Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian Rochester on December 17, 2008, 07:51:12 pm

Title: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ian Rochester on December 17, 2008, 07:51:12 pm
We've not had the mad rush that went in previous years, however the next day has always been fully booked and there's been no slack periods.

Got some big jobs booked in between xmas and new year and couple of big ones for the first two weeks in Jan

How's others finding this December compared to previous years
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ryan Smyth on December 17, 2008, 08:38:20 pm
I hav to be honest and although im still a newbie at this game the last week iv been very quiet,i was putting it down to people having their decorations up so im concentrating on marketing for the new year,vouchers,special offers etc.....thats a good excuse as any to the wife for having a extended holiday season ;D

Ryan
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 17, 2008, 09:18:16 pm
Ian

Have had some new clients but its my regulars and recs that have me busy this month :)

Just dont know how jan and feb will be next yr mind you ???
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 17, 2008, 09:21:05 pm
Phome quietened alot last week but I've been full for nearly a month anyway but this week the stragglers have come.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ryan Smyth on December 17, 2008, 09:28:17 pm
Lets have a positive attitude for the new year folks ;D

Ryan
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 17, 2008, 09:29:29 pm
 :)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 17, 2008, 09:30:37 pm
Well I'll be full of work January Feb and March then!

Is that enough PMA for you?

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: carlton care on December 17, 2008, 09:36:17 pm
Just booked a regular 5 minutes ago for next Monday, nothing like the usual volume for this time of year, but still OK.

Right attitude Ryan, it's easy to become despondent, but this is a service which can give ( not always of course ) as good as new results and keep people happy for another year,  when they thought they needed to replace an expensive item of furniture.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Aquakleen Restoration Services on December 17, 2008, 09:45:30 pm
Choca block!
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: derek west on December 17, 2008, 09:56:40 pm
can't really comment as i wasn't around last year to compare but since when can i keep my mouth shut.
set for just over a grand this week, (no repeat customers for obvious reasons)(roll on next year kerching) still not fully booked though, all half days bar 1 which was 8.30 til 2. phones still ringing, 3 jobs booked for the 29th, 2 booked in for jan with a possible big 3rd one,(as follows) and heres a dilemma for you fully booked guys to ponder over. had a call from a manager of a golf club today. "we've had a leek from a glass washer and its flooded the bar, can you come clean it tonight as theres a party tomorrow and it smells of cat pee" got talking to her and she told me she had a regular clean every january, "why can't your regular guy do it" i said, "he said he was fully booked" and couldn't fit her in,
anyway did the clean,(6 pm til 7pm) charged her £60 and she said youve got the job in january, "not using him again"
now i  know its no garauntee ive got the job, but surely he should of crammed her in somewhere, even if your fully booked, your not FULLY BOOKED, its not like your cleaning 24hrs a day.
is he just a lazy git  who takes things for granted or will i be doing the same in a few years time cos i can't be assed.
hope not.
what would the fully booked guys have done,? shaun. ;D
derek
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Mike Osbourne on December 17, 2008, 10:09:49 pm
You've done really well for your first year. Wouldn't worry about other cleaners it's their loss and your gain.

I'm really chuffed with December but who knows what will happen next year. ???
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 17, 2008, 10:18:57 pm
Derek

Same as mike said your doing good mate :)

Maybe the regular cleaner didnt want the job anyway its your gain :)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 17, 2008, 10:26:48 pm
Derek I'd rather have the booked up work and money in the bank then a regular who says that you can have the job in Jan at the drop of a hat!

What happens when you are not able to do a job for a regular when you are on holiday or incapacitated with your Viking?

Many customers can be fickle, I had one on Monday, she has been using me for years but decided to try someone else for a change came back to me after I don't think he did a bad job but she just wanted a change!! I could have said bugger off but where would that get me if all of my customers did it?

No such thing as 100% customer loyalty it doesn't happen.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ricky M on December 17, 2008, 10:29:42 pm
1st Dec running the biz on my own and ive trebled last years  takings but its knackering on my own ,  booking for jan  , 3 calls off new prospects today, sort of turned down 2 , booked 1 , spent a long time reading what the high quoter's post on this and other forums and put there ideas in to play.

off from 23rd Dec till 12th Jan and bookings going well for Jan/Feb

Hope all you are doing well and have a Great Xmas

Ricky
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 17, 2008, 10:32:33 pm
Shaun

Too right on the customer loyalty i remember when brian philbin once said to me the customer is loyal to the pound ::)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ricky M on December 17, 2008, 10:36:32 pm
Well done Derek your doing ace in your 1st year , If one of my regs asked me to go in an emergency I would be there in the early hours if need be but if I didn care about losing them I would fob them off with the fully booked line as i have done with about 6 clients this year.

Shaun , I think I agree with you on this one

Ricky
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Mike Osbourne on December 17, 2008, 10:50:33 pm
I like the attitude a Client is for life, it keeps you on your toes and are prepared to invest more time and money in them than if you saw them as a one hit wonder.

However, nothing is forever. You can outgrow a customer, their circumstances can change, all manor of things change but that's just the way it is.

Treating all your customers equally is great, but you want to treat your best customers more equally. ;)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 17, 2008, 10:52:14 pm
Derek is doing all the right things in his first year and some......I get told off from the Missus that I spend more time on my business than I do with her but businesses don't argue and don't hide the TV remote!!

Clinton I sort of agree but customers leave for a few more reasons price being one, availability is another and the rest is about you the cleaner and standards of cleaning and personality etc etc etc. That's why Alltec Fast Track guys lock customers into perfect care packages it makes sense but IMO checking your DD and chasing people and again IMO pestering to see when and where and how they want their cleaning is not for me.

Let's remember a lot of us have been doing this job for a long time and none of us can say that a certain customer is 'his/hers' like window cleaners do, we still have to pet them a little even though they know who we are and when standards we achieve.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 17, 2008, 10:55:44 pm
Quote
Shaun , I think I agree with you on this one

Equalibrium in the galaxy at Xmas :-*

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ryan Smyth on December 18, 2008, 03:45:25 am
Thats it im moving to England see how you all like it with a bit of Irish charm for the competition ;D ;D

Ryan

ps. good looks included ;)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 18, 2008, 07:15:51 am
Ryan

 ;D

Shaun

Am the same its the last thing on my mind to chase the clients to have the work done and your prob like me and its not in your nature to go down that way ???
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Karl Wildey on December 18, 2008, 07:11:17 pm
No mad last minute rush, just a few jobs here and there and for the first time I can remember no work booked between xmas and new year, which is not a bad thing. Gives me time to sit back and spend time with the family. If it still quiet mid january then i am  sh:-X  it
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 18, 2008, 07:17:01 pm
I have nothing booked for inbetween and don't want it, first 3 days 5th 6th and 7th booked.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 18, 2008, 09:16:54 pm
Have no domestic jobs in jan booked as yet ::)

Thankfull have got two of my  office cleans to do and thats with my l m system
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ian Rochester on December 18, 2008, 10:51:01 pm
Our phone's been ringing off the hook today, nearly all commercial for shutdown and into the New Year.  Took a commercial job today for first week in March 09, office block.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 20, 2008, 11:18:52 pm
Took a call at tea time tonight for a job so will do it in the morning as i want next week off :)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ricky M on December 21, 2008, 09:12:28 am
2 calls yesterday , 1 job canx (FH) "your more than I really want to pay" So you want cheap mr .....
                                                                                                           Thats ok but bla bla
                                                " Ok come 17th Jan after new year party and Bday"
                                                                                       
1 Lounge carpet ," sorry Im prety much fully booked now till mid Jan" Miss... reco you can pls squeeze
                                                                                                              me in ?
                           " I will try on tue either 11am or 5:30pm, I will ring 30min b4 I come, It will be £45?"
                                                                                                              Thats no prob, wil you look at
                                                                                                              my Suite for mid Jan ?       

LAST YEAR I TOOK £2.5K ISH , THIS YEAR A LOT MORE , THANKS TO THIS AND OTHER FORUMS AND RUNNING THE BIZ MY WAY

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE GREAT POINTERS GUYS/GALS

Ricky       
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Joe H on December 21, 2008, 12:14:05 pm
Phone stopped ringing Thursday I think it was.

Job about 8 doors away Monday - 3 + 2 seater, thro lounge and dining. Doing that on Mike Hallidays offer "have your 3 piece suite cleaned and get lounge free". Charging £135 for the 2 settees + £30 for smallish dining area (lounge free-approx 18 sq yd.).

Tuesday nothing!

Wednesday - couple hundred sq yard of commercial on ground floor. Empty - they now moved out to new premises so need to leave old premises clean.  Chance to use the Cimex C48 and encap.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ian Rochester on December 21, 2008, 08:42:15 pm
Had three phone calls today (Sunday), two wanting suites done before christmas, one wanting a lounge, H/S/L

Sorry, booked one of the suites and the carpet job in for the New Year
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Mike Osbourne on December 21, 2008, 09:02:30 pm
Had a mishap with the Speedster yesterday and need to replace a brass hose barb on the pump.

Luckily have the Ninja to do 3 jobs before Christmas. If it had been last week I'd be knackered.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 21, 2008, 09:38:58 pm
Good job you had a back up mike :)

Have got no more work now this week so dont expect any either ???
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: derek west on December 21, 2008, 09:43:24 pm
4 jobs now for tomorrow then thats it till the 29th. roll on tomorrow evening for a well earned break, had sikness and dye your ear last week, and now got man flu, hey ho, hasn't and won't stop me though cos i eats spuds for my tea, grrrr.
derek
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 21, 2008, 09:53:00 pm
4 tomorrow but had to put 1 on for Tuesday as she is a good customer but it's only an hours work then I'm going to get the Mrs a present.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Mike Osbourne on December 21, 2008, 10:26:37 pm
All the good stuffs gone at Woolies now Shaun.  :(
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 21, 2008, 10:30:56 pm
Saw some of them fluff removers the other day in there  ;D
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: COLIN BRIGHT on December 22, 2008, 08:48:17 am
maybe its just me but this december has been my worst EVER!!
last week was the worst week i've had in 7 years
I JOB= £124
NOW BEAT THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
had lots of peasants phoning but not willing to work for nothing
anyhow its nice to have some time off and enjoy the festive season
merry xmas ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Barry Livingstone on December 22, 2008, 09:10:49 am
Colin Wouldnt you  be better going out to quote and try push up the customers that are phoning you?
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: richy27 on December 22, 2008, 10:13:35 am
phone not ringing this week haven been picking up a large volume of work being a newbie but have picked up enough to keep me busy and well payed jobs got a full two days this week clearing up after the builders have been in to sort out a flood damaged house. Cant complain though its been a better dec than i thought it was goin to be considering its my first month. Got the practical experience i needed and results have been good. Roll on the new year.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Joe H on December 22, 2008, 12:34:47 pm
Now got a job for Tuesday (tomorrow) for a regular letting agent.

20 jobs this month - average job ticket £133 (average job ticket Dec 07 was £71)

Im very happy with that, what with a week off as well.

Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 22, 2008, 02:04:03 pm
Joe

Thats a good average ticket and an increase on you last years :)

The main thing is your getting work..
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Joe H on December 22, 2008, 02:25:26 pm
shows theirs life in the old dog yet  ;D

thing is - its the forums that have helped me do this, that together with having some decent tools and cleaning fluids.
18 months ago I would have been charging £50 for what I did this morning for £135 - that is a 3 and a 2 seater. OK I did the lounge carpet as part of an offer, and charged £30 extra for a small dining area.
Got there 9am, vaccd the suite with my Hunter, used Solutions Heavy Duty on the dirty/greasy areas, standard micro splitters on the rest, bit of aggitation with microfibre mitt and tampico brush, extracted with CFR 5" and 3" tool. Extracted and not a lot of water used.
Then did the carpet including using Envirodri Gen4 for aggitation, 2 jet wand with glide (sorry Derek, I know they are for girls).
Whole job done by 11-45am
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Jim_77 on December 22, 2008, 03:20:28 pm
I'm sick of the phone ringing tbh!!  Glad it's almost time to switch the damn thing off, red wine stain this tea time and then a nice smelly one in an old folks home in the morning, and I'm done.  Just need to leave half my kit soaking in sanitizer for the next 2 weeks  :-X
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Joe H on December 22, 2008, 03:31:51 pm
Did a few care homes during late 07 early 08.
Seems like I lst one that I quoted for a few months ago - and I dont really mind.
Too hot and too smelly................ and to add insult to the injury, some of the residents thought I was one of them ;D
Should I give up now ???
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Neil Grainger on December 22, 2008, 03:43:03 pm
Thats it, phones off untill after Boxing day. So much so that my wife has taken my phone and has said she will check my messages if I get any.

Happy Xmas to you all.

Cheers

Neil
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 22, 2008, 04:05:51 pm
1 more job tomorrow for an old customer, then done, last job today peed me off as I was down to clean 3 bedrooms and a bathroom and when I got there the customer said that she didn't want teh house upside down and could I just clean the bathroom? Call out fee £75.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Joe H on December 22, 2008, 04:21:03 pm
just a bathroom  ::)

at least you go the £75 - or I assume you did
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 22, 2008, 04:27:31 pm
yes definately I think she saw my shall we call it 'my dilema'

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Joe H on December 22, 2008, 04:30:28 pm
mind you there are bathrooms and bathrooms.

I was doing a house last Thursday pm and Fri pm, the en-suite was  bigger then my front room, and the telly in the en-suite bigger then the telly in my front room.

Mind you the hall and landing were both about 30' long, and about 9' at the widest point.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: PaulKing on December 22, 2008, 04:38:04 pm
1 more job tomorrow for an old customer, then done, last job today peed me off as I was down to clean 3 bedrooms and a bathroom and when I got there the customer said that she didn't want teh house upside down and could I just clean the bathroom? Call out fee £75.

Shaun

is 75 you minimum charge shaun as mines 65 and was think of upping it ?
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: John Gregory on December 22, 2008, 04:48:42 pm
2 jobs for tomorrow , nothing yet for Christmas eve , 1 job booked for new year [starting to worry already about Jan and Feb ]

John
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 22, 2008, 04:51:05 pm
Paul £75 isn't my normal min charge but on this occassion it was, I charge £59.

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 22, 2008, 04:56:32 pm
Joe

Looks like you have the cleaning solutions spot on with the way you cleaned your suite this morn :)

Might have to think about changing things in the new year myself with the solutions :)

Think i must be the only one without work this week :(


Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: derek west on December 22, 2008, 05:07:31 pm
all finished now, took ages today but i do have man flu and them town house windy stairs are a real pain. got a call today for a suite,(so phones still ringing) booked the survey in for the 30th, thats it for me till the 29th, got 3 jobs then. must admit, i'll be glad of the break, need a recharge,
happy xmas everybody, and a big shout out to all those on here that have helped me out over the past 4 or 5 months, (you know who you are)don't think i'd of advanced this well with out yers.
cheers guys, now drink and be merry.
don't drink and fall down like me though.

derek
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Ryan Smyth on December 22, 2008, 05:17:32 pm
your not on your own Clinton,did a suite today and thats me til the new year but on the plus side as Derek rightly says its time to drink and be merry,starting from now (this is my disclaimer is case of any crazy posts later on  ;D)

Ryan
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Doug Holloway on December 22, 2008, 05:30:54 pm
Hi Guys

Enjoy your breaks and lets hope there are not too many enforced breaks next year.

Joe, well done for putting your prices up to a more realistic level, this allows you to invest in decent kit etc.

At 50 Pounds for that lot you were on the road to nowhere!

For all those newbies and guys at the cheap end of the scale , remeber you have to make a profit to invest as well as a wage, the biggest mistake people make is to charge too little.
Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: derek west on December 22, 2008, 05:46:03 pm
27 jobs for december, average ticket £92. not up to joes standards but not bad for 7 months up and running from scratch. i'll work on the ticket rise next year.
derek
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 22, 2008, 06:35:31 pm
Doug good post with the investment bit :)

Derek

You have done well for your first months well done mate :)

Might be time to relax and enjoy the break guys while we can :)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Dave_Lee on December 22, 2008, 07:04:04 pm
Derek,
27 jobs, and you are knackered!? At your age that should be a breeze.  ;D
Dave.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on December 22, 2008, 07:30:06 pm
I do 27 a week but I'm a Yorkshireman!!!

Shaun
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: derek west on December 22, 2008, 07:34:35 pm
and what age is that then dave?
don't forget, ive been sat on my backside for the last 14 years.
derek
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: carpet_care on December 22, 2008, 07:39:35 pm
Last 5 jobs tomorrow then off until the 29th :)


 Working 29th 30th, then back on sat the 3rd then monday the 5th.


 At least I havnt knocked quite as much work back as usual this December .

 Dont know if thats a good thing or not though really ??? ::)



 Regards and Happy xmas to all,         Andy Locke. ;)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: carlton care on December 22, 2008, 08:05:28 pm
In past Decembers at the age of 50 - 60 I would have done,  on average, approx 35 jobs per week, this December I'll only have done 46.

But I'm now 64 and if a horse, would be shot, as I'm beyond repair, but I'm still going and expect to be still working, to some extent in 10 years time.

Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: COLIN BRIGHT on December 23, 2008, 10:53:51 am
done 19 jobs at an average of 130 per job
maybe its not been so bad judging by some of the posts

EXPECTED TO TAKE £6000,  so wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy down on that!
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Doctor Carpet (Ret'd) on December 23, 2008, 11:05:38 am
68 jobs in 16 days (Monday to Friday only)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 23, 2008, 12:08:12 pm
Dont think am far behind you roger with jobs :)

Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Mike Osbourne on December 23, 2008, 12:49:02 pm
Just fixed the Speedster

And I've decided I'm not good with spanners. What should have been a 10min job took all morning. Also the part I received was 2nd hand  >:( but after having to use the Ninja yesterday I'm glad it's sorted.

Happy Christmas everybody :)
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 23, 2008, 01:13:42 pm
Mike

Same here always find it takes longer than i think to do a job than it should ;D

Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Mike Osbourne on December 23, 2008, 01:17:51 pm
Yes but I wasn't on my hourly rate. ;D

Have a good one Clinton.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 23, 2008, 01:26:12 pm
Mike

And to you :)

I put or new bird table up the other day and took me hour and half :o
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: rich hand on December 23, 2008, 02:21:01 pm
Im surprised how small some of these jobs must be! I aim for 10 jobs per week and wouldnt want anymore.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Dave_Lee on December 23, 2008, 02:42:00 pm
Derek,
No offence, only joking. You sure look a fair bit younger than my 62 years. Ive felt like I have only been working part time this month, but still managed 66 jobs at a similar average to yours, worked every day but been finishing earlier than usual. I think you have done very well for the short time you have been in this business, way back when I started (over 28 years ago) it took two years of constant leafleting before the phone started to ring on a regular basis. Was it simply a coincidence, I ask myself, that it was also at the point of us coming out of that bad reccesion of the early 80's.
Dave.
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Doug Holloway on December 23, 2008, 06:37:38 pm
Hi Guys

I have had a fairly slow finish to December  although it started busy and the TM eats up work.

I must admit I haven't been too keen on calls the past week as mentally I'm on holiday (if still to do one more job today).

Already made a note. must ry harder in the new year ;D
Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: Jim_77 on December 23, 2008, 06:46:26 pm
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Thats me done ;D :D ;D

New message on the voicemail: "Don't leave a message unless it's urgent, see you on the 6th Jan" :)

Bottoms up fellas!!
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: derek west on December 23, 2008, 06:52:08 pm
i'll keep it against the wall jim if thats ok. ;D
derek
Title: Re: Phone still ringing
Post by: clinton on December 23, 2008, 09:19:00 pm
 ;D