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y e l e k a l B John Photoshop 101 pg 22 The Art of Upselling pg 13 Safely Using Razors pg 40 On the Spot pg 32
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Features
September - October Issue #6
08 Behind the Squeegee with
John Blakeley
11 The Do’s and Don’ts of Firing 13 The Art of Upselling
06
22 Photoshop 101 28 The Skinny on Property
Managers & Real Estate Agents
37 Manufacturer Spotlight with
Alex Gardiner
WWW.WINDOWCLEANINGBUSINESSOWNER.COM
08 11 13 14 16 19
Behind the Squeegee The Do’s and Don’ts of Firing The Art of Upselling Postcard Projecting and Planning Marketing Sales
22 24 26 27 28 30
Photoshop 101 Exclusive Product Specials Technology Ask AC Lockyer Property Managers & Real Estate Agents Liens
32 34 37 40 41 42
On the Spot Add-ons Manufacturer Spotlight Safety On the Road Window Cleaning News
Starting from the top left, going left to right. Brett Bailey, Karl Robinson, Kevin Dubrosky, Tony Evans, Bruce Ferguson, Cody Thomas, AC Lockyer, Shannon Horvath and John Henderson. Not pictured: Catherine Baker
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Behind the Squeegee
with John Blakeley
WCBOMAG: How long have you been in the window cleaning business? John: I started cleaning windows in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. in 1985, so that would be about twenty-six years. WCBOMAG: What’s the name of your business? John: We Wash Windows. WCBOMAG: How did you get started in window cleaning? John: I had been working construction in Ft. Lauderdale when I ran into Larry Calufetti, owner of Sunshine Cleaning Systems. He offered me a job at his company and I started as a window cleaner. WCBOMAG: Where is your business located? John: We are located in Tallahassee, in the Big Bend of Florida. WCBOMAG: How many window cleaners do you think there are? John: There are 18 window cleaning companies listed under Window Cleaning in the Yellow Pages. There are 3 pages of Janitorial Services and nearly all the ads list window cleaning. I have no idea how many there are. I have never thought or worried about it. WCBOMAG: What services do you offer? John: We Wash Windows offers window cleaning, pressure cleaning, screen repair and gutter cleaning. We recently purchased a GlassRenu System and are excited about offering glass restoration. WCBOMAG: Do you like cleaning windows? Is it easy to get out of bed every day? John: I enjoy window cleaning. No two days are ever the same. You never know what adventure you will embark upon when you leave the shop or when the phone rings.. WCBOMAG: Do you work alone or with a crew? John: Our business is a family-owned and operated enterprise. Everyone works on the jobs. So we have an “in house” four-person crew and we use part-timers during the busy season.
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July - August 2011
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WCBOMAG: What type of work do you do mostly, residential or commercial? John: We do both, but right now we are really heavy with residential. We are pursuing more commercial, but the profits are in residential. WCBOMAG: How far out are you typically booked this time of year? John: We have been fortunate that we have stayed fifteen to twenty days booked out. It is the rainy season here in Florida, and we have scattered thunderstorms just about every afternoon at about three PM. These are the kind of storms where it can be pouring straight down on you, and two blocks away there is clear blue sky and shining sun. WCBOMAG: How do you acquire new work, direct mail, cold calls, going door-to-door? John: We keep business card ads in the “higher end” and gated communities, Homeowner’s Association magazines and newsletters, and carry a small ad in the service directory of the local paper. We have done some direct mail advertising, and plan on a new mailing about the time school starts. Of course, we are in the phone book and Angie’s List. Most of our new customers come from our existing customers - they are our best sales tool. WCBOMAG: What are your hobbies? I’m not sure if you’re by the water but do you jet-ski? John: I am an avid motorcycle rider. WCBOMAG: What kind of bike to you have? John: I have several motorcycles. The picture I sent you is the Honda CBR 600 F4i. I also have a 1978 Honda 750 I am restoring and we have a couple of Yamaha dirt bikes. WCBOMAG: That’s awesome! Any interesting stories from the job? John: I used to have a night club in a local mall. Since it was inside the mall, the walls were covered with mirrors. I was working with my friend David. We arrived early and the assistant manager, Pam, was there cleaning up and getting ready to open. Most of the mirrors had some type of neon light hanging on them.
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As you know, neon can bite you pretty good so we always shut them off. There was a large neon logo of the place next to the DJ booth. It was wired direct and had to be shut off from the panel inside the locked manager’s office. David and I were cleaning all the mirrors top to bottom, carefully pulling each neon sign away from the mirror and cleaning behind them while Pam was wiping down the tables and chairs. I noticed she was watching David closely. When David got to the logo sign, he mopped the mirror right up to about an inch below the sign and then squeegeed on down. We finished the job and went to Pam for the signature. Pam refused to sign. She said we didn’t clean them all. She walked us over to the logo sign and said we didn’t clean it and she wouldn’t sign until we did. David explained to her that he was afraid of the sign and the switch was in the locked manager’s office. He asked her what she wanted to do. She stopped wiping the table and threw the towel down. After making a comment about Dave’s plumbing, she hopped up on the table and said, “Here, I will pull the sign out and you clean behind it.” She made another comment about his manhood. She grabbed the sign with both hands. Almost instantly, she started shaking and crying. It only took a few seconds, but it seemed like slow motion. She really started shaking and her crying turned to screaming. It was like she exploded off the table and landed in a heap on the floor. She was sitting there, trembling and crying. Her makeup was all running down her face. David walked right up to her and said, “And that’s exactly why I don’t do that.” He looked at me, grabbed the bucket and said, “Let’s go, JB,” and out the door he went WCBOMAG: Wow, that’s crazy! What’s the most uncomfortable experience you’ve encountered on the job? John: Customers walking into bedrooms, stripping and getting into the shower while we are cleaning the window on the outside. WCBOMAG: What do you love about the job? John: Besides getting to work with my wife every day, It is the adventure and the satisfaction. Every day is different, every job is different, and so is every customer. I have met all kinds of people and have seen some very unique challenges just getting to the windows, let alone cleaning them.
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I walk away with a good feeling of a job well done. Last week, when I presented the invoice for payment, the customer said I failed to put the screen back in. I assured her they were in and she walked over and opened the window. She said the windows and screens were so clean they look like they weren’t there. WCBOMAG: Awesome. What do you hate about the job? John: Dealing with some customers’ attitudes - and some dogs. WCBOMAG: How many hours a day do you work? John: As many as we can. WCBOMAG: You just picked up a GlassRenu machine, how is that working out? John: We just received it. I have been practicing with it. It is a little tricky to learn the techniques, but Cole at GlassRenu has been great answering questions and giving advice. We are starting to schedule some work with it and expect good things since we have added it to our business. WCBOMAG: What does the future hold for your business? Any expansions on the horizon? John: We expect the GlassRenu System to be a profitable addition, and will base short term expansion around it. Long term, we are seeing growth potential and hope the tax and insurance uncertainties can be resolved. We are projecting the need to hire two people in the next six months WCBOMAG: We’re talking to window cleaners today that are looking to grow and take their business to the next level, what’s the number one thing you think people can do to take their business to the next level? John: Get to know your customers and treat them like gold. Customer retention is the easiest way to grow your business. Our retention rate is well over 90% for residential. If you bring in four new customers this month, but three customers you did this month last year didn’t call you back, you will be constantly clawing to get ahead. Treat your customers exactly the way you want to be treated and you can fill next year’s calendar with this year’s customers - then you can concentrate on new customers. When you get a new customer, treat them so well they will schedule their next service before you leave. WCBOMAG: That’s a great piece of advice John. Thank you for your time today, it’s been great. John: Thank you. Have a good one.
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September - October 2011
The
Do’s & Don’tsof
Firing with Don Taylor of All County Window Cleaning
? t a h W Guess ! ! d e r i F You’re
WCBOMAG: How do you know when it’s time for someone to go? Don: It depends on the severity of the case. It can be an instant on-the-spot decision to say, “What you did was wrong and we can’t have you work here anymore,” or it could be after continuous policy infractions. An example of the first would be: a crew is arrested for drinking beers in the truck while driving back to the office at the end of the day. They are immediately fired. An example of the second would be: an employee is repeatedly late, making crews constantly wait for them. Our policy is if they are late three times in a threemonth period they are terminated. If there is an issue with an employee, I will talk with them telling them what has been brought to my attention and that I am expecting a change or they will not last. If there is anything I can do to help them change, I am more than happy to work with them. I had to let someone go just this past week, because every one of my supervisors had come to me saying that he was no good. He was afraid of ladders, and his work was poor quality. After each time a supervisor expressed their complaints, I spoke to the employee about it, keeping the supervisor anonymous, and would have the employee then work with a different supervisor. We have about ten supervisors; some are way better than others, but all know how to clean a window properly, so when an employee is shunned by all of the supervisors, then it’s time for him to go. WCBOMAG: How many people do you think you have fired? Don: Definitely more than fifty and somewhere less than ninety. WCBOMAG: Is it like killing somebody - you should do it to their face? Don: Nah, it’s okay to do it over the phone as well. WCBOMAG: Is text messaging acceptable way to fire someone? Or over Facebook? Don: Not for me. Even if an employee is total garbage, as a person, I believe you still have to show some kind of respect. I like to have the employee have a full understanding of why they are being fired. Text messaging is too impersonal for that and too short. I think to fire someone over Facebook would just be mean. WCBOMAG: Over in the phone or in-person? Don: Either or. If I think they are really hot-headed, then over the phone so they don’t disrupt the office or maybe cause vandalism. Definitely in-person when I still hope they may have a chance to redeem themselves somehow. I really do not like to tell someone it’s over - I try to work with them until the very end. We have a policy in place stating if you are a No Call No Show and you don’t make contact with us within two days you’re done. We had that happen
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last week. The guy claimed he didn’t know that he was supposed to work and he thought he just had off. That was a total lie but still I liked him and he wasn’t too bad of a cleaner so I asked him if he wanted to work here. He replied ‘I’m not getting enough hours,’ and I said ‘Right, but do you still want to work here?’ and he replied that his cousin may be giving him a job - I replied, ‘Okay, but do you still want to work here?’ He then said no. So he did quit, but if he had said ‘Yes, I still want to work here,’ then I would’ve had him on the schedule the next day.” WCBOMAG: Is there a best day of the week to fire someone? Don: I don’t have any particular day that I would prefer to do it on. I know some companies just tell you when you come in for your paycheck. We don’t do that, though. We like to get rid of someone as soon as possible and not drag it out. But I have noticed most people do get fired on Fridays and Saturdays. WCBOMAG: Name three people you would like to fire today Don: I don’t want to fire anyone. I don’t have a hit list. I want to work with everyone here and have everyone work. WCBOMAG: What was the worst firing you have ever had to do,
September - October 2011
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what was the offense? Don: One time we lost an entire crew of four all at once. One quit and three were terminated. One of them was a good friend of mine that I started cleaning windows with and really enjoyed being around. The crew was made up of three really good employees and one new hire that had just started the day before. The newbie walked off the job when the crew stopped for lunch - she just got out of the truck and started walking away, calling the office. She was really upset because the other three were smoking pot in the truck. The three were fired and she still refused to work for us. Such a waste of talent, training time, and money, because then their work for the rest of the day had to be canceled or rescheduled. It was really rough dealing with firing a friend and being betrayed by one like that. WCBOMAG: What can cause a window cleaner to be fired immediately? Don: · · · · · · · · · ·
Breaking something and hiding it Theft of any kind Drug use Alcohol use on the job More than three late arrivals within three months No Call No Show for two days in a row Using the company truck for personal use without consent from management Not collecting payment at the end of the job without notifying management Not using a strip washer to clean a screen Leaving the truck unlocked overnight
WCBOMAG: How do you usually do it [firing] over the phone? Don: If it’s being done over the phone, then it’s definite that this employee is being terminated. There is no longer any working with them, so when I call, I am very stern and have a whole speech written out for me to read stating all the reasons he/she is being terminated. Before I call, I have an argument with them in my mind, thinking about what they are going to say in response to me. I do this so my speech already has rebuttals to their argument and that gives me all the control of the conversation. Once I am done speaking, they really have nothing to say except goodbye. WCBOMAG: Has anyone ever begged for their job back and you caved in? Don: No, once you’ve made that decision to let someone go, you have to stick to it. Otherwise, the employee will continue to be a problem, thinking all they have to do is beg and they won’t be fired. That sends a bad message to your other employees. They will then think they can get away with what the other employee did. Firing someone should also send a message to your other employees that bad behavior isn’t tolerated. WCBOMAG: Do you ever re-hire someone you fired in the past? Don: Yes we have. Two are working for us right now, and they are our best supervisors. They were let go and didn’t work for us for about a year or more each. They didn’t come in begging for their jobs either. They both came in and just simply said they completely
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July - August September - October 2011 2011
understood why they were fired and were still sorry about it. They said they would understand if we would not want to have them back, but thought they would take a chance and ask anyway. It just so happened we needed people at the time and figured since they already know how to clean windows, it would have been better to have them instead of having to train someone new. We have also had a bunch try and we have told them no because of how severe of a problem they were fired for. WCBOMAG: Can you explain to us in detail the best / most legal way to fire someone? Don: You can fire anyone for any reason you like as long as it isn’t for discriminatory reasons, but it is really easy for an employee to file a discrimination complaint so you have to be prepared. WCBOMAG: You have to remember from the moment you hire a new employee there may come a time when you will have to let them go, and so you must have policies in writing and have them be easily attainable by you and the employee if that time comes. It is extremely difficult to prove to the DOL that you fired someone for not following your policies when you don’t have them in writing. And it can be even more of a problem if the ex-employee says you discriminated against them. You have to protect yourself from being accused of discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, gender identity or expression, disability, liability for military service, sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, or genetic information, and that includes the refusal to submit to genetic testing. You cannot fire someone if they file a complaint to the state about their employer discriminating them. You cannot fire someone for complaining to the state about how they are paid or the work they are requested to do. Basically, you cannot fire someone for anything they complain to the state about. That’s the law. The State of New Jersey has a legal doctrine called employment-atwill. It states employment-at-will enables the employee and/or the employer to terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice as long as it isn’t against the law. When they are hired, they are not asked to sign any contract promising them anything like number of hours of work or money. And, we of course would not sign anything either that legally binds us to keeping someone employed because that would then negate the employment-at-will status of the position. We have an employee handbook that explains all of the company’s policies. The handbook has a disclaimer in the front basically stating that at the time of printing, these were our policies, and that amendments do occur. The handbook also has an explanation of employment-at-will. This handbook is issued to them on their first day for them to read, and they then sign an acknowledgment and agreement of All County Window Cleaning’s policies. The signed and dated acknowledgement and agreement is kept in their file. Throughout their employment history, we keep detailed notes of their progress, customers’ feedback on them, supervisors’ reviews, and any policy infraction(s) they happen to make. So, with all of this in place, if an employee is fired we can protect ourselves from being accused of discrimination.
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Many window cleaning companies incorporate other money-making services such as gutter cleaning, pressure washing, and glass restoration trying to corner the market within their service areas. As a business owner, you know how much money and effort goes into advertising all these services in ads, mailers, websites, invoices, etc., so you would think all the customers you service must know what you offer right? Wrong! Unfortunately, we know customers normally don’t have time to read those pretty ads; if they want window cleaning, all they see is window cleaning, not the power-washing special or the coupon for gutter cleaning. This fact isn’t all bad and can be easily taken advantage of by having your employees open other doors for you using a key tool we call ‘upselling.’ I know it sounds crazy, because you’re thinking “my power washer is a power washer, not a salesman - I need him to power wash, how is he going to sell other jobs”?Well, guess what - your crews and even your office staff don’t need anything but the skills and knowledge they already have. A little incentive might help, - upselling can put that extra cash in their pockets. Your employees onsite are the best salesmen for the job because they work directly with what you’re selling every day and are face-to-face with the customer. Phone sales representatives can plant the seed by mentioning other services you offer, subconsciously making the customer aware of your services, so by the time your crews arrive, having the ability to do it right then and there, customers are already open to idea of adding on services. It’s as easy as one, two three! Step 1: Knowledge is Power – Make sure your staff knows what you offer, how it’s done and what you charge for it. These are all weapons they should already have, but if you would like to add to their arsenal, give them more information, like some exclusive package deals or handouts they could use on-site. Keep them in the loop on current specials and always send them with the proper tools to handle the services they upsell. They don’t need to be an award-winning salesman to talk about what they know, and that’s what it comes down to. Speaking to another person about what they know how to do best. Be proud of their talents, and make sure they are, too. A little bragging about being the best never hurt anyone. Step 2: Pay Attention – Train your staff to do this most often! While they’re at a customer’s house, pay attention to details. For example, if they are cleaning the inside of a palladium window, be sure they take note of the chandelier above their head - are the bulbs out? Is it really dusty? Same idea outside, if they’re cleaning second-story windows and can see the gutters - are they overflowing? Are there black streaks running down the gutters? Odds are, the customer doesn’t know about these other issues because - let’s face it - they’re busy and your company is there just to do window cleaning. If, by some chance, they know about the issues, odds are they don’t know your crews can do this. Step 3: Inform & Suggest – Finally, the most important step. Have
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Join the WCRA and Get this Mailer Completely FREE! at least one person on each crew who is comfortable speaking up to tell the customer what they have found - someone willing to let them know that they can take care of it for them. It’s simple: “Sir, while I was cleaning the palladium, I noticed a few bulbs are out in your chandelier. If you have any new ones, I could change them out for you while I’m up here and give it a good cleaning for X amount of money.” Sounds simple - maybe even silly - to some of us, but employees who can and will do this inside and out of the office need a reminder or a little push at times. Customers will love your staff for this - as we both know, they are not getting up there to reach that anytime soon, which is why the bulbs were still blown in the first place. Give your staff some advice - a pep talk, if you will. Worstcase scenario is that the customer says no, thanks, and your crew has less work to do, but best-case scenario they say yes and now you just made extra money. That’s upselling! The scenarios go on and on, but the outcome is always going to be the same. Your services are out there - point-blank, in-your-face out there - even if no extra money is made at that moment, you as a business owner didn’t spend a dime on that advertising and next time that job may double in size. Still think this can’t be done or won’t work? Worried about what’s actually going to come out of it? Then listen carefully: Everything about your employees, from the uniform to the truck right down to their paperwork screams “Call Me, Ask Me, Use Me,” so why not take advantage of all that? Start sending out business cards, highlight or circle the other services on their paperwork, have them automatically estimate the stuff you’re not doing at that time. If there happens to be a service they can’t handle right then and there, make sure your support staff is contacted to set up another appointment for you right on the spot. Who couldn’t use a few extra bucks in their pocket? Talk to your staff about setting up some incentives for upselling; we don’t know how far this can take you, but we do know what you’re missing out on. This is an easy way of lining your pockets without much extra effort or too many costs. Now that you know the secret and the benefits of upselling, I guarantee with some knowledge, a plan and a little effort, your staff can be your best money-makers! By Shannon Horvath Sales Manager All County Window Cleaning
September - October 2011
13
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You’ve decided to work with mailing postcards to “cold” addresses, those who have never used your services before. You may have purchased a WCR template and are going to try the saturation method, or perhaps you have bought a list of a targeted area and have received some labels. You haven’t worked with this much and don’t really know what to expect or whether to sink a little or a lot of cash into this. From this perspective, let’s see how we can manage the risks better and make more informed decisions before opening our wallet.
The Layout I use a spread sheet in Excel to run several ‘what if’ scenarios. It’s important to take into account everything to get the most accurate information to work with. Let’s take a look at what may be involved depending on if you are using saturation or targeted first class: 1.
Cost to get postcards out the door:
• • • • • • •
Printing Postage Name List Labels Labor for labels and stamp affixing Dropping off at post office Route sheets/bundles
2. Your past typical company results: • • •
Response rate (if mailed out before) Close ratio % (how many jobs versus responses) Average job size in specify what this is (neighborhood or overall)
Now we just plug in how many postcards we want to mail and the rest is calculated for us. Keep in mind printing costs will
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September - October 2011
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change as quantities go up, lowering the per piece cost. 3.
Results from calculations:
• • • • • • • •
Number of leads Number of jobs Total Job specify what this is Return on Investment % (ROI) Total Campaign Cost Net Revenue from Campaign Cost Per Lead Cost Per Job
Overview Now we can look at the results we get by playing around with the variables in Costs and Past Results and see what a campaign would have to do to be worth our while. I have heard many estimate three times the cost as gauge for effectiveness. So if your total campaign costs were $500, then you would want to see at least $1,500 in job specify directly related to that campaign. If you are just starting out in this, if you realize two times your cost, that’s a good starting point from which to build out. Response rates are at the focal point in projecting and managing your risk. You can have high ROI from one or two large jobs, which is great for specify, but planning for response rate is more accurate when looking at a campaign from the worst case scenario. Many books, speakers, etc all use 1% as a common response rate, but it can more elusive to reach than expected, especially if using the fifty-two week average method to see what your response rate is over a year’s time! If you are just starting out and have no prior results to work with, I suggest working with 0.25% 0.50%, working with the lower end to see what your costs will be and
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forcing you to focus on effective neighborhoods better. Statisticians describe 0.02% as pure random response, meaning that while the offer did not have any pull and the market targeted may have been wrong, but just by chance, someone was thinking about window cleaning and you just happened to be there. In other words, 0.02% is merely right place, right time, nothing more. So your absolute worst case scenario would be about 0.02% response rate. Now beware, you can easily mail out 500 - 1,000 and have 0 responses at times. This 0.02% is more accurate the larger the mailing but, you also want to be looking over a span of time too over several campaigns through the year. ‘Close ratio’ is just the percentage of jobs you get versus people who call. You have a close ratio of 70% if you book seven jobs out of every ten who call you. Your close ratio may be different from postcards versus other advertising depending on the match of the postcard content to the targeted neighborhood. Average job size makes a huge difference in what neighborhoods to target. You could have a high close ratio and decent response rate, but combined with mailing to neighborhoods with a low average job specify size, you could actually end up barely breaking even and recouping your costs, a ROI of less than 100% or 1x! This is where the ‘what if?’ scenarios help you manage risk better. The more you mail out, the more typical results you will have and can plan better. I have actually been spot-on with some campaigns over the last year, which means there’s room for improvement, but the typical results I had been seeing were consistent again. Makes for some great budgeting and specify planning. As you start looking at Cost Per Lead and Cost Per Job, you start getting a very real feel for how much it will cost to grow your business, how valuable each customer really is and what the limits are financially on reaching and acquiring these customers. In the end, the goal of postcards to cold markets is to bring you more of your ideal customers, which isn’t cheap, so the risk is managed more effectively with projecting and planning. We’ll get into more details in the next issue in Part 2.
By Bruce “Number Crunch” Ferguson Is there anything window cleaning business related you are trying to understand better or solve that a formula, calculation or chart could help with? Did you like this article? Did it help you out in some way? Please e-mail me at numbercrunch@verizon.net. Now Available: Work with the Postcard ‘What If’ Spreadsheet, only in the private WCRA Members area on the forum!
www.windowcleaningbusinessowner.com
and Chris Chris: Kevin, when was the last time you were on an airplane? Kevin: Two days ago. Chris: What was the last book you read? Kevin: Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins. Chris: What was the last meal you had? Kevin: Fresh made waffles at my hotel this morning with bananas and maple syrup on top. Chris: Mmmm. Other than this event, when was the last time you spoke? Kevin: In Beverly Hills, at the Squeegeenomics experience in January this year. Chris: When was the last time you did something nice for somebody? Kevin: Right now, doing this interview for you. [laughs] Chris: When was the last time you filmed a video for your private marketing forum? Kevin: I don’t know, actually, it’s been far too long. Chris: You should do that, I like those videos. What was the last soft drink you drank? Kevin: Diet Coke. Chris: When was the last time you told your wife you loved her? Kevin: Probably about ten days ago? Chris: It’s been too long. [laughs] Kevin: [laughs] Yes, it has. I say it with my actions. Chris: When was the last time you got hurt? Kevin: You mean emotionally? Chris: Yes. Kevin: That’s a tough one.. Chris: Physically or mentally. Kevin: I can’t remember. Chris: What was the last super fun thing you did in Toronto? Kevin: I played ice hockey last Monday night. I’m a goalie. Chris: Being the goalie, when was the last time you scored a goal? Kevin: Never. [laughs] Chris: That can happen, you know? Kevin: Yes, but I’m not good enough to make that happen. Chris: When was the last time you picked up a squeegee? Kevin: About twenty months ago. Chris: Do you miss it? Kevin: I miss it on the nice Spring days. Chris: Thank you for your time today, Kevin, you’re the best. Kevin: Thanks.
Squeegeenomics: Persuade the Mind, Part 2 Your purchase behavior is driven primarily by emotion. We are emotional creatures, after all, and feelings are what opens wallets. There is an important second step, however.
the tools were designed and made. Instead of simply stating that you use commercialgrade window cleaning equipment, say that you insist on your crew only using worldclass tools from the highly-accoladed Italian designer Ettore Steccone. Who doesn’t find Italian-designed tools more alluring?
Just before your actions take flight, your mind gets to put its two cents in, and unless it’s on the same page as your heart, warning bells go off inside your head, you stutter step, second-think, and hesitate. When that hesitation involves a purchase decision, you put your wallet back in your pocket, then take your money and your business somewhere else.
Explain that the real secret to Ettore’s designer tools is in the rubber, and tell the story of how Ettore’s proprietary formulation is a closely-guarded industry secret (not unlike Coca-Cola!), and that no one is exactly sure what makes Ettore rubber so flawless and perfect every time. (I got that off the Ettore website just now, in just three minutes).
That’s why it’s not enough to conjure an emotional response in your marketing. You’ve also got to speak to the mind of your prospective buyer. The mind is the voice of reason, the one keeping you from doing the truly crazy, outlandish things that will get you into trouble down the road. In your last issue of WCBO, you learned five important ways to persuade the minds of your prospects.
Dig a little and find some stories to tell. Get specific and layer some meaty flesh onto your otherwise dull glass cleaning service descriptions. You could talk about what your crew does, what type of detergents and surfactants you use, or what the homeowner can expect from your company on the third day after their windows are cleaned (you can make this stuff up, remember, and deliver any desired service experience).
Do you remember them? Here they are, again:
Whatever story you pick, give them lots of details. Use extreme specificity. Apple plays this game all day long. Flip over your iPhone or iPod and you’ll see the wispy promise: “Designed in California. Made in China.” Why do you think that is? Well, it certainly gives them a chance to leverage specificity and add some extra style and value to an otherwise Chinese product. You and I both know that the fact it’s “designed” in California doesn’t mean anything. And yet it affects the way we perceive products out of Cupertino. Those few extra (seemingly spurious) details are very persuasive.
1. Speak to only one person at a time. 2. Use power words. 3. Stay in front of their faces. 4. Arouse curiosity. 5. Suck in their dimes with stuff that rhymes. Let’s look at five more now, continuing where we left off:
6. Use extreme specificity.
Your competitors claim to clean all of the homeowner’s windows and wipe down all the window sills and tracks. Boring. While they’re speaking in generalities, get a little deeper into the details. Teach your potential buyer something they didn’t know. For instance, you could explain the exact tools that you’ll be using and where
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7. Tap into the power of good design. According to legendary marketer Seth Godin, “Design is the single highest leverage investment you can make”. Good design creates an immediate reaction, and it works like a charm. Good design convinces our mind that the service or product is of higher quality than the alternatives available.
September - October 2011
Marc Ecko, founder of Ecko Unltd
Micah Kommers
We’ll be cleaning windows for the VP of Coke tomorrow! Better not let it slip that I have been soda free for the past two months...
Splash Window Cleaning
I love WCR, not just like... they’ve helped me more than almost anything else single handedly.
William Dempsey
Careful packaging, great prices, super-fast shipping, Great customer service, What else could you ask for?
Jason Evers
Is anyone on Vince Vaughn’s Facebook? Just curious if he posted that he saw Jason Evers at the Mandalay Bay casino.
Jarrell Dean
We use a lot of steel wool at work, and I was thinking, what kind of sheep does that s*** come from?
The discussion doesn’t end here...
facebook.com/WCBOM
www.windowcleaningbusinessowner.com
($400 million annual sales), speaking of successful branding communication, said: “When something is aesthetically beautiful, people react.” And they react by spending their hard-earned money on that beautiful thing. So, let me ask you: how well –designed is your window cleaning company’s marketing stuff? What does your logo look like? How about your estimates? Invoices? Business cards? Website? Does it look like you had it professionally designed, or does it look like your 14-yr-old nephew threw it together as part of a school project? Get serious about the power of design, and you’ll persuade more of your customers to see your high prices as a bargain. Remember what Seth Godin said: the payoff is huge in persuasiveness. 8. Find some beautiful people to say your words. In real life, ideally, but at least in the imagery you use. You are a sucker for good-looking people. - me,too. We all are. We perceive good-looking people as more trustworthy, more honest, and more intelligent than their genetically-mundane counterparts. We’re captivated by attractive people. We listen more carefully when they talk. And we believe them when they tell us stuff. So, here’s some food for thought:
www.windowcleaningbusinessowner.com
What would happen if you hired some gorgeous sales representatives to offer free estimates from door-to-door while your window cleaning crew worked away at each client’s home? Do you think their closing rate would be higher than normal? Of course it would. Have you ever heard of a window cleaning company doing this? I doubt it. Sounds like an opportunity. At the very least, what if you hired a couple of very attractive people for a photo shoot, dressed them up in your work shirts and uniforms, and then took some action shots of them cleaning some windows? Yes, it’s crazy to talk about using beautiful people to sell our stuff. And ridiculous. And unfair. And weird. But it works. It will make your prospects even more inclined to do business with you. 9. Remove every last ounce of risk. If I don’t know you and you jump into my radar, trying to sell me something, then I don’t trust you right away. Part of me is going to think that you’re a scammer, and that I’m going to somehow get ripped off by giving you my hard-earned money. When you bend over backwards to make sure that it’s impossible for that to ever happen, and then communicate that impossibility in no uncertain terms, you instantly disarm this purchase obstacle. The easiest, fastest, most obvious way to remove risk is to offer a no-questions-asked money-back
guarantee. Do not offer a “You won’t pay a dime until we fix it” guarantee. Do offer a “You won’t pay a dime unless you’re completely satisfied” guarantee. No strings attached. Bullet-proof in every sense of the word. In short, you’ve got to give them the power to rip you off just because they don’t like the look of your face. I’m serious. Tell them that if they don’t love everything about either the service experience or the workmanship they receive, they won’t pay a penny. And stake your word on it. Show a little photo of your face, and tell them your name, specifying that you are personally promising that they absolutely, unequivocally, undeniably, cannot get ripped off. Hey, if you already take so much pride in your workmanship, and delighting all of your customers, then what are you afraid of? Actually, I know what you’re afraid of. You’re afraid that a ton of people are going to rip you off. They won’t, trust me. And for every person who does, you will have gained twenty more that hired you because you offer a 100% risk-free guarantee. A word of caution: As important as it is to remove risk, chances are that you’re going to have to step up and offer a unique guarantee that none of your competitors offer. Need some ideas on that? Drop me an e-mail to kevindubrosky@gmail.com.
September - October 2011
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10. Make it easy for people to give you money. Have you ever labeled someone as cheap when they decided against hiring your professional window cleaning services? Maybe they went with one of your competitors, for a lower price. It’s intuitive to immediately assume that these turkey homeowners are misers. But is that necessarily true? Not so fast. Have you considered whether or not situational factors may have come into play? Maybe they misplaced your postcard. Or you delivered it on the first of the month, and they always feel poor the first few days of the month, because they have to pay the mortgage. Or maybe you stuck your flier to their mailbox and the wind blew it away. Or maybe you delivered it on the same day as the val-pak thingy, and they were in junk-mail destruction and avoidance mode. Or maybe you asked them to call for a free estimate, and they hate calling. They would have preferred to e-mail you, but you didn’t give them that option. Or maybe they are text-aholics, and you didn’t give them a text communication option. Or maybe they wanted to check out a web page first, to learn more about you, but your site is broken. Or even worse, maybe your website is terribly confusing and frustrating to find anything on. Sometimes it has nothing to do with
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what kind of person they are. Sometimes the problem is you. You’ve made it really hard for them to do business with you, and give you money. Change that. Let people contact you the way they wish. Text, call, e-mail, forms, whatever. Keep your website current and easy to navigate. And a huge caution on forms: remember that you are trying to make it easy for them to do business with you. Please do not ask them to fill out 15==fifteen fields of information, so that your life is easier when it’s time to give them an estimate. Just yesterday, I saw a window cleaning website that asked prospects to complete a “quick, easy estimate request form.” It had twenty-five required fields. Yikes. Make it easy for people to do business with you, and you’ll become more persuasive. Why not try one of these persuasion methods? The truth is, they are many more ways to speak to the mind of your prospects and either overtly or subtly influence their behavior by becoming more persuasive. In the book “$600/hr – The Ultimate Window Cleaning Marketing Guide,” you’ll learn how to specifically use nineteen of them. You can also take a closer look at these first ten that you’ve been reading about in WCBO.
September - October 2011
The point is, you’ve got to start with one or two, and see what happens. Then, in time, add a few more, and a few more after that. Before you know it, you’ll be producing incredibly persuasive marketing tools, and your phone is going to be ringing a little more often with people anxious to make your banker happier. Do yourself a favor and pick at least one from the five listed above, and decide to try it in the next couple of weeks. Track it carefully, and find out whether or not it’s improving your profitability. Here’s a huge question, though: once people start calling you for an estimate, how can you price these jobs properly? And how can you provide accurate pricing without seeing these jobs in person? Your next issue of Window Cleaning Business Owner magazine will tell you all about it. By Kevin Dubrosky
Kevin Dubrosky is a private marketing consultant that specializes in helping Window Cleaning Business Owners earn more money in less time. He is also the author of the 255-page hardcover book “$600/hr – The Ultimate Window Cleaning Marketing Guide.” Learn more about how Kevin can help you at www.kevindubrosky.com.
www.windowcleaningbusinessowner.com
Here in the UK, the cleaning industry operates in a variety of forms. From the large national outfits to regional enterprises, each has its preferential client base and perhaps, niche market. At the regional level, and more aptly, the local market, businesses range from mediumsized groups through to the heart of British enterprise – the man with the van. For the larger companies, telemarketing has become part and parcel of the business model and many have their own dedicated marketing teams employed, in-house by the company or group. While the man with the van would probably relish the thought of a steady flow of new contracts on tap, in reality, without serious investment in the business, it is likely that the van or they themselves would eventually conk out. The ambitious individual could always recklessly invest everything in the company without considering the consequences, lose everything and then gain a leading role with one of the world banks – but that’s another story! For the small or smallish businesses wishing to steadily grow, outsourced telemarketing may well provide a solution. Outsourcing assists the companies wishing to move away from domestic contracts and expand into the commercial market, or for those wishing to expand their existing client base into new territories. Outsourcing for the domestic market is a possibility via the telephone - however, data for domestic can be very expensive. To many of these companies, the use of telesales as a marketing tool is something of a new concept, but is one that is becoming more popular and accepted. For those unsure of its worth, outsourcing offers a low commitment service – many of our clients initially start with a trial of a few hours in order to test the waters. This permits them to get a feel for the service without a major investment. Companies using outsourced services remain in control - they can pick and choose the hours required and areas targeted. This is especially important for companies wishing for a steady growth rate and not falling in to the “run before you can walk” scenario.
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There are some important factors that may need to be considered before approaching outsourcing services. One of the first questions a new client often asks us is “What’s the success rate?” This is a big unknown, and although this may be a UK phenomenon, we have found that success is very dependent upon area, based on the local economy and how saturated the market is within the region. This is one of the reasons for initially effecting a trial. Another factor to be considered is the fact that people do not generally like change. If a company has been using Billy the Brush or Willie the Wipe for the last fifteen years and they are happy with their performance, a discounted service will not normally sway the decision-maker – it’s a loyalty thing! All in all, for prospective clients unsure if the service is right for them, we feel that they should talk to people who have used a similar service for promoting their cleaning business. By Kate Baker www.canvassers4cleaners.co.uk
September - October 2011
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EZ-Clip Filters EZ-Connect Fittings EZ-Start Video Training
www.RHGProducts.com/ez
Photoshop File Edit Image Layer Select Filter Analysis 3D View Windo Br
33.3%
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Show Transform Controls
101 Photoshop Getting Started
Did you know??? Ps
Bottom line.. Photoshop rocks!!
It can be the best investment you may ever make in your life as an entrepreneur.. or the worst if you don’t put the time and effort needed into learning all of the amazing features it has to offer. Photoshop can completely transform your company if utilized correctly. Just looking to figure out how to edit those awesome templates from WCR? No problem! We’re going to give you a few tips on how to get started.
In a recent poll from window cleaning resource .com we found out that 22.50% of voters that participated owned Photoshop, but had no idea how to use it!
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painting
Layers, Layers and More Layers!! Photoshop is all about the Layers Palette so we’ll start there...
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Go to Window/Layers to make the Layers Palette visible. Each item you see here is its own layer. Only one layer can be selected at a time, and all modifications that you make in Photoshop only happen to the layer you are on. Each layer has two boxes to the left that indicate if the layer is visible, selected, or linked. By clicking on the “eye” icon, you can hide the layer. Re-clicking on that box will make the layer visible again. The order in which you are viewing the layers, from top to bottom, is the order in which they will appear in your image, front to back. The layers at the top are going to appear on top of other layers. Keep this in mind when creating new layers.
Normal
Fill: 100%
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Layers can be dragged and dropped so one is above another. This excludes the background, which is locked, and cannot be moved unless it is redefined as a layer itself. This is done by double-clicking on it.
Ps
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roof-washing-card-front.psd @ 33.3% (Layer 34, RGB/8)
Image 6 fx When a layer is locked a picture of a lock will appear on the right hand side. To unlock the background you can double click it. You can lock or unlock any other image by clicking that layer and then clicking the lock pictured above.
The Type Tool!
T
When you’re editing one of the WCR mailers, you’ll be changing a lot of the text, here’s how.
In your tools palette on the left hand side you’ll have an icon of a T (shown above). This is the Type Tool. It’s super simple. Just click the layer of text you would like to edit, click the Type Tool “T” and start typing! As soon as you hit the Type Tool a tool bar will appear up top which will allow you to change the font style, font size, alignment and more! To change the color of the font, highlight the text that you are working on by clicking and dragging your mouse over the text you’d like to change. Once it’s selected double click the foreground color box in the tool bar on the left. Enter the color code or just pick whatever color you’d like!
Be on the look out for more Photoshop tutorials in the next few issues!
product Specials 14” 18”
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All offers are valid 9/16/11 - 11/15/11
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Screen Magic 1 Gallon
Unger 3 piece plastic t-bar Unger’s economy line 3 Piece T-Bar is great for everyday use. For easier storage, the 3 Piece T-Bar breaks down into 3 sections and also features built in slots for better water retention.
Screen Magic is a special formula of emulsions, UV inhibitors, glossing agents, and dust repellents that doesn’t just cover the dust, it destroys it. The dust particles are organically dissolved making the screens look like new and the dust repellents help to keep them looking that way.
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Unger Scrim Unger Scrim is 36 inches x 36 inches, are made of Irish linen, and are extremely absorbent. This window cleaning towel is ideal for detailing and polishing, but works excellent to clean frames, excess water on sills, etc.
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$380
While supplies last
Unger hiflo Advanced Water Fed Pole 27’ This Fiberglass Water Fed Pole by Unger is extremely durable and easy to use. This product comes with flip lock clamps (to adjust the pole to desired height quickly and easily), an Angle Adapter, and an Unger HiFlo Rectangle Brush.
$19.99
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scrapermate The Scrapermate Razor Holder holds most modern scrapers snugly, without a cap. This Holder will fit the following scrapers: Ettore Pro+ 6 inch Scraper, Ettore Scrapemaster Scraper 4 inch, Unger ErgoTec Glass Scraper 4 inch and 6 inch, and ALL of the Triumph Scrapers.
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Facelift 34’ Package This package is the most cost effective way to begin Pure Water window cleaning. For one low price you receive one 24’ Facelift Flip Lock II Carbon Fiber Pole, one 1/2 Cube DI Tank, and 50’ feet of our 3/8” pure water supply hose.
$807.29
Facelift 24’ Package This package is the most cost effective way to begin Pure Water window cleaning. For one low price you receive one 24’ Facelift Flip Lock II Carbon Fiber Pole, one 1/2 Cube DI Tank, and 50’ feet of our 3/8” pure water supply hose.
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Pulex double leather holster The Pulex Double Leather Holster holds 2 tools. www.windowcleaningbusinessowner.com
$852.30
NationWide DI Spotless Rinse Cart This is a great package that includes two .75 cube ft. DI Tanks filled with Virgin Resin, all the necessary quick connect garden hose fittings, one TDS Meter and a cart sized to carry one tank at a time. Simply attach a garden hose to either end, wash as normal, rinse and walk away! September - October 2011
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Do you remember the pocketknife that had everything from a screwdriver, canopener, knife blade, bottle opener, corkscrew scissors, etc? Some even came with a spoon and fork. Famously known as Swiss Army Knives, most people will have owned one sometime in their lives. The genius behind the multi-purpose pocket knife was Karl Eisner of Switzerland, and he invented it for the soldiers fighting on the frontline in 1891. The original knife only had three tools: a screwdriver, required for the soldier’s gun mounts; a can opener, for their tinned food; and a blade used for everything else. Today, we can see the advancement from the original three blades to the modern standard of five. Some pocket knives can have an excess of 20 blades. They are also made for specific industries, too, i.e. medical, building, fishing, farming - the list goes on. In this technological and scientific age, they’re even made with a built-in USB memory stick, an MP3 digital music player, a digital clock with alarm, a thermometer, a barometer and a digital altimeter. From its humble origins, the pocketknife has been flexible enough to allow additional new functions and blades to be added that suit our modern daily requirements. Now you’re probably wondering what on earth a pocketknife has to do with a smart phone. It’s the portability, flexibility, and multi-purpose functionality that bind the two innovations together. The smart phone will fit in your hand and in your pocket,can be used anywhere, and is built with an abundance of standard functions like a clock, alarm, calendar, calculator, music player as well as the important cell phone and text messaging services. Despite this, there is always something you will need that is missing! Thankfully, most mobile phone manufacturers have created their own ‘App Store’ that allows you to search and download ‘apps’ (mini-applications) suitable to your requirements. So no matter what business or industry you are in, you will find a large number of ‘apps’ to suit your needs. A great ‘app’ that window cleaners should have is a database. Databases are very simple to set-up and allow you to keep track of your customer’s details. This could be names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. You can add or edit custom-
26
ers’ details whilst on-site. You can also create a mileage database to keep track of your mileage and fuel expenses. There are a number of database ‘apps’ that allow you to make unlimited databases and they’re all stored on your smart phone for easy access. Spreadsheet ‘apps’ are great for keeping an eye on accounts of customer payments and debts and are also flexible enough to work out your daily, weekly, and monthly earnings. There are schedule ‘apps’ that can help with the organization and running of your business. Knowing what your work colleagues are up to is always an advantage in any organization. A calendar with reminders is always helpful for future jobs, as well as birthdays and anniversaries. Many of us have to do quotes for potential customers so it’s always handy to have a calculator and a unit converter, simply to ensure the job is priced correctly. There are even ‘apps’ that allow you take to credit card payments through your smart phone. When customers have run out of loose change, you can persuade them to pay up-front for the next couple of cleans as well. Every little bit helps in business, and it saves chasing the debt, too. ‘Apps’ are even available for mobile banking - so no more bank queues! There are ‘apps’ that report traffic jams and weather conditions. A SatNav ‘app’ on a smart phone means you don’t need to carry around two devices anymore. Dictaphones are handy gadgets, and with a smart phone you have one at your fingertips. Many apps are free, but the more specialised an app is, the more you will have to pay. But it’s not all work and no play with apps. How many times have we all been asked ‘What was the name of that actor?’ or ‘What was the year that song came out?’ or ‘Who wrote that novel?’ or even ‘What is the number of the local DIY store?’ With a smart phone on the Internet you can get the answer in seconds and feel proud of your achievement. Now we even have apps that can tell you where the nearest restaurant is and what’s on the menu. Fancy a takeaway? Takeaways have their own apps so you can view the menu, make your order, pay by credit card
September - October 2011
and await delivery. They even tell you how long they will be and how close the delivery driver is to you. It’s a beautiful evening out, the stars are shining in the sky, but what is the name of the star you are staring at? There’s an app for that. See the plane flying overhead? Yes, there’s an app that will tell you where it’s going, how many passengers are on board, and who owns the plane. Need a taxi? Yes, you guessed it there’s an app for that, too! There’s a great movie on the box tonight and I’m stuck on a train that’s arriving late - no problem, I have an app that will start my recorder at home at the exact time the movie starts. There are medical apps for first aid as well as for every medical condition and prescription drug created. There are apps for referencing when studying and researching, dictionaries and thesauruses for every conceivable language, and language converters that speak the language as you type, which are brilliant for foreign holidays when you’re stuck for words. The list is endless and a bit overwhelming at first,but they are there.. So in this aspect, smart phones are very similar to Swiss Army Knives - as long as they are portable, flexible and multi-purpose in functionality, we will always have a need for them both. By John Henderson www.acacia-technologies.co.uk
www.windowcleaningbusinessowner.com
“AC, I am venturing into commercial work and have noticed that having workers compensation insurance is a must. The cost associated with this is hard to swallow. I know I need to make this move to grow my business, but I need some help wrapping my mind around the positives this will bring. Can you help?�
David Washingstein Fredericksburg, Texas
/ territory? If you have a pool of 20 competitors, who else has workers comp? If it is five then you just rose into the top 25% of the cleaning companies in your area. Adjust the type of jobs you pursue and cater to the clients that require this insurance.
David, Making the commitment to grow your company takes a lot of guts, determination and positive thinking! As you grow you encounter costs associated with stepping up your game. It is important to take these new costs and evaluate how you can make them work for you. One, Does this additional expense give you a competitive advantage in your marketplace
Two, How can you market that advantage and communicate that advantage effectively to your customers? Exploit the fact that a small group of contractors in your area have workers comp. Add this to your advertising. Spell out how workers comp protects the customer. Communicate effectively that compliance costs money and the reason you are slightly more expensive is that you obey the law. Three, Can you track your success based on this added expense evaluating your ability to capitalize on it? This, as well as any other changes you implement in your company should be tracked. Create a spreadsheet tracking your advertising, quotes, proposals
and contracts. Ask customers if you having workers comp played into their decision making process. After some time your results will begin to flesh out, you will see if adding this expense paid off or not. Workers Compensation Insurance requirements vary from State to State. Please check with your local Department of Business and Professional Regulation to make sure you are meeting your States workers comp code. Thanks,
AC Lockyer AC Lockyer is the inventor of the Mallard System, winner of two Florida 100 Awards and the Central Florida Up and Comers Award. AC now operates Professional Business Guide a business consulting company. AC’s web site is www.ProBizGuide.com
Are they worth dealing with? Dealing with property management agents and agencies that maintain and look after properties whilst the customer is away is a double-edged sword. As I’ve found out over several years or so, working with and alongside these people is no easy feat. Sometimes they are not at fault for calling you at one minute to midnight, the house or villa owners sometimes only let them know the day of their arrival or a couple of days before. Other times, the agencies are so badly managed it’s the office agency staff at fault for not ringing you up earlier. It’s no fun to perform an emergency window clean sometimes late in the evening. So is it worth nurturing a relationship with these people? Your bank account says yes, although getting the payments, hourly rates or window count agreed on is probably best decided before entering into a relationship with them. When the ground rules are not laid out before, you may find yourself getting into arguments with them after the job is completed and severing ties is the only option. No matter how many last minute favors you have performed or how close you are with them, this won’t matter when the payment is due. Get your agreements before the jobs are performed even ringing them from the job site if you have to and agreeing a price before you pick up that squeegee or water fed pole. You will end up working alongside their domestic cleaners, maintenance men and gardeners. Some agencies will just send you in there with a house alarm code and a set of keys, or sometimes you are met by the household employed cleaner doing her very minimum to extract a wage. Don’t think that because the other company is responsible for the property that you can relax your own company rules or treat a house any less than if you were dealing directly with the property owner. And don’t go slacking because their employees do! I’m just amazed at some of the cleaners work ethics – and don’t even think of reporting this, it’s not your problem. One of the major setbacks I’ve come across is the distinct
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lack of planning or employee brain cells. It’s no fun working amongst a team of minimum wage cleaners who have no plan of action and usually just have a job list to get through, with no thought of anyone working around them. What am I talking about? The whole twenty set of plate glass windows with a wooden deck with an out of this world view being power washed just after you’ve completed. These details will not be sorted out by the company – it’s your job to do that for them unless you want to be working till midnight and have an alarm code to be set before dropping off the house keys at some distant post box on your way home. And another note, agency workers don’t know that your water is slightly different than faucet water and they will happily spray the windows you have just water fed poled! Communication is the key to working with these people, set the rules yourself before undertaking any work and in some cases preset the payment time. The favorite trick is for them to say “we can’t pay you, until they have paid us.” Don’t give in on this one, you are dealing directly with them, not the client. Another phrase may be “the owners have to check the windows before paying you,” and who knows what’s spoiled the windows between you checking out and other cleaners deciding to have a go themselves or mopping up to plate glass windows leaving that tell-tale trail of smudge. Once you know what you are dealing with, have set the ground rules and decide to merge your services – what next? Keep them informed! If you know you have big jobs on certain days of the month, let them know – they can actually work around you and not the other way around. I’ve trained some of property management agents to sit and beg. Not to abuse their trust in you, but you have to let them know that you run a business as well and are not just sitting around waiting for their phone call. Extract as much property information from them as you can. Problem windows, problem blinds, sticky doors, gate entrances that don’t function and don’t forget, with key in hand you are responsible for that property – so find out who else may be there when you at the property and undertaking your work. Contractors sneaking in whilst your back is turned could be a problem. Meal breaks may be a prob-
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Pros:
Cons:
Constant stream of clients
Payments are sometimes delayed
Can fill your work week in the lower months
Call you up at the last minute
Relationships with them are usually quite good Will pick up left equipment for you No contact with difficult owners Will usually do the cleaning up after you Usually start earlier than you would normally get in to a house. Multiple call-outs around a show day if they are selling the property as well
lem also if you break off, only to find the cleaners have moved on to another property whilst you were finishing that last mug of coffee with all your equipment trapped inside. Many of the management companies rely on cheap workers to try and complete the job with profit over workmanship being their main concern. It’s no fun to see your pristine windows sitting side by side with their smeared Windexed windows. I’ve found in a low economy, that many keep themselves short staffed and will gladly pay out to get a professional in knowing that the job will be immaculate. I would also give them two prices once you are invited in, one for the whole house clean and another for selected windows that they know their workers wouldn’t be able to manage. This is why they usually call you in the first place! If you have an idea on their pricing/hourly wage, they will usually spend up to 50% more knowing that the job will be done properly and not hoping that one of their staff won’t fall off a set of steps (or a chair in most cases) and break their neck. You may even mention this when you give your price. What’s to stop them using another window cleaning
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Feel loyalty bound due to previous work Not the best pay day in some cases You are only summoned to clean the difficult windows Some ask for a cut of your profit Can take your time away for other high paying jobs When they lose the client – you do too. No ongoing referral per job
company? Once you show them the quality of your work and the organization you put in to helping them – they will rarely stray. Every now and then you can throw them a price break if they just want a few windows glowing for a film shoot or perhaps a photo taken for the real estate agents (in many a case that could be themselves). Going to extra lengths to keep them happy could result in you taking over most of their work on a regular basis. Sometimes they will want a price break for the amount of work they give you – that’s totally up to you, but if you are busy, this could revalue your relationship to the awful working conditions. Another problem is if the company loses the client, you will too, unless you are quick off the mark, find out and post one of your leaflets through the property door. You will usually find these are trashed fairly quickly by the new property management company. I personally have broken ties with some property managers, some tend to get greedy, and others take you for granted. I also never like to put all my eggs in one basket. By Karl Robinson robinson-solutions.blogspot.com
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Liens:
The good, the bad and the ugly
The subject of liens seems to come up quite often amongst window cleaners. In my former line of work, my company dealt with liens on a daily basis several times a day. Therefore, I thought that I would share my two decades of experience with all of you and try giving you a deeper understanding about liens and answer any questions you may have. Before I start, I must bless you with a disclaimer: I am not providing legal advice nor is WCBO Magazine. Any deadlines mentioned in this article are based on my experiences in California. You can check with your own state to determine what your particular requirements are for your state.
What is a lien?
If you have not been paid on a job for one reason or another, you may file a lien with your local County Recorder’s Office. When you fill out that paperwork, you are required to provide to a copy of your preliminary notice with your lien. If you do not have both the notice and proof of service, you may not file the lien. There is a nominal charge for filing the lien, usually about $50.
What happens after I file the lien? In most instances, the parties that have not paid you will come to the table to discuss a resolution to your situation and try to settle the lien. This is especially true if there is a lender on the project.
A mechanic’s lien is a security interest in the title to property for the benefit of those who have supplied labor or materials that improve the property. The lien exists for both real property and personal property. In the realm of real property, it is called by various names, including - generically - construction lien. It is also called a material man’s lien or supplier’s lien when referring to those supplying materials, and a laborer’s lien when referring to those supplying labor.
I am on a construction job, and the contractor is asking me for “Lien Releases.” What are they and am I giving up my rights? Contractors are required to get “lien releases” from all the subcontractors and suppliers on the job site in order for him/her to get paid. The contractor will ask you for one of four different lien releases.
What can a lien do for me?
Conditional Release Upon Progress (AKA #1) – When you fill out this release, you have spaces for you to put your company name as well as how much money you are owed up to the date of that release. When the lender gets that release, they will issue a joint check to both you and the contractor for the amount you have indicated on the release.
Without the mechanic’s lien, the contractor/property owner would have a limited number of options to enforce payment of the amounts owed. Furthermore, there is usually a long list of claimants on any failed project. The statutory lien scheme was created to avoid the specter of various trades, material men and suppliers attempting to remove the improvements they have made, and to maintain a degree of equality between the various lienors on a project. Without it, Trades person A may try to “race” Supplier B to the courthouse, the project site, or the construction lender to obtain payment. Most lien statutes instead mandate strict compliance with the formalized process they create in return for the timely resolution and balancing of claims between all parties involved - both owners and lien claimants.
How can I file a lien? The first thing you must do is file a “Preliminary Notice of Lien.” What this does is notify all persons and entities that have a financial interest in the property that you are performing work on their property and that you are prepared to exercise your lien rights. This does not mean that you will lien the property, merely that you are willing to exercise your rights. In most states, this notice must be filed within 20 days of the first day of starting work. A copy of the preliminary notice must be sent to all parties who hold interest in the property. It is generally a good idea to send the notice via certified mail so that you have a proof of service.
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They are as follows:
Unconditional Release Upon Progress (AKA #2) – This release states to the lender that you have been paid the amount indicated in the latest progressive release and you are unconditionally releasing your claim to that portion of your contract. Conditional Release Upon Final Payment (AKA #3) – This release states that you are requesting the final payment on the job, and that you are conditionally releasing all your rights on the job, provided that you get paid “XXX” dollars. Unconditional Release Upon Final Payment (AKA #4) – This release states that you have been paid all of the monies you are owed on the job, and you are releasing all of your lien rights to that property. NOTE: DO NOT give this release to the contractor unless you are absolutely satisfied that you have been paid all the money that you are owed. Withholding this release is your ONLY weapon in fight over final payment. I usually wait until 30 days after I have been paid before I will send this release out (just in case the check bounces or someone puts a stop payment on the check). Where can I find the paperwork that you have mentioned above?
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Most of the paperwork that I have mentioned can be found at your local stationary supply store or online.
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1.347.SIM.POLE Or John Lee: 865.310.0728
Conclusion
or visit us on the web:
I have given you a brief overview of what lien and lien releases are. Now let’s have a frank discussion about using liens. Your best bet is not to file a lien! Liens will cost you both time and money and can be circumvented by an astute party. For example, if you file a lien on a homeowner, and they don’t have a currently active home improvement loan that they are drawing from, they can simply ignore the lien and deal with it when it comes time to sell or refinance the property. That time may never come.
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Reach the Solar Market
If you are on a construction project where the property owner is financing his own construction, and you file a lien, he can simply obtain a lien bond, and bond around your lien to finalize the project. Eventually the bond will come due and the bonding company will tell the property owner to satisfy you, or pay for another bond. The property owner can do this three times before the bonding company will pay the lien and keep the property owner’s money. Therefore, you will be waiting three years for your money. Also, filing a lien is just the first step in claiming your rights to the property. Within a certain amount of time, usually 90 days, you must “perfect” the lien. This means that you must obtain a judgment from the courts. The law requires this so that people won’t unjustly file liens in an effort to extort money from people. This will cost you more money and time. I am not saying that you should never file a lien. What I am saying is that you must take some serious thought before you do, based on the information I have given you. In other words, if you are on a typical residential job for a few hundred dollars, it may end up costing you more in time, money and stress that what it is worth. However, if you are on a larger job, you may decide the time and money spent is well worth the effort. If you do find yourself on a bigger job, and you have any doubt whatsoever that you will get paid in full, then by all means, file a preliminary notice. Sometimes, this lets the property owner know that you are savvy enough to at least protect your rights. I hope that this has answered some questions for you regarding liens. Know this; sometimes just being armed with information will make you victorious in negotiations. By Brett Bailey Bailey’s Window Cleaning Yucaipa, CA
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On The Sp t Chris: What’s the name of your window cleaning company? Larry: Best Window Cleaning Service. Chris: What types of services do you offer? Larry: Residential and commercial window cleaning, postconstruction clean-up, roof-gutter cleaning, and I’m looking to expand into pressure-washing. Chris: How are you going to do that? Larry: I’m going to take some of the knowledge I’ve learned today and this weekend here at NOLA and just do it. I’ve heard Charly Caldwell twice this week and my head is still spinning - it’s just incredible the way that these speakers are able to convey their messages. They’ve got the world really thinking on how they can improve their businesses. Chris: What makes Larry tick on the WCR forum? Larry: I enjoy looking at posts and questions. I think in a different way than others, and I just kind of react to it. Chris: Sure, why not? Some people take Larry the wrong way. I completely understand Larry and get every bit of his humor. How come you think a lot of people don’t? Larry: I probably come off as an ass****…. Am I allowed to say that? Chris: Some people think that you may even be fake or a character, what do you say to those people? Larry: Would a punch to your gut prove anything? Chris: If you want to hurt your hand, go ahead. *smack* Curt Kempton: [laughs] Not my gut…. Chris: [laughs] Larry: [laughs] I’ve appeared in public before, so I don’t think there’s any doubt that I exist, and certainly my wife, Jerry, can verify that I’m a living, breathing ass**** as well. Chris: Good. I have the stomach of a jellyfish, anyway, so don’t worry about it.
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Featuring controversial forum poster Larry Laczko with a special appearance by Curt Kempton
Chris: You tend to answer people’s questions with another question, what’s the theory behind that? Larry: I think everyone has the ability to continue their own discussion and think for themselves and dig a little bit deeper, and I’ve found success in the past with asking direct reports when I was in the computer industry - pretty much as a means of developing them as an employee and building their self confidence. They can answer their own questions, so it makes sense to lead them into that path. Curt Kempton: Now ironically, that thought process of getting people to raise that bar has gotten you kicked off of countless forums - do you have a forum count yet of how many forums [you’ve been kicked off]? [laughs] Larry: Um…is it three? Curt Kempton: [nods yes] Larry: Okay. Chris: So how come you decided to leave the undoubtedly mediocre-paying computer industry for window cleaning? Larry: I got paid a decent salary but I was working 100-120 hours a week. Chris: Damn…that’s a lot of hours. Larry: I got burnt out, and my family deserves more. So hopefully with ResponsiBid I can spend more time with my family. Chris: Now, have you actually purchased ResponsiBid yet, or are you just doing fictitious plugs for Curt? Curt Kempton: [laughs] Larry: No, I’ve previewed the product. I think it’s an extremely valuable and helpful tool. I don’t have the web presence right now but when I’m at that point, it’ll be on my site. Chris: Good. Anything else you’d like to share with the WCR community today, Larry?
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Larry: Well, the next opportunity for anyone on the forum to join a networking event that involves WCRA or WCR, take advantage of it. You’re going to improve your business. Chris: Does the camera in fact add ten pounds? Most people tell me I look less chubby in person. Larry: No comment. Chris: Thank you Larry, I appreciate it.
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Expanding Your Profit Potential
Getting Practical When Choosing Service Add-ons
As a service business owner, your company’s value is defined by the quality of the services you provide. So choosing which services to provide and striving to meet all of your customer’s service needs will be important to plan for the growth of your business. It should be the goal of every independent business owner to find ways to improve your products or services, while expanding your profit potential. The first step in growing your business is developing a firm understanding of what your products or services really are. In the first part of this series (WCBO Issue #5), I focused on what it means to position yourself as a window cleaning professional, tasked with more than simply removing dirt from glass. In the article, I described the scenario of positioning yourself as a glass restoration specialist, providing a complete end-to-end service that includes the removal of surface dirt as well as surface damage to bring the glass back to full clarity. I explained that by extending your service capability beyond traditional surface cleaning, you could simultaneously grow your margins on each job, driving more profits to your bottom line. In this second part of the series, I’ll focus on the practical side of evaluating any add-on service extensions to your business. After all, while the concept of extending your service offering may be attractive, it all comes down to finding the right ‘fit’ and determining what the costs and potential return in the form of bottom-line profits will be. The first and most fundamental evaluation that needs to be made is, “how does this new service compliment your current business?” The more the new addition relates to your primary business and service line, the easier, faster and cheaper it will be to gain customer acceptance and achieve success. A good example would be to look at a tire shop. If the tire shop is looking to expand their business and they are looking for new products or services to offer, which makes more sense, doing oil changes or serving frozen yogurt in the showroom? While the answer seems very obvious in this case, how many of you reading this have added on services to your companies that have as much to do with window cleaning as yogurt has to do with tires? Thus, on a practical level, the goal when first evaluating a new service should be focused on determining how the new service adds value to your existing business. Once you begin to actively consider the addition, it is imperative that you look at the costs versus the potential return on your investment (margin). Certainly, higher customer invoices are more attractive, but don’t forget to carefully analyze all the costs associated with implementing and supporting the new service. You need to plan for three key aspects involved in the start-up and long-term extension to your service line: 1. 2. 3.
Cost of Entry Cost of Sale Cost of Operation
Adding a new service will generally require the purchase of some new equipment and training. But the cost of entry doesn’t stop there. Don’t overlook potential ‘add-on’ costs during the start-up. Do you need a trailer to carry the new equipment? If the service isn’t a natural extension of your existing business, do you need to change your name to include the new service (Tire & Yogurt Shop) and produce new cards or signage? Are there additional insurance requirements? Look beyond the obvious to help determine your total cost of entry. Next, consider the costs associated with selling the new service. If it’s a simple extension to your existing service, then you will find that you are more able to up-sell and perform the complete service. This is critical from a day-to-day sales and operations standpoint. Can you use the same brochure, or does the addition require separate promotional materials? Are you calling on the same customer or does
Continued on page 32 ... 34
September - October 2011
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the ‘buy’ decision rest with someone different in the company? Will you need to provide separate estimates or invoices? The easier it is to perform the new service while conducting your existing service, the more likely the new service will produce higher profits. Finally, when evaluating any new service you need to look at the incremental on-going cost of operations. Can all services be provided during the same service call, or will two separate service calls be necessary to access the job site? What about replacement parts and supplies and the service life of the equipment? How about inventory requirements (stocking goods and storage requirements)? All too often companies jump at what appears to be a great opportunity to provide a new service only to find out down the road that the costs associated with conducting the business are restrictive and cut deeply into margins. In order to justify the investment of time and money into a new service, it needs to be able to generate relatively high margins while maintaining a low cost of operation. Yes, there’s money to be made in hanging holiday lights, cleaning gutters, power-washing sidewalks or dispensing frozen yogurt. The question is, which short- or long-term opportunity is right for your business? Understanding which opportunity provides the best overall ‘fit’ and what the realistic margins can be (at start-up and down-the-road) will serve to help you in deciding how to best grow your business. The ultimate goal, then, is to find services that extend your current offerings in a way that your customer not only understands but also values. The Case for Scratch Removal For those window cleaning business owners who are actively looking for complimentary services that routinely produce very high margins with a low cost of entry, low selling cost, low cost of operations and a huge demonstrated need in the marketplace, I highly recommend you investigate glass scratch removal opportunities. The last five years have seen a revolution in the industry and as the technology has improved, the quality of the repairs has improved as well. It is possible to restore just about any damaged pane of glass back to original clarity with the right tools and minimal training. There are many options available to you in the marketplace, and I recommend that you investigate them all. Speak with current users of the different professional tools. Follow the forums and ask questions. Some basic homework and a commitment to growing your business in a practical, methodical manner could result in significantly higher profits for your business within the first month or two of adding scratch removal to your service offering. By Cody Thomas Owner/Operator, GlassRenu As always I encourage you to post your comments in the forum. Feel free to e-mail me any questions or comments you may have. Send them to cody@glassrenu.com
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with Alex Gardiner
We’re here today with Alex Gardiner from Gardiner Pole Systems. He gives us the inside scoop on the inner makings of one of the top water fed pole manufacturers in the world.
WCBOMAG: Please give us a little back ground on your company. When did you start it and why? ALEX GARDINER: Just over a decade ago, we introduced WFP to our commercial window cleaning firm and rapidly realized the benefits. By 2004, I had started, on a private basis, supplying other local window cleaners with specialist hose and fittings – at this time ‘Microbore’ was not commercially available, so I had a pallet load made up for our own private use However, others soon realized the benefits of a smaller bore hose and starting buying it from us. By 2005, the level of phone calls I was dealing with in giving advice etc, was getting too much to handle on my own, so my younger sister (Kirsty, our CEO) who was at that time, and a freelance computer consultant to local government, had some spare time, and asked how I felt about her trying to turn it into a business. Why we started it was we saw a real need for a firm supplying well-priced goods that would actually save the average window cleaner time and money. WCBOMAG: Were you a window cleaner first? ALEX GARDINER: Yes, I have window cleaned from the age of sixteen, starting work with my father’s window cleaning firm in 1985. Kirsty, our CEO, also did a few years (1987-1991) as a window cleaner with our firm, before going into the computer and software industry. WCBOMAG: That’s great. What is the size of your operation? ALEX GARDINER: We currently have four company directors and eight direct employees. We regularly ship to about twenty different countries and now have twelve international distributors. WCBOMAG: What’s your daily routine? What time do you wake? What do you first and last? ALEX GARDINER: 7.00 am wake up, make breakfast for my wife and then get the younger kids ready for school. Computer gets switched on in my home office at about 7.15 am and stays on all day usually until about 9 PM. Last job of the day is to prioritize any unread e-mails ready for the next day - I do not have a portable e-mail device, as when I am out, I like to be properly out! The last thing I do at night is put the cat in the kitchen and switch the light out! WCBOMAG: Wow, that’s a long day! Where do you manufacturer your poles?
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ALEX GARDINER: A difficult question to answer, due to the variety of components needed to assemble these items. Parts for these items are sourced from eight different suppliers in three different countries (UK, Japan and China). The majority of components are supplied from the UK, with the carbon fibre from Japan and other components from China. WCBOMAG: Cool. What is your best selling product? ALEX GARDINER: According to our sales software - EZ-snap male connector. WCBOMAG: How do you come up with ideas for new products? ALEX GARDINER: Usually by working on the job and deciding that something could be done better or faster or lighter. Sometimes it is due to the constant nagging of clients who want a solution to a problem. WCBOMAG: It’s hard to picture you cleaning windows, but it’s great to hear that your so hands on with all of your products and prototypes. What’s the process and the lead time it takes to come up with a product? How long does it typically take to bring a product from idea – to market? ALEX GARDINER: I will come up with an idea, usually based on my own work needs or those of trusted clients. I will then produce some drawings which will give me the basis for working out the production process. The next stage is to find a company who can produce the item for us. This often will need new tooling manufacturing - our new Radius-Sill brush needed not only new injection moulding tooling, but also new tooling manufacturing for the robotic bristle inserting machine to allow it to accurately hold the unique shape brush stock. Tooling is designed and cost-appraised. If I manage to get approval from accounts for spending this (they do have to rein me in sometimes), then we proceed with tooling and prototype production, which
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then allows us to proceed to the next step, which is fieldtesting the item. This has to be the most important stage as if the product does not work properly, there is no point in selling it. I always test the items myself, as it is impossible (in my opinion) to work entirely from third-party testing. There is no substitute to getting out and working with a product for a whole day’s work to know if it is good. When you start instinctively reaching for a new product, you know you have got it right. I also have several workers in my cleaning firm whose opinions and testing is invaluable to me. When I need further testing, I have a small but knowledgeable team of clients who are able to give excellent product evaluation. Once the product has been tested and any changes made and re-produced, we then go to booking in a production run which can take anywhere from one to three months. Most significant new products take between one to two years to reach the shelves from an initial idea – Xtreme was eighteen months, the Radius-Sill brush was thirty months, the Super-Lite carbon gooseneck was eight months, and the SLX clamps were fourteen months. WCBOMAG: Do you personally test each pole? ALEX GARDINER: Not each pole that comes off the production line! I do work with all poles during development, though, if not each size in the range. For instance I have never worked with the CLX27 as at this height I like the rigidity of pure carbon. All of our window cleaning vans are completely kitted out with our own poles and brushes. My own van has all of the latest prototypes in it and test items. I rarely work with standard items after their release as by this time I am usually working with future products. The exception to this is the Xtreme range of poles we have in the van as these are standard off the shelf items. WCBOMAG: What do you enjoy most about being in this business? ALEX GARDINER: I like cleaning windows - there is something very direct and simple about this. I get great satisfaction making the life of the average window cleaner (including me) a whole lot faster and easier. My design ethos is to keep it light, keep it simple and keep it as easy as possible. I also enjoy being able to work with my family – my wife, sister and father are fellow directors. My eldest daughter has worked for the company for five years now and we have just had another of my daughters leave school and start working in the firm. Being able to have a ‘family’ type environment really helps keep us properly grounded in the workplace. WCBOMAG: Do you clean the windows in your own house? ALEX GARDINER: Not anymore, as my wife was fed up waiting for me to clean them! I have a window cleaner who does them once a month for us. I do occasionally have to do the insides or the tricky roof-lights. As any window cleaner will know, there is something very demoralizing about cleaning your own windows for no money!
average one day a week. This helps maintain our window cleaning company and also gives me the valuable work time needed for testing new products and items. WCBOMAG: That’s great! What do you do in your free time? Hobbies? Family? ALEX GARDINER: Free time! I don’t get a lot of that, but we do schedule a proper family holiday each year. I have five children living at home (ages five to twenty-one) so this keeps me fairly busy doing school runs, packed lunches etc. I do try and keep a good work/ home balance which is helped by the fact that our warehouse and office are just 1/4 of a mile down the road from my house. I also spend a good amount of time in religious activities, and this is very important to me. I do not currently have any hobbies as family, work and worship take all my time. Before I had a family and business, I was a keen golfer (keen, but not great!), a prolific photographer and restored classic cars. WCBOMAG: Classic cars; that’s neat. What’s the coolest car you had the opportunity to restore?
WCBOMAG: When was the last time you cleaned a window?
ALEX GARDINER: For me the coolest car I bought and restored was a 1975 Fiat Spider that I imported from Long Beach, California and then stripped down to bare-shell before rebuilding, bolt-by-bolt. I owned this for about three years before selling it to a guy who worked in Parliament in London.
ALEX GARDINER: Yesterday morning! I still window clean on
WCBOMAG: Do you travel much for work?
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I wish I was cool enough to be a Mac guy, but I am not. WCBOMAG: [laughs] What’s your favorite TV show? ALEX GARDINER: I tend to prefer factual programs such as Dragon’s Den, The Apprentice or property shows – although I do enjoy comedies such as ‘The Middle’ and ‘Frasier.’ WCBOMAG: What do you see as the main differences between the European and American window cleaning markets?
ALEX GARDINER: I try not to – I have always thought travelling time is wasted time when it comes to a working day. In fact, I do not think that I have had to go further than eighty miles to set-up and run the entire business. We do get quite a few visitors from overseas to us, though, which is a good way of keeping in touch with clients and supporting businesses. WCBOMAG: Have you ever been over to the states? ALEX GARDINER: I have been to the States about twelve years ago for a holiday staying and traveling with friends. I got to see a lot of the country and also my first sight of WFP, although I did not take a lot of notice at the time. WCBOMAG: Are there any new exciting products coming down the pipeline? ALEX GARDINER: Yes. We are very excited about the new ‘RadiusSill’ brush we are about to release; we see this becoming the ‘go to’ brush for the majority of window cleaners. It is a brush that offers great ‘all-round’ cleaning, but still thinks it is a lightweight ordinary brush in its feel - the best of both worlds. We also have several other products in production which will see release later this year. WCBOMAG: Are you a Mac or PC guy? What does your office run?
ALEX GARDINER: For the domestic market, the main difference is frequency and the issues this brings up. In the UK, most householders who have a window cleaner like to see them once a month, with some only once every two months. This means that the windows and frames never get too dirty and they keep the benefits of having their windows cleaned. This approach give great stability in work-rounds and also reduces the ‘per clean’ cost as well as time on the job. In the US (as far as I have assessed), the clean frequency is nearer once every six months and when they are cleaned, the householder wants everything cleaned – inside, outside, fly screens (do not have these in the UK), etc. This means the time on the job is much longer and the clean value is a lot higher. Which is best? Personally I think that more regular cleaning offers a more stable business platform and the householder also enjoys cleaner glass more of the time. WCBOMAG: Which market appears to be growing faster? ALEX GARDINER: The UK market has been the fastest growing market over the last ten years (Mainland Europe is still very much just starting out and certainly well behind the US). I live in a small rural English town of about 50,000 and yet there must be at least thirty water-fed pole window cleaners operating in the area. I am starting to see signs with our business that the US market is about to start ‘heating’ up with WFP becoming more widely used. Of course, once the US market has started to grow, it will very quickly outstrip the UK – this has still not happened, but could easily within the next two years. WCBOMAG: Well Alex, it’s been a pleasure. Thank you for your time today. ALEX GARDINER: Thank you.
ALEX GARDINER: I stick with PCs as does the entire office – our CEO does have an iPad, though, just to be different. I wish I was cool enough to be a ‘Mac guy’, but I’m not!
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September - October 2011
39
Safely Using Razors One of the most dangerous tools we use as window cleaners is the humble razor blade. While being an indispensable part of our tool kit, they can inflict serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. Being aware of the danger sometimes isn’t enough. What can we do to minimize the risk? Slow Down! Perhaps the best way to safely use razors is to make sure we take our time while using them. Often, as window cleaners, we are driven by an hourly goal. While that in itself is admirable, there are times where we must put that mind-set in check, and while using blades is one of those times. Often we find ourselves almost in autopilot – wet the glass, squeegee, detail, and repeat. Once the razor comes out the autopilot should go off. Don’t Forget the Cover Every razor comes with a cover or other means for keeping the blade safely hidden. There are also a variety of holsters and holders that offer the same protection. A possible exception might be those 1 ½” blades some window cleaners use for touch ups. In the old days, a cleaner might use the Van Gogh carrying method (small blade held behind the ear) or even holding those small blades in their mouth. There is no reason to use these methods, especially
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since there are many different styles of magnetic holders out there for these blades. Whatever blade you use, make sure that when it’s not in use, it is covered in some manner. Changing Out Blades When talking about the dangers involved, we can’t forget the most dangerous action – changing the blades. This is the time when all the cutting edges of the blade are completely exposed. Never change the blade when up on a ladder! Always make sure you have your full attention on what you are doing and your feet securely on the ground when it’s time to change your razor blade. “They Call Me Lefty” These may seem like simple tips that should be common sense, but how many high school shop teachers do you know that are missing fingers and have the nickname “Lefty”? Common sense may not be so common at times - hen we rush, it can have dire consequences. By Tony Evans A New View Window Cleaning Washington, Iowa
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Midwest 3rd Annual
Window Cleaning
Conference
three different types of small business models. We then broke for a catered barbecue lunch and more networking. After this, we went out to the courtyard of the hotel for WFP and screen cleaner demos. There was occasional rain through the day, so unfortunately we weren’t able to do the scratch demo or sectional ladder demos. Despite the setbacks, everyone had a great time. Several pure water systems were on hand as well as WFP poles and a couple different work van setups for all to examine.
Another MWCC is done, and as usual, it was a big hit with attendees. Several have already expressed a desire to come back for next year’s event. If you weren’t with us, here’s a quick recap.
I’d like to express my deep appreciation for our fabulous sponsors – WCR, Unger, Glass Renu, AquaDapter, Flip Fast, Titan Labs, and Screen Mouse.
The big hit of the day was the keynote address “Getting Out of the Bucket” with Curt Kempton. Curt gave an incredible presentation; I personally found it to be the best discussion I’ve ever heard given at any event. After that, we had a small business panel discussion with Curt, Josh Cronin, and myself. It was driven by questions from the attendees and allowed all to examine the pros and cons of
I would also like to thank Curt Kempton for putting on a fabulous presentation, and Josh Cronin for his part on the business panel and for demonstrating the new IPC screen cleaner.
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By Tony Evans A New View Window Cleaning Washington, Iowa
September - October 2011
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Window Cleaning News After another month of window cleaning news passes us by, it is simply amazing that news on window cleaners and the world of this niche-cleaning bubble that we work in, almost never a day goes by without something happening in our industry.
The Largest IRATA Rope Access Company The Largest IRATA Rope Access Company in the World, namely “Megarme”, which is based in the Middle East, had some amazing photos of some of their work sites. Not limited to window cleaning, they now have a roll-call of 300 employees and it’s good to see a “suit” - the head of business development, Daniel Gill - strapped to the top of the Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world) hanging off its spire! How long will this company hold the cleaning at height record (not sure if this is an actual record, if so, this needs to be termed in its official title) as China has openly reported “We want the most skyscrapers and the biggest around.”
DIY Homeowners Fall to Their Death Cleaning Windows We had a few more fatalities in the professional window cleaning world and a couple of DIY homeowners meeting their deaths trying to clean windows. But firstly, in Minneapolis, Ryan Shannon fell from eight stories and Reymond Manzanero Labuga, a Filipino safety trainer working in Dubai, fell to his death from the ninth floor of a building in Business Bay in Dubai. Raymond, 23, who worked for a cleaning company based in Al Qouz, was bizarrely reported (nothing conflicts with this statement) to have been standing on a rope ladder hung from atop and held by another worker and cleaning the front glass panels of the tower. In New Zealand, landing on a parked car probably saved the life of a high-rise window cleaner who fell, plummeting from the eighth story while cleaning a high-rise building in Wellington. The man and his workmate told paramedics he had been using a safety rope as well as his primary abseiling rope, but both had failed – all we know for the moment is that the
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wtf
window cleaning twitter litter Ever wonder what people are really saying about window cleaning? Now you can see! Check out these real responses when we decided to search “window cleaner” one day on Twitter.
MarilynSlavich: Window cleaner outside my 16th story office... yikes! What a way to make a living! ukbelieber10: I feel so posh when I say I have a window cleaner. leanne17C: Does the window cleaner who’s just slapped his massive brush against my window have no consideration for me dying in my bed. SammiJensen: Oh the things my window cleaner sees. johnnyyates: My window cleaner actually looks like Wesley Sneijder, should have got his autograph when I paid him! XXNickeysXX: Oooh I love my window cleaner...got stuck in my loft...he came round the back of the house and got in and reunited me with my ladder!!! tmacarter: My window cleaner is hot *opens window and lies on bed* rosierogerson: Ergh, don’t really like watching the overweight topless window cleaner while I’m trying to have breakfast, thank you very much...
anchors on the rooftop were “suspect.” Other near misses were also well reported including a chair-chain snapping for Jose Garcia in Seattle. Those homeowners trying to save a buck also made the news, namely Louis Sparacia in Saranac Lake. His neighbors said “He loved to clean,” and had been trying to clean his windows the day when he fell from the window of his tenth story apartment. Betty Haedtke in Winona was cleaning a window at her apartment complex when she tumbled thirty feet to the ground below and landed on several potted plants. While hospitalized, Haedtke said that she had removed the window’s screen to wash the glass when she bumped the screen from the window’s ledge and reached outside to grab it, causing her to fall. Haedtke was not able to make a full recovery from the serious internal injuries she suffered and died. Most incredible of all these include a Chinese man who had a fantastic escape after slipping from his tenth floor apartment while cleaning his windows. The man was saved from a complete free fall to the Beijing street below when his leg caught on the window grilles of a unit on the eighth floor. Neighbors found him dangling outside their flat and called police.
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Elderly People Call on Volunteers for Health I also notice in the USA it seems common practice for elderly patient homes and condominium units around the country to call on volunteers to help out cleaning windows and other property chores which usually involve climbing high ladders for the benefit of the property worked on. I’ve previously reported an accident on a case like this where the charity worker was left disabled for life. I always wondered how it was possible for charity workers to be covered for insurance if an accident were to occur. Well, it seems that most of these workers are not covered and will only be taken into account if the insurance company is contacted and asked to extend coverage to the workers (which is usually denied), as most all non-profit organizations do not carry insurance for accidental injury.
WCR Android App Now Available (iPhone app available too) Window Cleaning Resource has made the news in the last month, namely because they started “Windowpedia” (google it!), updated their fast-loading internet TV Channel and are the first forum to bring out an app on iTunes and the Android platform. Chris and Alex (maybe explain who they are?) are really setting the pace to “catchup” for other window cleaning suppliers. So much so, I feel they are too far out in front already and if you are reading this – you probably already know this as well.
Homeless Man Turns His Life Around Cleaning Windows One of my favorite heart-warming stories was about a homeless Harlem window cleaner named Warren Cook who turned his life around through window cleaning. He stumbled upon the work by chance and was rock bottom when he arrived in New York City from Alabama several years ago. His marriage had just dissolved, and he was living on the streets in the grips of a drug addiction. His saviour was a UPS store owner who gave him a meal but also invited him to stop by the store and earn the meal by doing odd jobs, one of them included window cleaning. Today, Warren is so busy, some days he has to start cleaning windows as early as 4:30 a.m. His goal is to one day eventually be able to hire other homeless people and share with them the opportunities he feels he’s been given.
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Please be safe out there – all mentioned blogged posts can be found on the WCR forum or ‘Googled’ at will. But you can always jump on the news bandwagon with daily window cleaning news at robinson-solutions.blogspot.com Thanks for reading and work safe! By Karl Robinson robinson-solutions.blogspot.com
September - October 2011
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