Billings window washer builds trust transparently

By ZACH BENOIT
For Billings Business
In the past year, Tony McCoy has moved up in the world.

In December 2006, he spent his days as a counselor at Bitterroot Elementary and his weekends and summers washing windows for friends around town. By January 2007, McCoy had quit his counseling job to focus on Big Sky Glass Cleaning, his window washing business, going up as high as 50 feet to ensure his customers had clean, sparkling windows.

"My wife told me I was crazy because I quit in the middle of winter to start a window washing business," McCoy said. "But I decided it's time to take care of my family."

McCoy said Big Sky Glass Cleaning has plenty of business. He, along with another full-time employee, washes windows at as many as five buildings every day, most of which are homes, and works year-round. Spring and fall are the busiest times of year, when homeowners are busy cleaning their homes from the previous season. In the winter months - when the demand for clean home windows slows down - the business will help clean and prepare windows for new construction projects.
Having spent most of career working with people - children in particular - McCoy happened upon the opportunity to wash windows full time by chance. Another window washer, Window Magician owner John Shortridge, had passed away and McCoy received a call from one of Shortridge's clients asking if he had taken over the business.

McCoy had not heard of the Window Magician but called the business. He spoke with Shortridge's widow and soon he and his wife had a business meeting with her.

"The biggest thing was that she didn't really care about the money," McCoy said of acquiring the Window Magician's business. "She just wanted somebody her husband's customers could trust."

Soon, McCoy had a list of about 120 new clients. In proving that he was trustworthy, McCoy worked out a deal in which the widow receives a portion of the profits from her husband's contacts. He now strives to prove to clients old and new that he can be trusted.

"I want to emphasize how thankful I am for what I got from John," McCoy said. "Customers liked him. He loved the Lord, loved his family and loved his work. That's what I want to do."

To contact Big Sky Glass Cleaning, call 672-9681.

Published on Tuesday, September 11, 2007.
Last modified on 9/11/2007 at 12:36 am