[robert stubbs]

Just curious as to cleaners procedure from arrival at a customers premises to set up, through to finish.(one man operation)
                                                                                                                                                     
for example, do you go to the door with equipment first or do you knock first then return with your equipment?

During a typical job how many times do you cross the threshhold, changing shoes?

Do you leave portable machine outside or take it in the house?

Do you regularly use drop sheets to protect customers carpets not being cleaned or are you just extra careful!   

regards rob










     

[Buster Ingram]

Robert there are an awfull lot of question to answer in one go, so I'll give it my best shot

A, Never, always go empty handed it looks more professional!

B, loads of times, they are intened for indoor use. (I've seen people walking to and fro  vans in overshoes)

C, Depends on the size of the house & condition of the hall carpet?

D, Yes

[Andy Hogarth]

I call with my pre printed quote sheet on a board, say how do etc. while the custy makes me a brew (usually) I get my stuff set up and crack on with the vac. I usually quote over the phone so need to do a survey on top.
I always leave machine outside
I use surf shoes and clean in my socks covered in plaggy protectors leaving the surf shoes at the door, if I need to go back to the motor the surf shoes just slip over the protective shoes (yup I'm that tight that I protect my protective boots )
I always put sheets down, on the floor and round the hose where corners are, I bought a load of neutral throws from asda when they were on offer, great for protecting corners, I'm just paranoid though as one of my first jobs took a corner of plaster off when i was in another room.

Andy

[Jim_77]

Cleaning in your socks!   

Don't you injure your feet?!

I never knock on the door with kit in my hand, I think it's good PR not to appear as if you want to get out of there as quick as you can.  I always go through the pleasantries, engage them in a bit of chat, accept a cuppa etc.  I think it helps because customers are more willing to spend with you and recommend you if they like you on a personal level.  I've even had customers trying to marry me off to their daughters!

Crossing the threshold... crikey, erm...  at least 10 times setting up and 10 packing away, plus a few in between.  With the machine outside the door, quite a few on a big job when it needs refilling/emptying and switching on and off a few times.

I don't understand the changing shoes thing at all!  I simply pop a couple of sheets down as necessary, doubling over the one inside the door if it's a wet day.  After I've finished I'll use a pair of overshoes if I need to pop back in over the hall carpet, and go back out to the door raking the carpet behind me.

When I'm doing upholstery and no carpet, I'll sheet the floor over with no shoes on, work, then take shoes off whilst removing sheets.

I always leave the machine outside unless I'm struggling for hose length, in which case it'll maybe need to stand in the hall blowing out the door for the first room, after which I'll back it outside.  That is a bit of a pain in the bum regarding water though, have to only put a bucket full in first of all to avoid a hernia lifting it outside again!

[markpowell]

Always go to the door first without kit,  wear overshoes at all times.
Mark

[colin thomas]

andy, not quite sure what 'plaggy protectors' are but if you mean over-shoes then you are supposed to put them funny enough, over your shoes, no need to clean carpets in your socks, just make sure you take them off when you go outside.
i only wear them if i am in a very fussy customers house and not cleaning all carpets, otherwise if i'm there to clean all the carpets, why bother.

colin

[Shaun_Ashmore]

The over shoes thing is good marketing as are dust sheets, corner guards are aswell but they do make customers look at their paint work after.

Shaun

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Colin I do a bit of both as they say Bullpoopbafflesbrains 

Shaun

[robert stubbs]

Some great answers,my procedure is very similar. How do most of you manage your equipment during a clean, such as ,Sprayers, Spotters,tools,Towel/cloths,etc, do you use a Waistbelt,drop-sheet or something else.

[Jim_77]

Hand kit in a bucket, towel tucked through a very handy loop in my work trousers, spotter in a trigger spray either hooked on same loop in trousers, handle of machine or placed out the way at the corner of the room.

I tend not to hang spotter bottles on my trousers much any more as the head came away from the bottle once, luckily it splattered all over a doubled-up sheet and I gathered it all up without it touching the carpet!

[Gary Webber]

Hi Robert

I Always knock first with survey sheet, you may have dragged a vacuum etc up someones drive to find they are late getting there or not in!

I Always use a pair of white indoor trainers, plain white with velcro straps, easy on-off inside a house, shows you are sympathetic to customers house. Otherwise blue shoe protectors.

Always plastic tarpaulins & drop sheets on areas not to be cleaned eg hallways, noone wants the extra job of cleaning other areas because "something" has been walked in. Again shows your professionalism.

Keep all bottles sprayers etc on drop cloth when not used, again it is showing a customer you CARE.

Remember we are all in the business to KEEP the customer, a little bit extra time & effort will enable you to do so!

Regards

Gary

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

I use a long roll of carpet which I roll out along the hallway. It's red in colour so obviously I give customers "the red carpet treatment"

[Jim_77]

Crikey never heard of that one before!

Good PR i suppose, I bet it's a talking point!

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Crikey never heard of that one before!

Good PR i suppose, I bet it's a talking point!

Sure is.

Just my scouse sense of humour

I also like winding customers up. Having cleaned their filthy plain-green carpet I go to fetch them to come and inspect the cleaned product and with my best deadpan face explain," I'm afraid your carpet has changed colour...........it's now pink and yellow with blue diamonds"!

Priceless watching their faces as the penny drops (sometimes very slowly"