Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: clive ware on September 02, 2012, 08:38:31 pm
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Just out of interest, how many people on here have going from working on their own cleaning carpets to running 2, 3 or more vans?
In my late forties now, getting knackerred and weighing up options for the future.
Cheers
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Clive get trained up on other disciplines that are physically less demanding but also more profitable ;)
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Trouble is Paul, I`m flat out with carpet cleaning!
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clive if your flat out carpet cleaning u must know by your own books wether u can put another van on the road or not . if your flat out all the time surely a bit more creative marketing and hey presto another van
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Or put your prices up
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Or put your prices up
Beat me to it.
Although if your body doesn't allow you to work at all it doesn't matter what your prices are.
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Trouble is clive people are buy you not your hoppo Chav who you have employed, my get out plan is to pick and choose my jobs at a price that many may say no to I'll have to hone my sales techniques more, I plan to get my son working with me when he leaves school as he will (so I've been told by him) be taking his a levels then he can fund himself with wages and not get so many freebies.
Shaun
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Hi Clive
Following a serious operation a few years ago I started using a helper-principly to do the work whilst I supervised. Once I'd recovered and was able to do the work again myself I chose to continue using a helper.
Looking at my figures I reckon I can compoftably double my t/o compared to one man and a van by employing a second pair of hands to accompany me to every job.
The advantage of this is depending upon how you chose to employ the second person means that if it's quiet or or you chose to take a day's holiday you don't end up paying the helper for dead time.
Secondly the additional person will act as a "pace maker" so that when you are tired or unfocused they will help motivate you to keep going.
Finally I'm sure you agree that in many cases your clients are buying you as an individual-not your company. So as Shaun says putting a second van on the road with a "nobody" will not be as effective as you seeing all the clients but with a second pair of hands to boost your efficiency by at least 100%.
Rog
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good post rog ... more marketing clive as u will need a lot more punters to get through in a day
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There's so much more to running a carpet cleaning business then cleaning carpets - we/you all know that.
As a business model, it's identical to many other businesses. So, look at these to see how they manage to 'scale up' successfully. There are a number of ways to grow...
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We have 3 vans operating, & I now spend most of my time doing quotes i.e. actual visits, marketing, database & doing the paper work / running the office.
It works out quite well for us but you do have to constantly keep your foot on the gas & think about marketing all the time.
It does mean I can give that personal touch to all the customers and not feel rushed when seeing them, also giving time to upsell & talk about our add on services
On the downside you have to bring in a massive amount of work each week, so can't afford to get lazy about it,
Steve
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I'm in the process of 2 workers and 2 vans.
If you go for it, you need to scale up quick and get off the van to really drive the business and not hang about with just a helper and yourself. That way is not very profitable, you essentially need to double your income for only a slight improvement on the profits. Push through that level very quickly and then prepare for cold calling letting agents, offices, property maintenance companies etc etc..... look to quadruple turnover.
I'm getting off the van due to Anklosing Spondilitus on my spine which makes physical labour a nightmare.
At the moment because its all an experiment and trial and error. One helper didn't work for me at all though.
I've also put my prices up to the point where I wasn't converting any new business, I'm down to a happy medium.
Good luck
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Hi Clive
Following a serious operation a few years ago I started using a helper-principly to do the work whilst I supervised. Once I'd recovered and was able to do the work again myself I chose to continue using a helper.
Looking at my figures I reckon I can compoftably double my t/o compared to one man and a van by employing a second pair of hands to accompany me to every job.
The advantage of this is depending upon how you chose to employ the second person means that if it's quiet or or you chose to take a day's holiday you don't end up paying the helper for dead time.
Secondly the additional person will act as a "pace maker" so that when you are tired or unfocused they will help motivate you to keep going.
Finally I'm sure you agree that in many cases your clients are buying you as an individual-not your company. So as Shaun says putting a second van on the road with a "nobody" will not be as effective as you seeing all the clients but with a second pair of hands to boost your efficiency by at least 100%.
Rog
Rog
I presume you have your helper on a flexible or zero hours contract.
Was it somebody you new
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I found that when I had someone with me, once they had got into the swing of things we were quite a bit more than twice as fast- never could fathom why.
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Hi Clive
Following a serious operation a few years ago I started using a helper-principly to do the work whilst I supervised. Once I'd recovered and was able to do the work again myself I chose to continue using a helper.
Looking at my figures I reckon I can compoftably double my t/o compared to one man and a van by employing a second pair of hands to accompany me to every job.
The advantage of this is depending upon how you chose to employ the second person means that if it's quiet or or you chose to take a day's holiday you don't end up paying the helper for dead time.
Secondly the additional person will act as a "pace maker" so that when you are tired or unfocused they will help motivate you to keep going.
Finally I'm sure you agree that in many cases your clients are buying you as an individual-not your company. So as Shaun says putting a second van on the road with a "nobody" will not be as effective as you seeing all the clients but with a second pair of hands to boost your efficiency by at least 100%.
Rog
Rog
I presume you have your helper on a flexible or zero hours contract.
Was it somebody you new
Ian
The works contract was drawn up by a friend who specialises in employment law. My helpers were defined as workers and not employees nor self-employed.
Some helpers were people I knew others were introduced to me by people I trusted. Only one person never really worked out.
Rog
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The works contract was drawn up by a friend who specialises in employment law. My helpers were defined as workers and not employees nor self-employed.
Some helpers were people I knew others were introduced to me by people I trusted. Only one person never really worked out.
Rog
Surely they have to be one or the other, how were they paid etc
Steve
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Thanks for your replies. Will take them all on board. Probably best to try and find a good helper first. I do worry though if for any reason I cant work, I`ll have no money coming in! :-\
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I've thought of that and I'm going to get rid of the wife and kids that's where my money goes.
Shaun
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Just googled workers contracts but did not get very far, but found an article on Mcdonalds having all their staff on zero hours contracts
Also National Health Service also doing it.
Think I need to talk to my Solicitor again perhaps pay her to set soothing up.
Guys learn from me plan to get off the van before its too late. I am now fighting a rear guard action.
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Know what you mean after the hotel I stayed at in Rhyl ;D
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Same again to Roger re more info on how you employ.
I've a part timer and it's great when in full flow. However today he took a half day due to sore back.
Biggest gripe is employers national insurance.
Mark
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Know what you mean after the hotel I stayed at in Rhyl ;D
[insert gay hotel joke here]
;D ;D
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The people who seem to take their CC knowledge and make a ton of money go off and find out how to set up a national franchise scheme, but I don't think you'll find them on here.
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The hardest part of all this is "biting the bullet" and taking the hit on wages, insurance, etc. If you have a good database of work and are constantly booked up more than two weeks in advance then I would say it's time to take on a helper or even look at setting up a second van. There may be lean spells but if you've done your homework right and have a good reputation then the work will steadily come in and you'll be able to take on bigger jobs at short notice.
We did two jobs for a school and a child care place at short notice over the weekend that I would never have been able to do if I was working on my own.
My job now is mainly running the diary, pricing jobs, raising invoices, counting money and ensuring we have the gear to whatever it is our customers require. Today I will be busy sorting out gear and chemicals for cleaning an oily floor at a disused commercial garage workshop that we are doing next monday.
If you have the work, take someone off the dole and help the country get back on it's feet!!