Working as a subcontractor

Working As A Subcontractor
 
I haven't posted for quite a while. So I apologize.

I wanted to speak about something that could really add a nice income stream to your business. Subcontracting. Many janitorial companies in particular, don't want or don't know how to properly clean windows. Many are very eager to work with a window cleaning company to clean windows for their clients. They may be happy because they may have turned down window cleaning jobs before, but now, they can have someone they trust clean the windows, and they can make a tidy profit on it.

I have worked with several janitorial companies over the past year. One janitorial company I have cleaned a restaurant for. Another has me clean some insurance office windows. Another had me clean payday loan centres, And this latest one has me clean condo sales offices. Generally there are two kinds of companies, serious business owners who charge good prices, and are reaping the benefits, and ones who charge very little and are working like dogs. I have worked with both.

The important things to deal with when you work with companies is this. Provide a pay period that they must pay you by. For example due on receipt or due in two weeks. You deserve your money, and don't stand for not getting paid til the customer gets paid. Let the contractor manage the risk, that will be a large weight off your back.

Try to put things in writing, even if it's just an email. For each new job you bid on send an email outlining what work you will do, and how much you will charge. Often terms are forgotten and arguments or misunderstandings may arise.

Don't feel that you need to cut your prices. I have charged decent prices, and the contractor was still able to put a decent cut on top of it.

Good communication is key. A janitor doesn't think like a window cleaner, and he might not understand your pricing, what work is involved, or other issues.

An advantage of working as a subcontractor is that you may get jobs that you may not get through your marketing efforts, or you may not be allowed to bid on.

Of course, janitors are not the only people you can work with. You can subcontract for property maintenance companies, national service companies, even other window cleaners.

So, in summary. Set payment terms, communicate, put things in writing, and don't cut your prices if you don't have to.

Thanks for reading my blog. If you are in the Toronto area, and want your windows cleaned. Call me. I am the Toronto Window Cleaner. 647-409-8144

Improving SEO

A couple weeks ago, I spent many hours working on my website. Why? I've been disappointed with it's search engine ranking. Although I'm quite pleased with the layout of my site, the company that helped me create wasn't able to help me when it came to ranking high on search engines.

Althouhgh I have always had a very high ranking on Yahoo for certain keywords. I have never been high up on Google. The highest I got was about 23 down the list.

So I decided to take action.

I bought a book from Chapters. I'm not going to disclose it here due to local competition also reading this blog. If you want to know the book, email me at mike@mmwindowcleaners.com. However, I applied almost everything in the book. However, it only cost me about $30. I have read about two thirds of it so far. I have spent countless hours to implement the suggestions, and improve the layout of my website, and other things.

After about a week, my site went up to about number 5 or number 6 on Google. Other webpages on my webiste are further down the list. I am very happy with the results so far, and I'm getting the calls to prove it.

So if you are going to buy some books for your business. Don't just read it, implement the strategies and methods within. It does no good for you to just read something and forget it. Your website will not climb much if you do nothing.

I found great improvement in my site by just putting $30 down. And I'm continouly working on my site to get it up to #1. Perhaps that is a pipe dream, but being within the top 5 is pretty cool.

Wanna Check out my website? Let me know what you think.Toronto Window Cleaning - M&M

Are you in the Toronto area and want your windows cleaned? Call Me, the Reliable Toronto Window Cleaner at 647-409-8144.

Karl Robinson's Extraordinary Blog

http://robinson-solutions.blogspot.com

As most of you who read this blog knows, Karl has a great blog of all the world of window cleaning. He is able to pull up so much articles, that even Google can't match.

By checking his blog out daily, you will be fully informed of window cleaner safety, the latest videos available on the internet that are internet related, window cleaner news, and much more.

He also has a regular assortment, of funny videos, and articles, so not only is reading the blog enlightening, it is also entertaining.

I just wanted to thank him for his favourable mention in his blog

Thanks.

Check out his blog daily at http://robinson-solutions.blogspot.com

Paul's great marketing blog

Paul McQuillan, a lively,passionate, and great contributing forum member, of Window Cleaning Resource and National Window Cleaning Directory, has turned his passion and ability in marketing into a book:

Onslaught Marketing "How You Can Survive the Economic Crisis and Emerge 10x Stronger Than Your Competition"

His website address is: http://onslaughtmarketing.com

And he authours a very interesting and informative marketing blog - http://jointheonslaught.blogspot.com

He has brought up an important missed opportunity. Forced Continuity, or putting customers on a schedule. It has inspired me, and led me to share and agree with his point about forced continuity. Here is the blog posting:

http://jointheonslaught.blogspot.com/2009/02/window-cleaners-take-heed.html

Forced continuity is regularly scheduled window cleaning on a indefinte frequency. Whether that is every two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, or twice a year.

As Paul goes on to say, many residential window cleaners fail to offer regularly scheduled cleans for their residential customers.

This has inspired me to think of offering this service to residential customers I will attain this spring. The only issue would be to make sure that one can make enough money to drive there, stop, get equipment off truck and clean windows. So an important factor is setting the price at a reasonable level. His suggestion of $80 sounds reasonable.

If you could get many customers to go for this service, a route could be made, causing certain efficiencies to develop and lowering your costs (gas, marketing, etc) per customer.

As an example, Mr Squeegee, aka Tony Evans, anewviewia.com has a winter route, where he cleans some of the windows on certain houses once a month, and has a regular route, which enables him to make some money during a hard time for many residential window cleaners - winter.

Having forced continuity, or putting residential customers on a regular schedule would enable you to make more money per customer. would enable you to get through slow seasons better, and enable you to have a little more of a predictable income.

This is why I enjoy cleaning commercial glass. Everything I do is on a schedule. I can predict how much my company will gross per year, I can schedule my customers for the most efficient way of cleaning them to minimize wasted driving time. I'm cleaning relatively clean glass, and I'm not always forced to market like crazy, since one customer will gross me thousands of dollars a year, for an indefinite period of time, perhaps years. Instead of just making a few hundred bucks, and then trying to get another customer.

Putting customers on a schedule makes a lot of sense. So think about ways you can implement that for your business.

And check out Paul's blog for other great marketing ideas.

Overcoming Barriers to getting customers

As the month of February progress I'm thinking more and more of spring. Not that in Toronto spring ever comes early, but soon warm weather will be here and people will be thinking of getting their houses cleaned.

Our company, while our focus is on commercial, I enjoy getting some residential clients and would like to grow that part of the business more this year.

So I've thought of ways to increase the residential calls I will get in the spring.

I have been paying more attention to my website. Very briefly, my website was on page one of Google when searching the term: Toronto window cleaning. However, I wasted that opportunity, and now it's back to page three. So I've been working on updating my website more, and tweaking it to improve my listing.

Secondly, I've been looking at my commercial customers, and the people that work at their stores as a way to cross-market. They have trust in me, a relationship with me, and I have a free opportunity to sell them on cleaning their house. Many people that work at the store see me cleaning the windows, and know I do a good job, am cleancut, reliable, and friendly.

However, this is important - many think that window cleaning by a professional window cleaner for their own house is something only rich homeowners can afford to pay for. They may feel that it is too expensive.

So if you keep that in mind, you can overcome that objection right away. And open up many more opportunities and get many more customers this spring.

As it was, I spoke to an associate in the store, and gave my card. She said it's probably too expensive. So I said, no, it's quite affordable, and I'll give you a good price. I said that window cleaning starts from just $80 if you have a small house, and are doing the outsides. I said I would give her many options, including cleaning only the outside, or only the first floor windows. Her whole outlook, and demeanor chaged, she enthusiastically said sure, she will definitely call me. She was suprised she could afford window cleaning and an objection was overcome.

So think about common misconceptions and barriers to people hiring window cleaners, or whatever business you are in. Overcome those objections first, because, the customer may just politely take your card, and not call you, because they think it is too expensive or they have some other unstated misconception.

What Is an Independant Operator? And dealing with WSIB

Many small companies subcontract work. They do this without much thought. They might have the same guy do all their work, for many hours each week, using your tools, getting explicit direction and this person earns all their income from you.

In your eyes he his your hardworking subcontractor. Unfortunately in the eyes of many Government Insurance boards, this person is your employee. As such you would be required to register and pay workers compensation insurance. In the event of an injury, or an audit from workers compensation, you may face a fine, years of premiums due, a possible lawsuit from the injured worker for negligence. This would be of course, destructive for your business, causing you much sleep loss, anxiety, and possible bankruptcy to your small business.

So it is essential to find out how your workers compensation board views the relationship you have with your employee, make any corrections you need to to your relationship, or in the worst case begin paying exorbitant premiums to cover your employee, and your butt.

In Ontario, where I live, you have several options. You can seek, the government agency responsible to make a ruling on your relationship, or possible relationship.

I had to fill out this form for a janitorial company. To determine the relationship we would have, and whether I would be an employee (in their eyes), or an independent operator (who is not legally required to take out WSIB coverage).

Fortunately I was viewed as an independent operator for this instance. This is the form you fill out with the contractor, or if you are the contractor, you would fill this out with your subcontractor. You would sign it, and bring it to WSIB with the subcontractors invoices for other jobs he did, his business registration, a copule of invoices of supllies he bought, showing that he buys his own tools/supplies.

I did that an brought it to 200 Front St, Downtown Toronto. This is the form.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileIndependentOperator/$File/1158.pdf


What exactly is an independant operator in Ontario. This pamphlet, prepared for construction contractors, clearly shows what makes one an independent operator.


http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileConstructionIndependentOperators/$File/ConstIndOp.pdf

So what is an independent operator in Ontario?
offers services to various firms
• reports to the government
as a self employed business (Canada Revenue
Agency/GST)
• owns and operates his/her equipment.


I know this post may look only relevant to Ontario residents but it is vitally important to make sure that if you hire subcontractors that your government's workplace insurance board views it as such. If not, you may face crippling fines, and possible bankruptcy.

Warm Hands

I just watched Mr Squeegee's video. Pretty good stuff on staying warm in the winter.

I wanted to show you what gloves (mitts actually) I use to stay warm in the winter. These mitts are much warmer than the typical mitts window cleaners use, they are cheap too. In Canada I can get these mitts for just $17 + TAX at LeBaron at Dundas and Hurontario in Mississauga.

99% of the time your hands will be warm. So invest in some nice Ice Fishing Mitts, these are what I use.

I would recommend using mitts. I know it's personal preference but mitts keep your fingers together, thus giving your hands more heat.

Try it out, if it doesn't work for you - I doubt it, it's just $20 out of your pocket.

But I have used these mitts for 7 winters. Cold Canadian Winters, and I have been very happy.

Another thing, I never feel a cold aluminum pole through the mitts. Never!

Check it out

http://www.harryfalk.com/Body.cfm?CatID=5&ManuID=31&ProdID=89

The High Cost of a Low Price

I just got off the phone with my phone company feeling anxious, frazzled and like I wasted half an hour of my life.

You see, in November I was threatened to be cut off by my phone company, which was actually a cable, cell phone and media company: Rogers Cable. Now that's not because I wasn't paying, but they wanted me to switch to their way of offering telephone service, through the cable line. But that's not the point of the story, so I'm not going to go into that whole interesting story.

After getting scary letters that they would cut my service, and send men to break my legs...just kidding. After receiving those letters, I realized that I would need to find a new phone service or find myself out of a land line.

So in haste, I went with a cheap company that actually uses POTS (Plain old telephone service through the copper phone line). They offered great prices, 5 features including call display name and number, call forwarding, call answer, three way calling. For just $34.95 + TAX. In addition this price doesn't include any sneaky access fees that the others charge for such silly things like 911, Touch tone calling, system access fees, etc.

I wouldn't have to worry, like I would if I switch to cable, that the cable box that converts cable to telephone, would in a power failure run out, and I would have no phone service in an emergency, when cell service would not work (I didn't work in the great blackout). No, plain old copper wire telephone service would work come ice or blackout.

When I wanted to sign up for this service with YAK, I had to wait nearly an hour to reach a live operator, and I had to listen to the same commercial 100 times, that's almost as bad, as the torture the Americans administer to suspected terrorists! After waiting an eternity I got through and signed up.

I was told I would have to wait 5 to 7 business days to be connected. those few days past, and weeks too, when I wondered what the heck is going on?

I called again, and had to wait another hour, and endure the Chinese telephone torture. After finally getting through, I asked what the problem was, they were not sure, but assured me I would get phone service soon. More weeks past, with no phone service, and I just assumed I would never be hooked up.

Until as the new year came in I realized I was connected. I was happy. And knowing I would get many services at fire sale prices.

Shock came in a few days ago when I got my first bill, after just three weeks. 65! I called them, and fortunately got through right away. I guess they are serous about answering the phone when they know they may get their money faster.

Turns out that their prices went up this new year, although the receptionist was strangely unaware of it, what do they not know how much their prices are?

So although I signed up for 34.95 as soon as I was actually connected, I was billed at 38.95. Seems like a bait and switch too me. I was sold a bill of goods, and then they switched it on me. Because Yak made me wait, I fell under their new price.

I was furious, but of course, knowing how one gets what they want on the phone, I kept my voice, determined but calm and fairly low.

They seem to not know that their price was raised even though I been checking their website twice a week every week for months. And the other packages they offer are substantially different. I know what price I was quoted and I have it written down.

They claimed because they're system is computerized they can't give me the price I was quoted and signed up for. That they would have to credit me every month and they were only willing to give me one month and a half credit.

I of course, since they pulled a bait and switch wanted the price I was quoted and signed up for. The lady said she has to research what the price was at Nov 12 on Monday then call Tech Support to enter it manually if that price was 34.95, then call me back.

Otherwise, what did I get for cheaper phone service. Bad Tech Support, and unknowledgable staff, wasted time on the phone, anger, frustration, and feeling I'd been cheated and swindled. A sneaky price increase too.

What a high price to pay for a few bucks.

Dress for Sucess!

Today I met with a mid size janitorial company based in the Greater Toronto area. I had spoke about subcontracting window cleaning jobs from him, since many of his customers need window cleaning done.

His client list included a who's-who of Toronto, an impressive client list which they showed me when I met with them.

Originally I was going to meet the marketing director in a coffee shop, at the last minute he decided to invite me to his office. Where I would also meet the CEO. This was turning into more of a job interview, and a situation where I want to make the best possible impression.

So I decided to dress well for it. I didn't want to overdress, and look out of place, wearing a complete suit. Instead I wore suit pants, and nice dress shirt top button unbuttoned, and nice polished, good quality dress shoes and socks.

It turns out I made more of an impression then a would have hoped for.

He was impressed because he found some window cleaners in the past have not taken care of their personal appearance when servicing his clients, appearing with dirty rags coming out of their pockets, cutoff jeans and unkempt appearance.

As he told me himself, the way I dressed, showed that I cared about my appearance, that I would dress with appropriate attire, or the people I send would dress appropriately when doing jobs.

He appreciated that because he is concerned with image, and he wants to project a good image with dress, and other matters.

The way I dressed today, practically got me a subcontracting agreement before I opened my mouth.

As you probably know, the way you dress speaks volumes, and dressing appropriately on occasions when you meet important contacts is very important.

Don't feel you need to overdress, but dress appropriately for the occasion, and you may find your business will flourish as you build important relationships with other companies.

Stop leaving so many voicemail messages

Stop Leaving So Many Voicemail Messages

One thing I have learned in the last few months is this. Stop leaving so many voicemail messages.

We hope by leaving them that a prospective customer will call us back when they get a chance, but they rarely do. There are some that have a personality that they return all calls and all messages. But so many, for one reason or another don't. This also applies to email messages too.

Sometimes you might leave one message initially to get the ball rolling. Perhaps you are calling the wrong person and they forward the message to the appropriate party.

But when trying to land a job, don't keep leaving messages. It is far more effective to keep calling, when you get the person on the phone (this requires some patience) they will usually feel like they need to make a decision, and often will make it on the phone. Or they might tell you to call back in a week (call back!). It might takes repeated efforts but some of your efforts will pay off. So be persistant. However, leaving messages will not lead to the same success.

Some other people are worse, and you need to see them in person. Be concious though to do this at a time that you are in the area, and are not needlessly wasting time or gas.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Are you in the Toronto area and want a quote for window cleaning. Call the reliable Toronto window cleaner at 647-409-8144. Or visit my website http://mmwindowcleaners.com

Never Assume!

Never Assume

Often as window cleaners we are filled with much self-doubt.

We give proposals to prospective window cleaners thru email, or fax, and we wait and wait. We might have initially have thought we would get the job, but as time passes. We might wonder, was my price too low? Did another window cleaner get it? Were they not that interested to begin with? The most common thing we might think, is my prices are too high, I need to lower them, they would never go for my prices, they probably have someone who charges them much less.

Often these suppositions are false. Our price was not thought of as too high. Often the problem is this.

Our prospective customer was just too busy to call us, or he was to busy even to look at our quote. Or he had some family emergency to handle. Or he is short staffed and put us on the back burner. Or he's checking with head office to get autority to hire a window cleaner. Or he is still looking to see what is budget is for the year. Or he is waiting on his partner to give approval and she is sick.

It could be a variety of things, but usually it boils down to this they were too busy to call us, or too look into our quote.

So don't beat yourself up, keep a positive attitude. Don't make assumptions tell you hear it from the horses mouth.

I'm writing this because this is what happened to me, I emailed a proposal for window cleaning, and after initially speaking to the customer, I didn't hear back. I thought my prices is too high. But no the customer was waiting on a few people to see if they could go ahead with our window cleaner. Another customer who I emailed, also after several reminder emails had not even looked at the quote because he was busy.

So stop assuming, and stop beating yourself up. Don't change your pricing scheme until you know that it is turning away too many customers.

How do you solve this problem? My next post will shed some light.

Thanks for reading my blog! Are you in the Toronto area and want your windows cleaned? Call the Toronto window cleaner at 647-409-8144