home Business blog For sales and installation. Business for the sale and installation of plastic windows, air conditioners, doors, roller shutters and suspended ceilings

For sales and installation. Business for the sale and installation of plastic windows, air conditioners, doors, roller shutters and suspended ceilings

Additional Information

I am selling a business selling and installing septic tanks in the Moscow region.
A septic tank is an autonomous country sewer system.
Clients are private individuals who live or plan to live in a country house, as well as summer residents.

Why am I selling?
The business operated for 3 years. At the end of last season, I closed the office because my professional interests changed - I went into the IT field.
At first I wanted to start it again this season, but I don’t have enough time for septic tanks and after some thought I decided to sell it.

What about demand, season and crisis?
The demand for septic tanks is very good - I am attaching a screenshot - more than 170 thousand people in Moscow and the region monthly search for the query “septic tank” only in the Yandex search network.
Despite the crisis, demand is growing every year, which is also confirmed by statistics.
Seasonality - sales begin in February.
Installations begin in April and the season lasts until the end of November.

What's good about this business?
Installation does not require expensive equipment or high qualifications - employee training occurs very quickly.
High speed transaction - call today, prepayment tomorrow.
Good average bill- 95-100 thousand
Excellent profitability of one contract - 25-35%
Fast installation - most projects are completed in one day.
Who is this business suitable for?
This business is suitable for a single entrepreneur who prefers not to take risks and do everything with his own hands
(here it is important to have at least general construction skills),
as well as a professional installation organization that can integrate this direction into its existing business system.

Something all looks painfully beautiful, where’s the catch?
There is no catch, this is all true.
But this business is for those who know how and like to work hard,
for those who are stress-resistant and able to work in a tense rhythm, constantly “resolving” various issues.
Look at the sales funnel.
Key levels- conversion to measurement and contract.
These are absolutely real numbers for a “motivated” professional.
It’s either you, or you know how to find, train, motivate and control them.
This is the complexity of this business, as well as any construction business for private owners.

What exactly will you receive:
-selling site
-tuned advertising campaign in Yandex.Direct. I put the money in and the applications started coming.
-marketing kit. Show to the client during measurement
-a set of marketing materials for contract execution
- phone manager scripts
- scripts for surveyors (a script is a streamlined script for a conversation with a client that leads to the desired result - appointment of a measurement, contract)
-a system for tracking daily marketing, analytical and financial indicators for business control
-employee selection and training system
-contacts of suppliers with discounts
Of course, with detailed training and assistance in organizing the entire system at your start.
Call me right now and in a week you will already receive an advance payment for the first contract for the installation of a septic tank

Reading time: 9 minutes. Published 11/30/2019

IN last years demand for video surveillance systems from individuals who seek to secure their homes and apartments, as well as organizations that equip offices and industrial facilities with intercoms, alarm systems and other devices. The existing offer on the market does not yet fully satisfy the needs of customers, which opens up opportunities for creating a highly profitable business.

Opening a company for the sale and installation of video surveillance: where to start

Creating a company that installs video surveillance systems begins with a procedure.

The company can be created in the form of an individual entrepreneur or LLC, depending on the number of founders.

After which you will need to submit to the Federal Tax Service (at the place of registration - for an LLC; at the place of residence - for an individual entrepreneur):

For individual entrepreneurs – passport, application in form P 21001 and receipt for payment of state duty in the amount of 800 rubles.
For LLC – memorandum of association or solution sole founder, charter, application in form P 11001, receipt for payment of state duty in the amount of 4,000 rubles and employment contract with the director of the company.

Important point: In both organizational and legal forms, a company selling and installing video surveillance has the right to submit to the Federal Tax Service an application for the use of a simplified tax collection system (STS). This must be done during registration or within a month after it.

IN general view installation of video surveillance systems does not require mandatory licensing, since it is considered as a direction of construction activity. However, the installation of this kind of mechanisms within individual organizations (for example, government agencies and special-purpose facilities) may require the issuance of a voluntary SRO license and a Ministry of Emergency Situations license.

In addition to going through registration procedures, any company installing video surveillance systems must acquire a small office in order to give the business credibility in the eyes of clients. It also provides space for storing equipment, inventory, Supplies. An object with an area of 15-25 square meters seems quite sufficient.

What kind of video surveillance is there? We understand the assortment

The modern market for video surveillance systems is extremely diverse. Depending on the profile of its activities, a company can choose one or several video surveillance options for installation.

1) According to operating conditions, video surveillance systems are traditionally divided into:

External (outdoor) devices that require not only installation, but effective protection from adverse weather conditions and vandals.
Domestic devices (for indoors), as a rule, are small in size and able to fit perfectly into the interior. They are not provided with an additional protection system (casings, visors, additional fasteners, etc.).

2) According to the method of signal transmission, it is customary to distinguish such devices as:

Wired The devices are low cost and transmit signals via optical fiber (200 meters), twisted pair (300 meters) and coaxial cable (400 meters).
Wireless The devices are found in an assortment of expensive video surveillance mechanisms and transmit a signal over a distance of no more than 300 meters.

3) According to the technology of image formation on the operator’s display, there are mechanisms operating on the basis of:

IP (digital devices) - high clarity and image quality, ease of connection, the ability to record and view on a computer, but if there are a large number of devices connected to the channel, the signal may be lost at times.
CVBS (analog devices) - low cost with very mediocre image quality, which depends on the cable.
AHD (analog devices) – high quality subject to wired signal transmission, average price, but the likelihood of color loss at a distance of 300 meters.
TVI (analog devices) – high quality image, transmitted by wire, which does not lose its clarity depending on the distance.
CVI (analog devices) are an ideal way to transmit color and sound over coaxial cable.

Among a wide range of devices at the time of establishing a company, you should choose a set of 2-5 analog cameras, which are in great demand among:

Owners of private houses and cottages.
Large companies that equip individual premises and facilities.

Such systems can be handled by 1-2 specialists (at first, the installation can be done by the entrepreneur himself). Once the profit becomes stable, you can move on to the installation of serious video surveillance kits within industrial and commercial establishments on a turnkey basis.

Competitor market analysis: how to compete with the old guys?

Before opening a company installing video surveillance systems, you should analyze the market within a specific locality for the presence of competing institutions.

Once other companies of the same profile have been discovered, their advantages and main ways to attract customers should be identified. In this matter, it seems most effective to compile a competitor assessment table.

Table for assessing the target market by degree of competition development

Indicators	Pharmacy	Competitor 1	Competitor 2	Competitor 3
Coverage area
Types of installed systems
Potential clients
Prices
Image
Advertising

Based on the results of constructing such a table, it will be possible to identify strengths competing companies, as well as the segment that is not yet covered by services for the installation of video surveillance systems.

When we're talking about about competitors who long time operate in the industry, then you can “win back” a certain part of their customers by offering advantages.

Let's list them:

Low prices for installing video surveillance systems and optimizing their operation.
Warranty for a period of 5 years.
Free visit of a company employee to the site to identify possibilities for installing video surveillance systems.
Bonus offer (if you install 4 cameras, the 5th one is free, a mini video peephole as a gift, etc.).

Important point: The companies that are most trusted by their clients are those that offer their clients complex product– installation and maintenance of video surveillance systems.

Search for suppliers of equipment and other equipment for video surveillance

Taking into account the fact that the video surveillance installation company plans to work for a long time, a one-time purchase of equipment is not enough. You will need to immediately reach large clients and conclude long-term cooperation agreements with them.

The best option is to organize direct supplies of equipment from China or access suppliers through partnership programs(eg Aliexpress). If we focus on procurement in Russian wholesale stores, then you need to immediately expect a markup on goods of 15-25%.

When purchasing DVRs, cameras, microphones, fasteners, you can choose one of two directions:

Purchase of universal equipment suitable for arrangement of small and large objects.
Selection of products for the needs of specific customers (delivery of equipment in batches).

Important point: You should not strive to purchase expensive equipment from the EU, Japan and America - Chinese manufacturers offer products of decent quality at an affordable price with a guarantee. About 95% of all systems of this kind that operate in Russia at the level of private and commercial facilities are produced in China.

Features of personnel selection for video surveillance installation

What kind of employees might a company installing video surveillance systems need:

Firstly , directly specialists in the installation of video recorders and intercoms, who are best recruited from among former employees of security structures and organizations that install alarm systems and private security.

Important point: It is extremely risky to recruit specialists without experience, education and experience in the field of video surveillance installation: after training, they can go to work in large companies competitors of the same profile.

Secondly , a security guard for an office where expensive equipment will be stored.
Third , a driver with a personal car to transport specialists and equipment to installation points of video surveillance systems.
And finally , customer service manager responsible for answering calls, emails, as well as scheduling the execution of orders by the company’s specialists.

It is quite obvious that the company will also need a cleaner, who can be outsourced to clean the office once or twice a week.

Marketing and advertising of a company selling and installing video surveillance

When a company installing video surveillance systems is created, a very reasonable question arises: how to attract the attention of potential customers to its services?

The ways to promote services on the market are quite banal, namely:

Distributing leaflets in public places.
Advertisements in regional print media, as well as on Internet forums and electronic bulletin boards.
Advertising on banners and pillars in the metro and business centers.
Distribution of proposals for cooperation to local companies and construction firms.
Creation of a company website with reviews from grateful clients.

The sales market for video surveillance systems: analysis of the company’s potential clients

A company installing video surveillance systems will offer its services in the region where it is located - moving its activities to neighboring areas requires the creation of its divisions there in order to reduce transport costs.

Who can be considered as potential clients of the company:

Firstly , owners of private houses, mansions and cottages who seek to form a system of constant control over the surrounding territory (small orders).
Secondly , offices, non-production institutions, small shops(average orders).
Third , medium and large industrial and retail facilities that are trying to protect their goods, raw materials, equipment from robbers (large orders).

Important point: It is advisable to determine in advance which of the wide range of clients competitors serve, and then select segments with unsatisfied demand and target the advertising campaign to them.

Sample business plan for a company for the sale and installation of video surveillance: calculation of income and expenses

In order to open even small company for the installation of video surveillance systems, you need to invest at least $3,500 if we are talking about targeting small private orders. Serving large clients will require an initial investment of at least $15,000-$20,000.

If we detail the cost items, provided minimum investment, then we get the following picture:

The initial purchase of equipment is 100,000 rubles.
Office equipment – 10,000 rubles.
Rent of premises – 20,000 rubles.
Advertising campaign and website creation – 70,000 rubles.
Purchase of consumables – 3,000 rubles.
Staff salary is 50,000 rubles.

The total costs amounted to 253,000 rubles, which is more than $3,500. At the same time, the payback of the project can be achieved in 1-6 months, depending on the market capacity and the correctness of promotional activities.

Creating a company for the sale and installation of video surveillance systems is an undertaking that requires serious investment and time. However, given the pent-up demand, high profitability and quick payback given that proper organization business.

Evgeny Smirnov

Bsadsensedinamick

Business prospects for video surveillance systems

Security systems are just gaining popularity and are installed only in a small part of private buildings in the Russian Federation. This means that the number of potential clients will increase in the near future.

Article navigation

This is complex, but in demand in modern conditions business. In this material we will look exclusively at the business of security systems that signal or prevent criminal acts.

Brief market analysis

Unfortunately, there have been no studies of the security systems market in Russia, and if there is information, it relates to equipment sales in certain populated areas. Global trends indicate an increase in equipment sales; in 2017, the market volume was just over $30 billion (at manufacturer prices). And this does not take into account the costs of installation and installation of security systems.

Approximately 55% falls on CCTV (video surveillance systems), ACS (access control and management systems) come in second place, and various alarm systems (security and fire) take third place.

It is worth noting new technologies in some segments that are driving market growth. These are biometrics, various cloud solutions, video cameras with a built-in thermal imager, etc. Not all of them are used in Russia in great demand because of high cost(with the exception of large cities), but note that we have many specialized companies that work with certain security systems.

In general, the market for the installation of various security systems in Russia should be considered promising. Competition is high, but there are no prerequisites that the crime rate will decrease and the need to install security systems will disappear.

Business format

There are two options: installation only, as well as installation and sale of equipment. It is curious that on many sites this business is characterized as requiring minimal investment and focuses exclusively on installation. This key mistake. In our opinion, you shouldn’t even think about opening a company that will deal exclusively with installation. Why? Everything is very simple.

You can enter in any search engine queries like “Installation of a security alarm + your city” or “Installation of a video surveillance system + your city” and see the results. Yes, there are companies that provide a similar service. But without exception, they also sell equipment. You won't find a company that exclusively installs security systems and doesn't sell them! There are two exceptions:

Individuals who provide such services (usually a jack of all trades).
Individual companies that install a very wide range of equipment.

Selling equipment brings in more income than the installation itself. In addition, there are very few clients who separately buy equipment and separately look for specialists to install it. People prefer to buy turnkey services. Therefore, the only reasonable business format is the sale and installation of equipment.

You can purchase video surveillance equipment in the online supermarket All Tools.

Business areas

It is important to decide on the direction of the business. All companies have a different set of services. Potential clients we will divide them into several categories.

Private individuals

These are various security systems for private houses and apartments. There is a lot to work with here, with the exception of the alarm itself. Almost the entire market is occupied private security, as well as private security companies that send crews when alarms are triggered. This doesn't suit us.

All that remains is video surveillance and a number of other security systems that serve to prevent crimes and make it more difficult for attackers to carry out their activities. If you work in this area, you also need to install safes, automatic gates, etc.

Retail

Mainly video surveillance, but other options are also possible. In a nutshell, it's called retail loss prevention. Equipment and software for accounting of goods, monitoring the work of cashiers, preventing the appearance of expired products. Not the easiest line of business, but very promising.

Wholesale

Everything is the same as with retail trade, but only in warehouses wholesale enterprises. They steal from any warehouse, that's a fact. And not all companies can successfully deal with this. And specialized enterprises that not only install video cameras, but also offer comprehensive solutions, available only in big cities.

Offices

Access control systems, video surveillance, prevention of corporate espionage. Wide scope for activity, but, in our opinion, in this moment This particular area is too specific to start working in and count on a large flow of clients.

Equipment

A small company cannot afford to buy a large range of equipment. Unfortunately, we have to agree with wholesale suppliers purchasing as needed is extremely difficult, even practically impossible. Therefore, they purchase a limited number of models in different price categories. If we talk about video cameras, then 4–6 options in different segments are enough.

Equipment can also include software, which in some cases also needs to be purchased. Or develop it yourself (but this is a very special line of business).

And we are not just talking about the security systems themselves. The greater the range of your services, the more successful your company can be. Here are just a few additional ideas for working with individuals:

equipment for connecting to the Internet outside the city (amplifiers, antennas);
"Smart Home" systems;
supervision of children.

The point of the idea is that your employees who can install high-quality various systems safety, will be able to work with other electronics. In practice, only those companies that can offer a wide range of services survive in this business.

Staff

Good staff is the main problem in this business. Initially, you need to be prepared for the fact that it will be extremely difficult to find specialists. Typically, all small security system installation companies are based former employees more large enterprises. And finding a free specialist on the labor market will be a very difficult task.

This problem needs to be solved comprehensively. Firstly, it is not necessary to look for experienced people; their services will be very expensive and the salary will have to be offered much higher than the market one. People who are more or less versed in electronics and are able to hold a screwdriver and other tools will suit you. They will need to be sent to training courses held in major cities.

Secondly, you should retain your employees. Salaries should be at market levels and working conditions acceptable. Training new employees will always cost money and will also take a fair amount of time.

Conclusion

The business of installing security systems has many directions and development options. Here you can create a small company with starting investments 200–300 thousand rubles, and large ones, where several million will be required. It all depends on the chosen specifics and range of services.

Another interesting solution is that the reviews that are already boring to users have been replaced with a block with an expert’s opinion and logos of client companies. The site is not overloaded: the text is well structured and, in general, is an example of high-quality copywriting.

The landing page pleases with its excellent adaptability and optimization, easy navigation, and the presence of a blog and manager contacts. Ends short open form to capture data - another smart solution to increase conversion.

2.

A good long landing page for ordering entrance doors, in the best traditions of the genre.

Not a bad example landing page doors that have everything you need to sell successfully. A laconic first spread with a background image that creates the desired emotional association with the product. In the header there is a logo with a detailed descriptor and contacts, and under it there is a heading with . Next comes a capture form with a popular countdown timer for this niche and triggers in specific numbers.

What's good: the target form is constantly repeated on the page, which is good for conversion. What’s not very good: those very specific numbers in the triggers are presented in some mysterious percentages that will continue to appear in the text. What kind of interest is this? Where did this data come from? Unclear. It looks stupid - are we talking about specific characteristics of doors, or about abstract values, like when playing some Fallout? ( “+70% to burglary protection!”). Yes, specific numbers in the benefits look convincing and inspire confidence only if they are justified.

The landing page is long - it uses a proven, well-functioning logic for constructing blocks to gradually close possible user objections. There are also original blocks, for example - non-standard solutions for customers.

All blocks are equipped with clearly visible buttons and are not overloaded with text, which is also a plus of this one-page website. In some places, some blocks lack more interactivity or additional information, but this is not critical. The animation of the appearance of elements is pleasing to the eye. The reviews deserve special attention.

The reviews on the site are done very well, in the form of mini-cases with a well-thought-out text structure. Real or not, they look quite convincing here. What disappoints the landing page is its outdated, non-responsive layout. It ends in the standard way: with contacts with a button to the feedback form.

3.

Landing page for the sale of interior doors made of solid wood and other products made from fresh lumber in Kharkov.

A modern short landing page with a good responsive layout and a good selection of images, but with a number of significant drawbacks. The most serious disadvantage is the complete absence of any information about the company. You can not do it this way! The entire site does not even mention the logo or even the name of the company, not to mention the director, managers, and craftsmen. It is absolutely impossible to trust a company about which there is simply no information.

The generally sane headings of the first spread and the text, however, instead of any appeal or valuable proposal, contain only typos. There is not a single promotion on the one-page site. There is no chat for online consultations, there is no way to order a call back. The target button leads to a catalog - very inconvenient, without “order” links or any additional information.

In general, the layout is not bad, but the landing page is frankly a failure. There is no need to make landing pages this way.

4. Torex

An interesting landing page for entrance doors with a number of original solutions.

The first spread is too overloaded with elements - attention is scattered, it is very easy to get lost here, and this is bad. The main feature: an interactive target button on the left side of the screen that leads to the Doormat, a kind of one-armed bandit-style machine that allows you to randomly select door models. On the one hand, gamification is useful for conversion, but on the other, the random nature of door selection using Doormat makes it useless from a practical point of view.

The catalog of doors “for the lazy” is designed very conveniently - you can scroll through it simply by hovering the mouse cursor, you don’t even need to click. The only thing missing is the “order” buttons. There is a block of popular trading positions that is smart from a marketing point of view. At the end of the site - very original form capture in the form of a “complaints and suggestions” window. There are even download buttons mobile applications. For such a niche, targeting the mobile user is a serious matter. competitive advantage... If the application is brought to fruition, of course. The layout of this landing page is adaptive.

Templates and ready-made landing page layouts for selling doors from LPGenerator

In our last review, we introduced you to only one door-themed landing page. Its advantages are that the blocks and design have already been selected by our specialists to work optimally to increase sales in this particular market niche.

Now we are ready to provide you with a new template:

There is an opinion that a good sales manager doesn’t care what to sell. Can this rule be applied to creating your own business? IQR found those who followed this principle in practice. Today's business story is about entrepreneurs who decided to take on any orders in the field of renovation of premises that they could find orders for. What came of it - read below. The author asked not to indicate her name.

How I decided to start a business selling and installing plastic windows

Samples plastic windows

I want to tell the story of my sales and installation business metal-plastic windows, entrance and interior doors, blinds, roller shutters, air conditioners, suspended ceilings in the beautiful city of Donetsk. Now I am 29 years old, I have experience, I know how to conduct business and what not to do. Perhaps by reading this story you will learn some useful lessons or take note of some useful information.

So, initially the idea of a business selling and installing plastic windows appeared in 2012. At that time I was 26 years old, I was in maternity leave, the child was two years old, and I was thinking about going back to my main job. Once we got together with friends, we raised this topic and, unexpectedly, we became eager to open a common business. I decided to postpone leaving maternity leave. It all started with plastic windows; we chose them because it was a profitable activity that did not require large financial investments. And what is also important is that in our area there was not a single point of sale for the sale of plastic windows.

My friend is an excellent master who can do everything. He has a company that has been building houses, renovating apartments, installing suspended ceilings, installing and servicing air conditioners, installing metal-plastic windows and other works. Also, plus everything, he already had a patent for private entrepreneurship. The next day we held a meeting, assigned responsibilities, and began.

On his part, it was necessary to measure, deliver and install structures; he also had the financial side (rent and operating expenses). My duties included:

supplier search;
accepting orders;
work with manufacturers;
advertising;
permanent job as a salesperson.

Advertising and customer search

We rented a small room, set up a table, chair, printer and laptop with Internet. We brought our own laptop and printer from home. I ordered outdoor advertising, flyers with opening date and business cards. I advertised in the local newspaper and posted our page on the Internet with the address and types of services. She hired leaflet distributors who went around the entire area. Phoned local manufacturers metal-plastic designs, entered into cooperation agreements as their regional dealers. I studied all the technical information about enterprises, products, characteristics and types of profiles, brands of fittings and much more.

Business plan for organizing a point of sale metal-plastic designs

Window installation

Current costs are:

Rent a place - 500 hryvnia per month (current hryvnia exchange rate is 3.2 rubles - editor's note).
The fee for the Internet and the starting communication package is 100 hryvnia.
Advertising, leaflets and business cards - 1000 hryvnia.

Representatives of the factories brought me free samples of the goods and installed their own special calculation programs in which prices for metal-plastic designs. They explained in detail how to place an order, taking into account all the nuances.

The main thing I understood is that if I make a mistake, then the entire expensive structure manufactured goes to my home, and I accept the customer’s claims in full. This is a great responsibility. And it was very easy to make a mistake.

In short, I was mentally prepared for the arrival of my first client. This is probably the most exciting moment for every entrepreneur. When you prepare for a long time and do a lot of work - and here it is, the long-awaited buyer. I will omit the description of all the curious, onlookers, secret visits of competitors to “sniff out” prices, and so on. Yes, and I’ll also add, we made a tempting promotion. A mosquito net for a standard window came as a gift. This also played a certain role in luring customers, and at the same time we lost only 50 UAH per order.

I will describe the work algorithm in detail using the example of the first order. The first client ordered six plastic windows for glazing two apartments. My companion took measurements, I made an order, coordinated everything with the managers, took payment, sent it to work and paid the order to the manufacturer. Let me clarify that it only works with prepayment. Two weeks later they informed me that I could pick it up. We agreed with the customer on the installation day and then picked up the finished windows from the factory. The guys quickly installed everything in one day. The customer was very pleased with our work.

The profit was 30% of the order value. That is, from 10,000 UAH. - this is 3000 UAH. From here we subtract the costs of 1000 hryvnia to the other guys for help with installation, plus transport. This was followed by the second and third orders.

The most advantageous positions there were orders for glazing balconies, or when they ordered a complete replacement of windows in an apartment or house. There were savings on delivery and installation time, and immediately a significant profit was made on one order. We had about thirty different orders per month with a total value of about 50,000 UAH.

Our monthly profit was:

50,000 UAH. - 30% = 35,000 UAH.
We take away the installation fee for the guys, taxes, transport, rent, advertising, communications, etc.: 35,000 - 10% - 500 UAH. - 100 UAH. - 2400 UAH. - 2500 UAH. = 26,000 hryvnia per month (over 80 thousand rubles).
Each person receives 13,000 UAH, but this average profit came out during the so-called “season”. In winter, things were much worse. In January, for example, my earnings were about 4,000 UAH.

Business expansion: doors, roller shutters, air conditioners

Then the business slowly began to develop, and six months later we decided to add the sale of entrance and interior doors. We expanded the retail space. I contacted the suppliers and agreed to purchase samples for the stand. I had to purchase two entrance and three interior rooms, this is the minimum, but at a discount. Plus a bunch of samples of coating materials for these doors and catalogs.

We spent 13,000 hryvnia on this:

Two entrance doors for 3,000 UAH. = 6,000 UAH.
Three interior fully assembled with box, fittings and trim 5,000 UAH.
All kinds of cutting samples for corners and fittings - 2,000 UAH.

I’ll tell you, there was more work after that. I had to thoroughly understand the fittings, canopies, veneered and laminated coverings, additions, planks, etc. Now we had to quickly switch from one client to another, and tell each in detail about the advantages of our product. But after the first order for interior doors, I realized what a nightmare it was. If, moreover, these are old houses in which all the doorways are crooked in any plane, then it’s absolutely terrible. The doors were supplied standard sizes, and they could only be modified slightly. It’s only in door production workshops that you can order any size, but people didn’t understand this.

The main problem is maintaining the declared level of quality of work

Plus, there were installation delays due to the large amount of work involved in installing windows and balconies. A friend made the customer wait for the installation, and I had to listen to nervous demands every day. It came to scandals. But somehow we managed and got out. To the main income from the sale of windows was added the amount of net profit (approximately 20,000 UAH) from the sale of doors.

Then profitable suppliers of window blinds and protective roller shutters turned up. Stretch ceilings and air conditioners have been added. Gritting her teeth, she agreed to this too. There is also a huge amount of technical information that I had to deal with in detail.

I even went to numerous seminars, consultations and exhibitions. I had to work for three people. And besides, he was waiting for me at home Small child, which demanded my attention.

Problems with delivery and installation arose more and more often. Having decided that this would not work, they hired another installer, but he turned out to be an unreliable and unprofessional person, and he was followed by another of the same kind. It turns out that it is very difficult to find a universal person, and also a professional master for such work.

And in the end, as they say: “If you chase two hares, you won’t catch either.” More and more customers were dissatisfied with the quality of services, I was torn between orders, coordinating delivery times, monitoring prices, coordinating product availability and consultations. Incomes were falling. We held on like this for two years with varying success; by the third we no longer had the strength to continue.

What this business taught me

After another order with a “fun” installation, we decided that it was time to end this kind of business. They sold the exhibition samples at a discount and sold out. The good news is that they remained with their money, and this business did not drive them into large debts. But now I know absolutely everything about air conditioners, plastic windows, roller shutters, suspended ceilings, entrance and interior doors. Which ones are good, how they are installed, and which ones are not even worth looking at. It was also a huge experience in working with suppliers, the principles and fundamentals of trade, and invaluable experience in working with clients. I will have nervous memories of them for a long time.

Now I’m thinking about opening my own business, but without partners. So, only I alone will decide how and what to do, calculate my strength and make decisions.

As for advice for beginners, I would like to note the following points:

Don't take on several things at once. Don't be scattered in pursuit of profit. It’s better to do one thing, but do it well, than to grab a bunch of small ones and not complete them.
Believe in your strength, if you believe in yourself, then everything will definitely work out.
Before starting your business, consult with experts in terms of bookkeeping and turnover accounting. This will be very helpful.
It is imperative to purchase exhibition samples of the proposed goods. Then the client will be able to see everything clearly, and you won’t have to tell everything “on your fingers”. The presence of samples encourages the client to cooperate with you.
Don't start a business with friends you don't want to lose. My example alone proves that conflicts and grievances are inevitable. They can happen on any issue. Money and friendship should exist separately.
There is no need to spontaneously throw yourself into the pool of your ideas, sit down and calmly calculate your planned income, take into account possible expenses. Create a business plan.
Work with two or three suppliers. This makes it easier to monitor prices, control the availability of goods in the warehouse and conduct purchases. Plus, the supplier may increase the discount for large quantities.