General Cleaning Issues - Floorcare, car valeting, buying and selling businesses, pricing, staffing, market research, etc.
Just an observationPosted by Happyeater (Happyeater), 23 January 2004
British site don't seem to be as helpful, open and informative as the US based sites which support, share and encourage each other much more. Is it because we are much closer geographically therefore see each other as potential competitors?
Or, am I talking rubbish? 
Posted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 23 January 2004
Hi Happyeater
If you look through all the old posts on this site i think you will find that their is loads of help here 
StevePosted by DP (DP), 23 January 2004
There is a broad base of resistance across many industries if you compare them to the assistance in the states. I believe that it might be a geographical thing as you say.
However few people will be ready to surrender many years of costly experience or information to a new start up without them making some effort themselves. I had one email from this forum asking "how do you start a cleaning business?" how do you answer that when they wont even express any effort in the question.
By comparison in the states it is not uncommon for individuals to be openly invited to spend as much time as they want with companies showing them the ropes of their particular trade with no conditions and without threat or cost as a gesture.
So perhaps there is a cultural difference as well here. In fairness this forum goes a long way to bridging the gap by the good nature of the people who post and advise in this particular industry.
I like others here will help anybody who is trying to help themselves, but I personally draw the line at handing my business over on a plate to somebody who can’t be bothered to make the effort themselves, life isn’t that simple.
Not sure we will ever reach the level of assistance they enjoy in the states, but in the UK this must be one of the most helpful forums there is.Posted by petra (petra), 23 January 2004
I thought that most of us are helpfull.
PetraPosted by Clean_Waterless (Clean_Waterless), 24 January 2004
You both are quite right.
I think the attitude of the Americans in business is completely different. I don,t think it has too much to do with georaphy, I think it is a cultural need to get on.
On the whole they are more aggressive and open about their business. They are boastful and failure is a temporary set back.
We British on the other hand are more protective. God forbid we should share our secrets or ideas just in case someone might benefit. DP you are right about handing something on a plate but in alot of cases, even if you put brass bells on it, it would not have much of an effect.
I think the British can be envious of others success. I made a comment on this site about under achieving and was chastised severely because I happened to respond as DP did, about failure through attitude.
It is the attitude that differentiates success from failure, I think!
I tend to admire people that succeed. I try to learn from them rather than try to make up excuses why I should not be like them as do so many British people.
Don't get me wrong, I do not say we are all like that, but I do get a feeling more often than not, that some of us lack that killer edge our Americans friends are criticized for!
This forum is by far one of the best and long may it last!!
A pet subject as you might of guessed.
GaryPosted by p_and_j_cleaning (p_and_j_cleaning), 24 January 2004
THIS IS THE BEST FORUM THERE IS, WITHOUT IT AND ITS MEMBERS I WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE OUT AND STARTED ON MY OWN.
A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL PETE
ANY FORUM IS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS MEMBERS AND THERE INPUT, AS IS SO OFTEN SAID THERE ARE MORE WINDOWS THAN WINDOW CLEANERS, SO LETS GET TOGETHER ON FORUMS AND HELP EACH OTHER, WE ALL NEED A HAND AT SOME POINTPosted by Happyeater (Happyeater), 25 January 2004
I agree that this forum is helpful in its way. I just think our US cousins are much more so. There are get togethers etc.
I tried about 5 yrs ago to set up a 'network' of independent commercial cleaning companies, like minded who wish to pool together and go for the multi regional or even national business. There was a distinct lack of interest, although I didn't have the internet then to have as many opportunities to speak to people. The US forums are doing this as multi state co-operatives. They have lots of interest in it.
Even our profiles / locations are not advertised in the same way, thats why I wondered if it was a competitive, geographical issue.Posted by cleaningbloke (cleaningbloke), 7 February 2004
I tried to give away for free - no commision or anything a carpet cleaning job that was too far away. All I got was suspicon and fear.
I would love to form some kind of network with other small cleaning firms with the intenion of mutual help with staffing and other forms of practical help for jobs that are too big for 2one man band"s or distance prevents growth. Think about it you could still maintain your independance but be part of a happy prosperous band of brothers!
(beep beep) Oh that must be my alarm clock I think I just nodded off, nice dream though!Posted by Old_Master (Old_Master), 11 February 2004
My experiance is the Americans are far more specialised in their field of work. An example being businesses in the USA that will only clean wooden decking others that will only clean shop awnings, yet others that only clean driveways. Therefore they will help others in general cleaning questions hoping they will not tread on their toes. In the UK everybody wants to be an expert in every field of cleaning.
If you look at waterfed pole systems in the USA their are five times more window cleaners but only two manufacturers of waterfed pole systems Tucker and Aquaclean (Ettore) and this is after 40 years!
I bought the Original Omnico Inc an American company back in 1998 and spent thousands ££ developing Poles, baffled tanks, Omnitrolley and promoting the concept now there are dozens of companies set up, many whom I helped by giving them advice on systems they are now my competitors! I am not sure what the moral of this story is! Posted by Les (Les), 11 February 2004
Moral of your story.....
"He who has long pole can afford to be generous" 
Posted by Old_Master (Old_Master), 11 February 2004
Thanks 
its all true
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