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Salmon

  • Posts: 22
BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« on: June 21, 2005, 06:55:11 pm »
If you started from scrath with 0 customers, how many an average would you expect to have after:

6 months

12 months

Paul Coleman

Re: BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2005, 07:09:10 pm »
If you started from scrath with 0 customers, how many an average would you expect to have after:

6 months

12 months

I say you get out of it what you put into it.  If you want 1,000 customers within 6 months and employ a couple of people to help you clean then that is possible if you are prepared to put in the leg work.  Personally, I couldn't be bothered with all that.  I've always been a sole trader and got up to about 450 customers after a few years.  Then I got sick and couldn't keep up.  I have about 250 customers now and earn more than when I had 450..  I've found it's better (for me) to build slowly this time and to price properly.  A smaller number of customers with larger properties is the ideal IMO.  I've been at it 14 years.
I am still expanding my business again now that I'm well and I'm being a lot more selective as I already had a base on which to build.
I've found that it's important to be organised and to keep detailed enough records - especially as the round grows.  It can be hard to remember who has and who hasn't paid as you go around unless you run a tight ship.

danny mckim

  • Posts: 194
Re: BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2005, 07:52:12 pm »
I think after 6months u should at least have about 60 customers a week about 5 quid a clean. If u manage to double it in a year it means u could start lookin for bigger work and dropping the small stuff. You have 2 b prepared to take some stick for 1st year or so while u r building up.Always try to get you workfortnightly

Re: BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2005, 08:11:26 pm »
Salmon,

As Shiner points out; it's not just quantity that counts; it's quality.

Two hundred houses spread all over the place that produces an income of, for example, £1500.00 per month is not as good as

One hundred houses, close to each other that produces £1000 per month.

If you're just starting out, which I assume you are, leaflet and canvass and take every job you're offered that you can safely do.  At first all you'll have is 'drive-betweens' and it's hard graft getting those ladders on and off your vehicle for every job.  I remember envying all those well established window cleaners in my area that didn't have to do this.

At first you'll have customers all over the place, but as the months pass you'll do better in some areas and not so good in others.  As you reach capacity; you'll begin 'culling' some houses/areas in favour for new and better paid work.

Each month and year the overall quality of your work will improve (as in you'll have higher paying customers in a more concentrated area) and you can of course raise the cleaning price to your current customers too.

You'll find window cleaning difficult work to begin with (understatement).  Your fitness/tecnique/experience aren't there; but as your round grows, you'll find it has a snowball effect.  There's more customers you have, the more people there is to recommend you to friends and neighbors. And your fitness and tecnique improves too.

But to answer your question - I'm sad enough to keep records of this sort of thing.  I had:

At six months; 245 customers

At 12 months; 229 customers (Less than six months prior, but I had a good cull and took on customers too - so my income stayed nearly the same).

At 2 years; 313 customers and developing what's turning out to be quite a lucrative little round.  I think I've dropped around nine customers this month.  And taken on around 15.

Unfortunately I don't know how many customers I've 'dropped' to stream-line my round, but I'd guess around 100 to 200, including a fair share of low paid commercial work.



Salmon

  • Posts: 22
Re: BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2005, 09:02:06 pm »
Thanks eveyone for info.

dai

  • Posts: 3503
Re: BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2005, 09:10:03 pm »
When I first started I kept checking all the local papers property section.
Find where the new estates are being built. Look out for "showhouse now open ads. Get in early, if you get to clean the showhouse and sales office you are in. If it is going to be a big estate put in a really cheap price on the showhouse and sales office. The staff in the sales office will tell you when people are moving in and in some cases put your business card in their welcome pack. I did this on one estate and now have 6 working days a month there. when I intoduced myself to the new owners I gave them a price and told them that the first clean was free. Other WC'S thought I was mad but it paid off. I was only doing about 4 free cleans a month at most, Now I do 90% of the estate. Good luck, DAI

baldeagle

  • Posts: 251
Re: BUSINESS GROWTH AT THE START
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2005, 10:26:04 pm »
I started with about 5 on the first day, I think.

On the 4th week I had 57 but you should bear in mind that, I only go out  part-time, 3 Weds/Thurs and then have a week off.

I was also lucky because when I started, I "hit" an area where the last window cleaner had abandoned the round some 10 months or so before.

By the way, it's not all beer and skittles; my "week off" usually consists of grassmowing and hedgecutting for the "window" customers!

Baldeagle.
"John the Window Cleaner."
A business founded during the Elizabethan age.