Hi Guys and welcome back to the channel, you're back with Darren at Green Pro Clean
limited window cleaners in Nottingham
Derbyshire South Yorkshire and
Leicestershire. D o excuse the squinting
I'm setting up the top of the yard here
at the moment and it's  glaring sunshine
up  there but it's the only place I can
find the day to get a bit of quiet to be
able to make this video. Today I'm
actually going to pop my sunglasses on
guys and it's not because I'm showing
off that it's so bloody sunny here it is
because it's hurting my eyes so today
I'm going to talk about my top tips for
the hot topic of the month Corona Virus
COVID 19 CO  19 and how to weather the
storm because I'm a hundred percent
convinced guys this is the beginning of
it it's not the end of it. N ow I want to
start off before I give you my tips by
saying that this is in part a massive
infodemic  as opposed to an actual
pandemic those of usold enough to
remember SARS,  Severe Acute R espiratory
syndrome,
I can't when it was 2004,  2005 we had a
lot less information coming through it
was the nightly news on the TV or it was
if you checked up on the internet if you
actually looked at the Internet in those
days these days with push notifications
Facebook Instagram Twitter Google
everything getting shoved to your phone
24/7 there is so much more information
being pumped into you 90% of it false
10% of it actually factual so just be
careful the bits you choose to believe
the bits you choose to listen to so I
just wanted to start by saying guys that
look up the facts on it. N ow I'm going to
kick off with my first tip and my first
tip is many of you out there and I
notice because I talk to your day-to-day
on the lead generation business or you
message me up through the forums or
through my messenger and I do just want
to say that if you do want to ask me if
you do want to talk to me guys just ping
me up a message on my messenger on my
whatsapp on my anyway on my email it
don't matter if I can answer it if I can
help  you out with some advice anyway I
can more t han happy to. Now I know
many of you that I talk to have
fina ncial burdens you have mortgages, you
have van finance, you have
credit card debt for systems and equipment
that you've bought for the business and
these people you need to be getting on
the phone to these people today to the
mortgage companies to the banks ecterra
to  anyone you've got an overdraft
with that kind of jazz and you need to
be talking to them right now
'Hi guys look you know what's going on
with co19 I'm a window cleaner this is
going to hurt my business
in the next couple of months it's going
to be a downturn in business for me I'm
not going to be as well-off as I should
be what can you do for? me can I get a
payment holiday for three months on my
mortgage and tack it onto the back end
of it? can I get an extension on my
overdraft?  can I get a freeze on interest
payments on my credit card?' etc and ask
these people the questions.
Excuse the winking eye I just noticed I'm
doing it because of the Sun up there but
ask these people to questions but more
importantly when you are asking the
questions when you're making these calls
keep a log get a notepad and a pen 'today
I phoned Sandanter Bank about my
mortgage on spoke to this person their
call lasted that long'
make a note better still download an app
something like another call recorder ACR download something like that and
record the call why because some of them
will say yes some of them will say 'yeah
okay look we know what's going on we'll
help you out' some of them will outright
just say no and that will be the
end of that there'll be nothing you can
do to sway these people but in a couple
of months if you're absolutely skint
and you're starting to get these notices
 through 'you owe us money' and they
start getting to the bullying stage of
trying to recoup the cost 'we're
going to send the bailiffs round we're
gonna take you to court' well if they do
take you to court, go to court, but do not go
all suited  nd booted in your finest
hour Armarnis turn up in your work shirt
look like a bloody winter clean a cap in
end 'well judge three months ago I got in
touch with them telling them of my
situation explaining what was going to
happen asking them for a little bit of
clemency on this date I spoke to such
and such a person' and with that proof
with those records etc I will wager
there is no judge in the country that's
going to find a against you the judge will
tell the people 'suck it up add it on to
the end of the bill' and the judge has
the authority to do that kind of thing
so don't be afraid of it get on top of
it but talk to them now now is the time
three months down the road when the
bailiffs are banging the door that's not
the time
it's too late get on it now even if it
is just for, you know gathering evidence
for a later stage in the business.
That's number one thing you need to do
get on top of your money any outstanding
debts start phoning these people
especially large payments for commercial
contracts etc because with offices
shutting down etc our finance people
might not be back for another four
months you could have thousands
outstanding on your commercial contracts
that you might not be seeing for a few
months yet get on it today before their
office shuts down get your money in
order that's tip number one that is an
essential tip guys that's what I'm doing
my serious face over the top my glasses
up there it is my serious face get on it
right. So that's step number,  one step number two
think of your elders consider your
elders some of us are elders not me
quite yet lads but some of the rest out
there are senior citizens I've got a
phone call from mother yesterday back
home in Jersey
apparently everybody over the age of 70
is on house arrest they are on lockdown
they are on this quarantine business
she's talking about 'oh how will I get my
groceries' as I pointed out I've got two
worthless brothers back home that can go
and fetch them for her so she's taking
care of,  she will be taken care off
that's not a problem for me but on
rounds we all have those old dears in
want to tell you about our wonderful day
kids are wonderful their grandkids are
and brang left and write about their
wonderful families and these are the
type of kids and grandkids that bother
to turn up for two minutes at Christmas
to see how much money granny's gonna
give them this year and then jog on so do
the decent thing pick up the phone phone
up Mrs Smith phone up Mrs Brown,  doesn't
even have to be them could be a Mrs.
Patel for all I know 'hello love it's the
window cleaner it's Darren the window
cleaner look, I know we got all this
CO19 going on and that and you know it's
not advisable for being out and about
but I'm just wondering if there's
anything you need i'm passing your way
later is there anything I can do do you
need any groceries or anything picking
up is there anything I can do to help
out because some of these people I've
said it in other video some of these
people you may be their only social
interaction for the whole month and if
you're going to be cutting back on
getting out and about going out and
seeing the number of people that you
normally wouldn't a month they may not
be seeing you for two or three months so
pick out a phone have that word with
them and whilst it's the decent thing to
do it's the humane thing
it's their civilised thing to do old boy,
remember the words of Kennedy and
Kennedy from what I've gathered in later
life was a bit of a tosser but as he
said in one of his most famous speeches
ask not what your country can do for you
but what you can do for your country
and as I said they give it all this
we're all in this together, toss, they're
looking after theirs it's time for you
to look after yours and I'm not just
talking about your customers yeah,  on
your street you've probably got neighbours
that are senior citizens that could do
with somebody keeping an eye on them
checking in on them making sure that
it's all going all right for them
getting them that pint of milk you know
their essentials that they may need so
just give that some thought and it will
pay back in dividends when this is all
past and grannies love to gossip when
this is all past and they talk about that
lovely window cleaner that went out of
his way to get them in some groceries
etc you'll be amazed our when word gets
around it'll pay off tenfold for you so
it's just worth a little bit of thought
that's number two tip number three let's
get electronics in order,   let's get our
websites in order let's get some fresh
content up there some fresh photos write
some fresh content if you've got time if
you're not out on the tools' and you've
got the time get out there get some
fresh content on the website even work
on your own house clean the windows on
your own house get your wife to take
some photos get one of your kids to take
some photos and use the sniffles it's
not CO19 I'm sitting in the bloody field
and l suffer hayfever that's how I
feel this the top of our garden as it
happens
but anyway get kids to take some photos
and get them all out there get them up
on your webpage get them on your
Facebook page write some fresh content
for your Instagram yeah we're now taking
on new bookings on such-and-such an
estate etc just get the word out,
keep it ticking over let people know
that you are still in business
now as tip number three,  tip number four 
is long runs a tip number three but it
relates to our equipment our tools our
vans our vehicles when was the last time
you had a full strrip down a full
breakdown get everything out of the van
give it a Polish give it a tune degrease
the chains on your electric reels you
know it makes sure that your particulate
filters are empty and that there's no
crap in them totally get all bits of
swarf or crud out of
your water tanks make sure it's all
absolutely tickety-boo and ready for
when we get back to work when was the
last time you took the leisure battery
out of your van put it on a trickle
charge and give it a good for a proper
topping up so that's my next tip now
sorry quite a lot of big trucks going
pass today I do live on a main route
going through to one of the ports
heading over to Leyte so it's the goods
vehicles moving which is a good thing
because there's actually shortages now
of essential medications down here I'm
supermarkets are running low certain
items are getting rationed already so
yeah it's quite a serious matter
so where was I that was number four tip
I think it was was take care of the
mechanical side of your business get get
make sure your tools are in good order
to give you a poles a thorough servicing and
yeah I'm talking about our WFP poles
lads so behave and I move on now moving on
as they say my next tip up is I see some
chatter on the forums there is worrying
me that it's absolutely frightening and
lads are sitting there saying  'I'm going to send
a letter out to my customers about
this COVID19 and how I'm going to
manage it moving forward and how your
window cleaner is aware that Covid 19 is
going on blah blah blah no don't do it
seriously.
Seriously don't f*** about,  don't do it do not
mention the words COVID 19 in
any context to yourself whatsoever. WHY?
because they sit there
and it gets into their head and they
start thinking oh yeah well he was
telling me that he cleans that that's a
primary school up the road there and
there before he comes to my ass he's and
all those little sprogs in there who
knows what they've got,   next thing it's
cancelled I'm not just in the interim is
cancelled on a permanent basis if you
got funds behind you and you can afford
to be sitting on your backside at the minute and take a couple of months off I
probably suggest you do but my letter to
my customers what takes to my customers
would be dear customer due to the
current climate we are taking a vacation
for the next six to eight weeks normal
service will be resumed around about
May
words to that effect but due to the
current climate people are like ah here
well with the current climate I can
understand what I when the cleaner ain't
coming out to go I'm saying whereas ah
window clean have COVID 19 hang
on a minute oh he's got that disease?
The current climate? Yeah, it's a bit dodgy out there, I don't blame you, Iwouldnt be going out there either.
Yeah fair play mate, 
you put your feet up you relax we'll see
you in May or whenever it is so word it
carefully wording is everything
absolutely everything the language that
you use and there is a buzzword out
there 'the optics arent good' , what
that translates too is 'that doesn't look good'
it's the same it doesn't sound good 'oh
I'm worried about a deadly disease so
I'm going and not becoming your house or
I'm going to be reducing services or I'm
going to give you the option to text me
and tell me if you want your windows
cleaned or'.  No mate don't mention the
word 'Deadly Disease' don't mentions
none of that word it properly otherwise
it do you more harm than good.
Now I'm just going to reposition myself
a little sorry I'm wired up so my small
mic here in a minute so it's a bit
trickier than usual. Moving on I've been
an advocate for years of go cardless you
all know this you've all heard me go on
about it before you've all heard me tell
you sort it out so why haven't you all
of the lads out there like oh yeah now I
only collect cash because I've got tons
of it and I'm not giving it to no at tax man and all that well you're a numpty mate
that's all I've got to say about that in
this current climate notice the wording
in this current climate GoCardless
would be bang on your money be coming in
people wouldn't be worried about you
going round knocking on the door collecting cash
you might be going out it collected 20
pound note off them that they just
picked up in from the ATM in some grotty
supermarket well maybe they're paying
you with a couple of fivers they've got
in their change from the local Chinese
takeout delivery boy you don't know
what's on it make money is dirty always
has been money's filthy stuff and a
lot of people say 'Well I don't want to pay
the one percent commission' but think of it like this.  If I said that you look, one
percent you've got a £2000 debt list so give me £20 and I will collect
it all in to you right now you wouldn't
hesitate you would tripping over
yourselves to give me that £20 note,  so
just get on with it get it done get
those tools in place communicate with
your customers any customers that say
Oh yeh, look sorry Daz,  not this month
you know I'm not comfortable with people
coming around at the moment don't give
it the large 'Oh well only service
regular customers so you jog on mate
don't need your job' be understanding
this is the time be understanding sit
back and say no problem I'll tell you
what I drop your text next month see if
the situation's changed now when we
all back to normal a few months down the
road in the future and these people are
still giving it that well then it's time
to sack them off but just get your
housekeeping in order that's my top tips
for the week anyway guys my other top
tips are dont go out of the house if you
haven't got to seriously keep hand
sanitizer in your van use it at all time
you touch the door handle wash your
hands man seriously it's just good hygiene
full stop but with this about one of the
greatest preventative measures is good
old-fashioned soapy water and as window
cleaners we've all got tons of it in
there van  so use some of it keep
hand-wash the van keep it what the
disinfectant spray in the van just look
after yourselves because you're going
home at the end of the day to your young
kids to your wife to your loved ones
some of you I know do have wives that
have will have partners that have what's
the word chronic conditions chronic
illnesses and they're the last people
that want to be coming into contact with
this sort of thing so food for thought
boys and girls my top tips again that's
my top tips my last tip is if you
haven't put aside bank to weather this
storm you should have done I'm right
it's how I told you so but moving
forward when things start getting back
to normal even now every 10 pound that
comes into your business you want to put
two pound aside for your tax in your
national insurance you want to put at
least another pound aside for
maintaining your vehicle and your
equipment for when it needs replacing
so you're doing so you're doing 300 jobs
a month there's 300 pound a month you're
banking up first 3600 pound a year
towards a new equipment vehicle expenses
etc it goes a long way to alleviating
the pain when those bills do come in and
then you want to be putting aside
another couple of pound into a crisis fund
until if your business is worth three
grand a month you want to have six
months worth of bank behind and you want
to have eighteen grand sitting in that
bank so that if it does go Pete Tom and
we're off the tools for a while whether
it's through the co19 whether you
crossing the street with your Water-Fed
pole when you get hit by the Postie in his little red van and you're off work
for six months you've got a bank there
to weather it because trust me
regardless of the insurances you know
the whatever they call it these days the
tax credits the dole money you might be
able to get disability
none of
it's going to replace what you've got a
minute so you want to keep that banking
up and have at least six months of bank
behind you
for future reference moving forward get
all these things in place now because
this isn't the end it's not even the
beginning we're just getting started
with this it's gonna go on a while I'm
sorry to be that naysayer the bringer of doom,  but you know Nostradamus
used to do this job so now I'll
take over but anyway when the COVID 19
is all done and dusted we're
going to have a couple of years reprieve
whilst things recover and then all of a
sudden guess what it's going to be some
other nasty son-of-a-bitch disease out
there that's gonna hit you all the same
way so at least by then hopefully in the
paid attention to this video and got
your house you know about guys I pray
you're real safe I pray you well any
questions as always bang them in the box
below thumbs up thumbs down by matter on
this one I'm really not bothered what
you think of this video but anything I
can do to help let me know
thanks all for watching have a great
week ciao for now
