Tips for success
Don’t be afraid to pick and choose your customers. As Christopher Turner of The London Window Cleaner explains: “We will turn down customers who, for instance, may have a very public building that they only want cleaned once a year. That means it’s revolting nine months of the year -- and it’s my name on that building! People will walk past, and see, and think ‘that company’s no good!’”
Choose customers who will invest in your service. If their windows look great, this wil reflect well on your business.
Join the Federation of Window Cleaners from the outset. They provide good advice which is invaluable in the early stages. The Federation also have legal teams, if you have any issues, and they can also point you in the right direction if you have queries regarding health and safety and insurance.
If you live in Scotland you’ll need to apply for a window cleaning license from your local authority.
Your name should give people an indication of the business you’re offering.
Keep the same faces in the company; it encourages a sense of trust. Clients will view you as a family business.
Make a decision at the outset on whether you will aim to compete on price alone. If you decide you will be the cheapest in the market, your business plan will be very different than one that is based on quality of service alone. Decide on the kind of service you will provide: will it match, or go above and beyond, what others can provide?
If you genuinely believe you can devote a large proportion of your life to setting up a company, such as a window cleaning enterprise, it will be worth it. Financial reward should not necessarily be your primary drive though, because, as Christopher Turner of The London Window Cleaner puts it, “I’ve never gotten anywhere near the salary I had when I was in the City.” You’ve got to believe you’re getting more out of life in setting up a company that’s your own.