Hi, and welcome to the very first episode of the Window Cleaning Veteran Podcast. I'm Rick, your host, and I'm delighted to be sharing this journey with you. Whether you're an experienced window cleaner, just starting out, a part-time window cleaner, or just thinking about getting into the window cleaning business, this podcast is for you. So let's dive straight in.

Today's episode is about setting the scene for what you can expect from this podcast. I've been window cleaning for about 16 years now, and I've learnt a few things about cleaning professionally in that time. But it's not just about cleaning windows, it's also about running and growing a business. I'm going to share a few tips and some of that knowledge with you over the coming weeks and months.

I'm a British Army veteran, hence the name of the podcast, and when I first came out of the Army, I went into the estate agency industry. I ended up with my own business and in 2008, in the financial crash, my partner and I sold part of the business and then closed. I decided to go into window cleaning because our window cleaner came along every month. He charged £10 for about 10 minutes work and in six years he never raised his price. I had a chat with him and I decided that window cleaning could be a very lucrative business and that I'd enjoy it. I love working outside.

We came to a deal whereby he taught me the basics of cleaning windows and I showed him how to raise prices with minimal customer friction and that's something I'll be sharing with you over the coming weeks. In this guy's case he raised his prices for anyone who'd been with him for over three years and it earned him an extra 500 pound on his round and only three customers said they wouldn't be willing to pay more.

I also chose window cleaning because the startup costs are low, cash flow is immediate, and windows don't stay clean, which means repeat business, providing you do a good job and build a good relationship with your customer. Customer care and customer relationships could be an entire episode by itself, and it is something we're going to concentrate on in an upcoming episode.

Customer relationships are so important, though, that I'm going to touch on it briefly here. Your customer pays your wages, your bills and gives you the money to enjoy yourself on whatever you want, but they'll only pay you as long as they're happy to do so which means you have to keep the customer happy. Now you will get the odd difficult customer who is just an absolute arse to deal with and in those very rare cases I just move on and that's the advice I'd give to you and as a business only, you can do that. But the overwhelming vast majority of people are reasonable, decent people who, when dealt with professionally, are an absolute joy to work with. Treat them with respect, be polite, be courteous and be fair. Don't overcharge, don't undercharge and pricing is another huge topic in its own right.

Now in upcoming episodes, we're going to cover a wide range of topics. To start with, we'll be talking about the best window cleaning tips and techniques. Whether it's tackling stubborn marks or streaks, cleaning internal windows, or using the latest tools and products, I'll provide you with practical, hands-on advice that you can take or leave. I'll give you a few of my own opinions. Again, you may agree and you may not. That's fine. I love the quote which goes, "Sir, I disagree entirely with what you say, but I defend to death your right to say it." I'd appreciate your opinions as well. And if you have a question, feel free to leave them in the comments.

But it's not just about the cleaning. Running a successful window cleaning business involves much more than that. We're going to discuss essential business information. Things like managing your finances, marketing your services, dealing with difficult customers, staff and of course the inevitable ups and downs of running a business. I'll be bringing in guest speakers who have mastered these areas to share their insights and experiences with you.

Growing a business is another key area that we're going to look at. I'll share strategies on how to expand your customer base, hire and train employees, how to scale your operation. Plus we'll explore ways to diversify your services and increase revenue to stay competitive in the market. What other services do you offer at the moment?

Customer retention is vital for any business, and window cleaning is no exception. We'll talk about how to keep your clients happy, handle complaints professionally, and build long-lasting relationships that lead to repeat business and referrals. Each episode will feature practical guides and step-by-step instructions. I want to make sure you leave with actionable insights that you can apply to your business straight away.

We're also going to have question and answer sessions where I'll answer your burning questions so be sure to send them in. I believe in the power of community and I hope this podcast becomes a space where window cleaners from all over the country can connect, share experiences and support one another. So remember to subscribe to the Window Cleaning Veteran podcast on your favourite podcast platform and join our online community.

Before we wrap up today's episode, I want to give a shout out to all the hard-working window cleaners out there. Your work keeps our homes and businesses sparkling and it's time we shine a light on this essential industry. That's it for today's episode. Thanks for tuning in to the Window Cleaning Veteran. Remember, the view is always better when the windows are clean. Stay safe, stay professional and keep on cleaning. See you next time.