Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: TomCrowther on July 17, 2011, 05:55:41 pm
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I am running a small window cleaning business {250 customers, no employees}and offer powerwashing and guttering etc too but am struggling with the boredom side of things. Adding the weather problems to the mix I was thinking of training up on the carpet cleaning.
I was wondering which training courses you guys would recommend and for those of you that have experience of wc too, is carpet cleaning a tad more intersting?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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boredom? my dad told me years ago that all jobs are boring, even a brain surgeon doesn't like monday mornings, if your earning the money, it's not boring!!
;)
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Turn it into a big window cleaning business, set yourself some targets to increase customers/turnover by x amount, thats what id do.
Theres been a couple of similar posts lately if you search back a few posts.
Training courses- NCCA and recently went on one held by Derek Bolton, picked up some great tips from him, highly reccomend
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If you're getting bored doing the same old, there is absolutely no point doing something else. YOU are the problem, not the work!
As said above, set yourself some challenges. Aim to increase your round size by a certain % by the end of the year... aim to up-sell your other services and target a % increase in them.
Sounds like you're just sitting on your ar$e festering, and to be honest if you do that in carpet cleaning you'll find it a very expensive lesson :)
I have suffered from this problem time to time. You just need to drag yourself out of it, nobody else will!
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If you're getting bored doing the same old, there is absolutely no point doing something else. YOU are the problem, not the work!
As said above, set yourself some challenges. Aim to increase your round size by a certain % by the end of the year... aim to up-sell your other services and target a % increase in them.
Sounds like you're just sitting on your ar$e festering, and to be honest if you do that in carpet cleaning you'll find it a very expensive lesson :)
I have suffered from this problem time to time. You just need to drag yourself out of it, nobody else will!
Wish I had time to get bored :)
Monday to Friday full on with the business
Weekends....party party party ;D
It is an issue when you are SE to motivate yourself from time to time and I guess you are just lacking motivation and not really bored.
I'm motivated to get work in and do it, but can get bored whilst doing the cleaning, but it's like anything in life repetitive can become boring :)
Get up tomorrow give yourself a good mental shaking and get on with it. :)
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Yes, it's one of the harder aspects of being self employed I guess :)
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Whenever you feel bored get yourself a coffee and think how much more bored you'd feel stacking shelves for about £7 an hour.
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If you are bored windying then you will get just as bored ccing, only its indoors.
You still don't get to talk to the cust that much as you are busy doing the carpet.
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Some good advice Tom. I get down sometimes with my job (Carpet and Oven Cleaning) especially when the phone's not ringing. I usually give myself a kick up the bum after a day or two and life's bliss again.
Keep positive and keep smiling mate, maybe consider carpet cleaning when you're a bit more up-beat.... :)
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With carpet cleaning I can't help feeling there is more variety than window cleaning. Different carpets, layout, stains, and of course you tend to interact with the custy a lot more.
I find carpet cleaning enjoyable, yet totally loath general cleaning which is mind numbing in my eyes, so who knows it may be something you love doing.
Another thing to consider is focussing more on building your business than cleaning windows all day. That could be where you get your kicks from instead.
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I would build your Window Cleaning Business then Branch out.
But are you the kind of person who can handle staff etc
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Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
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his names tom, he invents the business, does well and then gets bored and moves on to the next idea, hmmmmmmm could he be the next apprentice. ;D
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Maybe, I am what it says on the tin. ;)
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;D
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The vital things to keep you interested are...
1/ Try you’re hardest to be organized and tidy. I know it’s bloody hard but keeping your vehicle, kit, office and finances in order makes you feel on top of things and makes you feel better about life and your business. Let it slide and your mood and motivation will also slide.
2/ You need inspiration. Keep your eye on someone who is in the same trade who is excelling. Look at the way they are doing things, this will give you promise and a target to aim for.
3/ Keep fit and eat healthy. You will have much more strength, energy and more mental agility to think logically. Lulling about on a job spending just enough energy to get through makes you feel bogged down and tired, go at it like a steam train.
4/ Make out a realistic list of jobs to do the previous day, but make sure you do them all. Just two positive things will do.
5/ Keep yourself tidy and clean.
Matt
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The vital things to keep you interested are...
1/ Try you’re hardest to be organized and tidy. I know it’s bloody hard but keeping your vehicle, kit, office and finances in order makes you feel on top of things and makes you feel better about life and your business. Let it slide and your mood and motivation will also slide.
2/ You need inspiration. Keep your eye on someone who is in the same trade who is excelling. Look at the way they are doing things, this will give you promise and a target to aim for.
3/ Keep fit and eat healthy. You will have much more strength, energy and more mental agility to think logically. Lulling about on a job spending just enough energy to get through makes you feel bogged down and tired, go at it like a steam train.
4/ Make out a realistic list of jobs to do the previous day, but make sure you do them all. Just two positive things will do.
5/ Keep yourself tidy and clean.
Matt
Top advice.... :)
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Good post Matt
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I guess I have slipped a bit recently, will promise to try harder in future. Many thanks.
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On the Flip side
I got board with just carpet cleaning after 3/4 years its the same old same old just a few new faces, so ive decided to be a crack dealer !!
its really good the birds will just about anything for a hit and the turn over is out of this world its just the calls at 2am 3am etc etc from the smack heads who have just had a big score becomes a little bit tedious, but this is now my new add on biz so I must just go with it suppose ;D
the moral of the story Tom :o
Broaden your horizons mate, window cleaning is 1 very small part of being a specialist cleaner/restorer and if you feel you want to add something to skill set then go for it but it can be very mocho £££££ for the right type of CC gear and the right training.
try a course, wet ( pardon the pun ) your appetite 1st maybe then see how you feel but I will say that carpet cleaning can pay very well and you then are offering another service to the same client and that means more funding options or 3 family hols a year instead of just 2 maybe.
Good luck stay positive and eat your greens and DONT try to eat yellow snow no mater how interesting it looks ;D
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Carpets can be a nightmare starting off. If you don't have your area in check it can get on top of you. The amount of hoses, leads, solution lines, flexes and everything else the whole place can end up looking like a snakes wedding. The training is on going too, its not just a case of doing a one day manufacturer's own course (unless its Alltec 8) and off you go. Shrinkage, wick back, advanced stain removal and re stretching are just some of the things to consider. I was a fitter for 5 years in my early twenties and I can't believe how handy that knowledge has come in.
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Tom,
Everyone goes through this as some stage, we are all looking over the fence to see if the grass is any greener over there, you're looking over the fence into the carpet cleaners garden and if you look hard enough you will see that there are just as many brown patches as in your own! (I've been looking over the fence into Mr & Mrs Weir from Ayrshires garden and their £161M, there's was looking quite lush! :'( )
I'd personnally stick with just window cleaning for now, there is lot less in the way of outlay, less maintenance, less risk of problems, less advertising, less of everything that is bad for a business!
Of all our business diversifications, window cleaning brings in the best profit margin and the least hassle.
250 customers is a good base but not really enough to make it secure, and you will probably be able get around them all in a couple of weeks depending on the size of the properties. Set yourself an achievable target of 5 new customers a week for the next 12 months, you will have doubled your database and will be able to take on someone to work with you. Use the bad weather days as marketing days, get out and door knock, leaflet drop, etc.
It's amazing... once you see that you are making a decent amount of money each day, the boredom tends to go away..........funny that ;)
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Cheers guys.