Solo-Op Winter Cheat Codes

R1, R2, L1, X, LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT, UP, LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT, UP

 

It’s a Winter Wonderland! Please note: some Winter Wonderlands may vary by location. So let’s talk about my Winter Wonderland in Massachusetts and how I not only survive, but how I thrive during the coldest times of the year. As a solo owner/operator the winter used to be the hardest time for me to even survive. For a few years, I would work a second or third-shift crap job just to pay the bills. Don’t be too proud to go punch a clock if you have to just to keep the lights on and food on the table!

Cheat Code 1: Build a Route

 

   It took years to build something sustainable, literally though, it took two years of actively pursuing route work to break even and cover operating costs through the winter. My goal was to build up at least one full day of work that was just route work. Starting out with very few stores, I would do some storefronts in the morning and then a house or two after that. As the route grew, I was able to get the work into almost a full day of work and then a full day of route work. Once I was able to fill in those gaps, then came the task of breaking the work by city/town just to make sense of the driving. Before you start saying, “There’s so much driving, and I’m barely making any money,” you are correct! Yes, it’s going to take some time before you can get some stops locked down. You’re going to have to push through this and suck it up, buttercup. This is a long-term solution that you are building in conjunction with that second/third shift crap job. I’ve found this helpful for a few reasons. First, you are building a foundation for your business that you will benefit from in the future. Second, you’re out cleaning glass and doing what you love (I hope so, I don’t know anyone who chose window cleaner for career day in middle school). Lastly, you are getting your name out there and making your presence known to the communities you serve; they see your truck, your uniforms, and YOU cleaning glass year-round. GIVE THEM A CARD!

 

Cheat Code 2:  Offer Interior Window Cleaning

 

   This one sounds so obvious it may sound stupid. Rest assured, this is NOT as obvious as one may think it is. This has worked well for me on two fronts:

1) residential interior window cleaning and 2) Large commercial window cleaning

Residential Interior Window Cleaning

I reach out via email at the end of March/mid-April to get some interiors done and get ahead of the May rush. Your timing for reaching out will vary by your location and what kinda weather your local area is projecting, so don’t hold my timing as gospel and get bummed if you miss the mark.

You may still need to remove screens for your future exterior cleaning, BUT the hours you save not cleaning the inside windows will be wicked helpful when you’re up to your neck in Spring Rush. By doing this early in the season, I have been able to add at least one more house per day during peak crazy Spring. The only downside to the early interior window cleaning is you’re not getting paid (or at least I don’t recommend billing each clean individually) at the time of that interior cleaning. You’ll make up for it with more time open at peak, though. 

Large Commercial Window Cleaning

These cleanings are the best, and I try to suggest to every large commercial project I do that they get the insides done at least once a year… IN THE WINTER! 

When you’re working solo, you have one thing that you must maximize, and that asset is going to be YOU. When YOU are working much less come the winter months, it’s going to be crucial that you plant these interior window cleaning seeds early with your customer. I would not tell them, “yea, we should do this in the winter because I have hardly any work and need that $$$” The way I sell this is, “We can do the insides during spring, but you’re going to be paying a premium price due to the high volume of requests that come in each day, so let’s get this set up for mid-January to cut save you a few bucks”. I also like to toss in a joke or two and thank them for letting me work inside during the winter. Keep it light, and you’ll be golden.

Cheat Code 3: Offer Premium Price “Add-Ons”

 

   “While you’re up there…?” How about no Linda!

Instead, let’s really push for this stuff when it’s way too cold to enjoy being outside. I want to bring my little giant in the house and clean your fan when it’s  4 degrees on the outside, and I’m inside making premium prices. Speaking for myself, I used to really enjoy doing these add-on services and getting my average ticket up per job. Once I started getting more calls for window cleaning and I was busy doing the window cleaning, the idea of needing to make sure I’ve got a big little giant in the van to charge $150 extra to clean some ceiling fans wasn’t as fun. That’s when I decided to stop pushing for these add-ons during peak season, and instead, I promoted them during the winter months. By freeing up my time, I can add more window cleaning work and make more per day.

Now that these are stand-alone services, I would like to have a minimum service charge (this past season, it was $250). This is opposed to the more discounted price when just doing them as an add-on service. Don’t use my pricing for anything other than a reference that you should be charging more for stand-alone services, my business needs won’t be the same as yours.

Some of my favorite add-ons turned stand-alone services:

-ceiling fan dusting/cleaning

-chandelier cleaning

-high interior dusting (think tall ledges)

-high interior light bulb changes

*Please make sure anything you offer is also covered under your insurance.