What Do You Think?

[lifemaker]

After getting a nice knuckle-sandwich for my poor execution, I sat down and did a Kinetic Execution Plan. (which I now understand I should have done 9 days ago...)

The plan is posted bellow, if anyone would like to give it a read and maybe share view on the idea afterwards.

Traditional Window Cleaning:​

Commandment of Control:​

• I do not have control over the manufacturing of equipment I am planing to use;
• Except for government issuing a need for qualification to work as a window cleaner, there isn't an entity that could by one decision completely shut down my business;
• I will need to split control between myself, my future business partner and/or managers;
• Entities on which my business will be dependent could be: Equipment servicing companies, finance and work schedule controlling apps.

Commandment of Entry:​

• Equipment cost is ~£250(±$325) if buying professional equipment or ~£175(±$230) if going for the cheap options;
• There are many tutorials, explanations and how-to's available for free, which makes entry to the business even easier;
• There is also no license required to work as a window cleaner, so the moat becomes even thinner;
• In case I become a threat, my competition(most are settled down family businesses) can offer substantially lower prices to get me out of the game or can give a shot at employing me.

Commandment of Time:​

• Requirement to detach the business from my time will be an automated human system. (of likely more than 25 people)
• Challenges on the way to detaching business from my time are going to be: finding partner(-s) and maintaining great relationship(-s), hiring employees and training them, dealing with paperwork, managing customer service and insurance, establishing a brand, creating schedules etc.

Commandment of Scale:​

• Expand through: partnering up with someone with a vehicle, progressing into water-fed pole method of cleaning, expanding into other services(e.g. pressure washing), utilizing a chain strategy;
• Requirements to scale will be: employees, opening and managing many chain locations, growing&maintaining a substantial customer base, running social/business media accounts + a neat website, establishing a brand, providing great customer service etc.
• Challenges on the way are likely to be: teaching employees, procurement, employee time management, teaching a department to create previously mentioned great customer service etc.

Commandment of Need:​

• I have identified half a page of possible value attributes, and that is in a sleepy state. There is likely much more. However, that much more is more for the future. Right now I have around 16 minor attributes that I can skew. They are:

1. Friendly appearance - first impression, afaik quite important.
2. Manners - if good can make people open up when combined with a good appearance.
3. Honesty About Quality And Experience - being honest was said to be a great marketing strategy, so why not?
4. Double Checking to Ensure No Substantial Damage Done To Windows - I will use a non-scratch abrasive material, but some windows are not suited for it. So, I will notify potential buyer about it and will check before using the material on a window, ensuring no damage.
5. Price - as I lack the skills to create a flawless result(and honestly still struggle with a great one ), my prices are likely going to be lower than prices of my competitors;
6. Flexible Time - I have holidays and therefore have the ability to bend according to desire of the buyer.
7. Chemicals Used - by doing some research, I can change the chemicals I use to be environment-friendly. (saw another company do it, so again, why not?)
8. Comprehensible Quote - not just giving a quote but explaining how it was made can invest into trust customer has to me;
9. Tidiness - if being invited into a house to examine the windows for a quote, behaving very neatly can help with change from a consideration into an action(purchase);
10. Professional Equipment - better impression. less worries about damaging windows. but, there are issues with it.
11. Stubborn Dirt Removal and Doing Both Sides of Window - not sure that those are even skews. They can be great if combined with awesome presentation, but if not, seem to be just a commodity around here.
12. Add-On Services - cleaning frames and skills for very low price(or even for free) can be helpful in making customers satisfied;
13. Refund Policy - if they aren't satisfied with the job - 70% refund. less worries, feeling safer.
14. Methods of Communication - flexible to whatever the customer will prefer.
15. Methods of Payment - I can adjust here as well.

• Although most aspects have little impact on their own, if combined, I think, they can ve to some extent substantial. (I think)
• But I have no USP in this market. At least don't have an idea of one for now.
• I can communicate my valuethrough a short summary or through an in-depth discussion, if customers become interested.
• Revenue Source is: traditional window cleaning from both sides. Only one source for now, which is a disadvantage. Plus I also don't have a skill of cleaning at hight, meaning my potential buyer pool shrinks to bungalows and some stores. ouch.

Thanks a lot for spending time
reading this post!!!​

P.S.
Frankly, I am ashamed.
I once again spend a lot of time being busy.
Learned a fair share of window cleaning theory.
Cleaned windows several times with my domestic equipment. (which was an awful&painful experience, only partially successful)
Seemed great to me until I understood that I made no sales and am doubtful about basically everything in this business.

My suggested method of getting soft proof is going d2d offering a non existent service, which sounds like something that is doomed to fail.
(non-existent because buying equipment and insurance is expensive and if I buy and no one wants the service... half of my savings will be waisted).

But I didn't try yet.
So I don't know if it is actually doomed or if it is not. Market mind is a spoiled entity.
Still scared to try because of possible negative impact on my reputation. Weirdo. ugh...

well, we miss 100% of shots we don't do.
So, what do you think?

 

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[akshayazariah]

But I didn't try yet.

Then start. Nothing will prove more valuable than the feedback from the actual market itself, so start making sales. Don't analyze every system before you're ready to go, because doing so makes you a 'major in the minors', so to speak.

Get sales. Find out what's getting you getting you sales. Find out what's not getting you sales. Hammer down what's getting you sales, and do less of what isn't getting you sales.

 

[Devilery]

This is a great example of over-over-overthinking. Get the basic tools and go knock on your neighbor's doors. That will give you a lot more useful insight than a "Kinetic Execution Plan". While you're doing your planning, there are kids making money cleaning windows.

What you've done is not useless, I certainly didn't mean that, it's just not what you need to worry about now. Do, learn, improve, do, learn, improve, F*ck up, fix, learn, do...