Hello everyone, and welcome back to another edition of “Ask T Squeegee,” where I take questions I find on the internet or questions submitted by you and answer them the best way I know how.
Chad Crawford asks: “Question, what do you all use electronically for quotes and keeping customer information? I have been old school, using pen and paper and keeping everything in a notebook. I would like to email quotes and bills to customers electronically by iPad and text.”
Credit: Alex Alvarez
Chad, I can see where wanting to get out of the Trapper Keeper game may be exciting to you. And why not want to get with the times and streamline your efforts? I have personally been using ‘The Customer Factor’ since 2005. It’s served me well throughout the years and has had many quality of life updates. It also pairs perfectly with Quickbooks, making life much easier. With ‘The Customer Factor’, you can store customer information, quotes, and send bills through mass emails. It makes scheduling billing and estimates very easy and hassle-free, and you don’t have to worry about losing bits and pieces of paper. Everything is stored nicely away in your iPad or personal computer for safekeeping. Being able to import your sales straight over to Quickbooks makes your life a ton easier. I’m sure you could look into other software programs on the market. ‘The Customer Factor’ is the only one I have personal experience with. Hopefully, this will help you out. Good luck, Chad.
Scott Briggs asks: “I have enough guaranteed window cleaning jobs that if I work the next 45 days straight, I will make more money than my full-time job pays me in a year. With looming concerns for the economy, rising inflation, gasoline costs, midterm elections, and a president’s questionable health, when do you know it’s time to leave your full-time day job?”
Well, Scott, you never know, honestly. The correct time to make this move solely depends on you. The economy and the president’s health won’t make or break you. Only you can make or break you. Leaping into making window cleaning your full-time job only takes the dedication you have to the job you currently survive on. As long as you put the same kind of effort into window cleaning, you’ll be successful. There’s no magic formula or timetable. You have to make yourself accountable for your own success and failures. Getting up, getting out, doing the work, the estimates, and the advertising will get you going full-time. Many window cleaning companies have made it through the recession and bad times by keeping after it. If you’re looking for the “right time,” I’d say right now. There is no time like the present. It seems you have an excellent base to build off, so get out there and get after it, Scott! I wish you all the success you can handle and hope you make a million. Hope that helps.
Well, thanks again, everyone! Again if you have any questions for me, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I will answer them here in the best magazine in the world American Window Cleaner Magazine!
-T Squeegee out!