Hi everyone. Scott here. I am new to the business early last year and it was a good first year but now in the middle of winter it is pretty slow and I need some work. Any suggestions on how to turn people’s desire around to having me clean their windows? I have offered a special winter pricing but still most and not interested it seems compared to the other months. Thanks for your input.
Where are you located?
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I am located in North Dakota
I’m geographically dumb. Does it snow where you are?
Being that your in North Dakota and its winter, i believe you will have a tough time
generating residential work because of the cold and snow.
You could offer some sort of add-on business like some of the folks here offer.
Snow removal
Ice dam removal
Holiday Lighting
are a few ideas that might help you get through the winter months.
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We offer a rain Guarantee.
If it rains within a week after service we will come back and touch up any affected windows at no cost.
This cuts down on cancellations and keeps us working even on rainy days while the customer has confidence that they can call us back.
When a customer tries to cancel due to weather, I suggest getting the inside done first. If it is still raining we will come back. nine out of ten times we are able to finish the job inside and out.
I have had only one customer call us to come back for touch up after it rains in the last 12 months.
(Keep in mind we are in California and weather has been dry.)
It’s really hard to motivate people to want to get their windows cleaned in Jan/Feb besides slashing your prices. You may want to concentrate your time on commercial and storefront work during these winter months.
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Yep - This is the best time of year to pick them up…
Just remember you’ll have to do them all year round. That can be tough in a few months when all the good residential work is available.
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Easier said than done. There is a company in town that seems to do every business in town and I can’t even come close to beating let alone matching their rock bottom pricing. This summer I bid on a store front with quit a bit of glass and then even chopped that figure before showing them the bid, to a point that I thought it was cheep. My bid ended up $100. The store owner kind of chuckled and said the other company charges them $20. Can’t compete with that.
Depending on where you’re at in your critical mass, I find it rough weather is an opportunity to work on all the other facets of your business such as marketing, branding, blogging etc etc. You need to get your desktop hustle on! It just comes down to the old fable of the ant and the grasshopper.
Rock bottom pricing is not unique to any one town being that I’m in Southern California and have to compete with migrant workers who have 17 people living in one house that are illegally living in this country out doing windows for 50 cent the unit. In my experience education marketing and branding are critical in creating value for what you do if you can master conveying this to your customer then you will take a stance of strength and it will radiate from you. Once again I know this is easier said than done, and you need to make sure all your peripherals are in order, for example the way your truck looks, your uniforms, and your demeanor. I hope this helps a little bit feel free to ask me any questions.
