Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: M.Acorn on January 17, 2009, 11:07:30 am

Title: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: M.Acorn on January 17, 2009, 11:07:30 am
Had a full on week this week,next week and beyond i have nothing ! Not looking good  >:(
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: dave123 on January 17, 2009, 12:01:50 pm
Know  the feeling Mark , especially with the tax man's pay day looming , bit frightening to say the least.Re mortgaging at moment to keep the wolves at bay. It all comes at once , road tax .MOT, tax man ,and the insurance for work and no work to pay for it all.
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 17, 2009, 12:05:38 pm
Had a good start to jan myself and have two houses to clean next wk.

Dont forget the gas and elect bills hit the doormat this week :o

Best to put money away into 3 or 4 dif accounts ie 1 for tax 2 for vehicles 3 for house etc ???
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 17, 2009, 12:11:22 pm
First week or so was poor but back up to speed now for next week.

Just keep plugging away Mark, there's usually a lag between what you do and seeing the results.
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Halliday on January 17, 2009, 12:24:57 pm
if you've had a good week this week then don't worry, just think if you'd put 2-3 jobs from this week into next week you would have had an OK week  and next week you'd have 2-3 jobs already booked in couple these with the jobs that will call next week and next week will be an OK week as well.

I only worry about bad months not bad week, I always find over a month a bad week doesn't spoil the overall month
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: premiermaids on January 17, 2009, 01:38:18 pm
Just had a flyer through the letterbox.

* Half Price Cleaning Offer *

Whole House 3 Beds - £50
(based on average sized properties). :o

Jim
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 17, 2009, 01:43:43 pm
Jim

You ill always get those leaflets mate and they are a nusance to us c cleaners,just ask yourself would you do that job for that much :o

Did a job thurs as it was a recmd from another client and we were chating about the quality of cleaning and was happy to pay me 45 for doing his lounge :)

Dont let it put you of mate
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: M.Acorn on January 17, 2009, 02:10:54 pm
Yeah i have 3 accounts,and an isa where i was putting mr tax mans money,trouble is i had to use the savings to pay for he new turbo.Then got hit again with parts to repair machine when it froze !
Dave 123 yeah all in Jan for me ,mot,tax, tax bill,website hosting,and domain regs on 2 sites ! never ending.
Think i maght have to hit the streets with some flyers,still got about 9500 in a box from when i had them printed !
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Barry Livingstone on January 17, 2009, 02:33:42 pm
Sorry mark but thats where some carpet cleaners go wrong your sitting on over 9000 leaflets WHY. i would have put them out last week when i was booked up to try and keep it going atleast if they were out you could say aleast there out there..............

IMO some carpet cleaners are LAZY I get to this from when we are busy we cut back on marketing RATHER than keep pushing on all the time.....
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Jim_77 on January 17, 2009, 04:13:26 pm
Bit harsh James!

If you're working morning till night how can you put out leaflets?!

If I was in Mark's position I'd spend the days with no work booked in leafleting in the morning and then catching up on paperwork and planning admin in the afternoons.  After 3 or 4 days of leafleting you should have one or two quotes to go and do, then hey presto the ball will start rolling again.  Like Mike says, look at it over a longer term.  I've had a stupidly busy week this last week, and another one next week, but I did naff all between 22nd December and 6th Jan, so things should even out.

Keep the faith :)
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Colin finney on January 17, 2009, 04:55:18 pm
Don't moan about market conditions just  adapt to them.
Col
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: M.Acorn on January 17, 2009, 05:14:13 pm
Yeah i don`t like flyering ,i will admit that  ! And don`t really trust in the delivery companys.
It usually picks up,and i am sure that i will get a few calls  ;D
I go through stages like this ,just scary having to find £1200,to pay off the remaining tax i o,and still keeping on top of everything else.Got money outstanding but thats 28 days from last week on a few jobs ,i have got plenty to kep me busy !
Had my builders head on this morning and rebuilt the back of my fireplace,cleaned all my carpet gear,sorted out the back of the van,got all this years veg crop to plan.Trying to source the parts for the engine upgrade in my roc,going abf 2ltr 16v 190 bhp  ;D
Started writing music on the computer again,talking about getting back onto the london club dj circuit ,with a bloke i have produced records with.So got plenty to keep me busy
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 17, 2009, 05:16:48 pm
Mark

I have more than one thing on the go and sometimes I think I'd be better concentrating on one thing. :-\
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Colin finney on January 17, 2009, 05:52:21 pm
Steve, sorry you are right. I had just read dereks post on another topic seeming to object to me offering my advice in the first place which i thought was odd from someone who says hes a newbie and so could probably do with all the good advice he can get.
What i mean by adapt to the market is to be more flexible in your approach to business or should say getting business. Lots of you on here seem to have an attitude that says I won't work for less than x£'s and in doing that you fuzzy the line between having a profitable business and your own ego because the x£'s thing is an ego thing which ignores your businesses need for sales. So loosen up don't work for nothing but don't go bust sitting on your arse because your to proud to do what it takes to stay in business.
Col
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 17, 2009, 05:54:36 pm
Don't moan about market conditions just  adapt to them.
Col

Colin

Who ever you are, that is just, well, correct!
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: JandS on January 17, 2009, 07:38:23 pm
Good advice Colin.

John
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 17, 2009, 08:11:07 pm
if any one wants some good marketting advice, i know how to get on the quote list for cleaning ships and liners?
personally i wouldn't do them cos you have to charge peanuts to compete but if you want the pictures on your website, it looks impressive.
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: robert meldrum on January 17, 2009, 08:31:54 pm
With the equipment e owns and the years he's been dominating that market, do you REALLY think Simon Gerrard works for peanuts. Don't think so !
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 17, 2009, 08:38:16 pm
ive no idea what sg works for, i'm just going off what i was told.
try £2 a square meter and you'll be laughed off the port,
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: will_turton on January 17, 2009, 08:45:33 pm
 chatting shi1te again derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 17, 2009, 08:50:41 pm
as always billy boy,  ;D

derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 17, 2009, 09:05:28 pm
if any one wants some good marketting advice, i know how to get on the quote list for cleaning ships and liners?
personally i wouldn't do them cos you have to charge peanuts to compete but if you want the pictures on your website, it looks impressive.
derek

He makes a lot of peanuts though Derek ;D
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 17, 2009, 09:09:40 pm
yeah but you need a lot of peanuts to buy all the equipment mike, swings and roundabouts.
anyway, wasn't having a dig, i was merely trying to help anyone who wants to go down that road.
thats if my information is right, which it might not be.
derek

Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: mark shannon on January 17, 2009, 09:29:13 pm
It ain't all about price Derek the kind of ships Simon cleans need someone they can rely on and trust, they are unlikely to risk an unknown to save a few shekels.




Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: dave123 on January 17, 2009, 09:40:33 pm
Derek do you get the Specialist that Prochem send out every month?Not long ago a carpet cleaning company specialised in cleaning yachts and cruise ships ,did so well he know cleans the big yachts in Monte Carlo not bad for peanuts eh ?
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 17, 2009, 09:45:10 pm
billy
everton will win on monday night.

oops there i go again, chatting sh11te

dave
sounds good.
like i said though, its not for me, i just want i nice living, all that 800 ft pipes, 3 rx20s.
driving through europe etc.... i'll leave that to the experts.
i struggle on a 3 storey town house.
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Tony Gill Carpet Smart on January 18, 2009, 10:26:52 am
Is newbie a new name for KNOW ALL  ??? ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 18, 2009, 10:35:50 am
i hope so tony, cos we don't get much info from your cheesy comments. ;D ;D
change the record mate.
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: sherco on January 18, 2009, 10:59:08 am
I'm getting more calls about hard floor, tile cleaning, rather than carpets mainly kitchen, conservatory floors etc. Its real easy to do and most of you already have the equipment to do it, if i can help anybody with advice i will be happy too. Andrew
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Tony Gill Carpet Smart on January 18, 2009, 11:08:07 am
1275 POSTS sometimes it is better to listen and learn than comment on things you have very little knowlege about. cheesey well maybe true though. ;)

CHEERS TONY
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 18, 2009, 11:11:53 am
Like Jim I'm quite busy for the time of year, last year though I was even busier but last year I had a really big tax bill to sort out but this year I have had a good investment come in to pay it so I've taken my foot off the gas a little. Hope to start running (jogging) again now I'm back up to my fighting weight so I'm gonna take it easy only a new bathroom suite to pay for as she had me round all of the bathroom shops yesterday afternoon.

Shaun
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: sherco on January 18, 2009, 11:17:21 am
Like Jim I'm quite busy for the time of year, last year though I was even busier but last year I had a really big tax bill to sort out but this year I have had a good investment come in to pay it so I've taken my foot off the gas a little. Hope to start running (jogging) again now I'm back up to my fighting weight so I'm gonna take it easy only a new bathroom suite to pay for as she had me round all of the bathroom shops yesterday afternoon.

Shaun
Another running man like myself, also taking exercise motivates you, surprising what you can do after a ten mile run  ;D
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 18, 2009, 11:21:35 am
I agree it does get you motivated and out of the way of bathroom shops!

Shaun
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 11:22:12 am
Ten mile run :o

I can manage 2 miles prob :)
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 11:24:03 am
Andrew

Think with your knowledge in your hard floor cleaning it will be easier you to clean ???

Just a question andrew can you damage or crack a tile with the heat from the water ???

Cheers

Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: sherco on January 18, 2009, 11:29:54 am
Andrew

Think with your knowledge in your hard floor cleaning it will be easier you to clean ???

Just a question andrew can you damage or crack a tile with the heat from the water ???

Cheers


I normally only use a rotary scrubber and a wet vac, leaving the cleaner to dwell on the tiles and grout is normally enough. I don't think you would crack a tile with heat as they have been fired to extreme temperatures during there manufacturing process.
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 11:32:10 am
Thought you would use a wand etc,got you on that on then  :)

Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 18, 2009, 11:37:48 am
i'm upto 5 miles 4 X a week, not bad for 16 stone.
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: JandS on January 18, 2009, 11:42:58 am
Sherco     any advice on tile and grout cleaning would be appreciated   what exactly is the procedure?

John     jmdtcs07@sky.com
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: sherco on January 18, 2009, 11:51:37 am
Sherco     any advice on tile and grout cleaning would be appreciated   what exactly is the procedure?

John     jmdtcs07@sky.com
Give me a call and i will explain 07860589502
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 09:25:57 pm
I have still only got two jobs next week booked so far.

Least its two full houses so hope to get another few in by the end of next week :)
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 18, 2009, 09:28:29 pm
Clinton the 2 full house with come to a nice price though won't it?

Derek you are never 16 stone? how tall are you?

Shaun
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 18, 2009, 09:31:28 pm
5 10. shaun.
i'm actually 15 and a half stone now, that wii fit makes ya sweat a bit dunnit.
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 18, 2009, 09:32:56 pm
I can't help but keep thinking Derek is really Domonic Littlewood, the cheeky chappy from the one show and consumer champion bruiser. Hence thinking he is of small stature.

The Thunderbirds Baddie thread didn't help either. ;D
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 09:33:49 pm
Shaun

Yes there a decent payers,just keep thinking if i didnt have them it would have been an empty  week :(

Nearly as heavy as me derek ;D
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 09:34:47 pm
Shaun

How tall are you mate,caint tell from your picie ???
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 18, 2009, 10:03:22 pm
Now come on Clinton, you promised Derek the spare gimp suit. ;)
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 18, 2009, 10:04:40 pm
shauns 2 foot 6, thats a stair tool he's holding. ;D
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: clinton on January 18, 2009, 10:11:48 pm
 ;D

Thats his wallet
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 18, 2009, 10:30:52 pm
As my good lady wife says "where's your wallet?"
My reply " wallet was here earlier" ha ha ha ha

5'10" tall or small

Derek I've just got 518 on the heading on Wii fit and 364 on the sky jump is that any good?

Shaun
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 18, 2009, 10:45:45 pm
502 on heading and my 12 year old has 512 i think, so yeah thats good, now thats a challenge, i'll give ya the skiing, can't do it. but i want my heading trophy back.
derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 18, 2009, 10:56:24 pm
I unlocked the last balancing game it's 'zen' and a bit odd! just have to sit there and not get distracted all about concentration!

Shaun
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: murky on January 19, 2009, 01:58:12 pm
I was at the Altec day last year and talking to respected contributor on here and he said that SG gets his boat work through family contact. (allegedly).

Murky
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 19, 2009, 05:04:18 pm
sorry shaun

just got perfect on the heading, 555.
back of the net.

derek
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 19, 2009, 07:40:00 pm
Nice have you tried the next level? bloody hard!

Shaun
Title: Re: Not a single job booked now !
Post by: derek west on January 19, 2009, 07:43:06 pm
no, not yet, whats the score to beat? i'll give it a whirl.
got 340 on ski jump, might give it another go. can't have the ashter beating my on nintendo. ;D
derek