Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: gwrightson on March 21, 2009, 09:02:26 am

Title: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: gwrightson on March 21, 2009, 09:02:26 am

went to survey a job last night, introduced myself and started to explain the proccess etc,

I was stopped in my tracks my the chap. " well I,ll be straight with you, I am thinking of hiring a rug doctor from Morrisons. This is £35  plus £5 for the cleaning stuff, if you can do it for that price and I give you a little extra for you doing it you can have the job "   :o ;D

Now it was a bungalow, so Hall, lounge, diner 2 bedrooms  , erm "what was you thinking of paying me extra "   sarcasticly  .

"well how about I give you an extra tenner"   ::)  ::)  ::)

thats  ok I said  " when would you like it booking in ? 

asap  he replied, ok next friday 1oclock but I need a deposit lets say £25  I knock that off your final bill

oh Ill pay you the full £50 now   :o

Well actualy the full bill will be  £145   , £40 for what we agreed and extra tenner   £30 for the travelling time £30 for the survey and and £35 for running of my machine and vehicle on the day  ;)

He was not amused, infact quite annoyed    and no I didnt get the job  ::)

Geoff
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: suffolkclean on March 21, 2009, 09:09:24 am
I know Geoff - this whole situation is driving me crazy at the moment too. Its so frustrating that people think they achieve the same results as a professional cc at a fraction of the cost by hiring rug doctor + they think we are overcharging for a very simple cleaning job that anyone can do. Its the difference between night & day but the money concious just don't see this.
Yes it is all part of running your own business but it is frustrating.

Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: derek west on March 21, 2009, 09:26:33 am
this is what i say
"to clean reasonably with a rug doctor you have to clean first then do it again about 3 times with just water to rinse out the cleaning fluid. if you don't rinse the cleaning solution out, the carpet will have sticky soap in it that will attract dirt really quickly, also by time youve finished your 3rd rince your carpet will be soaking wet for about 3 days, as the rug doctor only cleans the top fibres, once you walk on it wet (and you'll have to unless your going away) the deep down soil will blot up to the surface and your carpet wont look much better, ive just cleaned a house where a women has been using a rug doctor, she told me the first time she used it, the results were ok, but she noticed exactly what i told you, it was getting dirty really quickly, so she did it again a few months later, then again a month later, then she realised and called us in, we rinsed all the built up dirt out and the sticky cleaning solution and she won't need it cleaning for at least another year, we don't have a £15000 machine in our van for nothing"
i usually get the job,
if not there and then, i get it 3 months down the line from a red faced customer.

tolerence, patience, education, kerrrching

works for me.
derek

Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Doug Holloway on March 21, 2009, 09:34:11 am
Hi Guys

You get a feel for this type of 'customer'.

I don't normally visit to quote but if I am going to , I price qualify first.

e.g A rough ball park figure which hopefully exposes the timewasters.

I had about 8 price shoppers yesterday, which is unusual for me, must be the weather !

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: from edge2edge on March 21, 2009, 12:50:46 pm
Doug if i think the person is a cheepskat?(price shopper) i tend to push them towards hiring a machine off me  so at least i dont have to do the graft for burggger all money.I am turning more hires into real jobs as well my best being a hotel who wanted a hire for a week which i now do regularly with the host dry cleaning method.It will always be part of our job taking calls from people who dont have any appreciation of what we do so want us to do it for very little money.Regards Alan(in sunny swindon)
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: clinton on March 21, 2009, 01:15:04 pm
Think with the slowdown people see the sales in shops and most companys doing a discount so they think well we must be the same.

I can see it saying to a plumber do you have a sale on or a painter and decorator ;D

Think its going to be good to get an extra service on the go to compansate for it :)
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: JandS on March 21, 2009, 01:44:48 pm
I'm advertising patio pressure washing as well now.
Nice to be outdoors now and again.
That beautiful day on Wednesday was spent in a 4 bed house from 11.15 to 4.45.

John
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: daysdeepclean on March 21, 2009, 02:06:37 pm
Same as me John, I looked outside and there were boats bobbing up and down on the peaceful Helford. I would love to have shut my machine down and slurped a nice pint of "Tribute" and scoffed a pint of prawns in the sunshine 8)
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: derek west on March 21, 2009, 02:17:10 pm
work wear shorts for me, hope it don't upset the custys ;D
derek
ps
this is my first post from my new laptop, and you guys with pictures look 10 years younger on this quality display.
just set up all 5 of my emails so gonna do some testing now. then its transfering all software and photos over, is there an easier way than memory stick?
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 21, 2009, 02:36:45 pm
Let me know how you get on Derek - I've just ordered a Vaio 4gb 320gb - should be here wednesday. Then all the usual crap of swapping over files, photos, setting up internet & wifi - really looking forward to that NOT.

But at least it will be faster than what I've got now. I seem to be having a different problem everyday with this Dell I've got. I think manufacturers programme these laptops to self-destruct after 4 years.

Might have to pick your brains if I have any probs, if thats ok.

Steve
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: derek west on March 21, 2009, 02:48:59 pm
so much cwap on the old one i don't know where to start. trouble is, you bring over files and they won't open cos the new pc hasn't got the software so you have to download open extension readers. by time youve got it sorted to how you want it, its 4 years old and you need a new laptop. ;D

anyway, i'm on line and ive set up all 5 of my pop3 accounts, had to dig deep to find the passwords though, and can't find 2 from another email setup, nevermind, mostly enlargements and viagra from that one ;D
sounds like youve got the same as me,
has yours got blue ray,
this widescreen is awesome, might nip out and rent a bluray, see what all the fuss is about.
derek
ps my old laptops battery died after 10 mins so was permenantly plugged, so its nice to actually be portable again. tomorrow mornings posts will be coming straight from the pooptttttttttter ;D
now thats what i call logging on.
derek
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 21, 2009, 02:58:02 pm
Same as you mate, my battery has been shagged for ages, so it will be nice to be able to sit in the lounge instead of having to keep going upstairs in the office to use laptop.

Haven't got blueray on mine and not widescreen, only 15.4" - but it's got the memory and hard drive I wanted and Duo2 Core will make a big difference.

Apart from photos, most of the stuff I have on files are pdf's so hopefully not too many problems and the only e-mail account I use is through BT broadband.
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 21, 2009, 03:31:36 pm
Clinton

In the last 3 months - battery packed up, dvd tray knackered, can't play dvd's, can't connect wirelessly to internet coz the drivers aren't compatable, have to leave it switched on all the time or it runs a complete system check everytime I switch it on etc,etc;

I paid over a grand for this and that was 4 years ago, the new one is just over £600 and 5 times more powerful.

Better put a note in my diary for 2013 to replace  ;D

Steve
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: clinton on March 21, 2009, 03:52:43 pm
Steve ;D

Same as mine and had a slow death and each week there was something else wrong ::)

A grand :o Some of us are making the money ;D

Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 21, 2009, 04:18:07 pm
That was in the days when I was allowed to have credit cards  ;D
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: mark_roberts on March 21, 2009, 04:35:52 pm
Rug doctor seems to be doing a lot of advertising lately.  I seen a medium sized van with a rug doctor wrap a few weeks ago.  Not sure why maybe a delivery service.

Their advertising is good so we have to prove why a pro is better than a DIY machine.

At least he was upfront with you although over the phone would have been better instead of a wasted visit.

Mark
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: clinton on March 21, 2009, 04:37:50 pm
Steve

Or the ex mrs spent it all  ;D
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: clinton on March 21, 2009, 04:48:11 pm
Steve

Dont let us down today utd are loosing 2 nil ;D
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 21, 2009, 04:58:01 pm
We're losing 1-0 as well  ::)

You're not wrong about the ex-missus though, she got the lot !  >:(
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: derek west on March 21, 2009, 04:59:32 pm
beat villa tomorrow and theres 1 point in it. ;D ;D ;D ;D
its not over yet
derek
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: will_turton on March 21, 2009, 05:12:58 pm
ste is everythin ok on the home front, erm cos its not normal to shag a battery pal :P :P
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 21, 2009, 05:27:03 pm
I'm not fussy Billy - I'll take what I can get  ;D

See you at CCDO mate -we'll have a beer or three
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on March 21, 2009, 08:31:04 pm
I cleaned a carpet for a customer on Wednesday and they'd had a Rug Doctor you could tell it was really hard to clean, I used DFC to prespray and then had to use 500psi just to get through the shampoo left behind and this was a quality 80-20, customer was embarressed but now knows about the benefits of a nice Yorkshireman.

Shaun
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: colin thomas on March 21, 2009, 10:01:38 pm
you can get a cable that links both laptops together and transfers all from one to the other including your e-mail and internet settings,

colinb
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on March 21, 2009, 10:13:54 pm
Can't you just write it down or put knots in a hanky to remember things?

Shaun
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: markpowell on March 21, 2009, 10:24:58 pm
I cleaned a carpet for a customer on Wednesday and they'd had a Rug Doctor you could tell it was really hard to clean, I used DFC to prespray and then had to use 500psi just to get through the shampoo left behind and this was a quality 80-20, customer was embarressed but now knows about the benefits of a nice Yorkshireman.

Shaun

Shaun,
Which Dfc product 105?
Mark
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on March 21, 2009, 10:50:25 pm
I used DFC 210 as a pre spray and then let it dwell for 15 min. I then got out the pipes and turbo drier and started cleaning under the settee as it wasn't that soiled but gave it a good rinse then 15 mins was up and attacked it big style, had the tubo going when I had done half, then went over with loads of dry passes, had cup of tea and rinsed it all over again, put stuff away and let it dry for a bit before presenting bill.

Shaun
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Joe H on March 22, 2009, 07:52:57 am
I got some DFC210 off JK whilst I was up there - give it a go this week.
I do like trying different products.
Only trouble is you get left with half a tub of this and half a tub of that.
Title: Re: I dont believe it !!!!!!!!!!
Post by: daysdeepclean on March 22, 2009, 09:33:26 am
I would much prefer to stock a definitive list of the best chems! I am really impressed with the "Trafficlean" and "F&F Rinse" and so are my custys :) The only problem with the rinse is that the nice orangy smell makes me so thirsty, I wonder if it tastes as good as it smells? ;D

I'm looking at trying the "M Power" out because I like the idea of just rinsing with water and not pumping chems through the pump!