Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 09:24:39 am

Title: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 09:24:39 am
WHATS GOING ON! I really can say I have not known it this quite for several years. Dont these people realise Christmas is coming! Go on, now tell me its only me.

Cheers

Justin
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: David_Annable on November 09, 2006, 11:17:58 am
Hi

Its the carm before the storm.

Or at least I hope it is.

Dave
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: fletch on November 09, 2006, 11:46:24 am
Its been very quiet for me also  :-[ but Ive only been in this job for about 2 months now, I can say Ive had 135 hits on my web, and lots of pennypinchers phoneing etc.
I hope with Christmas coming I can pull in some money now.
After all the energy I personnaly put into my business I want to reap the benifits from it.  >:(
                                 Fletch.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: matt jones on November 09, 2006, 12:58:59 pm
me too i have also found it abit dead at the mo. Gonna go do some leaflets in a mo.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: cleaning co on November 09, 2006, 02:07:35 pm
lol flectch    think u might hav to put little bit more time in yet mate like at least a year or two lol   ive bin going 12 years and hav never bin this slow ever
gary
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: vangaurd on November 09, 2006, 02:37:23 pm
just got on, the books of another letting agency, thats 2 now!
also do work for a major franchise,
also clean an office,
also do my domestics
was a bit quiet last 2 weeks but picking up now
happy xmas to all my past , and future carpets
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Timmy Boy on November 09, 2006, 03:00:23 pm
I have never been so quiet, a days worth of curtain on monday, a job on sunday night & thats it! I hope everyone is saving their pennies for a busy december :-\
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Macarthur on November 09, 2006, 03:03:49 pm
Very quiet at the moment, have had nothing but price shoppers lately.

My last customer from Yellow Pages was about two months ago, been out there putting leaflets out but to no avail. Hopefully next month things will change.

Just glad I have alot of money saved.

Nigel.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: nick p on November 09, 2006, 03:26:17 pm
i think my storm just started was quiet last week but the phone hasnt stopped rining this week

cheers nick
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 03:26:35 pm
Last year November was a good Month, I just dont understand it. I have over 1000 more customers this year, I have better advertising this year but the phone is very quite. I have been working 7 days a week for the past 3 months, I can not remember the last day I done less than 3 jobs in one day, yet today only 1 job, tomorrow only 1 job ( 3 Sat & 1 Sun ) Now is not a good time to be slow. But at least its not only me.

Cheers
Justin
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: calmore on November 09, 2006, 03:35:48 pm
As the bloke on the telly said this morning, people have built up record levels of debt and now interest rates have risen many people have no money to spend.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: cleaning co on November 09, 2006, 03:40:42 pm
theres alot of people quiet  just look how many are on line at the min
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: homenclean on November 09, 2006, 03:45:41 pm
Have a happy Xmas from the Government and banks interest rates up, just before Xmas, what is this country comming too punnish the man on the street!

John
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 04:38:37 pm
This is not helping Guys, now I am very concerend! Sure it will be fine.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: *paul_moss on November 09, 2006, 05:00:32 pm
I have noticed a difference in the drop of calls this week as well.
Very strange.
The other thing as well is that it doesnt feel very xmassy out there either.Last year all the shops had kicked off xmas in the first week of Nov but they seem to be holding back a little this year,you would not think its only 6 weeks away  :o
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Terry_Burrows on November 09, 2006, 05:15:18 pm
if you have been busy this year :-\ you have been lucky,its been dead
in our area all year :P may be its starting to happen where you are,it seems no one has got money to have there carpets clean :-\
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: COLIN BRIGHT on November 09, 2006, 05:17:52 pm
best year i've ever had
luck has got nothing to do with it terry, but targeted marketing has!
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: cleaning co on November 09, 2006, 05:53:55 pm
colin ,  bin doing this 12 years and i target people  who hav so called losts of spare dosh !!!!   and hav had few very bad periods this year so   ,  so yes luck dos come into mate !!!  and u mate av bin lucky
gary
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: craigp on November 09, 2006, 06:55:09 pm
heres the man with the answer, LOL !!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARPET-CLEANING-BUSINESS-FOR-SALE_W0QQitemZ200045130267QQihZ010QQcategoryZ11762QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Neil Grainger on November 09, 2006, 07:27:25 pm
Justin

You have taken a 1000 new customers already this year and your moaning about being quiet. How often do you mailshot these customers.

Wokingham is my target for the new year so may see you around.

Cheers

Neil
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Terry_Burrows on November 09, 2006, 07:28:27 pm
it depends on I think how many are in you area and what areas :-\
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Mark Stanley on November 09, 2006, 08:19:29 pm
Gosh I think I might go for a bit of that!!
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 08:48:32 pm
Hi Neil

I dont really do that much in Wokingham believe it or not. Too many people with big mortgages no spare cash. I think you may clash with Abracabra cleaning. He mail shots Monthly, using Fast track methods. I dont know if you are aware but he also owns a Leaflet distribution company so it is a bit difficult to keep up with him. Hence I dont really do much in Wokingham, I pass his van alot around this area so he must be busy. We get a leaflet from him every month so he should be busy really. You probably know him, do you?

Regards
Justin 
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 08:55:11 pm
I have also spent a fortune on advertising this year. some good, some not so good. Wont be doing this again next year. Live & learn! and this year I have had an expensive lesson.

Cheers
Justin
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Neil Grainger on November 09, 2006, 09:04:48 pm
Hi Justin

Whats the name of the Leaflet shop he owns?

Did you get a 1000 new customers or was that a typo, seems a lot and if you averaged around £70 that a nice sum of money.

What marketing has cost you, Yell have just given me a 60% discount because of their lie about aaaaaa......

I'm happy with that.

I think things are on the move as regards phones ringing though picked up yesterday but lots of price shoppers.

Happy xmas

Neil
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Phil Marlor on November 09, 2006, 09:14:55 pm

Got loads of work, all recomendations & regulars.

Except for a news letter in June,  done no marketing at all this year and 1 cheap advert in YP is all the advertising I do.

Just had my best year ever, the best way to be busy is to do a good job and a lot will come back & recomend you, not saying any of you dont of course! ;)

Also buy a TM, you will find you earn more and get home earlier.

Phil




Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 09:33:07 pm
Hi Neil

Not sure that he owns a shop, I think it is just distribution..  Have picked up near to that number of new custy but, and it is a big but lower average that you say and most of my work is nearer to Heathrow airport. This has been a deliberate target area with new terminal, lots of rented accomodation. However, bit of journey work can be a pain, but I have found that their has been a bit of an open market, not sure for how much longer. Also it sounds alot, but I do work 7 days a week so you soon rack up the new customers, and the bags under your eyes. Do you know James from Abracadabra?, his company deliver all the Pizza leaflets etc, so he just adds his leaflets and floods the area, so I tyr to avoid his area.

Cheers
Justin
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 09:40:30 pm
As far as advertising cost goes. I am ashamed to say this but is is near to 20K so I have had to be busy! as I said I wont be doing it next year, its making a youg man old!`
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: mark_roberts on November 09, 2006, 09:43:02 pm
Very busy here.  Just passed last years turnover already :D.  Yellow pages has been quiet over the past couple of weeks but plenty of repeat work and even the newspaper is doing well.

Maybe its not cold enough for people to be thinking of Christmas.  Early days yet but it will come.

To be honest I find June and September just as busy as December.

Mark
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 09:52:24 pm
Neil,

You done well to get that discount from Yell, I complained at it just got shrugged off. What line did you use?

Cheers
Justin
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on November 09, 2006, 09:57:57 pm
Time to put your prices up then Mark!

Shaun
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Neil Grainger on November 09, 2006, 10:02:20 pm
Salesperson told me that they were not doing it anymore when I re-signed.

Obviously when book came out it was still the same.

Rang them up and told the that I have evidence of what sales agent had said and will not pay and happily go to court.

Fell over themselves to give me money off, started at 20% but just kept saying no until they got somewhere near what I thought was exceptable.

Thing is advert is working because it is next to Chemdry so not that unhappy with postition anymore.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 09, 2006, 10:06:37 pm
I've got the yellow pages rep coming to see me next week, hopefully he will promise the world as they do, then this time I wont let him get away with it. I dont think you can help but be near Chemdry in yellow pages, every other ad is Chemdry!

Cheers
J
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: the red carpet on November 09, 2006, 11:00:42 pm
£280 yeserday, £366 today and £150 tommorow should be finished by lunchtime tommorow though ;)

Phone has rung everyday for months
I found the hardest thing was building up the momentum to get going once your on a roll thats it, just dont stop marketing
If you know you get say 3 jobs per thousand  leaflets and you want 3 jobs a day, then its simple just make sure a thousand leaflets a day go out and you will never dry up.

If you do your marketing in dribs and drabs, your work will come in dribs and drabs
If you have consistent marketing you will have consistent work (simple really)
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: bennymon on November 10, 2006, 06:48:30 am
hi folks this week mon 2jobs=£410 home by 2oclock tue 1 job=£140 home by11.30 today i have 1 job=£150 should be done by 11.30 all giving me plenty of time to pack as i move house saturday. i also have £550 booked so far for next week for me this is good ive not had a good year and im hoping things are on the up   i wont be on here for about 3 weeks  so fingers crossed it will be a great lead up to christmas for all of us  :) :)
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: craigp on November 10, 2006, 08:17:54 am
im up on last year, its nothing to do with economic trends. ime.

i still dont market exsisting customers, i got work out how to use a database first.
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Terry_Burrows on November 10, 2006, 08:48:42 am
we are hoping our 10,000 drops will do some thing later this month never did this before :-\ will carry this on again some point :-\
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: maxcarpets on November 10, 2006, 11:09:28 am
I never stop marketing and always stay very busy, which is why I am a little suprised the lack of calls this week. However, three jobs this morning! On the move again!

Cheers for your comments
Justin
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: mark_roberts on November 10, 2006, 05:57:43 pm
Shaun

Yea I put up prices every year at least by about 10% but am thinking about 25% in Jan and more specific package pricing.

Its not so much of a problem doing the work its dealing with the 10-20 calls im getting every day.  For the past month Ive diverted all calls to voicemail and then ring back those who have left a message when I get home.

Really need a helper.

Mark
Title: Re: Rush, what rush??
Post by: Neil Grainger on November 10, 2006, 06:21:02 pm
I was getting worried about things today as the phone did not ring all day untill 3pm and then it goes mad, Took 8 calls and 6 jobs.

I always get people trying to sell me something so was really worried about the phone not ringing.