[steven_k]

does anyone no when christmas rush starts as we are not busy with carpet cleaning 1 bit

[daysdeepclean]

I'm getting a job a day at the moment.... Be patient, when it starts we won't know what's hit us (I hope!)

[fenclean]

Didn't start here last year at all.

[from edge2edge]

Where

[M.Acorn]

Got a few quotes booked,another job for American forces on Wed, 1 room plus quote for the rest of their house,back to do the other Americans  i did a few weeks back,after they were burgled..

Not too bad at mo,need to start putting some buy for my tax bill though,and my xmas hol in Dam !

[Peter Blackburn]

Hi Guys,

I don’t want to put a damper on things, but anyone who has been in this business for 10+ years will tell you that the Christmas rush is unfortunately a thing of the past. It peaked around 2003 then died a rapid death upto now.

Prior to 2003, it always used to start about the beginning week of December and by the time you hit the 15th the phone went into melt down, it was manic but I loved it. Happy days
Over the years December has gone from being one of my best months to one of the worst. Very strange.

Late summer is when you are at your full earning potential (July - August).

Regards
Pete 

[clinton]

You could be right peter and must say the summer months and even october was a good time for me.

Am still busy in xmas but they are my regulars and recs but as you said the new calls will be few than they were years ago.

[John Kelly]

I agree with Peter, 10-15 years ago it was manic and you were working till 9 at night. You had to to make the money as it died a death in January, February and March. However now it seems to have evened out. Most people are a little bit busier around now but also Jan-March are pretty steady as well.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Sometimes you forget how bad it was in January but the work has to come from somewhere and the make weight is probably Nov Dec, I am usually nearly full upto the new year this time of year but I have plenty of room, I have alot in December as I have the usually suspects there but that only accounts for half of the month.

Looking forward to Xmas this year as my son wants a Play Station 3 for Xmas and I told Santa he'd been very very good this year and could he have some games also.

Shaun

[markpowell]

Take it no-one has dug out last 3 years diary's and rung all the customers to see if they want any work done, got 9 days with 3 jobs per day already.
"Do nothing expect nothing"
Mark

[John Kelly]

Mark, you mean you haven't got software that does all that for you

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Done the ones I want to re booked in and ready to go, I hate it when I get too full as recommends and other old customers go elsewhere and also you can get some big jobs around Xmas.

Shaun

[derek west]

saving my database for jan feb, with discounts. think i'll go for busy fool in jan feb. too busy now so pointless doing it now.
ive learnt more on marketting in the last 3 weeks than since i started, really starting to believe in my marketting abilities now instead of just my carpet cleaning abilities.

its time to kick asss and chew gum, an i'm all out of gum

game on

derek

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Spot on Derek, marketing is all about timing, get them out so they drop early January first Monday back because that's when they are in the 'to do' mode, if you really want to be efficient send them a follow up letter a month later and you'll be surprised at the 'meant to call you' brigade.

Shaun

[carpet_care]

I still find xmas to be the busiest time of the year from just after bombfire night to 23rd december allways busy for me, but did hit a peak in 2005 where i could of virtually worked around the clock .

 In those days i would end up knocking more back than i did and that was with a full time helper  

 I still have plenty of work with all my regulars and recs but find it is the new work from advertising which has slowed right down.

 However still managing to fill my days at least 8 am to 6pm ,6 days a week but need to as i have a big tax bill to pay in january  


 Regards Andy Locke.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

That's just it Andy Xmas used to make enough to see you through the Taxwoman and Jan.

Shaun

[colin thomas]

is it only me then who looks foreward to a quiet jan? mostly busy all year so jan is my rest time, wet, cold and miserable outside so it's nice to sit in and relax, mind you that didn't happen last year, was busy from the word go,     

colin

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Colin

Couldn't agree more. Lots of lie-ins and lazy mornings. I often pretend to be on holiday for the first couple of weeks of january so that when I do get properly back to work I have full days of work in the diary rather than loading the van and going out to do just one small job.

Marvellous

Roger.

[Dave_Lee]

November and December have always been the busiest months for me over 30 years, and its looking no different this year. Except that I am trying not to work evenings and Sundays like I usually end up doing.
Dave.

[COLIN BRIGHT]

so far i am up on last year and November has been very busy, but had a crap december last year...........only took £2500  but Jan and Feb were brilliant....dont know what this year will bring but looking very good so far