes 1 van for training purposes only, or the future?

[Clive McDonald]

I 'think' once i get started i can expand fairly fast. I've been scared of making the decision for a while.And then of course i had to convince my wife.

One problem i can see is having too many vans on the drive- i put a thread up about it- and most said three was too many.I've been mulling this over because i think it's likely that no sooner have i dumped the scudo than i will grow and need it again.

I only have one window cleaning van, the other van is for market trading, and the neighbours are fine, but if this should go to three vans then i may have problems.Hence my thinking of swapping the scudo for something bigger to stay at two.

One thing i thought was putting those cover things over the vans.A customer today named two local farmers/businesses that might let me park there for-say- £10 a week per van.

When i first started i didn't have many customers so had plenty of time to leaflet and quote. If i'm freed  then things will probably start to fizzle and pop.

[macmac]

Why don't you practice what you preach- Go to IONICS & INVEST heavily?

After all, you can't lose?

[AuRavelling79]

Well done slumpbuster - about your scudo - don't sell it too cheap - it's the perfect one man plus 650L tank van, especially if it's the pre-07 reg. Someone on here will buy it.

[ronnie paton]

get a unit, you can prob find one from has cheap has £100 a month then you have storage and some were to fill up the water, and storage and a 'base' all though you would be bst advised to wait has long has possible

[Clive McDonald]

cheers for all the replies.

[Spruce]

Hi,

No wonder you are stressed with running a market trading business as well.

One thing we have found is that we never earn twice the amount working off one van. So Cameron runs his own van. But there are times when we both need a motivational push and working together does give us both a lift.
We use the big van, a Citroen Relay, to clean a couple of blocks of flats together and manage to get through 600l of water in about 4 hours which is just enough to complete the job. We will then go and have a Costas coffee and do whatever needs to be done that afternoon.

During the day separately I will use about 350-400l and he will use about the same from his Peugeot Partner 800, which in my opinion is too small. Together on residential we will empty the tank on my van but have only done about 75% of what we would have done separately. It's works better for me to help him, for example, on his round, but with him starting at the top of the street and me at the bottom and meeting in the middle using our own vans. A little unuttered challenge developes as to who can reach the middle first, and he usually just makes it. For him its an Olympic gold medal and a great morale booster. It works for us as a father and son team.

Its also great for me as his customers were all my customers to begin with and its a chance to say Hi again and see how they are all doing.

Spruce

[Clive McDonald]

I'd love to be able to report back something like that in a year or two, that sounds like pretty good team working.

There is a tendency on here (from reading posts) to finish early etc and treat the job as a nice life style choice.So I think i will have to stay with my new bloke and fire him up untill it's thoroughly drummed into him that the job's all about numbers and money.Of course you can have a laugh and a smile but you might as well earn well too.

My water usage is even heavier.I nearly empty my 650 most days, and with two i will have to refill.This heavy use is partly choice so i can work faster without faults or rinseing, and partly to fire my gas flow up.

[matt]

I'd love to be able to report back something like that in a year or two, that sounds like pretty good team working.

There is a tendency on here (from reading posts) to finish early etc and treat the job as a nice life style choice.So I think i will have to stay with my new bloke and fire him up untill it's thoroughly drummed into him that the job's all about numbers and money.Of course you can have a laugh and a smile but you might as well earn well too.

i guess its a matter of life choices, people make the choice for window cleaning to be a life style choice, its my choice and something i am very happy with

let not knock it eh 

[macmac]

I'd love to be able to report back something like that in a year or two, that sounds like pretty good team working.

There is a tendency on here (from reading posts) to finish early etc and treat the job as a nice life style choice.So I think i will have to stay with my new bloke and fire him up untill it's thoroughly drummed into him that the job's all about numbers and money.Of course you can have a laugh and a smile but you might as well earn well too.

i guess its a matter of life choices, people make the choice for window cleaning to be a life style choice, its my choice and something i am very happy with

let not knock it eh 

 

Agreed, although I have to say I've warmed to slumpy just lately. I think he's become more open & realistic. Even though his ambition is different to ours, I still think it's good to thrash our differing oppinions out on here.

[matt]

I'd love to be able to report back something like that in a year or two, that sounds like pretty good team working.

There is a tendency on here (from reading posts) to finish early etc and treat the job as a nice life style choice.So I think i will have to stay with my new bloke and fire him up untill it's thoroughly drummed into him that the job's all about numbers and money.Of course you can have a laugh and a smile but you might as well earn well too.

i guess its a matter of life choices, people make the choice for window cleaning to be a life style choice, its my choice and something i am very happy with

let not knock it eh 

 

Agreed, although I have to say I've warmed to slumpy just lately. I think he's become more open & realistic. Even though his ambition is different to ours, I still think it's good to thrash our differing oppinions out on here.

oh i agree

i know i would like to be a little more money driven ( ala slump ) BUT at what expense to my " life style choice " time

[ronnie paton]

That all depends i now have two vans and two full time employees and ihave just had three weeks off with my new born while still earning lots of money.

I hardly work at the mo and it has got me a little de motivated has iknow i can live comfortable, its some times stress ful and they still do my ed in time to time but im earning what i was working hard on my own doing all most nothing.

My point is you could well get a better lifestyle by working hard early days to grow your business to support your easy going life style.

[ftp]

What are you doing here Ewan?

It's still light, you lazy git.

[Clive McDonald]

Yes i'm trying to follow, more or less and in my own way, what ronnie patton has done. I've just put two years of very hard graft in to give me a platform.But i do realise that is all i have, a platform.

I started this because market trading is in decline due to several trends including supermarkets, dying town centres,and only bland imported stock available because local manufacturers have shut.Even wholesalers have started to shut on quite a large scale.

At the same time several of these same trends have helped window cleaning and the service industry in general.The double income syndrone where both partners work, have plenty of money but no time.An ever ageing population too frail to dlimb ladders.The growth in conservatories and upvc exteriors on homes which means they don't need painting every two years but they do need cleaning;Technology advances as in wfp; legislation, it's illegal to use ladders;the internet makes payment and marketing easier than ever before.

We are very lucky.I realise that, and i am filling my boots.

It's not just about work that we differ though, had i been in Matt's shoes i would have got a work van much much sooner.And i wouldn't have watered it down by sharing it with family use either.Maybe i would have talked his wife out of one their disneys and gone ionics instead...

[peter holley]

I have one van, a scudo.... and i have only one worker, but i have managed to find a system that works realy well from one van...

the lad uses a back pack, and does backs , and i use a van mount.   i collect or leave bill, while he reels in and puts away... i always carry at least 6 barrells for him which can be filled whilst we are working ...

in some streets he goes off on his own and does a few , and i will do the others, barrells are dropped off at certain points for him to refill, so that hes not going back to the van all the time....this works on my round which is mostly domestic, 3bed semis and 4 bed detatched , and no terraced work..... minimum charge  £10 etc.....
my biggest problem is what to do when i hit the vat thresh hold... as im mostly domestic....

[big J]

Hi
I too am about to go live. I have got a final appointment with the bank as they are saying that my plan is too conservative. I intendto put serveral rounds on over the next three years. they seem to think I should aim for more but we will see how it goes

anyway good luck to you

big j