Pages: 1 2 3 [All]

Neil Williams

Where's the work gone
« on: January 11, 2010, 05:50:37 pm »
Come on let's be honest with each other, how many others are wondering where has all the work gone?
Even allowing for the snow element, my web hits continue at an average of 60 per day (on the main site only) but for weeks there hasn't even been a speculative e-mail about 'How much would it cost for.....'
Today over 100 letters went out to previous customers which should give some return but the new business is stone dead.
I've even managed to saturate the front page of Carpet Cleaning Basingstoke with 5 sites on the first page, 2 of the sites are on adwords and I have top spot on the google maps element.
Logged

fresh

  • Posts: 117
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2010, 06:16:57 pm »
same dead at min
Logged

Henry Roberts

  • Posts: 84
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2010, 06:23:10 pm »
Also dead for me here in West Wales other that a few Bursts. No carpet cleaning ???
Can only think that custys are waiting for better weather??
Henry
Logged

Jim_77

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2010, 06:23:43 pm »
Don't worry mate, it'll turn around.  We've all been through it before and it always comes good.  That's the great thing about dirt, it is our lifeblood and will always be with us :)

It is frightening though, you just have to keep the faith and keep the marketing going.  This spring could be very busy ;)
Logged

Ian Rochester

  • Posts: 2588
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2010, 06:24:40 pm »
Think, would you be looking to get your carpets cleaned when the weather is like this outside?
Logged

fresh

  • Posts: 117
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2010, 06:34:17 pm »
fingers crossed  ;)
Logged

Neil Williams

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2010, 06:40:33 pm »
Well on the plus side, I took over the kitchen this afternoon and put together all the bits and pieces to create my auto dump box. Testing happens tomorrow when all the sealants and glues have set.
So all I need now is a quick thaw and some flood jobs and I'll be laughing.

But yes I can fully understand with all the gardens and paths etc still under inches of snow, the last thing on peoples minds is "I'd best get the carpets cleaned."
Logged

carpet_care

  • Posts: 185
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2010, 06:47:21 pm »
You wont get many people getting carpets cleaned in this weather its a fact.  

 I finished early today and said to the wife I will clean ours while its quite to which she replied calnt you wait until the snow has cleared .

  Most people will be of the same mindset unless its an emergency , I for one have taken 75% less than the start of january last year and know it is down to the weather.

 Luckily I had my best November / December ever so not panacking.


  Regards Andy Locke.
Logged

JandS

  • Posts: 4236
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2010, 06:51:52 pm »
Full day tomorrow and half day Wednesday and that's it till next Monday.
First job of year wasn't till Saturday and was a pain, they hadn't moved
a flake of snow from their path since it started.

John
Logged
Impossible done straight away, miracles can take a little longer.

Colin Day

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2010, 07:04:02 pm »
I've got last weeks work to do this week then that's it.... But they're all jobs for friends and family!

A £32k job in the Falklands is looking attractive all of a sudden, but like Jim says, it all comes good in the end!!!!
Logged

Peter Sweeney

  • Posts: 534
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2010, 07:05:54 pm »
Quote from: Colin Day on January 11, 2010, 07:04:02 pm
I've got last weeks work to do this week then that's it.... But they're all jobs for friends and family!

A £32k job in the Falklands is looking attractive all of a sudden, but like Jim says, it all comes good in the end!!!!

Blimey Colin, thats one big carpet or a helluv an oven  ;D
Logged

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2010, 07:09:06 pm »
Build your business up and £32k a year in another cold country won't look as appealing especially when they cancel the contract after 18 months or so and you try starting your cleaning company again you'll have spent your money and then go back to day 1 again earning nowt.

Shaun
Logged

Peter Sweeney

  • Posts: 534
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2010, 07:09:54 pm »
I completely agree with Andy, You won't get much in these conditions but what should follow is relative rush.

Just think of the state alot of people's carpets will be in.

Get your accounts up to date, do some mailers, make some calls, organise your office, service your equipment etc etc. thats what I've been doing (oh and sorting out something else that someone reminded me about)

Pete
Logged

D Ingram

  • Posts: 121
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2010, 07:10:07 pm »
I was thinking of taking up mugging but with all this snow about I'm bound to slip over and brake a bone or two :'(
Logged
Dave Ingram

paul moss

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2010, 07:14:04 pm »
Quote from: carpet_care on January 11, 2010, 06:47:21 pm
You wont get many people getting carpets cleaned in this weather its a fact.  

 I finished early today and said to the wife I will clean ours while its quite to which she replied calnt you wait until the snow has cleared .

  Most people will be of the same mindset unless its an emergency , I for one have taken 75% less than the start of january last year and know it is down to the weather.

 Luckily I had my best November / December ever so not panacking.


  Regards Andy Locke.

Andy thats not bad in your second year of trading. ;D
Logged

paul moss

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #15 on: January 11, 2010, 07:14:55 pm »
 (oh and sorting out something else that someone reminded me about)

Pete, its getting boring now.
Logged

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2010, 07:16:33 pm »
Dave they probably follow your foot prints to your home.

Shaun
Logged

Steve. Taylor

  • Posts: 1036
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #17 on: January 11, 2010, 07:18:47 pm »
Credit card bills for a lot of people end of the month, paying for christmas, weather crap
I find january always a bit slow come feb things start to pick up until the kids break up for 6 weeks and then people start to think holiday thats how it goes for me most years
Logged
Steve T       All the gear but no idea!
www.leatherrepairsouthampton.co.uk

garyfindlay

  • Posts: 788
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #18 on: January 11, 2010, 07:22:55 pm »
I`ve had a couple of calls cancelling jobs, with the reason being "not much point cleaning carpets in this weather". Hopefully with all the slush gone it will make people want to get cleaning top of their priorities.
Logged

Joe H

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2010, 07:34:34 pm »
Whilst we have been sat around last week stuck in with no pay, so have many potential clients been stuck in and many probably with no pay. That may affect thiings at the end of the day - I wonder.
Logged

garyfindlay

  • Posts: 788
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #20 on: January 11, 2010, 07:45:34 pm »
Always the optimist Joe, or is it the realist ;D
Logged

carpet_care

  • Posts: 185
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #21 on: January 11, 2010, 08:00:37 pm »
Cheeky bugger paul  ;) ;D 16 years for me now oh what joy its been ::)


 Andy Locke.
Logged

sherco

  • Posts: 1041
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #22 on: January 11, 2010, 08:05:55 pm »
Got four bathroom to tile so im sorted for a couple of weeks, but floor cleaning a bit slow due to the weather.
Logged
Natural stone floor restoration service.
Natural stone fixing and repairs.
www.poshstonefloors.co.uk

Colin Day

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #23 on: January 11, 2010, 08:08:16 pm »
Quote from: Shaun_Ashmore on January 11, 2010, 07:09:06 pm
Build your business up and £32k a year in another cold country won't look as appealing especially when they cancel the contract after 18 months or so and you try starting your cleaning company again you'll have spent your money and then go back to day 1 again earning nowt.

Shaun

I posted something last year after I was offered another job (Aircraft Technician) and all the guys on CIU told me to forget it back then. It was a tongue in cheek statement because I'm determined to stick at it and make it a success!!!!!
Logged

paul moss

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #24 on: January 11, 2010, 08:08:33 pm »
Quote from: carpet_care on January 11, 2010, 08:00:37 pm
Cheeky bugger paul  ;) ;D 16 years for me now oh what joy its been ::)


 Andy Locke.

Billy told me it was only 16 months. :D
Logged

carpet_care

  • Posts: 185
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #25 on: January 11, 2010, 08:32:29 pm »
No paul you got mixed up its 16 months since Billy stopped batting for the other side :P :-*
Logged

Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)

  • Posts: 2024
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #26 on: January 11, 2010, 08:48:10 pm »
Good steady stream of enquiries coming in  and being converted; and between me and the client agreeing that I would phone back once the thaw had set in to sort out a mutually acceptable date. It obviously makes sense if i take responsibility for ringing back-that way it'll actually happen.

Did a minger yesterday on Sunday. Big Victorian semi: the attic carpets hadn't been cleaned for absolutely ages. So long since i wielded a wand I thought I'd forgotten how to use it. I kept thinking "I hope this guy knows what he's doing!"

And I felt so tired all the time. I felt just like I did when I was being forced to do homework at school. I would try and think of anything else to do. No real incentive to finish. Still the lady of the house seemed absolutely thrilled. But the payment for the job was virtually nothing. Wondered why I ever agreed to do the job on a Sunday and wished I'd never started it.




But that's how it is when you come to clean your own carpets ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Logged
Diplomacy: the art of letting other people have your way

paul moss

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #27 on: January 11, 2010, 08:59:36 pm »
Quote from: paul moss on January 11, 2010, 08:08:33 pm
Quote from: carpet_care on January 11, 2010, 08:00:37 pm
Cheeky bugger paul  ;) ;D 16 years for me now oh what joy its been ::)


 Andy Locke.

Billy told me it was only 16 months. :D
Andy, Billy  has only just got back from Cuba, but with moving house he is not on the internet till 11th Jan.
So I have just put all his gear up for sale on Truckmounters ;D Get over there and make a bid. ;)
Logged

Ian Rochester

  • Posts: 2588
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #28 on: January 11, 2010, 09:15:28 pm »
The work will come in, we've booked in 4 jobs today, only one was carpets though, others were two leather jobs and a flood job. 
Logged

Peter Sweeney

  • Posts: 534
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #29 on: January 11, 2010, 09:19:07 pm »
Roger, as always, you are a ray of sunshine.
Logged

richie

  • Posts: 1179
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #30 on: January 11, 2010, 09:20:41 pm »
Commercial work is none stop.  2 of us were due to go to swansea today to clean night club carpets.....6am just about to set off & the phone rang.  I ended up going to Swansea on my own whilst Chris went to London.  Domestics are dead though.

Richie.
Logged

Doug Holloway

  • Posts: 3917
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #31 on: January 11, 2010, 09:30:08 pm »
Hi Guys

I too have picked up a couple of nice City jobs but domestic is quiet although at least I can get out again.

You have to be realistic, it's January, it's cold, there's snow everywhere, not many are going to want their lounge carpet cleaning BUT on the bright side think of all that muck thats being walked in, roll on the good times!

Cheers

Doug
Logged

robert meldrum

  • Posts: 1984
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #32 on: January 11, 2010, 10:19:36 pm »
I was in my Bank a couple of days ago and the carpets were filthy with the salt / grit being walked in. I mentioned they'd need cleaning as soon as the weather improved and have been asked to give a price for the work.
 
There must be loads of buildings in a similar state.

Get round and about and sell your service before they get their " cleaner " to have a go.

Might be a good time to look at the possibility of supplying - with maintenance cleaning - entrance walk off mats.
Logged

Roger Koh

  • Posts: 374
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #33 on: January 12, 2010, 02:36:13 am »
When the weather reaches the coldest, it is also the right time to "snow clean" your orientals traditionally.

Roger Koh
Master Textile Cleaner - IICRC #942
Logged

clinton

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #34 on: January 12, 2010, 08:56:34 am »
Things will pick up next week when the snow all goes.

Guess its going to be cleaning all the slush thats been troden in over these last few weeks.
Logged

Mike_Roper

  • Posts: 241
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #35 on: January 12, 2010, 10:53:41 am »
Robert made a good observation that I have noticed in public buildings- walkways white with walked in salt from gritting.
In readiness whats the best way to clean this ?
What products would you use / avoid?
Mike
Logged

carpetworx

  • Posts: 271
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #36 on: January 12, 2010, 12:44:04 pm »
Don't any of you guys do schools this time of year?
Logged

Colin Day

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #37 on: January 12, 2010, 12:49:01 pm »
Quote from: carpetworx on January 12, 2010, 12:44:04 pm
Don't any of you guys do schools this time of year?

No, usually Summer time for me!!!
Logged

carpetworx

  • Posts: 271
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #38 on: January 12, 2010, 01:14:25 pm »
Well it's summer here too, but some also get us in at winter hols for a spruce up i.e staff rooms and admin areas etc.

Give them a call, you never know. ;)
Logged

Peter Blackburn

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #39 on: January 12, 2010, 02:53:23 pm »
Before Christmas I got a burgundy red leather three piece suite to re-spray and rejuvenate. I took the two arm chairs away first and left them with the two seater to sit on while I got on with the chairs in my workshop.

Returned the two chairs just before Christmas and collected the two seater to do over Christmas. Didn’t touch it over Christmas but realised I needed to pull my finger out today and get it sorted and delivered this week.
Got the existing bottle of red from the cupboard this morning and was surprised to find more paint in it than expected!
Got on with the job and couldn't help thinking the paint looked a little brighter than normal, but realised that it would darken as it dried as it normally does........... It didn't.

Looked at bottle - AB 3 (Antique Base 3)! >:( Had sprayed the whole thing with the wrong red!
Found the original burgundy paint bottle in workshop which was virtually empty. ::)

Re-ordered paint now, stripped all my hard work off the sofa ready for another attempt on Thursday!

Regards
Peter
Logged

M.Acorn

  • Posts: 7223
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #40 on: January 12, 2010, 04:26:37 pm »
Better than expected here ! Took Monday off to go to Sidcup,to get my van sorted 180 mile round trip,Kent got some bad snow,all done now ,phew !
Did a 3 bed today,and a red wine removal,which came out with just red rx,as in no heat.and a set of stairs,son back from uni,and didn`t reach the toilet in time,when he had had a skinfull !
2 jobs for estate agy tomorrow,done a few quotes,got a couple just waiting to confirm day,so all in all a good start.
Logged
What goes around comes around

james roffey

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #41 on: January 12, 2010, 05:01:04 pm »
Im glad its not just me then i had one job last week a cooking oil spillage and thats been it for this year lucky for me December was very good so put it all in the bank.
Logged

Michael Smallwood

  • Posts: 134
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #42 on: January 13, 2010, 12:05:46 am »
I have just had a job today cleaning a beer spillage in a Golf club changing room - it was a barrel that had been spilled - if they had called 2 days sooner before the beer had dried it would have been much easier and I could have extracted it without a machine.  :P

That aside it has been quite.

Mike
Logged
Mike Smallwood

www.mascleaning.com

Colin Day

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #43 on: January 13, 2010, 08:25:25 am »
Quote from: mentall on January 13, 2010, 12:05:46 am
I have just had a job today cleaning a beer spillage in a Golf club changing room - it was a barrel that had been spilled - if they had called 2 days sooner before the beer had dried it would have been much easier and I could have extracted it without a machine.  :P

That aside it has been quite.

Mike

Hic..... ;D
Logged

jsm

  • Posts: 558
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #44 on: January 13, 2010, 03:39:39 pm »
quite here but with all the snow im glad - waitng for the mad rush - but when it clears , then we got 3 weeks of window cleaning to try and somehow do .... !!

Logged
John Malone
JSM. Window & General Cleaning
(  North Wales  )
Giving homes a shine sicne 1989

one of the early gang of wfp er's ---- remember , when you cant see out - give JSM a shout

The Great One

  • Posts: 11783
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #45 on: January 13, 2010, 04:34:29 pm »
Hi

Just finished a clean and paint and starting another one tomorrow (3 bed house)

got to say that my dec and jan have been busier than normal but that is from marketing a few months back and getting 3 new clients (LA's)

Regards

Martin 8)
Logged

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #46 on: January 13, 2010, 04:44:11 pm »
Got the work just can't get out, the snow has turned to thick black ice and it's getting worse.

Shaun
Logged

Neil Williams

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #47 on: January 13, 2010, 05:21:30 pm »
Quote from: martin_606 on January 13, 2010, 04:34:29 pm
but that is from marketing a few months back and getting 3 new clients (LA's)

Martin, can I ask what is your marketing based on? Repeat customers, cold calling, leaflets, via web site, publications.

Quote from: Shaun_Ashmore on January 13, 2010, 04:44:11 pm
Got the work just can't get out,

Shaun, same questions as above
Logged

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #48 on: January 13, 2010, 05:36:28 pm »
Old custies mostly and web.

Shaun
Logged

paul moss

Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #49 on: January 13, 2010, 06:52:26 pm »
Snowed in again today :'( :'( :'( Up at 7.30 with the spade but to no avail. Had to cancel work yet again. I have now booked all domestic work from Monday.
Had another 3 flood jobs today and have managed to secure them for tomorrow and Fri with the builders going in to do the prep work ready for m to dry them out.

Next week will be a better week. Fingers crossed ;D
Logged

The Great One

  • Posts: 11783
Re: Where's the work gone
« Reply #50 on: January 13, 2010, 08:46:56 pm »
Quote from: Neil Williams on January 13, 2010, 05:21:30 pm
Quote from: martin_606 on January 13, 2010, 04:34:29 pm
but that is from marketing a few months back and getting 3 new clients (LA's)

Martin, can I ask what is your marketing based on? Repeat customers, cold calling, leaflets, via web site, publications.

Quote from: Shaun_Ashmore on January 13, 2010, 04:44:11 pm
Got the work just can't get out,

Shaun, same questions as above

Mine is direct Marketing.

Martin 8)
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 [All]