How to Run a Window Cleaning Business

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the number of new businesses being set up countrywide. In fact, UK business incorporations increased by 30% in December 2020 compared with the same period in 2019.

Therefore, if you’re setting out on a new window cleaning business venture, you must learn how to stand out from the competition. Fortunately, with the right tools and know-how, creating and growing a company can be extremely rewarding.

In this article, we’ll explain how to run a window cleaning business, breaking down the steps you will need to take to set up your company and begin attracting clients. Plus, we’ll explain how state-of-the-art field service management technology will help you manage your new business.

Setting up Your Business and Finding Window Cleaning Jobs

1. Write a Business Plan

Although the start-up costs for a window cleaning business are relatively low, you will need to consider your organisation’s future. For example, if you plan to take on extra staff, you’ll need to cover training and additional insurance costs. Or, if you want to spread the word about your new company, you’ll need to pay for marketing materials.

Therefore, it’s worth taking some time to put together a business plan. Many small businesses forgo creating a plan, but it helps you keep your operations on track and gives you the chance to forecast additional costs further down the line. 

If you hope to grow your business and purchase high-end equipment to take on larger clients, you may wish to consider obtaining financial backing to get started. There are many routes you can take to gather funds, so do some research on the best method for your organisation.

2. Take Out an Insurance Policy

To start taking on window cleaning jobs, you’ll need to have the right insurance policies in place. You should consider taking out the following:

• Public Liability Insurance: Covers your legal fees and compensation costs if your business injures a member of the public or one of your clients, or damages their property.
• Personal Accident Insurance: Covers and compensates you in the instance of accidental injury or death.
• Employers’ Liability Insurance: Covers and compensates your employees in the case they are injured at work.
• Business Equipment Insurance: Covers and compensates you in the instance of damage, loss or theft of window cleaning equipment.

If you plan to hire a team, the best way to keep your insurance premiums low is by providing comprehensive health and safety training. By investing in field service management software, you can create mandatory risk assessments and workflows that your technicians must complete before they can start the job. As a result, you can rest assured that the chance of a workplace injury is kept low.

3. Register Your Business

Once you’ve arranged your new business’ legal and financial aspects, you will need to register it with HMRC. There are three routes you can take, depending on your company type:

Sole Trader

If you’re a sole trader, you run the business alone and are self-employed. You can keep all your companys’ profits once you’ve paid the tax, but you’re also personally responsible for any losses you make.

Limited Company

When you form a limited company, your personal and business finances are separate. However, there are more management and reporting responsibilities. Although you can set up a company by yourself, it may be helpful to get help from an accountant. 

Partnership

A partnership is usually the best route for two or more people who want to run a business together as you share financial responsibilities. You can learn more about partnerships here. 

For further support on setting up a business, visit the GOV.UK website.

4. Market Your Business and Attract Clients

Now you’ve set up your new company, you’ll need to spread the word to get your first window cleaning job. Today, around 71% of small businesses create a website to market their organisation, making it a popular choice.

Luckily, you don’t have to be a tech whizz or know anything about coding to make a professional-looking website. There are plenty of templates you can use to share important details about your business, such as:

• Contact details
• Your services
• Locations you cover
• Social media links
• Customer testimonials (once you start receiving feedback)

Although customer attraction is crucial, retention will ensure that your business has a consistent stream of income. As such, you should ensure that you’re providing a great customer experience at all stages of the buyer journey. 

With a field service management platform like BigChange, your customers can easily make and change bookings via our online portal, track the location of their technician in real-time and receive automated email updates from your business. By keeping your clients in the loop, they will feel valued and prefer to use your company’s services over your competitors’.

Field Service Management Software Provides the Perfect Window of Opportunity to Grow Your Business

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on many businesses in the field service industry. However, one key takeaway from the crisis is that technology can help organisations overcome a range of challenges. According to research from Cisco, companies that adopted technology quickly during the pandemic reported a higher rate of recovering from COVID-related economic issues. 

Consequently, in today’s turbulent market, you must consider ways to maintain business-as-usual without needing to go through costly recruitment processes that could end in frustration for both you and your new hire. 

With the right job management platform in place, you can be confident that your team will have everything they need to deliver outstanding service and grow your business without becoming overworked. 

Deal with a High Volume of Work Effortlessly with BigChange

Manage your entire operation on a single platform. 

BigChange gives you complete control of your admin, from quotes to invoicing and beyond. Also, with our mobile app (available on iOS and Android), you can seamlessly connect your office, field technicians and customers and boost productivity as a result. 

Want to find out more?
Discover how BigChange can make your business grow stronger here and arrange a free demo today.