Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: homenclean on December 01, 2013, 09:41:49 pm
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Just wondered how busy you guys are on the run in to Xmas.
As it stands it is probably the worst I have known in 23 years, if it wasn't for our commercial work we would be struggling.
The phone just ain't ringing with domestic work, when it does its just people price shopping. We aren't the most expensive in our area but not the cheapest.
Quoted £93.50 to do 2 sofas by a lady who is reasonably well to be told we were too expensive. Another customer was quoted £70 to do a 3 2 1 and footstool my quote was £150 not un reasonable I thought and with a of convincing got the job but makes me think what's going on job took just over 3 hours.
When I called into up supplier the other day he was telling me how slow carpet cleaning products were going, got extra Stock in as previous year had run short now stuff just ain sifting.
We are North Yorkshire based would be interesting to know what's yapping elsewhere.
Seasons greetings to all hope you have all had a prosperous year.
Thanks
John
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Have noticed here a big upturn in work since July.
This year so far is well up on 2008 when recession started.
this year is up a lot on last year, and xmas will soon be booked up
Andrew
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It will be my best December of 2013... ::)roll
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Very busy
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Very quite in Edinburgh
Just put out my last mailing list to old customers
It seems to get worst every year
Tell you now the recession not over yet
Where doomed
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Bit slow at the moment, phone ringing with price shoppers.
But the last few Christmases have been down, however the summers have been busy maybe the customers habits are changing.
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Not as busy as I would like considering the excellent weather for the time of year. We have been very steady since April/May with 4 jobs a day apart from 2 quiet weeks, still 4 jobs a day now, but would hope for more a day from next week. I still have not contacted past customers so that should bump it up. I will be spending the next few days phoning past customers like I always do at the start of December and I normally book between 20 or 30 customers from that. I hope the weather stays fine as I have pumped a fair bit into advertising over the last few weeks and want to try and milk a good xmas period. I already have a few jobs booked in for the last week before Christmas day so could be a bumper one!
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I've got 23rd afternoon and 24th to book, I should keep off my phone and I could put more jobs in but I get bored too quick ;D mrs text dinner is in the dog.
Shaun
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I am just about fully booked up now ! Have a few spaces for smallish carpets but not booking anymore suites in, working until pm of the 23rd then two weeks off
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Booked up this week and next , put another van on the road that has no work booked yet.
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Why people leave it so Late to Book, ive had to turn customers away that want DONE this week or even on the day the call!!!!
as for turnover on Dec, am up on last year ;) ;D ;D :D :D
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Same as above - 5 jobs turned away over last 3 days due to those wanting it done yesterday.
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It's the people decorating that are always last minute callers, they finish then have the bright idea... ' while the furnitures moved why don 't we get the carpets cleaned' or they are getting a new bed delivered so the old bed is out of the room.
We are busy, having to clean suites in the afternoon which I hate doing >:(
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And the winner of CIU 'worst spammer or the year' goes to.....
Evercleanindia!!
Pity they cannot post thier acceptance speach as I've just banned them :-\ :-\
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Ha Ha, why do people use Indian companies to design and optimize their sites, they may be cheap but as evercleanindia shows they tend to be bloody terrible at SEO from my experience!
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I think Christmas has crept up on people this year. Two of our local guys decided to do a ring round a few weeks ago. One booked in 48 jobs. He found that a lot of them were planning on ringing him (or someone else) but just hadn't got round to it. His phonecall was the trgger they needed to book. People are so busy now.
Also believe the manic Christmas rush is a thing of the past. It used to be crazy up until Christmas then absolutely dead in January, however January tends to be quite busy these days.
Feedback in general from our customers is that things are definately getting better. We have seen a massive upturn in the last 3 months.
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Shaun, are you not working on the 25th? :o
I`m busy all year except December for some reason, same every year.
I say not busy but still doing 3-4 jobs a day-just not rushing round like a mad thing.
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Mother in law is coming for Xmas day of course I'm working on the 25th!
Shaun
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its been getting later and later every year :'( I can remember having 5 vans fully booked two the roof from the middle of sempterber mind there flying down south been fully booked there for weeks even the new t.m. is booked soild mine it does like a drink of petrol :-X
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What tm have you got?
Shaun
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Never seem to get this Christmas rush a lot talk about the only increase I have seen year in year out is that off bullsh*t on forums in general. ;)
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almost booked.... did get a £430 for tomorrow just cancelled though which is bloody annoying... but on the plus side is does give me a bit of a lye in in the morning ;D
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Colin at your rate £430 only gives you an hours lye in.
Shaun
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Now fully booked,I hope no regulars call now wanting Xmas jobs doing.
I have turned away lots of jobs due to being very busy.
I personally cant clean in artificial light so don't do anything after 4 at this time of year.
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I'm full enough but then a minute later there's a cancelation then the phone rings and it's booked up again then .... You get the picture.
Shaun
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dreaming of when i will reach the heady heights of a yorkshire carpet cleaner
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I'll look out for him and get some tips.
Shaun
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Also fully booked now through to the 24th. :)
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I'm booked up until the 19th, been going mad for the last 2 weeks I think people stop ringing as you get closer to Xmas as they think you will be fully booked.
I've even got bookings for January from people who just assumed they were too late booking for before Xmas.
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It's been a better December this year than last for me , cleaning windows 8 till 2 then onto cleaning carpets or suites most days.
Just booked in five bedroom house all carpets to be clean before the owner moves in next weekend so that's to fit in .
Also got a few jobs booked in for January.
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I'd agree with that mike the amount of phone calls has now taken a dive like you I have some worked booked in for I jan and some bits for inbetween Xmas and new year.
Shaun
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Wayne
I notice by your website you are very cheap ! No offence
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I dont think thats cheap. They are roughly what i clean at. You should come to my area and see cheap ;D
There are loads doing it for half that :o
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Wayne
I notice by your website you are very cheap ! No offence
I charge less than lots on here and intend trying to raise my prices slightly in the new year.
Am I VERY cheap? Some will say yes some no.I think my prices are about average for this area and sensible IMO
I started work at quarter to 10 today and finished at 3.45pm, did 3 jobs and earned a decent whack.
I'm happy.
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Nice one Wayne :).
Its all well and good some people sticking to there guns and putting in high prices and sitting on your arse watching Jeremy Kyle. If you can get it then rock on.
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How much is a decent whack?
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Just short of £200.
Lounge,stairs/landing. £60
2 sofas £80.
small dining room/staircase/small rug £50
I do want to raise prices,but I have been as busy as I want to be charging my current rates.I might try putting another £10 on jobs soon but my circumstances are different to others maybe and I have been happy with way things have gone up to now after 3 years trading.
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Nowt wrong with that mate, earn that everyday for those hours and all is tickety boo ;)
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Must say i've had a very quite December but then again i've never had a good one :). This is my third year trading and the last 6 months have been very busy, for me, and my turnover has grown every year.
Whilst Wayne's prices may seem low to some i guess it depends on where you live and the competition around you, if it's working for him then good for him.
I've only got one job tomorrow, two average sized rooms, a leather 3 piece suite and a two seater, £210 and i expect to be finished by 2pm at the latest.
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We are staying busy - ie 2 men & a TM working 8 till 6-ish almost every day, but this year & last it's very last-minute, still got a couple of slots left before Xmas, but expect to fill them.
Back in the summer we were booked 2 to 3 weeks ahead, and in previous years Xmas also got booked solid weeks ahead.
Upholstery at least 50% of turnover at the moment - which is not a welcome trend :P
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Nowt wrong with that mate, earn that everyday for those hours and all is tickety boo ;)
Just to put things in perspective a little - last week my son hired a Bricklayer and he was charged £200 a day out of which the Bricky was paying for his labourer.
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Wish I was finished for 2pm I've had enough now!
Getting back to price I'd recommend to up your pricing then up your knowledge if you know how to talk the talk you can then transfer that to price, customers buy results knowledge aids you in getting better results the iicrc courses I went on really gave me a better idea of the technical side to wow customers.
Shaun
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pretty busy. This week and last! last week wasn't as profitable as i had alot of wee nippy jobs but had to be done but good week all the same. next week is almost fully booked.
Working up till 23rd if i get the bookings. and in between xmas and new year.
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I diddnt mean any offence by my comment, there are carpet cleaners in my area if you can call them that ! Charging carpets from £10 or that is what they advertise ! And upholstery from £20
I only clean one suite a day but average price I get is £150 takes me about three hours to complete so you could say £50 per hour! I dont think for one moment that I am expensive as there are the likes of service master and rainbow charging nearly double that !
They are not doing anything different to me apart from they run a franchise and have much bigger overheads, as for me I am working flat out till the 23rd and have done for the last six weeks! In that time I have not had a day off, also I clean in exess of 60 specsaver branches and this has to be carried out on an evening after the days work
Stuart
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Xmas???
What are you worried about... It's months away, isn't it?
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Bit slow at the moment, phone ringing with price shoppers.
But the last few Christmases have been down, however the summers have been busy maybe the customers habits are changing.
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my work is the same as yours alby its seems the summer work has picked up ]
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very good at the moment, fully booked, taken two jobs for Jan
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Jan now full and booked till mid Feb.
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I'm booked till April now.
Plus I got a commercial worth 5k to do next weekend.
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5k for the weekend is that half price?
2nd, 3rd and half day on 4th booked that's it some bits and bobs on for the week after nice commercial job on 11th, January isn't a bad month providing the snow keeps off earlier this year we had snow from late January on and off until late February.
Shaun
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I'm booked up 'til xmas 2014............................................Seriously had a call at 9am today asking if I could clean a carpet today at 10am ;D
Talk about leaving it late.I told him next available slot was 28th December to which he asked if I could do it tomorrow.
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Dreadful unfortunately, fully booked but not to the extent it should be. 13 years of full on marketing for a 1 man band, not good.
But, I did choose this crap as a way of making a living, so my beds made.
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Dreadful unfortunately, fully booked but not to the extent it should be. 13 years of full on marketing for a 1 man band, not good.
But, I did choose this crap as a way of making a living, so my beds made.
The most honest comment made on this thread. ;)
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I'm booked up to Christmas Eve.
January, I'm booked up for half of the month........doing the Spine Race along the Pennine way and a Stag do in Hamburg. ;)