Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: david@zap-clean on November 09, 2012, 04:07:34 pm
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I think I've just (nearly) completed my worst ever cleaning job.
1. I quoted the price weeks ago - I've revised my prices since then. And they also got a 10% discount for an advertising campaign I've been running in a local mag.
2. This job was cancelled last week as the mains water supply was off - a wasted day.
3. It's a big job, (includes upholstery cleaning), which I've been worrying about for ages, not helped by the job dragging on like this.
4. I turned up at 8:30am (early as requested) to be told they wanted me finished by mid day! I'd estimated 6 hours.
5. It took me 3 hours to do 3 small bedrooms and the stairs as I had to do it ALL with a hand tool - there was no room to wave the magic wand about.
6. The off-white polyprop was very compacted, and took a huge amount of effort to get the pile back up.
7. I'd just finished the upstairs and it was suggested I came back another day - less than 1/2 the job had been completed.... I politely insisted I at least completed the living room carpet, therefore completing the carpet cleaning part of the job.
8. I then sprinted around as fast as I could so the customer could get away to a lunchtime meeting with a friend.
Fortunately, my request for payment for the carpet clean was acceptable. But I've had to waste another 1/2 day, and I've got to return next week to clean the 5 seat upholstery.
If I finish next week, it'll have taken me (in theory) 2.5 days to do one small house!
Ah well, it's Friday - and I'm off for a well earned beer.
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David, no disrespect but you need to find an experienced guy near to you and spend a day with him, other wise your learning it going to be long and hard.
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David, no disrespect but you need to find an experienced guy near to you and spend a day with him, other wise your learning it going to be long and hard.
Sounds like a good idea, but who?
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David, no disrespect but you need to find an experienced guy near to you and spend a day with him, other wise your learning it going to be long and hard.
Paul's right, it's the quickest way to learn.
As you get more experience though apart from speeding up, you will know how to deal with custies better, how to pre-empt situations before they occur etc.
Hand job in the bedroom! ;D
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Why do these customers insist on making life difficult for some of us?
David... just a few questions for you...
When you received the call from the customer did you make it very clear to them the time scale and your requirements regarding water supply?
If you did then its not your fault that they had to go out, i would of told them if you want me to return another day then there will be an additional charge.
They cant have it both ways... you have agreed on a price and a day to complete the job and that was cancelled due to the water supply... was this your fault?... no... so you wasted a day at your expense.
Sometimes if i get a feeling that the customer maybe trouble i will ask for a small booking fee which is deducted from the final bill, they get one chance to re schedule the job if they cant make the original booking.
I guess its a learning curve, and lets face it... we dont really get lots of customers like this one... thank god!
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This website has been very helpful/useful to me, so thanks again everyone. I think I'm going quite a bit right, but yes, I have loads more to learn. No-one said it was going to be easy.
I'm really pleased with the way my new business is growing - but this particular job was a pain!
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Why do these customers insist on making life difficult for some of us?
David... just a few questions for you...
When you received the call from the customer did you make it very clear to them the time scale and your requirements regarding water supply?
If you did then its not your fault that they had to go out, i would of told them if you want me to return another day then there will be an additional charge.
They cant have it both ways... you have agreed on a price and a day to complete the job and that was cancelled due to the water supply... was this your fault?... no... so you wasted a day at your expense.
Sometimes if i get a feeling that the customer maybe trouble i will ask for a small booking fee which is deducted from the final bill, they get one chance to re schedule the job if they cant make the original booking.
I guess its a learning curve, and lets face it... we dont really get lots of customers like this one... thank god!
I agree with your comments to a point. But, as a new business, I need happy customers because I hope they will refer me to their friends and family - easy, cheap marketing. So, I have to swallow the odd hit like this. And anyway, any 'slack time' is easily filled with the multitude of 'other work' needed to build a new business, like leaflet dropping, admin, accounting, marketing campaigns, adwords/google/websites, trying to find a cheap rotary - you know what it's like..
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David
I remember spending 5 hours cleaning a greasy manky cotton suite when I started that handn't been cleaned in 15 years. I even went back the next day worried that the custy might be unhappy.
I did everything by the book, using Prochem Fabric watsit, acid rinse and all that cr *p. Today I would do the same thing in 2 and a bit hours, partly because of experience, chems and technique, but also by setting custy expectations and thinking if you let it get like that for 15 years then I ain't losing sleep if it ain't like new.
If you keep at it, one day you will be as cynical as me. ;)
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David, no disrespect but you need to find an experienced guy near to you and spend a day with him, other wise your learning it going to be long and hard.
Sounds like a good idea, but who?
Ask, new thread. Be prepared to travel, no-one just down the road from you will show you their ropes. I have taken guys out with me from 40 miles away. I suspect I am a bit far from you, but if you don't ask you don't get!
At the NCCA Meeting I suggested this sort of thing to give confidence and tips to new starters.
Good luck, you'll find someone.
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David
If you keep at it, one day you will be as cynical as me. ;)
Not a chance Wynne.... He ..... in fact anyone would have to work for years and years to even get within a spitting distance of being as cynical as you Wynne.. :-* :-*
;D
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Should have said you'll close door on way out when finished.
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Do you do a Don't be so bloody cynical hypnosis CD Hector. ;D
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Why did you have to use an upholstery tool to clean a carpet?
Its taking you too long to clean. Do you have professional equipment?
Have you done a course. If not it should be your first priority.
Yes be prepared to travel and spend a few days with someone. After this and the course you will be a whole new man and business.
Mark
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My feeling David is you would do well to join TACCA if you haven't done already or go to one of Mossey's trainings. NCCA is a little too 'by the book'.
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When first starting out I learned more from going out with Geoff Wrightson (about 30 miles away) for a few days than any course I'd been on. Still can't thank him enough and still ring him for advice when needed....... Cheers Geoff ;D
It's always a hassle when starting up as you want to please everybody but you'll soon find the ones you graft like hell for and dont charge extra will take advantage. Never be afraid to bump up prices if extra work is involved, I'll throw in an odd room or rug but going back another day would incur charges.
Enjoy the beer dude 8)
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By the book will save him buying sofas his wife doesn't like.
Mark
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By the book will save him buying sofas his wife doesn't like.
Mark
Have you been on one of Paul's courses?
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My feeling David is you would do well to join TACCA if you haven't done already or go to one of Mossey's trainings. NCCA is a little too 'by the book'.
I've tried joining the TACCA, several times, and never had a response. Though someone else said there is a requirement to have been trading for 2 years anyway.
I will join the IICRC sometime next year, but they have a requirement to have done their basic technicians course. I've done two of them already this year, so am reluctant to repeat it so soon.
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why join the iirccc or what ever there called its a us thing that soley cartesr for that market full of self impoant people thats been cleaning minutes lol
get yourself out with someone that knows what there doing even if you have to stop in a b n b for two nights worth everypenny and someone from a few miles away will help you
northing wrong with doing carpets with a handtool , i sometime do edges ,walkways , and even small box rooms with them why neck yourself with a wand and pipes and a stair tool does the same job ?
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why join the iirccc or what ever there called its a us thing that soley cartesr for that market full of self impoant people thats been cleaning minutes lol
get yourself out with someone that knows what there doing even if you have to stop in a b n b for two nights worth everypenny and someone from a few miles away will help you
northing wrong with doing carpets with a handtool , i sometime do edges ,walkways , and even small box rooms with them why neck yourself with a wand and pipes and a stair tool does the same job ?
I've got a crevice tool extension for my HWE hose for edges.
Kitemarks help with marketing, I think? The IICRC provide a lot of training opportunities, which should help me extend my services - e.g. I've been asked to clean hard floors a few times recently, and had to decline. Training courses (I've done 4 so far) are a great networking/learning opportunity for me because I get to meet a good mix of cleaners and pick their brains :-)
Shadowing an experienced cleaner would speed up my learning curve I know, but as a newbie I have some ideas of my own that 'may' be of value. I must be doing something right anyway, the business is building steadily, and my conversion rate from quote to job is very high (95%).
That's my thoughts anyway.
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David
The problem with most CC is not your closing ratio it's the number of leads you get from your various marketing avenues. Put yourself in front of a custy and I think on average anyone can get 70% hit rate.
95%? - you are too cheap.
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David
The problem with most CC is not your closing ratio it's the number of leads you get from your various marketing avenues. Put yourself in front of a custy and I think on average anyone can get 70% hit rate.
95%? - you are too cheap.
Yep, marketing - I'm working on it...
Too cheap? I'm not sure what everyone else charges, but I did a fair bit of research and made my decisions on price, but I'm continually re-evaluating that, and I've changed it several times in recent weeks (upwards).
Nobody wants to give away their pricing structure - perhaps it would be better to ask what peoples expected annual turnover is?
As a complete numpty, with only a little knowledge, but some idea of what I want to get out of this business as a sole-trader, I originally worked out I'd need to be earning about £58 per hour, based on working (earning!) 35 hours per week, to run a man-and-a-van, and turn a tidy profit. I'm not there yet, but it looks reasonable to me.
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IMHO £58 per hour would be difficult to achieve
in this economic climate.
Especially for someone new.
Head down now as the bullets fly.
John
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My feeling David is you would do well to join TACCA if you haven't done already or go to one of Mossey's trainings. NCCA is a little too 'by the book'.
I've tried joining the TACCA, several times, and never had a response. Though someone else said there is a requirement to have been trading for 2 years anyway.
I will join the IICRC sometime next year, but they have a requirement to have done their basic technicians course. I've done two of them already this year, so am reluctant to repeat it so soon.
I've tried to join too, no response either, what a joke. Very poor really, they're just playing at it.
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sorry you feel that way steve, ive seen your app and all looks good, along with richard who complained, and david, again all looks good, unfortunately, i didn't realise just how popular its got, 200 vetted and 580 registered, there's a big back log and through the summer ive let my own business slip. so i've taken the decision to take my time with TACCA and concentrate on my bread and butter, building my business back up to where it was. TACCA is still ticking over nicely and will be slowly adding new members especially in the new year where i will have time to get stuck in again. TACCA is also still doing well on google and Alloy are still tinkering with SEO and also have some great idea's that will also be implemented in the new year. hopefully 2013 will be a good year for TACCA and all its members. please remember that TACCA is free to join at present and is generating a little work for some of its members, hope this changes your mind about how poor TACCA is, if not then all i can do is apologise and hope you can hang on till i can get time to sort out this back log.
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I always prefer being on site with a customer as I find it easier to close the deal. You can judge the body language and, if necessary, adjust the quote accordingly.
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I've stated in the past that I've had more than one job frm my TACCA listing, so it's been worthwhile - and it's too easy to forget how much time, work, and money Derek has ploughed into TACCA, but you can't expect him to let his own business and income suffer in the meantime - unfortunately bank managers don't take TACCAs membership as mortgage payment!
I'm sure that if any of the ones doing the complaining feel like they can do a better job setting up a TACCA competitor then Derek wont complain!
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sorry you feel that way steve, ive seen your app and all looks good, along with richard who complained, and david, again all looks good, unfortunately, i didn't realise just how popular its got, 200 vetted and 580 registered, there's a big back log and through the summer ive let my own business slip. so i've taken the decision to take my time with TACCA and concentrate on my bread and butter, building my business back up to where it was. TACCA is still ticking over nicely and will be slowly adding new members especially in the new year where i will have time to get stuck in again. TACCA is also still doing well on google and Alloy are still tinkering with SEO and also have some great idea's that will also be implemented in the new year. hopefully 2013 will be a good year for TACCA and all its members. please remember that TACCA is free to join at present and is generating a little work for some of its members, hope this changes your mind about how poor TACCA is, if not then all i can do is apologise and hope you can hang on till i can get time to sort out this back log.
Cheers Derek, thanks for that. That's fair enough mate, whenever you get the time, I thought my app had maybe gone astray.
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Think the guys are only saying they got no response, which would annoy most people if true.
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I think the S-bend twin jet 12 is a combersome beast for tight areas ...
Think u would be better with a straight 10 ... or even the little lightweight 9" for certain areas
http://www.carpet-cleaning-equipment.co.uk/single-jet-wand-10-inch-25-cm-wide-cleaning-head-including-grab-handle-p-286.html
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It is too simple to say a 95% conversion rate means you are too cheap, there are lots of reasons behind it.My phone rate conversion always hovers around 85/95%, and i am certainly not one of the cheapest around in my area, but i must admit it has been a lot harder over the last couple of months, more like 75/80%.
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It is too simple to say a 95% conversion rate means you are too cheap, there are lots of reasons behind it.My phone rate conversion always hovers around 85/95%, and i am certainly not one of the cheapest around in my area, but i must admit it has been a lot harder over the last couple of months, more like 75/80%.
You may not be one of the cheapest but if you are getting anywhere near 95% and on the phone too, then that says to me you are selling yourself short. If you kept putting your prices up till you hit 80% you would make a lot more money in the long run.
Of course as you improve your closing skills further the ratio would go up, and you can do the same again.
Also ratios are highly influenced by the source and quality of the leads, not just your sales skills.
As said before though. The hard thing is how many calls you get. When you have more calls than you can deal with you can give a price and do no selling at all and strangley you still get a high percentage conversions.
It's when you get 1 or 2 calls a day you've got problems even with the best patter in the world.
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Yes been on Pauls course and its was a good course with plenty of theory over practice but thats what you need as a start up to understand the fundamentals. Prochem is much better for practical but they sell their way of doing it.
£58 an hour x 35 hours a week is £2030. Not impossible to hit but your a few years from doing it week in week out but you seem to understand the need to not aim for £20 an hour which is good.
Just imagine at those prices, once you get better and faster that job will have been £116 per hour :o
Mark
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[As a complete numpty, with only a little knowledge, but some idea of what I want to get out of this business as a sole-trader, I originally worked out I'd need to be earning about £58 per hour, based on working (earning!) 35 hours per week, to run a man-and-a-van, and turn a tidy profit. I'm not there yet, but it looks reasonable to me.
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Are you saying that you need to earn £1800 a week? You must have some massive overheads and living expenses
If I was starting up I would be happy earning half that to begin
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Are you saying that you need to earn £1800 a week? You must have some massive overheads and living expenses
If I was starting up I would be happy earning half that to begin
Not at all... That's my figure for employing someone to do the work for me and still make money at this game.
The cost per hour includes all overheads: van, equipment, salary etc... and me getting something out of it.
It's not easy to achieve, but that's the reality, as I see it, in expanding beyond an owner-operator business model.
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hang on you come on here moaning about how long this and that
then on it to a rant about how well your doing bah bah bah why ask for help in the first place ? ???
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hang on you come on here moaning about how long this and that
then on it to a rant about how well your doing bah bah bah why ask for help in the first place ? ???
I may have misunderstood David, but I think this £58 and hr 35hrs a week is an ambitious goal he has set himself FOR THE FUTURE which covers the cost of coming off the job to work on the business. He admits he is somewhere off the mark currently but is doing well all things considered. :-\
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You'll never get 35 hours of cleaning out of an employee there's travelling time to consider between jobs and also an employee won't have the same concentration level as its not the most endearing job for someone on an hourly rate.
You need to look at how much an employee is going to cost you with wages etc etc etc etc and then look at how many cleaning hours there are in a week allowing for peak and off peak seasons and then you can formulate from there.
Shaun
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My feeling David is you would do well to join TACCA if you haven't done already or go to one of Mossey's trainings. NCCA is a little too 'by the book'.
I've tried joining the TACCA, several times, and never had a response. Though someone else said there is a requirement to have been trading for 2 years anyway.
I will join the IICRC sometime next year, but they have a requirement to have done their basic technicians course. I've done two of them already this year, so am reluctant to repeat it so soon.
I've tried to join too, no response either, what a joke. Very poor really, they're just playing at it.
Sometimes we need to think before we type. Gift horse and mouth spring to mind. How many of us would a) Devote our time to get this up & running & b) Devote our time to keep it running?
Good on you though Steve to acknowledge your mistake. 8)
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TACCA must be good....
#They wont let me in ;D ;D
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TACCA must be good....
#They wont let me in ;D ;D
Just start your own, PADDA ;D
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lol, Hector theres a flim called 'let me in' exellent film, watch it!
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How about 'CRAPA' - Cleaning with Rotary And Pad Association?
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:P