Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Nathanael Jones on January 29, 2009, 06:38:27 pm

Title: More work than normal?
Post by: Nathanael Jones on January 29, 2009, 06:38:27 pm
Is it just me, or is carpet cleaning getting busier and busier? I packed up my gear 2 years ago because I was getting less and less work (despite spending quite a lot on advertising). Ppl were getting tile laid or wooden floors fitted instead of cleaning the "old" carpet. Since this recession has hit, my phone is ringing non stop! ppl seem to be cleaning instead of replacing again. I'm getting lots of work from landlords who are having problems renting out houses that would have been snapped up in days just a short while ago, but which are now standing idle.

Is my experience similar to yours,.. or is the recession affecting you adversely?
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Neil Williams on January 29, 2009, 08:38:02 pm
Hello again mate ;)
To be honest with you 'new' business has been dead this year, although I'm still not sure about the Special Offer I've now scrapped.
All the carpet work this year has been repeats or referrals. Luckily I don't relie on just carpet cleaning for income.
In the last week we lost part of an office cleaning contract (value £15k pa) but today we picked up a new one (value far less than the £15k pa but they are looking to put £30k of new office refurb work clean ups our way).
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Darren O on January 29, 2009, 08:50:40 pm
Its been crap up here 10 jobs this month thank god for my window cleaning or i would be in the broon stuff.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: derek west on January 29, 2009, 08:53:10 pm
been crap through jan, this week though the phone has been ringing like before xmas, lets hope it keeps going.
and just for the record, i'm getting most jobs so its not about putting my prices down, its about getting the phone to ring.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: daysdeepclean on January 29, 2009, 09:09:30 pm
I've had a better month than expected, but I think next month will be better... Everyone's skint this time of year!

Hopefully for us C/C's, the credit crunch will work in our favour.... Maybe this is happening already for you Nathanael!
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Ricky M on January 29, 2009, 09:26:31 pm
Jan: 21 jobs  5 moved to feb   2 canx and   7 Rugs picked up to do feb
for me thats double last year not inc the rug work .

Ricky
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Doug Holloway on January 29, 2009, 09:51:58 pm
Hi Guys

Haven't done my figures yet but I am definitely up on last year and have been turning away jobs I don't  fancy , better than I thought it would be.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: clinton on January 29, 2009, 09:55:36 pm
Seems to be holding up for me too.

Mine are mainly regulars and rec mind you  :)
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Neil Williams on January 29, 2009, 10:16:37 pm
Clinton, did you get the message I sent you via your web site re: scorpian
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: clinton on January 29, 2009, 10:35:08 pm
Hi neil

Am sorry mate but i have not been able to get into my info mail from the cheshire web site for about 4 months as am locked out as caint get hold of the guy who did my site ::)

So wasnt ignoring you mate.Have got a hotmail account on my profile page if that any good'

Cheers clinton

Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Andrew Briscoe on January 29, 2009, 11:11:11 pm
January is usually my busiest month, i know you will find that strange but up here in the Lake District
a lot of business are closed or doing repairs etc.

This Jan is the busiest month i have had since starting in cc since 89.
this month is treble last Jan, if this is a recession, bring it on.

Domestic is up too, finding a lot are having cleaned rather than replace with new.

Andrew
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: AJB on January 30, 2009, 12:16:12 am
Didn't start back until the 7th,
41 jobs in Jan', only 11 booked in so far for Feb'.

Up on last year, and that was a good January.

Funnily enough, 25 of Januarys jobs are new customers,
usual ratio would have been 18 or 19.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: clinton on January 30, 2009, 07:54:56 am
Your gettin more newbies than me as most of mine have been regulars and repeats :)
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Doctor Carpet (Ret'd) on January 30, 2009, 09:33:46 am
Never particularly bothered  to review this sort of info, but very interesting having done so.

T/o for the last 6 years of January's including this one shows virtually no change, only oscillating by a couple of hundred pounds. It would thus seem that as prices go up I must not be working as hard. (Suits me.)

I've worked for 11 full days and 2 half days, doing 37 jobs. Sixteen were brand new customers of which 10 came through YP, the rest were referrals.

Roger

(Cleaners Mate helped me find that info so easily.)
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: dave123 on January 30, 2009, 11:03:34 am
Lousy month for me, down 40%for the same time last year . Hope it picks up soon .Taking on some sub contracting work to help me out,don't like to do it but got to pay the bills some how .
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: bennymon on January 30, 2009, 03:17:17 pm
my first week back in jan only 2 jobs but since then ive had lots of work infact last jan was pretty good to so its fingers crossed it keeps rolling in  :) :)  del
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: M.Acorn on January 30, 2009, 04:07:57 pm
Rubbish for me  :( got £500 outstanding,done 1 job this week and that was for my sis in law,so big discount and 2 hrs drive there and back  :( got a big 5 bed on monday and a repeat on tue,phone only ringing for sales calls
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Glynn on January 30, 2009, 04:47:45 pm
With all this talk of Jan being a good month, what I would like to know is just what is a good month to you ?.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: bennymon on January 30, 2009, 07:56:37 pm
the last 15 week days ive had 33 jobs   but next week i still have a couple of days left to book   del
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: derek west on January 30, 2009, 08:19:43 pm
i'm averaging 9 calls a day at the moment.
shame that 7 of them are tele sales.
cheshire police community club
fire dept anual ad booklet
we can get you on page 1 of google
bt exchange (customer street) promise of 80 referals a month
i could go on
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm ok now.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: jacko on January 30, 2009, 08:22:12 pm
Pleased to say that Jan turnover was up 22.5% on last Jan and the best Jan in 5 years of trading.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: colin thomas on January 30, 2009, 08:24:23 pm
n e body, you have been taking my calls!!!!

colin
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: daysdeepclean on January 30, 2009, 08:27:36 pm
Had that google call today Derek, I asked for them to put their money where their mouth is and I'm interested!!! He wobbled a bit and said maybe next time!!!! ;D ;D ;D

I love phone telesales sometimes, it's an excuse to reinact "Fonejacker".  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: derek west on January 30, 2009, 08:33:44 pm
3 hung up on me today ;D ;D ;D
the google one worked out dearer than ad words but he wasn't having any of it. hung up on me, :'( if i wasn't in the middle of a job i'd of rung him back, charming man.  :)
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: daysdeepclean on January 30, 2009, 08:38:07 pm
3 in one day Derek....? That's something to aim for :D :D :D
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 30, 2009, 08:42:45 pm
Pain in the backside are telesales I think they just have yell.com on infront of them as I got 2 calls from the same guy within 2 minutes as I'm in 2 towns.

My sales are down from last year because last year I had 2 big jobs on and a heavy tax bill to pay for so worked 6 days a week all Jan.

Still had a good month this year though I have worked 5 full days everyday since 4th Jan.

Shaun
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: M.Acorn on January 30, 2009, 08:55:41 pm
Had one call today from someone who was calling about yell.com,not a very good sales man really,only took me a min to get him to go  ;D.Keep getting a lot of calls that just hang up when i answer,usually from withheld numbers,prob auto dialers ?
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: mark_roberts on January 30, 2009, 09:01:58 pm
Glynn

Id say most carpet cleaners are happy with £1000 a week in turnover.  So thats 2-3 days work for most.  Id say very few ever excell above that.

For me a busy week is 5 days.  My news years res. is to try and work 4 with the fifth in the office.

Mark
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 30, 2009, 09:06:07 pm
What do you do in the office in a day play cards on the PC?

Shaun
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: derek west on January 30, 2009, 09:09:12 pm
minesweeper
very addictive
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Mike Osbourne on January 30, 2009, 09:13:12 pm
Keep getting calls from various sources 'We need a carpet cleaner.....'

Transpires it's just another telesales call.  ::)



 
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: AJB on January 30, 2009, 09:37:06 pm
i Had the Google call the other day, i don't have a website.
I was told they would gaurantee my name on page one of
carpet cleaners Malvern. I pointed out that i was already 3rd
on that search, so he switched to Worcester, he claimed it was
searched 2000 times a week, and they could Gaurantee that i
got nearly all the calls.
My reply was if you can gaurantee that, then i will sign up for free,
and if 12 months later it was true i would pay double. He didn't
seem to like that approach.
My missus wa p***ing herself as he didn't stop for breath, just kept
on going and couldn't believe i didn't want all that work.
They really think we're stupid don't they.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: clinton on January 30, 2009, 09:57:22 pm
Had one of those reps call me last night asked if i was warrington carpet care ;D
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Simon@arenaclean on January 30, 2009, 10:37:18 pm
These telesales calls can be good sport until I remember all calls are forwarded to my mobile and i'm paying for it  >:(. And yes they are using yell.com because the chap who could build me a 'wow' of a website told me I advertised there. Do yell or yellow pages sell our details to these.... PEOPLE!

Oh and i'm down a tad on last year and only 2 new clients others all regulars or referrals.

On the plus side i've paid the tax man in advance for work I have not done yet. I love January!
Simon
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Glynn on January 30, 2009, 11:01:33 pm
So nobody's brave enough to state their Jan turnover ?.
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Neil Williams on January 30, 2009, 11:30:55 pm
So nobody's brave enough to state their Jan turnover ?.

You first ;)
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: clinton on January 30, 2009, 11:52:50 pm
Niel

Got your mail thanks :)
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: mark_roberts on January 30, 2009, 11:54:10 pm
Invoicing
Accounts
Marketing
Servicing
Cleaning
Repairing

And the odd game of solitair (sp).

Ive decided not to do all of the above in the evennigs anymore.

Mark
Title: Re: More work than normal?
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on January 31, 2009, 12:00:04 am
Last years Jan was £9687

Shaun