What do I do next?

[sunup]

Ive been in business for 5 years. I run a window cleaning business. It is me and my wife and one employee. I am wondering what should be my next step to ensuring I keep what I have? How do I ensure I wont loose it or how do I really build it to the point I am just managing it and not just still working?

[chriswick]

maybe move onto something like this http://www.cleanmycar.com/car_valet_Preston.htm

[Franakapan]

Expand your current service - set-up in a neighbouring town or city (if theres is the opportunity to do so); hire some window cleaners, provide them with the needed equipment, and set either yourself, your wife or existing employee up as manager of the expansion. An experienced manager would be beneficial in terms of quality control, customer service and delegation.

Alternatively you can expand into related industries as chriswick said. Car valetting is a good suggestion, but I think that commercial window cleaning would be even better due to the large contracts that can be aquired. Similarly, window cleaning for the local council could also be lucrative. (My uncle made a health inccome through lanscaping and gardening for his local council).

[sunup]

Im not looking to expand different services. Im wanting to keep what Ive worked so hard for. My thinking tells me Im doing great. What would a business analyses say? I am looking on educating myself beyond my own knowlage. Thanks

[The Stealthy One]

How are your financials trending? Granted, they're not the only measurement tool, but they are arguably the most important. Are you still happy with what you do? And can you see yourself as even happier in a management role?

[akula]

Ive been in business for 5 years. I run a window cleaning business. It is me and my wife and one employee. I am wondering what should be my next step to ensuring I keep what I have? How do I ensure I wont loose it or how do I really build it to the point I am just managing it and not just still working?

Do you mean asset protection and succession planning?

errr..I don't understand your question

what are the top three things you want to achieve (in relation to your business)?

[ideas2earn]

Hey Window cleaning is a great business. I assume that you are just looking for ways to expand? There are 3 of you and you are not personally cleaning windows, so I wonder what your role encompasses? Is your wife cleaning windows or is it really just 1 employee with you marketing and your wife doing the books?

I would start by looking at how to expand, are you currently working within a small area (walking distance) or do you drive between jobs? How did you find your current customers? You have been doing this for 5 years so I will assume that you are in the Yellow Pages, advertise in the local paper and drop flyers periodically around the region? If you are not doing these basic things then buy a book on marketing (guerilla marketing was mentioned in another thread). If you have tried all of these then you need to get innovative.

You asked specifically how a business analyst would look at your business. Initially I believe they would look at the opportunity for organic expansion through marketing. If this was feasible how easy is it to find trustworthy employees and train them? Should you be looking to share the profits or franchise? If marketing is not the answer then moving to another geography may be (definitely look at franchising) or possibly buying out a competitor and then applying their knowledge and yours together to grow both businesses.

Its hard to do this justice in a short thread here but if you want to have a more detailed discussion then email me at brad@ideas2earn.com

[sunup]

I worked the first 2 yrs by myself. My wife has worked in the field with me for 3 years. Last summer we could not have worked any more. So, it was time to hire. Now this year my wife is going to be answering all calls and bidding all work so me and my new guy can just do production. My wife will be working only on the big jobs. Me and one other person can do 650.00 a day. With my wife on the big days we should be able to do 1000.00 a day. She ( my wife ) will be lets say, the floater. I used to hand out flyers a lot. I have also always run an ad in our local paper under the service section. Last year was our first year in yellow pages ( the not so big one ). It dident even pay for itself. This year we put an add in the biggest yellow pages phone book. All the time I here of business that went under that had 5,6,7 or 10 employess. My question is why? How do I know when I get to that point. That Im doing it right?

[Dale King]

Sunup, I don't mean to be facetious, but this really isn't a "rocket science" type of question. Trust me when I tell you. You'll know when it's time to expand.

Your bank account will tell you, and your workload will tell you.

When you get to the point when you can't keep up with all of the orders you receive, and your employees are working right on top of one another, that will be your cue that it's time to expand.

It really is as simple as that.

The main thing is watch your employees carefully. Keep an eye out for that superstar - someone whom you can delegate authority to, as you look to grow your business.

Dale King

[sunup]

Dale, thank you. This isnt at all what Im looking for. I dont know how else to explain it ??????

[Dale King]

Unfortunately, from the responses I'm reading, no one really knows what you are trying to say. Please try to articulate your point more clearly.

Are you talking about going to school and taking business and financial courses? Asset protection? Putting your money in CD's? Investing?

Dale King

[Merc-Tek]

I think what he trying to say is that it is time to take it to the next level and instead of assisting in the work he just wants to coordinate so that he sends the employees out into the field and he and his wife stay behind and manage the business.

First off: to insure you keep what you have you need to study the competition and see what techniques they are using and try to incorporate those techniques into your business along with finding new and better techniques than theirs.

second is advertising: find out how they are adverting and then you go the same route and take the extra step also.

third is to work on you existing customer base.

[ideas2earn]

Sunup I really think the key here is marketing. You say that your Yellow Pages ad didn't help, and you used to use flyers but don't anymore. What about offering your current customers some free window cleaning vouchers for their friends and family, or even advertising that you will do a 15% discount for any three houses on the same street? If you are still struggling then I would go to the local college and tell them that you would like to give some experience to a marketing major. I would imagine many students would bite your hand off for a chance to have a go with a real business.

EDIT: Walked to work and thought it would be a good idea to reccomend Michael Masterton's site www.earlytorise.com he has many marketing ideas for grassroots businesses, you can search his archive and see whether he has addressed window cleaning directly.

In terms of employing more people. I would start by taking on casual labour at an hourly rate as demand increases it is easier to lay them off again if things go wrong. Another idea might be to say to any prospective new employee "bring me 20 new customers and you are in", this gives yu another 20 customers to market to, and increases your overall network.

[sunup]

Thank you for all the responces. I dont hand out flyers cause I dont have the time anymore. Flyers really work, actualy I knocked on doors. I figure if I want to play ball with the big boys, I need to do what the big boys are doing. Maybe I am on track? We did do 96k this last year with just me and my wife. I will check out the early to rise web site. Once again THANKS.

[Roxny79]

what kind of products do you use to clean the windows? Maybe you could use organic products to attract more customers who are heal and enviornmentally concious.

I sell organic cleaners http://www.shaklee.net/roxanne_anderson/prodHou