[CATMAN]

You fellas who say you present a professional image are right in your approach, but some people you just carn't please.

Went to do a carpet clean on Friday, for an insurance company. Lady wants new carpet. We told here we've been instructed to clean it. She moans it will take THREE days to dry. Sorry missus the carpet is almost dry before we leave. Set up our machine, hoses, etc. Lady says your not cleaning my carpet with that machine, it's been cleaning other peoples carpets and will contaminate mine. Had enough of this one, equipment away, just getting ready togo, when she comes down the drive, and says you carn't be professional carpet cleaners with that machine it's too big (450PSI ninja), my daughter has her carpets cleaned by a bloke with a much smaller machine, thats round. Oh we ask and what type of machine might that be. I'm not sure but it has got a big smily face on it! It's a george!

Best laugh we have had in ages, rolling round laughing.

I would like to call this chap with George my competition but christ what dis-service he is doing to himself. Probably spends more time filling the bloody thing up.

[Dave_Lee]

Sorry Dave, maybe you got part of the meaning in my last post slightly wrong. I wasnt commenting on you being a threat. I can only speak for myself, but Glynn and I have worked this area for the last 25 & 24 years respectfully and certainly for at least the last 20 years have not been a threat to each other, as were are both that well established, with our own group of loyal clients, that are the mainstay of our work. We have both seen many cleaners come and go in that time - nearly all a lot cheaper than either of us. Cheap, brings you customers - customers like Ive been getting rid of the last three years, and nearly all weeded out now.
Glad to hear you are dramitally increasing your prices though - I did exactly the same thing two years ago, and the majority of my loyal band are still using me. I just regret going so long, too cheap.
Now- one happy chappy.
Dave.

[John_Flynn]

If he is cleaning your bedroom at the nursing home when I visit you Dave, I'll let his Tyres down.

[Dave_Lee]

I always knew I could rely on you john - but dont kid yourself if Im still around in 24 years time and in a nursing home - you may not have far to come.
Dave, if you do come to clean my carpets then, you wont charge me too much, will you?
Dave.

[Dave_Lee]

Dave,
Damn, you beat me to it!
Dave.

[John_Flynn]

No chance of me been in the next room to Dave in the Nursing Home, 'The Good Die Young'!!

[Dynafoam]

John,

How come I'm still around then?

John.

[Len Gribble]

Dave at adl

I fully understand your enthusiasm embarking on a new venture; commercial contracts, I don’t wont to teach any one to suck eggs, but reading your post you are more or less putting all your eggs in one basket this is suicidal, expressly in the commercial sector, but I here you say I have a signed contracts, my reply hang it on the wash room wall.

I do wish you all the best.

Len

[Glynn]

Dave at ADL,
Just a little suggestion, as one experienced businessman to a young fledgling, it is not good practice to insult and be-little  one of your associates , in the manner that I have witnessed tonight on this board.

If you are serious about joining this industry as a full time professional carpet and upholstery cleaner, you have made the first step in the right direction,by purchasing and committng yourself to large amounts of money on pro eqipment, however your attitude towards other local CCs is somewhat disrespectful. You put yourself over as one who knows all, yet even I am still learning after 25 years !

Dave Lee from DeepClean and myself have operated in the same local area for 20 plus years, without causing each other any harm, and will carry on doing so in the foreseable future and if you do end up cleaning Dave's retirement room carpets , he would STILL be supplying you with cleaning tips on how to do it properly.
Lets get on together  (professionally) without dissin each other , for you can learn from all.

regards glynn

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Dave will be like a new man with his new bionic legs!

Run Forest run  

Shaun  

[Len Gribble]

Dave at adl

Reading your last post Your words “Yeah I no what you mean” I have a name so why not reply to me on this post but this sorry I don’t believe you 400 nursing homes up and down the county as well as known high street shop every 3 months etc within 6 mouths of starting your business. And VAT register I like your enthusiasm but don’t give us BS

Len

[Zach]

Hi,

Totally new to the industry, but I found this message thread very interesting.

It seems that the argument about price vs value also rages on in this industry - as it does in others.
I appreciate that I am new to this particluar industry, but I firmly believe that value (as seen from the customers perspective) is almost completely unrelated to price.

I would expect that the customer would be looking primarily to having their issues and concerns regarding the proposed job sorted out.

eg: If a carpet cleaner was called in to examine a potential job, and it was clear upon questioning the customer that their main worry was that nasty looking stain near the entrance. Then I propose that even if the whole area was cleaned to a so-so but acceptable standard - but if the stain was totally gone - that the customer would be elated with the whole job.

However, if the entire house had been cleaned to clinical standards, but if the stain remained - even partially, that the customer would be less impressed with the final result.

When customers receive what they believe to be more than they expected, through both the work carried out as well as the entire process pre and post the job, then they see value.

So, if you people are equally good at the job. Use the same equipment and chemicals etc and end up with the same visible result, I still suspect that the customer will decide that the 'better or even much better job' was performed by the cc that treated them with diginity and listened carefully to what their real concerns were.
The other cc, though equally good at going the job, may not have made as much effort with his 'customer care' and therefore may end up penalised in the customers mind - or even deemed not as professional.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts regarding this difficult issue.
BTW: Thanks for this great place. I have spent hours reading and learning much from all your contributions. One day I hope to be able to add to the knowledge.

[Derek]

Zach

Welcome to the Forum...a good first post.

You are absolutely correct as to a customer's expectations but there is one crutial ommission... that seriously offending stain may well have been tackled by the customer, long before the cleaner has been called in, with everything beneath the kitchen sink plus what could have been borrowed form neighbours and friends.

The carpet cleaner is usually called in as a last resort, expected to wave the magic wand so that the nasty stain will go away.

In the 'real world' the job of the professional cleaner is to discuss the matter with the customer and carefully explain the differences between their expectation and reality.

Cheers
Derek

[Zach]

Thanks for the reply Derek.

Yes, I agree that the customer would probably have followed that route before calling in a pro. However, as you say, depending on expectations created after discussing with the customer - value can still be built in to the process.

People generally don't expect miracles in this day and age and those that do are possibly exptecting beyond reasonable expectation.

I'd assume that anyone that comes across a customer that demands that a miracle takes place would explain the reality of the matter and then back away - instead of continuining and making the unreasonable problem theirs - as opposed to the customers.

I personally see no reason to take on someone elses problem if it will remain a problem. Though it may seem a nice thing to do at the time, I'm sure that I would then be branded as the bloke that 'destroyed' the carpet - even though they would have done that all by themselves.

Of course I am new to this industry so I may be in for a rude shock.

[Dynafoam]

Zach,

Notwithstanding Dereks' comments, you are starting out with the right approach.

When I was using a TM, one thing I missed was the relaxed chat in the kitchen whilst waiting for a bucket to fill. This was the time when I relaxed a new customer and caught up on news with  the long-tem customers.
Also at this time I explored the customers' concerns before doing a 'walk-through' of the job.

It is innitially surprising how many times you can walk into a room, and your eye goes strait to a particular stain, only to have the customer say "Don't bother about that, it always has a rug on top - now this one under the sofa....." .

Naturally I will attempt to remove all stains but knowing the customers' priority concerns can be the first step in achieving the highest level of customer satisfaction. Where time is an issue matching your own priorities to those of the customer is definately the way to go - if another issue requires more time you can always tell the customer that you will devote more time to it on the next visit.

John.

[Zach]

Hi Dynafoam,

Your comments are very interesting to me from the following perspective - please correct me where my asumptions are off the mark.

I gather that using a Truck Mount ensures better power, quicker set up times etc as its only the hose that has to be reeled back in etc.
I also gather, possibly incorrectly, that several TM users use the added power of the TM to short circuit things like pre-vacuuming due to the power available etc. Like I said I may be labouring under an illusion so no offense intended to any TM users.

The drawback of the added speed, as you say, is that the one2one with the customer may take a bit of a knock. I suspect that 'value for money' from the customers perspective includes the idea that they get plenty attention for their pound - including the chat, the careful working with their investment (ie: carpets or upholstery).

I suspect that the concept of speed is more relevant to the cleaner rather than the person paying for it. Unless of course the selling point is that speed is of the essence and that's what the customer bought into originally.

I realise that I appear to be belabouring this issue, but I figure that the customers perspective of the job to be / being carried out is even more important than the job being done itself - if that makes sense.

[Dynafoam]

Hi Zach,

I personally found that the set-up times for TMs were at best similar and sometimes worse than for a portable, dependant on the level of acess problems.

Some will argue that only the hose needs to go in but I strongly dissagree with the attitude that pre-vac'ing, agitation etc can be ignored regardless of the machine at the end of the hose.

The negative aspect of bucket-filling, I convert to a positive by creating a slightly diferent atmosphere to that which exists once the clean commences. When the 'kitchen time' is removed from the equasion the same discussions take place during the walk-through with the customer, but in a subtlely different atmosphere.

The time taken to complete the job has no real influence on the discussion because it take place before the clean begins.

John.

PS. to avoid the software putting in 'dissagreeumption', you need to write "m y a ssumption" or " my asumption"

[Dave_Lee]

Zach,
Just a quick point, especially with your reference to stains that may not come out, leading to a dissapointed client even though the rest of the carpet came up well. If you are entirely honest during the pre clean discussion or Audit/ Quote, qualified the client that the stain may not come out due to its nature, as I do, then the client will still be delighted with any improvement made. Clients are dissapointed when you over sell and under perform. If you take the stance of slightly under selling and then over performing, you will always (well nearly always) get delighted clients.
Dave.