Loving this thread. You're killing it!
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Free registration at the forum removes this block.I'm pretty confused on this too, like how does @GravyBoat understand who's a person that will nitpick/try to get a better price and his actual costumers, I think that's what makes him money not the jobs per say because many people are doing them for half the money or less, it all boils down to marketing from the info I'm gathering.I hope my window cleaner doesn’t see this thread. Here in the U.K. I pay him £8 every two weeks!!
Why are people paying $175 to get their windows cleaned in USA?
Exactly.If you have a hunch the person is gonna be a pain in the a$$ to deal with, it's literally better to just cease communication, than to try and get the job.
I think @IceCreamKid mentioned getting good work ethic waiters/waitresses to work for his carpet cleaning biz. His reasoning being that good work ethic transfers, and they often want to move on from waiting on tables.New location in Orange County is not going well.
It requires too much of my time for barely any profit. I realize it's still in it's infancy and people don't know what to do yet... wondering if I should pull the plug until I have more time to focus on it... I'm not even scraping the surface of the SD market yet... decisions decisions.
Employee shitshows have been happening as well. I'm paying these guys really good money (around $25/hr) I'm not sure why I'm still scraping bottom of the barrel guys... I'm talking guys with broken down vehicles that are sloooow. I'm paying by the job as well, not by the hour. So I don't understand why they aren't busting their asses. Or they might be, just need more training...
Maybe I should stop using Craigslist but Idk where else to get semi skilled manual labor quickly... tried FB marketplace and it's the same. Also tried Indeed a few months back. Gonna post another ad there and see what happens. Can't be having these F*ckups.
Man let me tell you we used to have a lot of employees(100+) and rn we have less than 10 times that but they're all top notch.New location in Orange County is not going well.
It requires too much of my time for barely any profit. I realize it's still in it's infancy and people don't know what to do yet... wondering if I should pull the plug until I have more time to focus on it... I'm not even scraping the surface of the SD market yet... decisions decisions.
Employee shitshows have been happening as well. I'm paying these guys really good money (around $25/hr) I'm not sure why I'm still scraping bottom of the barrel guys... I'm talking guys with broken down vehicles that are sloooow. I'm paying by the job as well, not by the hour. So I don't understand why they aren't busting their asses. Or they might be, just need more training...
Maybe I should stop using Craigslist but Idk where else to get semi skilled manual labor quickly... tried FB marketplace and it's the same. Also tried Indeed a few months back. Gonna post another ad there and see what happens. Can't be having these F*ckups.
I think @IceCreamKid mentioned getting good work ethic waiters/waitresses to work for his carpet cleaning biz. His reasoning being that good work ethic transfers, and they often want to move on from waiting on tables.
My favourite hiring quote was from an IT Manager I worked for who said “The person who’ll run with the ball is the person who catches it.”
Finding the right customers is a learned skill. Most people that I get calling/texting are fine. 95% I'd say. It's recognizing red flags thru communication. If you have a hunch the person is gonna be a pain in the a$$ to deal with, it's literally better to just cease communication, than to try and get the job.
Have a look at the Launch27 software. I know lots of cleaning companies use it. I’m not sure if it’s full functionality.Thank you all for the replies.
I haven't talked to him in like 2 years. I will reach out. Thanks a ton.
The last guy that dipped had a bunch of my tools with him so that sucks.
Just trying to document everything it's not all peaches and cream.
All good tho still making money and the ups always outweigh the downs.
Currently have assistant manually texting customers every 6 months for repeat service. Some of them love this. I'd say about 30% of em reply, which isn't bad... but could be better.
Something I've wanted to do from the beginning is sign people up on reoccuring service contracts and take their bank account info so they basically always pay... Might try this going forward.
Not sure what apps to use (or software/service)... the goal is to bring an iPad to the job and sign them up on reoccuring every 6 months or 12 months. I will have 3 buttons. 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, with "Most Common" on the 6 month button.
Also another idea for some of your SAAS guys: Build a software that auto texts FROM your business number. Meaning, the text actually sits in the inbox, and can be replied to in the inbox. I get notification when they reply just like a standard text... anyone know of anything that does this? Yes I'm well aware of auto text solutions but they all suck (send from a 5 digit number that people can't reply to). I need something that feels to the customer like I personally texted them.
Like I said before bro, I don’t knock doors. I hate doing it so I devolved systems that bring me leads instead. I only knock neighbors doors who have seen me etcVery interesting thread. Thanks for documenting your story.
I was wondering how many houses do you have to knock on before you get a job?
Also, when someone answers the door, what is your pitch like?
Thanks
Isn’t it amazing how not being late stands out?Man hiring good employees is HARD!!!
I've had a complete shit show of a time hiring good guys. BUT. I think I finally found a good crew of 2.
They haven't been late yet, gotten GREAT feedback from customers they've worked with. Everything seems to be going well.
Fingers crossed.
It's very sad but yes.Isn’t it amazing how not being late stands out?
Once the "enhanced" unemployment runs out, you should have a lot more options for employees as long as you're paying reasonable wages.It's very sad but yes.
In this industry, you can be LATE or RESCHEDULE but you HAVE to be communicative!!! If you no call no show or are over 5 minutes late without any correspondence, the customer gets pissed and they have a right to be!
I also had a worker text me at 2AM last night that he couldn't make the 8AM job for this morning after blatantly saying he could around 5PM the previous evening... people man...
Isn’t it amazing how not being late stands out?
Yeah, they care mostly about getting it done ASAP is what I've found.This is something consistently said by my customers. Being on time and punctual can easily win you the job
My friend the appliance repairs guy has no reviews on his site. People just need to answer the damn phone, or call back when they send in an enquiry.Yeah, they care mostly about getting it done ASAP is what I've found.
They DO care about reviews, but only to make sure the company is semi legit.
You reply first with a good price, you get the job, as long as you have like 2 other reviews. Simple as that.
$4 Million/Year?4m/year
$4 Million/Year?
F*cking CRUSHING August already.
I now have 3 SOLID crew members that are fast, don't ask questions that they shouldn't (basically do as they're told), problem solvers, and people pleasers (good with customers). The one guy even upsells for me.
I now have a secretary team taking care of most of the customer back and forth.
Now I just need to get the secretaries and the crew guys communicating.
My job has been meetings, bigger plays, and hustling for lots more work.
It was a huge eye opener becoming "responsible" for other people's work, because if I don't get them solid hours, they don't make $, and get pissed and leave. It's very fair. I hustle, they bust it out, and everyone is happy. I don't hustle? It all goes to shit.
The hardest part right now is finding enough work to keep them all busy every day.
Had my first 1k profit day totally hands off as well (meaning I layed in bed all day, I did absolutely check up on stuff but didn't have to "do" anything).
Time to RUN it up!!
Great thread! Thank you so much for posting and documenting your success (I read through the entire thread).
I started a residential cleaning company in NYC summer of 2018 (after leaving from a company of 10yrs doing customer service and business development). I worked on getting the business set up and running ads on yelp for 3 months until I decided that I needed income to survive and pay my bills. During those3 months I got a couple of jobs and reviews on yelp.When I knew I needed money to surviveI went back into corporate America as an executive assistant at a hedge fund. I’m still there and I absolutely hate my life draining job.
Right before the pandemic I wanted to start up the business was again and see if I can gain more traction...then the pandemic happened and I lost my father. My mind has been distracted and I’ve reached the point that I want to leave my job ASAP. My hours at my job now are 7am- 8/9pm. Basically nonstop. And now thatwe are living in the pandemic, for safety reasons, don’t want people coming in and out of their homes. If I’m working all these hours at this job how can I give my business another chance?
The cleaning business uses all natural homemade cleaning solutions (that I make myself) that are chemically free. We pride ourselves in providing exceptional customer service.
Find some time to figure out the roof harnesses, ladder harnesses, and/or some other method or device where warranted.
With your training, have you put together something in writing that lists the precise skills you want to train each person / position for?
Absolutely but I need to be better about it. Definitely a weak point. I need an iPad application I can send with techs to sign up every customer right then and there for re-occuring... suggestions??A subscription type package would be great. Have you tried this?
I haven't successfully found a way to increase safety in these jobs, while still making it worth while time wise. Attaching a roof anchor is a huge pain in the a$$ and doesn't even work on tile roofs. Are there ways to be safe? Of course. But it's definitely not a SAFE job...
Thankfully knock on wood we haven't had a fall yet. I do NOT want to see the day where that happens and I don't think about it much tbh... but that's because the guys I have now are a certain way... if this scales any more it will need to become a huge concern of mine.
Half the allure of this is that you can bust out these jobs so quickly if you're fast and know what you're doing, that each guy can be bringing in 1k/day revenue. I need a QUICK, PAINLESS way (I'm talking 5 mins tops) to maximize safety. Haven't found one yet but not looking very hard. If you know any, I'd love to hear em.
I have full video training that I sell to other service businesses to train on rain gutters, windows, solar panels, roof cleans, pressure washing, etc. I'm focused on selling that as well as helping train new guys. My guys now are self starters, they just "figure it out" kind of like I do... they know they aren't getting paid if they walk away so that option isn't even in their minds. It took WORK to find guys like this.
Absolutely but I need to be better about it. Definitely a weak point. I need an iPad application I can send with techs to sign up every customer right then and there for re-occuring... suggestions??
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