Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: craigp on May 10, 2006, 08:30:42 am
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hi all,
i been thinking, (this subject was touched on in another post) with the rise of laminate flooring and leather upholstery,
combinded with more effective(err not sure about that one) cheaper DIY machines,
added to that the last 10 years have seen more and more c/c business, there used to be 2 pages of carpet cleaners in Y/P now theres around 10,
its supprising theres enough work to go round.
how do you all see the future of this industry?
could things get so competitive that the prices we charge will have to come down?
does the future look good?
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There will always be plenty of work, how many houses do you pass a day and how many c/c do you see at work? Granted theses figures are old but as of 1997 if all registered c/c's worldwide (I know there are many who aren't) cleaned for 24 hours a day for 365 days, they wouldnt clean more than 10% of the new carpets fitted in North America. Meaning for the amount of houses that actually need cleaning we dont by any strech of the imagination have enough c/c.....Our problem if any is that most people just dont get their carpets cleaned. Sad but true. For the record, I am fortunate to have 3 properties, two are in the middle of nowhere so dont count but where I live when I am cleaning so to speak is in an area of and i am guessing 30,000 houses with in a 5 mile radius. Bath is 17 miles away and so is Bristol. Gloucester isnt too far away and neither is Swindon. With all points between there are 100's of thousands or millions of houses to be cleaned. In terms of yellow pages there are 5 or 6 fast trackers as well as a boat load of other cleaners. I am sure you get the point, there is way too much work out there, we just have to go out and find it. My point is also, with the aforementioned fast trackers and other people where I live I have never seen a leaflet advertising c/c, as it is so well used I do wonder why. I would say that where I live the average job would be in the region of 250 or 300 just to clean. It is not the market I am after but it is a good one. Just two a day isnt a bad crack and if you could do 3 then the third would be almost clear profit. The future of this business is in our own hands, maybe we are to blame if we cant find a carpet to clean again its not like they arent out there or dirty. Best, Dave.
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Dave, i liked your post.....well put 8)
Dave
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Very well put Dave. So much so you have inspired me to write my first post. :)
Mike
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dave,
i dont agree theres more than enough work..
if thats the case why do so many write on here that they get only 3 calls from a yellow pages ad, its not like the public are crying out for c/c !
if they were, would'nt they look in y/p?
now plumbers have more than enough work to go round, do you know any c/c that are busy than a plumber,
i think your talking rubbish. i mean we all know as you kindly point out theres millions of house holds in the uk, whats that got to do with the price of fish ;) its no reflection on if theres to many c/c to meet demand.
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hi
i think that there is more carpets out there than carpet cleaners can handle it is down to us carpet cleaners to get out there and educate the customer about having regular carpet cleaning done as most of them are not edcated
cheers nick
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your right, theres more carpets than we could all clean,
But not enough work!
i believe the market is saturated, people don't like to agree on here cus they like to pretend there flat out with work, funny cus most of em chatting on here all day.
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hi
thats where the education comes in if we educete the customers more then you gain more work
cheers nick
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Agree with Nick and Liahona, all about educating customer. You can't compare with Plumbers because their service operates on 'NEED'. C Heating breaks down must get it fixed. Carpets look dirty, stop looking down.
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Education of the customer really is the key, to generate real business you need to do the one thing most of us hate and thats getting out and speaking face to face with people, if you do you will come away with more jobs you can handle :o
much money is spent and wasted on sticking leaflets through peoples doors but most will see and think about booking you and then just forget all about it ::)
Meet people and they will willingly give you the work, that's a fact, nearly everyone has a carpet or rug ;)
regards
steve
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Meet people and they will willingly give you the work, that's a fact, nearly everyone has a carpet or rug Wink
Agreed. Too many spend all day on here or waiting for the phone too ring. Get out there and talk to people. ;)
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I think that there is plenty of work out there,it is just as people say a case of getting out and meeting people face to face,once your in front of people its not hard to sell, Im out leafleting tomorrow (distributor has let me down >:() and I might try door knocking in a few streets to see where it gets me, it cant be any worse than the results of the last couple of weeks leaflet drops! , Andy
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Try this one, i picked it up from Rainbow, when you do a job knock a few doors down the same street and say 'i've been at one of your neighbours I just thought you may like a quote while i'm still in the area' - It normally works a treat for me 8)
They would of seen your van previously anyway so will know it's all professional etc and there's nothing like getting people book up if they think their neighbours have had it done ;)
regards
steve
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We all advertise in the place we think is one of the best YP, here we are going to customers that have had their carpets cleaned before so you get 20 carpet cleaners going for may be 10% of the cleaning population.
If you turn it on it's head there is 90% untouch who may want there carpet cleaned but just don't know who or where to go or just don't know they want their carpet cleaned.
Leaflets open up the 90% a bit more then there are several other gate ways into the 90%.
Most of us are going head to head and driving prices down by going to the few, we need converts to raise the 10%.
Shaun
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i think your right there shaun, i think raising standards of advertising and also service will go some way to obtaining some of these 'virgin c/c customers' and i dont know about you chaps but i often have custys never had c/c before so we are tapping it.
i often find that many peoples experience with c/c even the virgins whos never had work done but there friends have, it is mostly franchises which they know of and see c/c as very very expensive so do not consider it for that reason, also bad experiences are common (as we know its the bad experience go through the grape vine) and put people off
its interesting how this industry has changed, 15 years ago and before, i think the franchise had most of the work including domestic to themselfs, but domestic now is largley, close to all , serviced by privite companies.
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I dont clean all week as most of you know so dont need to find that much work. However a mate of mine in the c/c business is or was struggling for work and hadnt had a job at all last week to clean nor did the phone go for next week. So yesterday I went with him TO THE ROAD HE LIVES ON spoke face to face with 20 people and he now has 12 jobs to do. He discounted all the work to 200 a house to just clean carpets (what else he ends up with he will have to wait and see) So next week he will have £2400 worth of work to do. To save you getting a calculator that works out to be approx 125 thousand a year but of course working 52 weeks. My point is and was before, there is plenty of work out there and not enough carpet cleaners for it. We on the whole just dont go out and get it. ...... Craig in answer to your question about the yellow pages.....apart from refering to the posts about it...... the yellow pages on the whole just plane doesnt work. Also and it has been touched on a little, most people who need their carpets cleaned just dont get them cleaned, these are the people we should target, he who asks gets..... not all the time but on Saturday it worked for one cleaner so should work for many more. No adds, no leaflets no advertising of any sorts ........... but 2400 pounds in the bank for a weeks work. Hmmm maybe I should just sell for those who dont go out and get work on their own. But who in their right mind would do that??? After all its not rocket science to talk to ones nextdoor neighbour is it?..... Best, Dave.
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Dave alot of newbies and most carpet cleaners are lazy or shy when it comes to the introduction, what are you saying that most are not?
hello I'm dave your local cc
a bit predictable, but I bet it works
Shaun
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::) ::) ::)
need I say more
Mike
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If you prod more you get more out and the truth can be deceiving.
Mark
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Shaun. That is kind of how I went about it for me mate but I dont for my own work. However it obviously worked. My concern though was that his neighbours didnt even no he was a carpet cleaner. How many of us out in c/c land dont clean all the houses or at least 10 in all diredtions so to speak of the house we live in? Sadly I would imagine quite a few. Mine included!!!!!!!! Best, Dave.
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I went out delivering flyers for a few hours yesterday, not normally a time or day that I would, with the weather being nice people were out in their gardens, the net result 2 booked jobs from 30 houses, another one quoted (theyre decorating the room at the minute,reckon they will call me when its finished,so its a possible), and from the 200 odd flyered Ive had 3 calls today (1 being seagrass :o) so all in a good afternoon, Andy
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Please excuse my Newbie ignorance. What I can't get my head round is that what most successful guys are saying here is the difference between success and failure is whether you are prepared to go up to someones front door and tell them about your service or not.
Take the last post ratios 1:15! i can't get my head around people going out of business because they don't like those odds, unless of course their ratios are far worse and in which case what are they doing wrong?
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Mike, on flyers I've managed around 1-1.5%, people may just pick the flyer up and bin it or have a look and think that they will call when theyre not as busy/ got more money or whatever, the end result is they dont make the call, when they are approached face to face I think that they are more likely to ask for a price as they dont feel pressurised as your already on their doorstep, Andy
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Mike
As I have mentioned many times previously this is a close contact business where you are actually carrying out work in the customers house. What people should realise is that a lot of success actually depends on your persona. The majority of the time you are alone in the house with women. If you are the kind of person that women don't feel relaxed with in their own property you will find it very difficult to establish a succesfull service orientated business. I have seen carpet cleaners come and go. A lot because they didn't charge enough for their services but also a few because of what I've mentioned. Most people who become self employed are usually pretty confident and should project a professional image however some can be over cocky or cheeky which will put some customers off, then there are the ones you wouldn't let clean your garden.
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So over and above rejection issues that could hold a CC back, you have to look professional, safe and friendly. :) I can do that.
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John
Scenario.....
Lonely housewives :-* and lonely mums :-*
Ive come across them.....just how far would you go to be friendly?
Is it un-professional to take these offers, or indeed decline them?
Joking aside, I've indulged in this unethical practice a few times, and got repeat business from it. ;)
Whats your angle on that one?
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Just make sure the husband doesn't catch you. Extracting a hand tool from your rear passage wouldn't be a particularly enjoyable experience.
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But john....It's all part of the service....anyhooo...most are sorta single-ish.....hand tool?...would be more worried bout the wand :o
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I thought of that but the wand would probably kill you.
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I dont clean all week as most of you know so dont need to find that much work. However a mate of mine in the c/c business is or was struggling for work and hadnt had a job at all last week to clean nor did the phone go for next week. So yesterday I went with him TO THE ROAD HE LIVES ON spoke face to face with 20 people and he now has 12 jobs to do. He discounted all the work to 200 a house to just clean carpets (what else he ends up with he will have to wait and see) So next week he will have £2400 worth of work to do. To save you getting a calculator that works out to be approx 125 thousand a year but of course working 52 weeks. My point is and was before, there is plenty of work out there and not enough carpet cleaners for it. We on the whole just dont go out and get it. ...... Craig in answer to your question about the yellow pages.....apart from refering to the posts about it...... the yellow pages on the whole just plane doesnt work. Also and it has been touched on a little, most people who need their carpets cleaned just dont get them cleaned, these are the people we should target, he who asks gets..... not all the time but on Saturday it worked for one cleaner so should work for many more. No adds, no leaflets no advertising of any sorts ........... but 2400 pounds in the bank for a weeks work. Hmmm maybe I should just sell for those who dont go out and get work on their own. But who in their right mind would do that??? After all its not rocket science to talk to ones nextdoor neighbour is it?..... Best, Dave.
Dave,
You must have a Golden tongue, walked down street talked to 20 people got 12 to spend £200.
What are they having done?
Out of interest how long did it take you?
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and none of them just wanted a lounge cleaning ::) all spent £200 ::)
his tongue is either silver or forked
Mike
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Ian and Mike, in short it took about 2 hours. The idea and it worked, that each of the people knew my mate so it wasnt actualyy cold calling. They didnt know hw was a cleaner though.
A sweeping statemen I know but most of the houses would have cost 3 or 400 to do, so to offer them all the same price of 200, 12 people said yes....... I am sure at some stage he will clean the others too.....
Mike apart from when I was a rookie and starting out I never clean just one room. Why would you go to a house and just clean a lounge. If thats what most people do then againmy point is, maybe we ned to change the market we are cleaning for, if that makes sense? Please note I am not a salesman in anyway shape or form. In fact I despise selling, so I dont. I have always thought that a good salesman will try to get more for what is needed as opposed for getting any amount of money for what is wanted. I also feel and I am sure we all do is that as the saying goes, 99.9% of each house that we go in needs everything cleaned. If we only clean a lounge or the infamous hall stairs and landing, then we are not doing our job correctly. After all we are in the business as service people, if we only clean the lounge we arent offering much of a service are we?....... Sorry a bit bitty but I keep looking back at the questions frm you both.......Ian, all are having all their carpets cleaned. If he adds on furniture or the like that is up to him, I would for reasons mentioned above...........
. Mike, I understand your comments about my tounge. However I am a nice bloke, really. There are a few people on here that know me and I dont think I upset them so to speak on how I am. I must say though ia a lot of cases and I hope with all of us, that on the whole at least our existing customers dont just want their carpets cleaned, they they want us to clean it. That being the case it is tribute to you or us as people or as a person, not the fact that you are a cleaner. After all it aint that difficult to clean a carpet now is it?......
You can be the best carpet cleaner in the world but if Mrs or Mr X doesnt feel comfortable with you as a person you purely and simply wont get the job.......
The way I am when I clean is so very different than the norm, my customers are indeed happy with me, so who cares?......
My theory is, 'till they find someone else they are more comfortable with they will continue to use me as their cleaner, cleaning all they have to clean......
Last thing to Ian. You commented on the 12 out of the 20. My concern was the 8 out of the 20.. My attitude was that I failed to impress for a better word, 8 peopleabout what it is that we were offering. I am spoiled as you know as I get 100% of the people I go to see. (After I have the designer) ........ so not getting the 8 was a dissappointment. For curiosity value for me and I am sure yourselves, I will keep you posted as to what happenedduring this week, at the end of the week...
Cheers for now, best, Dave.
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Bitty :P
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Dave,
Good to talk to you this afternoon ;D ;D
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A very big pinch of SALT comes to mind when i read some of these posts.
Take Care John
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Dave I would have loved to hear your pitch to these people, obviously you have put your point across very well for them to book their carpets to be cleaned by your friend.
To give us an idea of what demographic area were you/he in:-
What type of houses were they?
How much approx were the homes worth?
What kind of people? Doctors or dustmen
Shaun
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Dave slightly off the point, and i hope you don't mind me saying ;) ;)
I find your posts very hard to read, could you use paragraphs to separate different points.
I actually think its my eyesight because I tend to loose my place as I read your text, I would find it helpful for you to use paragraphs.
there endeth to-days English lesson :) :)
Ta very much
Mike
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Mike, I would if I knew how too. Thats why i tend to do this......... but you are right they arent easy to read. I will ask my son how to do it. Best, Dave. ..........Shaun I ll answer your questions tomorrow as I am off to nodsville.....
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dave,
where you 'put.............'
just press 'enter button' instead, to drop a line ;D
press it twice and you'll miss a line ;D
i thought you did it cus you write so much that you needed to save space ;D
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Craig, thanks mate and accordingly I hope this and more will be easier to read. I do write a lot but I
hope that is ok. Two reasons, one, being quiet isnt one of my strong points and two quite often
I have a lot of questions to answer. Anyway, hope i dont bore you too much. Oh and Mike, I dont
have a problem you saying what you did. If more people not just on here but in general actually
wrote or spoke what they wanted, life would be so much easier. I am often asked the difference
between the states and here and in answer and I hope you get my point. On the whole in England
if you are out to dinner and it isnt to your liking when the waiter or waitress asks you how everything is
the reply is " oh everything is fine thankyou" or similar. In the states if the same question is asked the
reply would be just as it is. Its too hot or too cold it was late etcetera etcetera. Anyway I side track yet
again. Shaun..... 3 bed semis.....£200,000 is what me mates house is worth....... no idea of the kind of
people......... John...... I understand what you are saying about the salt........But my point is and always
has been, with no flyers, no yellow pages in fact no advertising in any way doesnt mean you cant get
work. If you had no jobs at all lined up then speak to someone untill they say yes you can clean my
house. It may not be 1 to 1 but who cares if it is 1 to 10. You now have a job to do tomorrow. This has
to be one of the easiest business's to get into and actually do and the profit margins are huge. No
special licenses needed, no years of training and we can make a £1000 pounds a week with our eyes
shut so to speak and still be home to watch the world cup in the afternoon. I just wish I knew about
carpet cleaning when I was a kid. I would have mostly retired at 30 instead of 40. Anyway, hope this
made better or easier reading, best, Dave.
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Sorry it has taken so long to up date on this subject but I have been away for a while and just followed
up with me mate....... In short, it took him two weeks to do the work because the weather had been
unkind to say the least. He ended up doing only 10 out the 12 planned for whatever reason, all though
the two not done were just postponed. He also did three others so ended up doing 13 and as I said
two on hold. One of the jobs he went back to clean some firniture that he charged 175 for. In all he
made a little under £3,000 for two weeks work........ He went around to another 20 houses of people
he didnt know and got 6 people to agree to his £200 pound proposal. Another £1200 for a weeks work
plus the 2 carried over from the first 12 and so therefore for 3 weeks work he made close to £4000.....
Again, no leaflets, no yellow pages and no advertising of any sort. This or these results I think is a
good market research to prove my point and way of getting work. I know it doesnt work for everyone
and appreciate each to their own but it wouldnt hurt to give it a try. For me and mine I bring in more
work because I talk to people than I would if I advertised as most people do. Best, Dave.