Canceled Jobs!!!

[John T 744]

I had scheduled for this week a $5500 bldg. Cleaning job and a $810 house (with 2 decks) cleaning job for this week. Both of these customers called in the beginning of the week to reschedule these jobs for next spring. OUCH........... I was able to reschedule another job for tomorrow(Thursday) but thats it for the week. I have 4 other jobs that are sceduled for the next few weeks with one of these being a bldg. and another is a house stripping and sealing job(I'll try to post pictures on that one if I remember). I could not move up these jobs so that leaves me this week to tinker with my new equipment and of course work my "Other" boring job.

This is when I'm happy that I do have that other job because I would be in complete panick mode if I had no work scheduled for just about a week. This must be tough when this happens to the fulltimers who I'm sure most know how to save for times like this.

Ok back out to my Yard to modify a few items. I just needed to vent alittle.......

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Hang in there John. I'm sure your schedule will fill up - and like you said if it doesn't you can tinker. ;)

Beth

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Thats why i cant stand one time jobs, I thank the presure washing gods that i have a 365 day a year scedule full.

[Adrian 155]

Mr **********,

any pearls of wisdom on how a one man op can attain a schedule like that?

Winter slow down is right around the corner.

Thx in advance

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Commercial accounts need cleaning rain or shine.

[FullBlast 14]

I work with other companys all the timeon timed things. They will give you date 2-3 months ahead and sometimes the evening before we find out that it is not a go but got moved till next week. And if your running a tight schedule next week it sure puts the pressure on!!

Ever now and then they take something from next week and pull it back to this week!! That is rough But its like this I do all I possibly can because if you say you can't do it Guess what you may have lost that job for life. Most of my work is repeat biz so that is not good at all!!

Have a better week!!!! You are not the only one!!!!

[Mike Williamson 198]

Thats why i cant stand one time jobs, I thank the presure washing gods that i have a 365 day a year scedule full.

That's great for the schedule, but gets pretty dang boring for the guy doing the cleaning! I thank my pressure washing God for a widely diverse range of work...you never know what's going to come up.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Mike, I've been there and I like knowing the moneys coming in all the time.

I suppose the guys get bored but so far no real complaints.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike, I've been there and I like knowing the moneys coming in all the time.

I suppose the guys get bored but so far no real complaints.

The other part of it is that a lot of commercial flatwork is night work, and I'm one who wants to be home with my family at night.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

I have five crews that run all day. your right 20% is in the day and the rest at night.

I do have freinds that just service resorts and they only work fours days. they cant even start until 9:00am. and on thursdays they cut out at 2:00pm

[Mike Williamson 198]

I have five crews that run all day. your right 20% is in the day and the rest at night.

You have 25 crews running???

[Jon 533]

Mike you want to be home at night with family yet want steady jobs, as Ron and Alan said most are night work and commerical.

I did very few day jobs, one because the restaurant had hotels on 3 sides and the street on the forth, could not work it nights as people would call the cops.

Weekly, monthly and a few every other month were scheduled and they always knew the night I did the jobs. I would send them a yearly schedule but if it rained it was pushed back a day or two.

Also many of them would call saying the BIG WIGS are coming can you do an extra cleaning before Monday AM or Sunday morning, I tried not to work week-ends but hey rush jobs cost more, no set price.

Remember I did not home owners jobs, just commercial and industrial work, steady work, steady checks. Three of the accounts I was considered a corporate vendor, billed directly to the accounts payable department, not to the local store.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike you want to be home at night with family yet want steady jobs, as Ron and Alan said most are night work and commerical.

Where did I say I wanted steady jobs? I don't have a problem keeping my schedule filled with residential, condos, and daytime commmercial. That's my preference, though it does mean that I have to constantly work to keep that schedule filled, as opposed to knowing what I'm going to be cleaning on a given night 11 months from now.

[PLD 14]

I have to constantly work to keep that schedule filled, as opposed to knowing what I'm going to be cleaning on a given night 11 months from now.

That's the part of this business I dislike. My clients are primarily residential, and I work like a dog to keep my guy working. I'm not exactly thrilled about night work, but the idea of being booked well ahead is very appealing to me. Any tips for landing the first few commercial jobs?

[PressurePros 249]

I see both sides. I started with all commercial work. I came to dread the hours and I have to agree with FullBlast.. A couple of re-schedules and you are palying hell trying to stay on target for everyone else. The very worst thing about commercial... on any given day I would have 5-10 grand out on the streets. I wear enough hats for this company already..bill collector is one I'd rather discard.

[Mike Williamson 198]

The very worst thing about commercial... on any given day I would have 5-10 grand out on the streets. I wear enough hats for this company already..bill collector is one I'd rather discard.

That's the other issue...I have one small storefront that I do every two weeks, and they pay very late...and this is a small company. I've currently suspended washing until I get paid for the 5 cleanings they owe me.

Other commercial accounts have paid very quickly, but they were one-time cleanings.

In the past two+ years, I have had to send out a total of 5 late notices for residential (after two weeks) and have never been stiffed. The longest I have waited to be paid is 30 days, and that happened once. I get paid on the spot about 50% of the time, and most of the other 50% get a check to me within 5 days.

[acidburn 14]

I collect residential washes on the day we do the work, unless it is an established customer (repeat work, etc).