I believe this is where proper training comes into play for growing a successful window cleaning business. I mentioned MO (method of operation) mine is quite simple i have developed a formula that is fool proof,provided it’s followed to a tee!
Just like McDonalds you get the same great Big Mac here in Calif as you would in New York NO difference provided you follow through with routine.
The biggest hurdle for most business owners is making that move from 1 rig to 2 then slowly stepping aside.Because most of the clientele you’ve built is with YOU the owner/operator some get too use to seeing you and that initial first few times they dont may take some getting use to but…if your crew is properly trained there’s minimal to worry about.
After all…i dont want to spend my golden years cleaning glass i want to be able to sit back and watch my Baby grow! Of course…giving a few courtesy calls to clients asking how your crew did is good business practice and says alot about you as the owner.Eventually if you get to that point you have managers etc do that stuff but…it’s a step in the right direction if growing a business is what you desire.
Im sure Chris & Alex can add valuable input to this as well. Very few Sole Operators have the longevity to make decent money to where they need not worry & retire comfortably,partly because time is NOT on our side as we get older it take sits toll…trust me i know!
I know of only a hand full that have done well,better then growing/or when they had a business with employee’s one of those is my good friend Troy Liposec he’s one of a kind.
[I]“When you get bigger, you will be working more hours and losing more customers,”[/I]
I think I also feel the opposite to this, despite my recent frustrations…my goal continues to be to build the business to run itself, without my involvement.
A genuine [B]business[/B]-owner. Not[B] job[/B]-owner.
It is hard to find the right people though, but don’t give up. Ask friends and clients and relatives for recommendations if your frame of reference is semi-limited, or if your traditional sources (i.e. advertising) of potential employees has been consistently poor.
I’m sure you’ve considered that before, just a thought while I thunk it.
We have actually had our best crew ever this year. In years past I had left the hiring up to other staff members. The results were mediocre at best. But this year I put a solid month in and hand selected everyone. It paid off.
I like Kevin would like the business to be 100% self sufficient… But I am an insane micro manger and need to have my hands in anything… So that probably wont be happening anytime soon… Maybe another 10 years…
When the season starts again next year I know I wont have the time to hire for 1 month. I think what I might do is get a few guys and take them out one at a time for a couple of weeks. Which ever one works the best and has the proper attitude will get the job. After that it will be probation for 1 month.
I like to think I’m an easy guy to work for. In past military life it was my way or the highway. My squad understood that. I’m not a ball buster or anything, but when I say on time I mean 10 mins early. I will tell someone something I don’t like that they do 3 times. After that I will not tell you again, I will tell you that you are fired. I make it very clear what I expect from people, I never ask someone to do something I would not do myself. Well see how next year goes. My season is going to be over soon, well not over but slow down. I will be hitting up my jobs solo for the remainder of that time.
I would like my business to run itself and stay that way for a few generations. I have a friend who owns a lawn service. He has had the business for 20 years now and he does nothing. He wakes up at 11am and sits by his pool all day long while his employees bring him money. 10 trucks and big bucks. He pulls in 1 grand per day cash just in side work his guys do while at the jobs. He manages nothing. Everything is completely run by his employees. When I asked him if he worries the employees will ruin his business. He commented to me that they can not. He has built the business in such a way where no one person can destroy it. I have yet to sit with him and pick his brain over how he pulled that off. But he is a model of where I would like to be in 10 years, only difference is I would rather my pool be an ocean. LOL
It might look and taste (not great) the same, but they do not deliver it to the customer in the same manner from store-to-store or shift-to-shift.
Issues range from rude cashiers to overzealous low-management “supervisors” to improper staff level scheduling, inventory control, and equipment maintenance.
The bar is set pretty low at Mickey D’s for customer service. That is a management miss. Their main selling point is the consistency you mention above – the food is always crappy ('cept dem fries.)
There is a difference between product orientation and customer service orientation.
That is exactly the way I am. When I first started washing it was for my in-laws. Back then they didn’t have an office. Shortly after I had started it was my job to hire. Can you believe I used to meet guys in a parking lot of a pizza joint to give interviews? times were tough but I made it work. Pick the best out of the worst. Slowly i built things up. we have a nice 1000 square foot office/warehouse and it is a big difference hiring now. this year has been great all my guys have been with me over 2 years and two have been for 6 years. The one thing I can say is never ever ever hire a friend! I hired a buddy and for about a year everything was great. then he started slacking. Well long story short we were pretty involved with each others lives. I knew his family really well. well He told everyone that I was not paying him for work he was doing…bunch of bs. So he left for another job which my sister inlaw got for him. said he would stay two weeks but bounced the next day with all my equipment. The crap part is i am obligated to talk to the dirt bag because he knocked up my sister inlaw. Two kids later and a ton of bills still not married to her. So to help her out I hired him back three years later. I only did this out of respect for my sister inlaw. Just fired him yesterday. You try and be nice in buisness and you will get burned…bad! So we don’t talk, I will never see their kids, he is still a scum bag. Come to find he applied for our local police department. Go figure eehhh?
Now days when I hare it’s like a drill Sargent talking to a clean shaved recruit. I put them through the paces. I even go as far as to make sure they can pick up the ladders, climb them, all the fun stuff. when they start they sign a contract, 90 days to proove to me they are worthy or bye bye. the ones that I hire after all that normally stay and my clients love them.
Thats what Larry does man, Analyze, I remember my first encounter with Larry on another board was pretty negative (which I regret, sorry larry) But now that I feel that I “get” him, I quite enjoy it. Larry is one of my favorite guy on these boards, very entertaining and Witty posts, not doubt.
I saw his analogy as a bit off target with regards this topic – proper hiring and management – and I spoke my mind. It was directed at McD’s, though perhaps Craig is a bit sensitive to any replies concerning his posts.
McD’s does have a system. It has to have just like any franchise. Product is usually easy to duplicate. Service is not. WC businesses are solely service oriented. Tough to duplicate from location to location. This will always be an uphill battle for all of us.
Do you have a company policy manual in place? Do you have a training program in place and having them sign off on it? Do you have a termination form and policy?
All of these are important to have in place to keep us out of court.
Just saw this post. It was great talking to you about this. I know it bothered you cause this guy was a producer. What most affected me most was I know your the kind of guy that could have easily used other means, but you handled it professionally. Had a great time having espresso with you, can’t wait to do it again. Make sure if you come down this way you contact me. We must go to the “Hill”. I got a great place for cannolis and espresso. I dunno I may even be performing that night as “The Jazz Singer”.
As a one man show you are limited in the amount of jobs you can do, therefore, you limit your earnings. I have over 700 customers in my area, and I have 4 teams, yes there are problems and I neede to fire some of them. If you interview and lay out your expectations as well as give them a detail description of the job, you will notice that this job may not be for all. Keep looking and eventually you frind the right person, I have.
Of course…giving a few courtesy calls to clients asking how your crew did is good business practice and says alot about you as the owner.Eventually if you get to that point you have managers etc do that stuff but…it’s a step in the right direction if growing a business is what you desire.
