A company in my area, and canada wide I believe is Canadian Property Stars. If you google then you will see many horrible reviews for their other services.
Anyways their window cleaning division is very interesting. They hire students to push a cart around and knock on doors asking to clean windows. Commision based of course. The cart includes 2 hose reels, a di tank and a water fed pole. Cart is about 4’x3’x4’.
What really makes this interesting is in my city we have some of the cleanest tap water in the world about 15-30 Tds.
I have seen them before and they do land jobs. Exterior only. Cheap price and low quality. This goes against my businesses values entirely but its interesting. Could be very easy to set up a student with this and really could be quite profitable.
Haha its a possibility for sure. Student decides to go run to mcdonalds for quick lunch break…
Going to be around a 100 pound cart including equipment weight and with everything secured down except the water fed pole.
Im really excited about this. I have spares of everything I need already! Just need to build a solid cart. But hey talk is cheap il get a picture up when I have it built!
Another issue would be how do I make sure guy running cart dosent pocket some of the cash and say he only did 3 jobs when really he did 4.
Judging by reading reviews written about them on their window cleaning it seems they are using guys not properly trained in wfping and possibly not keeping their tds at 0. Low quality was more of an assumption based on their reviews.
My advantage over them will be I am a smaller business and will be more hands on and supportive. Il actually pay my guy a decent wage. High volume will not be my strategy. Delivering value, follow up and quality service will be.
Really excited on this idea. Can allow me to hire a 2nd employee and send him out with this cart when I dont have work for him. Besides I am not in a good position to get a 2nd work van. I think a challenge will be to find someone with the right character to be able to sell door to door and perform the work.
You had a response. That’s why I ask that question.
Often, I get no response to it.
So, I’m cool with you.
I might build on that angle, that you plan to “keep a small business strategy” even as you grow.
“We build off referrals from happy cust.”
Incidentally, thats an angle I use as well.
Knowing the cust who referred the new one,
and having anecdotal info (pet names, family members names, etc) to solidify/reinforce trust.
I REALLY try to pay attention to that sort of thing.
i encounter them every year.
commission only-against the law, no bathroom or lunch breaks, ridiculed at morning meetings if they are seen resting
sky high price no training no ladders so can’t get many windows with the pole if garage sticks out etc.
unfortunately they do ALOT of business by being out there knocking and talking.
horrible company. also do house wash and lawn aeration.
It sounds terrible. So the person you hire is going to sell and clean? Unless you stumble upon a wizard, it is unlikely you will find someone who can excel in both areas.
The inefficiency of it all is another thing. If someone is trying to land jobs they can work a lot of places. But if they have to sell and clean they won’t be able to cover as much ground. It gets late in the day and the guy is tired after doing 2-3 jobs, is he going to sell as well at 3pm? Of course not.
It might be working but it sounds like a poor model and will hit a wall quickly.
Are you being sarcastic? The review you linked to had a guy work 12+ hours for $7 yet you say it is a good business model.
It is good if you are out to exploit people and sell a poor product. You want someone to wash your windows with no experience and a two hour seminar on how to sell you upgrades?
