Hey folks,
So my first season as a window cleaner has come to an end for the most part here in Upstate New York. I did pretty well, being only part time, much better than I thought I would! I plan on going full time with the company in March so I have a couple months here to figure out how I can improve my business. Looking back at some of the things I’d like to improve, one of them is my estimate form. I actually call it a quote, because the price I tell the customers is the price they’ll be paying, unless they add something the day of service, so it’s not really an estimate.
Here is what I am working with now.
Basically, a type up what information I can, such as the customer’s name, address, phone number. When I get to the site, I check off the services I will be preforming, how many floors the house has, and the frequency of the job. In the details box, I write out how many windows on what side of the house, and what type of windows they are. I also write in the prices of each window and what not…(example: 5 double hung, front of house @ $10.00 - $50.00), add it all up and give them the price in the bottom corner. They keep the copy, and I have a scanning app on my phone where I pretty much just take a picture of the paper, so I have a copy and can write up the work order. Then I have to go home, plug my phone into the computer, upload the picture, and then copy everything onto a nice, neat, printed up work order. When I get done at the site, the customer signs the work order, I use my scanning app on it, and they keep the hard copy, and then back to the computer to upload the file.
You ever just feel like…there’s gotta be a better way?? That’s how I feel. Plus the sheet is kinda ugly. I was thinking about redesigning it and then taking it to someplace like Office Max and seeing if they could make it into a book where I can get a carbon copy, but I’d love any advice or tips from you experienced folk. What works best for you? I should also note that I plan on buying The Customer Factor around March, and I know that prints up work orders and what not…and in a couple years I’d like to get a tablet that I can do estimates and stuff on.
