Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Rousey on November 01, 2005, 08:30:16 am
-
Hi Guy's, this is my first post so please be gentle. I have and run a Bone-Dry franchise since April gone and everything has been going very well. I have read some of the comments on this board and I wanted to reply.
There is a place in the market for ALL of us whether it be wet or dry, and there are advantages and disadvantages to both sysytems, especially when you are relativley new to the industry.
In our advertising we tell ALL our customers to ensure the carpet cleaning company they choose is either a member of CCP or IICRC.
Yes, like all our own businessess we want to advertise them in the best light, and with Bone-Dry we clean carpets dry and get this across to our customers, but we never want to be detrimental to other carpet cleaners, but there are businessess out there that we have all used or come across that have not done a good job, wet or dry and that's who our advertising is critiscing. I have always said you are only as good as your last job!
We believe there is a place for us in the market and with new and innovitive products being introduced all the time it is making our business enjoyable.
So far I have been a success in all the jobs I have done with excellent results and most of all with happy customers who are coming back to me via our maintenance plan and referal programme. But I am sure that is the same for you guys which is fantastic.
Hope to speak to you all in the future, happy cleaning
Mark
-
Hi Mark,
Welcome
What is the CCP, why do you not mention NCCA or BPCA ?
-
Hi Ian,
CCP, Confederation of Cleaning Professionals. It is a body that covers the cleaning industry, promoting ethical and honest businesses. They have a website which will give you more information.
I presume we don't mention other bodies because there are so many that we would run out of space in our advertising!!
The consumer always has a choice, and if they are choosing a carpet cleaning company based on which association they are a member of, then they will choose that company.
If they choose Bone-Dry after contacting the CCP or any other company and it gives them peace of mind that they are an ethical and honest business and the work is to a high standard then the body has done it's job.
I must admit that since April I have had no customers asking about any body even though we heaverly advertise the CCP, they are just interested in what I can do for them and the guarantees we give.
Regards
Mark
-
Hi Mark,
What method does Bone Dry use , is it Host.
Cheers,
Doug
-
http://www.drycarpet.co.uk/
-
Dear all
I have been a Cc for 2 years now and I have been soley dry carpet cleaning and although HWE is the mainstay of the CC world, I have never wanted to use it.
I decided this when I was on my prochem course and after a week of research I went for the system I use.
Sadly lots of people do slag off us dry guys but I have had fantastic results, sometimes the result has not been what I wanted or hoped it would be but this happens with all of us, both the wet and dry systems is not ' Jesus in a bottle'.
For all you HWE guys you believe in your system as do us dry guys and as has been said there is a place for all of us...
Regards
Martin 8)
-
Hi Doug,
Yes we use the Host Sponges as one of our agents in cleaning the carpet, but not the only. We use a step by step process that so far I have had fantastic results because my clients have said so, and they have re-booked me.
As I said in my other post there is enough work to please all wet and dry systems, lets just keep our business ethical and honest and kick the bad guys out who tarnish this industry, and lets ALL make lots of money, because ultimately, that's why we are all here!!
Regards
Mark.
-
Hi Martin,
So thats the system you are using that you were keeping Top Secret many moons ago ;D ;D
-
I notice in your adverts it states " the most thouruogh deep clean on the planet, guaranteed" ;D what statistics do you have to make this claim
geoff
-
Geoff,
Are you a politian!! After your statement we go on to say "we use the most powerful deep cleaning DRY system in the world"
We are saying that we have the best DRY system in the world....and we DO!
It's all in the words and how the customer reads it. But remember, if the customer is not happy with the clean we do it for free!!!!!!
Mark
-
Geoff,
Are you a politian!! After your statement we go on to say "we use the most powerful deep cleaning DRY system in the world"
We are saying that we have the best DRY system in the world....and we DO!
It's all in the words and how the customer reads it. But remember, if the customer is not happy with the clean we do it for free!!!!!!
Mark
Well I hope you have proof to substantiate these claims because if another company reports you to the ASA it's goodbye credibility!
-
Hi Mark,
I Imagine that using this system enables you to market your business very successfully, as you have something the customer most likely perceives as unique. Although it is nice to be able to choose several different cleaning methods as an independent of course, inc host.
Out of interest, what system do you use for upholstery cleaning, and who manufactures the vacuum cleaner you use for prevac. (unless it's top secret ;) )
Kind rgds, Tony.
-
Hi
I am not franchised to anyone (been there, done that >:()
I like the results i get but utimatley it's the customer who has to like it.
Regards
Martin 8)
-
To All,
I thought this forum was for likeminded people who want and are building successfull companies/businesses.
I really thought there would be a "carpet cleaners union", members who want to help each other succeed.
When we did our research we found there is enough carpet for all of us to clean, that literally all the carpet cleaning companies in the UK, if all worked together would not even get half of England done!!! There is enough business for wet and dry so it is a huge dissappointment that when a new kid comes on the block with a new business it's ethics and morals are questioned and threatened.
Here at Bone-Dry we work smart not hard and today is quote day, I have 4 appointments through the day and my next is coming up very shortly, so unfortunatly I have to go and that means from this forum too! It's a shame a couple of bad apples spoil it for the rest, as some of you seem genuine nice people. Signing off for ever
Mark
Bone-Dry
(Ps, Tony, it is a secret until you find out! but thanks for your email, this message is not about you.)
-
I thought this site was for men not cry babies, if you can't take a few bad comments, then go, I don't think you will be missed.
but from reading your first post you sound like a decent bloke who is trying to give his customers the best clean possible.
the easy option would be for you to not bother with this site and concentrate on building a successfull bussiness, So I challenge you too stay, put up with the negative comments ( and fight back).
some of us are actually quite nice :D
Mike
-
don,t go mark :-\
most of us on here get blasted now & again,its part of building up a freindship.
go on start another post.
Lee G
-
Hi Mark
Welcome,
I have no doubt that you have great success, as I Think that one of the reason that chemdry have done so well in the home market is that ther are great numbers of people starting up in carpet cleaning and some not all dont get trained. And then will offer their services at very low prices. Match this up with a new customer to carpeting cleaning and you find that most have a bad experance. The number one problme being over wet carpets.
So these people reaction is next time to stay away from water and go for a dry service. That why we offer dry Low mostuire and HWE. By telling the customer the benifits you allow them to make the choice that gives them the cinfindance to use a carpet cleaner again. and mybe next time they might try HWE again.
Most homes have small rooms so the customer wants the room in use again as fast as posable.
By promoting professional bodies you can show that you are professsional about what you do. We are testing a leaflet that talks about this subject of start ups and the problems that prospects might have if they are nor carfull about who they choose.
I will be interested in hearing more about you and your business in the future
Respect
Ian Harper
-
Mark , first and foremost let me apologise if my remarks have offended you, this was not intentional, and my repley was not meant to question your ethics or practices in any way.
i was merely curios, as to the claims as stated in your ad. and word for word"Our system is the deepest,most thoroughcarpet cleaning system on the planet-Guarranteed" . there is nothing there to imply that it is the most thorough dry system on the planet, " not that i can see any way" as you pointed out in your origonal reply to me.
All I was requesting was some figures and statistics that backs that up, like many on here it would be interesting to see the comparisons against hwe.and as already pointed out, i do Know dry systems have many benifits.
So please reply, im only interested. and not trying to slate you ;D
Polition hey!!!! now theirs a thought :-\ :-\
geoff
-
Same here Mark, those sorts of unsubstantiated claims have caused other franchised companies problems in the past (I used to be in one and have seen it!)
Loosen up a bit! It's nothing personal just telling it like it is. ;)
-
OK,OK,OK guys perhaps I was a bit hasty, yes I can take and give a dig as good as anyone, but I did think and perhaps I took it the wrong way, but I did think an attack on my honesty, integrity and ethics was a little to far. But I accept your comments and am happy to 'Sledge' with the best of you!
The Marketing we use I know is used by 'other' successful carpet cleaning companies and has passed all the relevant associations for it's compliance.
Speak to you all soon
Mark
-
Mark, Dont go.
I think quite a few Carpet Cleaners have a similiar script.
Some our comfortable with it , at the end of the day its about giving Audits and conversion.
If you are using that script you must be giviving a moey back guarantee, if Somesone elses Cleaning sysyem is the best in The univerce ;D ;D
Ps I know i cant spell. But I do spell Check my documents , but to do it on here is far to complicated.
Look forward to your next topic. regards
Ian
Ian
-
Ian
Write in word ,spell check then cut & paste , easy 8)
Neil
-
Mark
As I've said I have been dry (carpets that is) for the full two years in business and I love the system I have used.
I too have been taken to task over this time and have had some great banter with a few of the guys on here and I fully expected to get the comments I got.
If you understand that HWE has been the mainstay of CC for over 30 years people get intrenched in their methods (not all people) and do not believe in other systems.
I have done soot, dog/cat, urine, booze, ash and vomit (lovely) salvage jobs and my customers have been gobsmaked as no doubt the HWE boys have done the same. The only difference for me is that mine is dry naturally within 20-30 minutes, no need for a blower ( a mini hurricane ;)) I have done hotel work also who were so impressed with the system, they bought it! (lost me work that one)
Stay part of the forum as there is a wealth of info and experience on here and they are all willing to help, and that can only be good for business.
Regards
Martin 8)
-
Mark
Have you tried enviro-dri powder much cheaper and better than host in my opinion?
-
Like theses bits Bone-Dry™ Carpet Cleaning is a new and convenient way to deep-clean your carpets / Free! Mattress cleaned with every healthy home audit. Without further obligations to purchase anything! / That's right! We are so convinced that our Dry Organic carpet cleaning is so good that we will refund 100% of your money if you are not truly amazed at the results!
Mark
So you did not recruit any one! Liked the video and the golf course £100k would put me the vat bracket.
For info commercial including hotels want for free so care on your audits 100 free mattresses and still don’t get the job!
Martin
Have a nice day ;D
Len
-
Did anyone make any sense of lens post?
::)
-
Hi Len
How you doing there?
Are you giving this poor guy a hard time?
Hows things going?
Regards
Martin 8)
-
Hi Guys,
I'm seriously considering launching a dry carpet cleaning service.
I know its not as good as HWE but it does have some good selling points.
Cheers
Doug
-
Ive read this post and am interested in trying host as Ive a host machine but never tried the system. Ive the powder from Sebo. Is it any good?
So if I put it to the test on say a polyprop. rental carpet with drink stains etc how do i get it clean? Do I use a prespray or just sow the stuff like grass and then agitate and then vacuum?
Personnally i think carpets cleaners are more hung up on drying than customers are. Most carpets are dry in 1-4 hours with TM HWE and Ive never had a complaint regarding this. Where customers have issue is when they think the carpet will be soaked, or the paper will fall off the wall from the steam etc. Its up to us to educate them of these myths during the sales enquiry.
If you run a successful business using dry cleaning then fair play to you as i couldnt do it.
Mark
-
I've only learnt the Dry clean, and I've not even touched a Wet one!
But we do treat all stains as you do I suppose with various chemicals, but after we have finished the clean all treated stains are Dry.
Next week I have two busy days, Thur/Fri, Manchester and Watford two open days (by appointment) to see the Franchise oppertunity after advertising in various locations.
The £100k statement is achievable, as "other" single van operations are achieving that, as we speak!!! (It's all about marketing and advertising to the right crowd!)
Mark.
-
When I first got my host freestyle and start advertising
NO DRYING TIME!!
AS CARPETS ARE NEVER WET
I picked up lots of work as customers wanted carpets dry straight away.I still have domestic customers who still want me to use this system.You can charge more as you are offering a unique service carpets ready to use.How many of us hwe guys charge extra for leaving turbo driers?The problem is a lot of customers have had a bad experience with a splash and dash merchant so they have no faith in hwe and the thought of dry carpets appeals straight away.
-
Mark , you proberbly think i am having another dig at you, but i can assure you i am not.
you state that" you treat stains as you do" refering to hwe i assume!"with various chemicals, but after we have finished the clean all treated stains are dry"
How do you extract the chemicals you have used to treat the stain? surly the vast majority are detrimental to the carpet if left.
geoff
-
I've only learnt the Dry clean, and I've not even touched a Wet one!
Next week I have two busy days, Thur/Fri, Manchester and Watford two open days (by appointment) to see the Franchise oppertunity after advertising in various locations.
The £100k statement is achievable, as "other" single van operations are achieving that, as we speak!!! (It's all about marketing and advertising to the right crowd!)
Mark.
Do you sell the Franchise or are you helping out as a satisfied operator F.O.C
-
Tony
It’s called cut and paste from there web site and not of my making/claims
Mark R
(Personnally i think carpets cleaners are more hung up on drying than customers are) think you are right but a selling point!
Martin
Me! Give any one a hard time! I wish all the best, but when some one tries to sell me/others a franchise with outlandish claims that get to me!
Mark the franchisee/franchisor
I would love to see the dry method clean black top! I’ve struggled with the LM system and have had to reverted to HWE
CD, ServiceMaster, Safeclean and others have been down your avenue more or less what is the mainstay?
Len
-
I am a satisfied operator, helping the franchisor.
We extract the chemicals from the carpet with our 'second' piece of kit, before we even start the Dry process.
Steve is exactly right with his assessment of why Dry works and has a place. And of course our prices reflect that. It is a unique service (precieved by the customer) and of course is charged as so.
I also realise that Dry will not clean heaverly soiled areas as good as wet, and I am honest and I tell the client exactley what result she will get and let her decide. I have walked from one job in 6 months telling the client in a professional manner that she needs wet extraction or Paul Daniels!!!
Mark.
-
Hi
Mark is fairly new so obviously he is keen as we all are and is excited about the business and his system.
He only has to do a search as regards Franchises and he will get the general idea about how the majority of us feel about them, some of us have been burned, me included.
Mark:
Be careful, you step out of line with the franchisor and it be death by stoning!
I have seen the dry system similar to that Mark uses clean a Hotel restaurant carpet right by the kitchen door that was hardened black grease and it came up a treat, it was actually a demo I did for a big Hotel chain hoping to get a maintenance contract down here, the carpet hadn't been clean for the 15 years it had been there, great seeing the difference after!
My personal best was for the same chain in their other hotel, the whole restaurant this time and got out a stain left by a wet system 11 years earlier £400 for 220m, 4 hours, knackered but chuffed to bits with both the feedback and result. My best earner with the dry system was £171.25 per hour for another hotel, 4 hours work.
Obviously I am sure a lot of you have done much better than me but I am pleased with what I do (just wish this kind of work was more regular) Just wanted to point out the system is doable and to earn that money in that time start to finish, left dry to go, is acheivable.
Regards
Martin 8)
-
Mark
Glad you decided to stay. I too use a Host machine but I also offer HWE. I think it's important to offer the customer the choice between wet or dry and usually one system will be more appropriate /effective than the other. I wish you well in your business and look forward to your future posts.
Steve
-
Thanks Steve and Martin, I'm feeling part of a family now!!
Mark
-
Mark
Take what Martin said to be the gospel! (Be careful, you step out of line with the franchisor and it be death by stoning!) Will add a bit only after they have taken you to the cleaners!
Have too ask what the second bit of kit? My latest bit of kit Prochem Spot-Pro a blinding little machine paid for it’s self within one and half hours plus £25 profit sorry a error make it £17 forgot to include congestion charge in the price but did include the parking meters cost £1 for 20min, But did leave them damp also left a blinding CD of my next system hopefully they will bite!
Glad you are staying my pop was not at you! But at your franchisor BS they are there to sell to the unsuspecting YOU! :(
Martin
All cc system have a place but Dry is at the bottom of the list not the top!
Len
-
Len,
I agree with a lot you have to say however on this occasion.......
All cc system have a place but Dry is at the bottom of the list not the top!
This is your opinion but maybe not the opinion of the majority. I am sure that a dry cleaning machine would me much better in the hands of an experienced pro like yourself compared to a t/m in the hands of a cowboy. And before you say cowboys dont have t/m's, oh yes they can do - theres one in my area and I keep picking up work from his unhappy customers! (using my Ninja I might add!)
Best regards
Steve
-
Steve
Marks franchisor is selling one system only and he has brought into to it hook
Line and sinker the one and only one now that sad! One has only to look at the other franchisor net works the beginning what are they using now?
I may have a TM but also got a Ninja (great machine) also use the LM system more so now also great but need an upgrade to a more unique selling point! The snow drop method is at the bottom of my list though I do use the machine.
Never been able to define the so called cowboy! :(
Yes an opinion and never in stone!
Len
-
Hi Len, I have not bought the Bone-Dry system 'Hook line and sinker' as you put it.
When buying into a business you take great care and research in the business you are buying into.
I have known the franchisor for nearly 8 years and have another successful franchise with him, that compliments this latest franchise I have bought.
To say that my life has changed for the better over the last 8 years is a massive understatement, thanks to the franchisor. 8 years ago my salary was £18k per year, with a gorgeous wife and 3 kids, not alot of money, so getting a business was my answer to greater riches and a risk worth taking.
Last years accounts of my 'other' business saw me clear £53k profit!!
My wife and I still pinch ourselves, because we have had it tough, but we realise that we have to keep working hard to keep those yearly accounts worth waiting for!!!
So, not all franchisees are bad and neither are franchisors. Yes, there is a risk, but not if you do your homework first, study all the paperwork etc. Our franchisor has a small monthly fee that we all pay which is fixed, no matter how succesful you get or how many van's you have etc.
And to be honest, the very few people I have seen fail, basically don't stick to the blueprint (they think they know better) or they are not prepered to put in the hard work. (they think it is like a lottery ticket) so who is to blame there..certanley not the franchise or franchisor!
We all go ito business for different reasons and we all get different results because we are all different. At the end of the day it is the individual that makes the difference, it is the one that works smart and sometimes hard that gets the results, because they are pushing the correct buttons, and in a franchise (a succesfull one) those buttons are clearly marked.
Cheers
Mark.
-
Mark,
Please do not think I am having a go.
I take it your other Franchise is in the Home Cleaning Market.
On the Contract Cleaning section there are several people trying to succeed in this market.
I do not know if you and your wife contribute to that section or not, but it would be good if you could help.
Lots of very sucessful carpet cleaners willing give advise on this section and I believe have helped others achieve success.
Personally I see nothing wrong with being part of a Franchise Network. Some on Here l have a USP to offer their customers, and have mentioned it on Forums, because they are proud of what they do.
Steve,
Like Len I am never sure what a Cowboy was. When I first started after a one day training course, my leaflet which was part of the package had a section refering to Cowboys, my script also refered to Cowboys. Yes it was The Rug Doctor Commercial Wide Track that I was using ;D ;D ;D
When I asked the person who sold me the package, he said some cleaners use Tide in their tank as an example.
-
In my view a cowboy is someone who carries out a service without caring about the consequences for the customer.
This can include blatant price rigging (charging for work not carried out i.e protector in the solution tank) carrying out work without any adequate training, using totally unapropriate equipment or products (Persil).
Anybody who tries to run a succesfull business, even though they may not be working to the highest standards is not necessarily a cowboy.
Just been told that some travellers down in the South West have been hiring rug doctors under false id's and are now touting a carpet cleaning service.
-
Hi Guys,
I think Mark has the right idea , take a process and believe in it.
This way the customers gets a clear message rather than well it's O.K , but HWE is better and maybe a TM would be better.
Cheers,
Doug
-
Ian
No offence was taken. Was just putting the franchise opion across, that there are good ones out there and it does work.
Mark
-
I used to sell my used sponge to a local garage too he used it to soak up oil spills cheaper than dress and dry ;)
-
Mark
So you are already a franchisee X 2 hope your new venture takes off! How much did it cost you! Think about it before replying! As I always come back with feasibility study!
I honesty feel you are wasting time trying to sell the franchise system here! Expressly the snow drops system as good as it is!
See you are green as grass, word of advice never tell any one how much you made they may believe you! With little or no competition, this really is your opportunity to build a genuine local business with a brilliant future
Len
-
Hi Len,
I am certanly not trying to sell a carpet franchise on a forum with guys with 10+ years exp!!!!(Especially as you are all WET!!) My point was not all franchisees are bad and some do actually work( there are another 115 of me in the 'other' franchise all with different levels of success, some more, the same, and not so good as me!).
Anyway thanks for the encouragement, already I have had a fantastic start and long may it continue!
Mark.
-
hi mr kelly,is NEW AND IMPROVED ARIEL COLOUR AND STYLE OK ? ;D also u telling me when i tell my custmers that after the water evapurates from carpet it will leave a seal on carpet is not so ? mmm i better go on a refresher course ;D
gary( inventer of splash and dash (trade mark pending )
-
Love the idea of a couple of pikies turning up with a rug doctor to clean madam's carpets. But it goes to proove that if you leaflet and target your area, no matter what machine you've got its all down to marketing and price.
-
garyj 100% correct punters dont even understand the diff between a truckmount,portable,rug docter, persil ,crystal green etc etc they just want thier carpet cleaned at a price they feel is right at a time and day that suits them ,end of
-
Hi mark iam not knocking the system that you use as it seems very successful and good luck to you,but have you used a top of the range H/W/E system? as most cc's on this forum would have a choice of 3 or 4 systems to choose from and 9/10 would go for H/w/E
cheersmark
-
Hi, No I have not used a HWE. And I do realise that a top of the range one does a very good job, even better than Dry, but we are marketing (successfully) to a particular market, that Dry is probably the prefered option and it does the job. As I said there is enough work for ALL.
Regards
Mark
-
Mark
May be damp but not behind the ears! As an existing franchisee within the cleaning industry one offer extra if quaffed or not to perform that task! why give the franchisor a licence fee of £xxxx plus over inflated price to buy machinery/cleaning agents and £xxx a mouth on top of what you already brought into, ones got to be brain dead! Don’t think they have the branding right! Not knocking the system it has a place in the market, but you need to get into the real world!
Epitaph I am the one yeh right! ;D
Len
-
Len, you said it, it has a place in the market.
Look, some people are not brave enough/or do not know where to start when starting a business, so a franchise is an easy option.
You have the model that works
You have support 24/7 (well we do here)
You have a franchisor who is continually working for you, and re-investing the monthly fee back into the business
You have full support in setting up, from accounts to marketing
I could go on and on...........
I can take you to friends of mine who have a franchise (not this one) and it has changed there lives to the better.
I presume that you had a franchise that back fired on you, but don't blame all the other 'good' franchisees out there.
Cheers and get some sleep!!!!
Mark.
-
Hi Mark
Can you tell me the place in the market for dry as I am struggling to find it and need all the help I can get.
Cheers
Neil