Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: vangaurd on August 11, 2006, 02:56:15 pm

Title: how long in business
Post by: vangaurd on August 11, 2006, 02:56:15 pm
i have been , in business , since april this year
always give my customers 100/% they are always happy with result
i have a gallery a office and a restuarant on my books but this last 2 weeks is so so quiet ?
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: Jaffamonkey on August 11, 2006, 03:32:22 pm
I’ve been in business since June and this has been my busiest week so far. :) So busy im even doing a job tomorrow :(
What marketing have you been doing?
Just ask Mick Halliday leaflets leaflets and more leaflets, 5000 a week busy busy busy.

Regards

Simon
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: gwrightson on August 11, 2006, 04:13:18 pm
even I have got a few jobs in Harrogate ;D to do

must be a shortage of c/c there!!!!
 Geoff

Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: the red carpet on August 11, 2006, 07:02:39 pm
Give it a chance, the first couple months are gonna be tuff.

For starters you have hardly any repeats or refferalls, and secondly it takes time to get your marketing right.

As long as on the quite days you get out there and do leaflets or some other form of marketing yourself it will pay of in the long run. I am aproaching the end of my first year and for the first time this week i have started turning jobs away as im to busy, four this week.

After six months of constant marketing things get a little easier, as you get calls saying i got your leaflet a few months ago can you come and give me a quote, hello you gave me a quote last month can i book it in please, hello i got your number from my neighbour you done her carpets before can you do mine, hi is that vangaurd you done my carpets the other month iv just spilt a pot of tea can you come round.

This is when you know your gonna be ok ;D and all the hard work was worth it

I only have two days available for this month, and as long as i fill them and get no cancellations my total turnover for the month will be around £4500. And thats one man with a portable charging modest prices, theres still loads of room for improvment yet ;)
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: Jaffamonkey on August 11, 2006, 07:38:32 pm
I dont think so Geoff

Just a shortage of Good Ones  ;D

Where abouts in East Yorkshire are you from?

Simon


Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: gwrightson on August 11, 2006, 07:59:46 pm
nth ferriby,

i do have a friend who has quite a number of properties in Harrogate though,
so i do his c/cleaning for him ,

Geoff
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: Jaffamonkey on August 11, 2006, 09:28:07 pm
That makes sense then
because its a long way to come just to clean a carpet.

Your freind must be loaded most people cant afford one house in Harrogate nevermind a few.
Is he Harrogate's answer to Donald Trump ;D

Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: Steve Chapman on August 12, 2006, 12:49:27 am
Firstly it takes two years for any business to get firmly established and is often said you make very little profit until your third year, meaning you need to keep ploughing your profits into your marketing.

And secondly  RED, don't ever turn work away, if anything sub it to another carpet cleaner and add your bit on top, i've been doing this for years and most customers still come back because of the reliability,  if you turn them away you'll never see them again! :'(

regards
steve
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: spindle on August 12, 2006, 05:40:50 pm
i have been going for about 1 yr

i also have a "regular job"(where somebody else takes the blame)

when my cc work(income) over takes my reg job i will quit

i have been buying equip and materials over the year so soon i can do it f/t

Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: Liahona on August 13, 2006, 11:40:29 pm
Been going for 13 years now but as you know I dont work too much any more. Trying to be smarter now not busier. Best, Dave.
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: CVC on August 16, 2006, 08:25:32 pm
Coming upto two years and we are flat out. 16, 17, 18 hours days as standard at the moment. Bring it on.
Title: Re: how long in business
Post by: Phil Marlor on August 16, 2006, 08:41:37 pm

8 years for me.

Quite proud of myself really, never thought I had it in me to run my own business, 1st 2 years were hard but  now I have a new TM and loads of happy customers. :)

Phil