Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Scott Martin on February 18, 2005, 09:14:05 pm
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Hi Guys,
Got an idea!
Why do we not start a Clean It Up.co.uk business network and market it to all Blue Chip companies? That way all members can potentially gain work for say, for arguements sake Sainsburys.
The business would be ideally, Clean It Up Co and if Sainsburys in John o Groats need our serivce then the closest member would gain the work. After the sale 5% or so goes to the company Clean It Up Co, 95% to the operator in the area.
Could be like a non for profit company with all income making it a better industry for us all and also donating to this fantastic forum.
Just an idea and i know everyone will have there maon and groan about it but the positive could def outway the negative.
Needs a lot of commitment and planning before fruition but could possibly work.
Please could everyone submit feedback on this?
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Forgot to say!
WILL DEF GET THE FRANCHISES SHAKING IN THEIR SHOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Worth it for that!
Best
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half the people on here are just like me, cowboy bodgers. how can we offer blue chips companies a carpet cleaning service when we can't gaurantee quality workmanship.
this is a totally unworkable idea
well this is my feedback ;)
Mike
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Speak for yourself Mike! You a Franchise?
Ha Ha
Cheers Mate
Scott
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Scott
Only problem I see with Sainsbury’s its hard floor work don’t think many have the equipment! Why not target m&s they have a mixture of flooring.
Think I understand where you are coming from
Len
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Cheers Len,
Sainsburys was only for arguments sake, first blue chip name i could think off.
bit garbled i know but def could work i think?
You up for looking into it more with me
Cheers
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National companies require a national but unified price and there isn't one, most of you guys are too cheap.
Shaun
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Hi Scott
A good idea in principle - would take some working out in practice.
How would u propose to market the venture?
How would u ensure quality control ?
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Exactly! that is what it is all about!
we Can change the presidnet and stigma that goes with it but we need to be together on it!
We work in regions, so we region the work. If you live in plymouth you get plymouth work etc etc.
needs thinking and planning but doable!
Cheers
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If it's just a % I'm in
if your are asking me to put money upfront no way, it'll never lift, but like all of my work I offer a 100% money back guarantee so you can't lose!
Shaun
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We all write to companies in our area, chamer of commerce members etc, all blue chip are int he chamber.
quality control would mainly be via this site, we issue customer comment cards for each job and persue them until it is completed and boldly stating that all comments, good or bad are posted on this site. If not happy they will state the reason why. We could implement a policy of three negative feedbacks and your out! Harsh i know but i have been a c/c for 14 years, self emplyed for 4 years and i have never had a complaint or any negative feedback against me.
If you really take pride in your work then we will always be there or there abouts!
Lets give the Chem Drys and Rainbows of this world a real run for their money, together!
Cheers
Scott
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Shaun,
No money asked, but to make it work we have to donate in other ways! i.e. we all market it together.
I will personally get stationary sorted that we all can use and we constantly hit all big blues together and at the same time! Sooner or later they will listen.
Planning is essential though.
Cheers
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Hi scott
looking at your profile u are 28, u say u have been cc for 14 years .. started young!?
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Very Young indeed!
Runs in the family.
I have not posted this topic so that people can nip-pik at things like my age, my profile really has nothing to do with it, as you can see i have posted many topics and my profile is complete and many references to prove my workmanship. I also run a very successful CC business and employ 5 guys but in an ideal world i would like to employ 10 or more and retire to climates hotter. Nothing wrong with a bit of determination is their?
All it is is an idea, no signatures required. For or against to gauge feasability.
Cheers
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I see no reason why it could not work.
It might be possible to have two Divisions.
truckmount
Portable.
Basicly it would be a Franchise.
There would be Rules and Regulations
You will have to attend Training Sessins
You will have to attend Confrences in Japan
There will be Prizes
We would need a Web Site that has had more than 23 hits ;D ;D ;D
You will have to contribute to administration and promotional costs.
But it could be done.
About two Years ago there was a proposal to advertise on TV on Cleantalk
Scott stikes me as a Man of Action.
He has achieved a team of Carpet Cleaners, I have no idea if he started from scratch or has taken over family business
My point is he makes it happen
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go 4 it
dont listen 2 "um cough" like that above about age, and how long, bieng doing it.
ok experience comes with age.
but ambition does'nt.
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Hi Scott
No offence meant about the age thing! It was just the arithmatic element that was puzzling me.
I have come in on this thread because i am interested in what you are proposing and see it as a positive thing.
Cheers
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No offence taken.
cheers
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A detailed list of pros and cons should be drawn up now. Somebody would have to be appointed to run it to provide a hq.
If there were 2 members in a catchment area and both want a piece of the action how do we choose who gets the work?
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Might I add a very good idea. Another point for consideration would be an assessor would have to be available to intervene and make a site visit if neccessary in the event of complaints. Would the man in charge be willing to travel to Newry in Northern Ireland. Money would have to be set aside in group fund for tthese expenses.
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Me being a newbie still (almost 1 year now), i cant really comment on the logistic side of this, but it does sound like an interesting idea.
Martin
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Theory sounds great but the practice would be something else :o
What qualifications would be needed to be on board in the first place?......NCCA, Prochem training. IICRC .......the list goes on.
Proof of insurances and liability.
Police / Security clearance for certain buildings.
CRB checks for households.
HSE awareness and practice.
ps. NOT trying to put a downer on the idea, because i think it will benefit everyone................but who would want the HEADACHE
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it sounds like a great idea :) but whats your problem with rainbow and chemdry?
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I think its a good idea in theory but
1 Most blue chip companys would expect just one invoice for the month for work done within thier various branches they very rarley like lots of invoices to process,so that then means setting up an accounts dept.
2 Not all of us are Vat regeristered do you leave the guys that arn,t out as most these companys like you to be regeristered.
3 Not everyone is familiar with hard flooring cleaning
do you set up a course for this.
4 If the job is a large one how many operaters do you put on it and how would you share the work.
There are so many pros & cons like Chris has pointed out that need to be taken into account , I dont want to sound negative about this but it really would be a headache to set up & would the rewards be worth it.
I have had some experience with national account work for some very big companys with a Franchise I once had & as far as I can see they like to see uniformaty in the type of service they pay for can we give them that.
Davy
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Not got a problem with Rainbows or Chem dry front line guys, just the companies in general.
Bad experience shall we say, wont go into the politics of it but def nothing personal against the operators.
Cheers
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Would not really have to be set up as a company, more of a network org.
WE ALL MARKET IT REGIONALLY FROM OUR BASE.
WE APPOINT A PRESIDENT OR THE LIKE AND A TREASURER AND THIS CHANGES ANNUALLY.
OPERATOR INVOICES AS NORMAL, UNDER OWN NAME OR ORG NAME (tbc) AND THEY DONATE 5% OF SALE TO ORG OR WE PUT IN PLACE THAT THE TRASURER INVOICES AND PAYS THE OPERATOR 95% UPON PAYMENT.
I will try and get to work on a business plan for it over the next few weeks, this will dertermine if it is doable.
As before suggestions, comments good or bad is wanted on this.
And you are all right, it will be a headache a massive headache but hopefully worth.
Cheers Guys
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I agree it may be a headache. But any venture is and nobody can be sure whether there are rewards at the end. having an entrepenneurial mindset Is why we are all here today. We overcome the fear of losing to try and gain a better life for ourselves.
A big problem would be the distribution of territory among members.
My theory
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im with chemdry the overheads are really dragging me down at the moment im not making a living :( your idea sounds great :) count me in :)
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When I was a Newsagent I was in a similiar organization.
But to set it up will require Capital.
How did NCCA get started?
ProClean,
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Hi,
I was contacted by phone by Frontline Online who apparently have this same idea of building up a network of competent invited independent companies to build up national coverage to compete with franchises for insurance work. Applicants are vetted by the National Flood School. Ihave been sent an indepth questionnaire to fill in if I want to apply.Frontline Online is in Crewkerne Somerset, Any one else been approached???
Mike.
P.s Their approach to insurers had been recieved very favourably
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If the logistics could be sorted then it would be a good idea, the problem however is generally the contracts manager for the group, they only want to deal with one person, then that person needs to organise all the regions. We already do a small amount of regional work for a couple of national retailers, which is co-ordinated through a cleaning business in London, works ok but payment terms are dire.
Ian
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Scott
Bit of a late starter my parents had me cleaning at the age of 11 any way, always interested in making money, and think it could work yes I’m up for it!
Len
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cheers len.
You ever been questioned about your age? HA HA
Best
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Scott
Yes had to renew passport lass in post office had to get manage to counter sign back of new passport photograph they said I looked younger it was down to new glasses and no I did not go to specksavers, (that’s one mob to look at plus hard floor) did not comment on wife photo, then again no one ever dose now apart from me (in a full nelson now) ;D
Never slow in coming forwards all for it.
Len
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hi guys
I have thought of this too, well a similar idea that i think would be easy to implement. We could market our services through this website. I believe this site is quite high up in search engines and with a little tweaking it could be much higher. We could market this website so that when a customer types into their search engine looking for a carpet cleaner this site is always near the top. There would be a button for say "looking for a carpet cleaner?" The customer would enter their postcode and it would display their nearest member. Could the forum admin tell us how many guests visit this site? At the enter to the forum page we could have the button that i have just described. Again its just an idea but if we put our heads together we could make something happen. There is also the possibility of us starting a new national carpet cleaners directory with only the members who are interested contributing, and of course benefiting. I think the cost of this would be low, well a lot lower than all the web based directories would charge you.
I am not trying to divert away from the original post, just adding to it.
what do you's think? shaun
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i say go for it !!
look you will always get the negatives
i sure would be interested and fro my part would build the web site including all links for free
already have some blue chips on my list !!
regs.
brian
www.advancecarpetcare.co.uk
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Hi Scott & Lads
A Good idea ?? I take it that there would be areas, (ie County's - Kent,Surrey that sort of thing). And it does not have to be Truckmount verus the portables we would all be in it together or it would not work. And one area could have one guy to look over things and make sure that it runs on the straight and narrow.
Just an idea.
Regards Kevin.
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Hi guys,
Generally this is a good idea, but!!!
the biggest problem will be money, what we all want.
Customers generally one one point of contact for the whole area of the their responsibility ie Scotland and they want a standard that is the same where ever the work is being carried out, so if one team cleans with hwe and another cleans with pads you will have a problem,
training to what standard?
uniform we all can't be different?
invoices ?
There are to many cc wanting a bite of a very small cherry, would you complain if the guy in the next area is getting all the work all the time.
Who decides whop gets what work, areas, how may opps in one area.
We looked into this a couple of years ago and it allways came down to money and area.
Regards
Graeme
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Just to put my little bit in woodman gave me a job the other day that would have gone if not for the cleaning sites .Ive always said TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER ,last week i lost a job that i had priced to another carpet cleaner in my area .When i found out that he had the job i phoned him up and said we should get together and talk about prices as he got the job for 60 pounds and my price was 75 pounds .I said you have lost 15 pounds if we both had the same price we the carpet cleaners would make the money instead of fighting each other on price des ???
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Des,
I like what you are saying about prices and recently had call from a member, local to me, about someone ringing round for prices. If one of us gets the big job then we will both knock it out and go 50/50.
Sadly it is not the norm and what sounds good on the forum may not sound so good to the CC who has had no work for days and needs to feed the family :-\
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Ive done that job now Chris ;)
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Hi ,
Cos I've got two Thompsons entries I had the same guy ring twice in two minutes, last week.
Still didn't get the job though ???
Cheers,
Doug
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hi guys
I have thought of this too, well a similar idea that i think would be easy to implement. We could market our services through this website. I believe this site is quite high up in search engines and with a little tweaking it could be much higher. We could market this website so that when a customer types into their search engine looking for a carpet cleaner this site is always near the top. There would be a button for say "looking for a carpet cleaner?" The customer would enter their postcode and it would display their nearest member. Could the forum admin tell us how many guests visit this site? At the enter to the forum page we could have the button that i have just described. Again its just an idea but if we put our heads together we could make something happen. There is also the possibility of us starting a new national carpet cleaners directory with only the members who are interested contributing, and of course benefiting. I think the cost of this would be low, well a lot lower than all the web based directories would charge you.
I am not trying to divert away from the original post, just adding to it.
what do you's think? shaun