Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: paul@ctcs on May 16, 2005, 10:10:08 pm
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Whilst cleaning the carpets in a high street travel agent today, I noticed the local Chem-Dry franchisee sitting outside in one of the parking bays with his hazard lights flashing ???
He cant be very busy as he was there 3 hours ;D
I guess this must be a chem dry method of marketing with the unnecessary use of hazzard lights to draw the eye of the passing shoppers.
Paul
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I think Chem-Dry has had its day, one minute cc, then in restoration, Has the bubble burst?
Its now been sold off, why?
How many ex-chems do you know?
Our local one was sending the boys out leaflet dropping, and now this from Paul.
Interesting to see what the future holds?
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The only regular Chem-Dry advert that we knew of around here stopped a couple of months ago. We have seen a slight increase in enquiries since but mainly small jobs & price shoppers. Not sure which area of the market they had the most work from but the advert and 0800 recorded consumer message were so incredibly boring I'm always surprised that it ever worked at all.
I'm not sure what the state of play is with C-D or if they even still exist.
Nicky
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My local C/D lives in a £250,000 house drives a new jag and his wife has a very nice car, I see thier adverts everywhere.
I bet C/D read this board and laugh thier heads off at all the daft comments made about them ::) ::)
Mike
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Mike,
I agree with you Our local Chem Dry is also doing OK.
I have noticed that their have been the odd postings from Chem Dry operators claiming they are finding it hard to find new customers.
I think this is just the individual, not the company.
I was pleased to read it as it meant Chem Dry operators experience the same trials and tribulations as the rest of us,
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I did a job for a lady who cancelled a chem dry booking recently,they wanted £4.50 per sq metre which is very high for norfolk.I would guess most cc's operate on around half that here.
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I live in a £300,000 house and drive a Rolls Royce, wifes got a new astra bertone conv.
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The 1 I live in is £340 000 1 just sold for that a few weeks ago, 2 houses worth £150 000 let to students and a new freelander also a dry cleaning business, the future is yours it's up to you!
Shaun
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£250,000 just about gets a 2/3 bed semi down here :(
Clive
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Think CD are doing ok and will probably do better now being taken over, read an article in one of the financials papers on the CE of homeserve defiantly not a fool!
Which name stands out within the franchise network with Joe public, wish I had their brand name, getting there locally GRIBBLE what a name and who can forget that!
A mate of mine just brought a house just out side Sevenoaks £500k owes £400k cant afford to have new carpets or have them cleaned did give a mates price and a free 6 month clean the stumbling block he thought I was taking the Mick by charging him for the spotter £9.99.
Len
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I live in a 25K house and drive a G reg ford escort.
Am i doing something wrong.
Dave :( :( :(
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David
My extension cost that in 85 my wife also drives a G reg car era 1990 said ant we. ;D ;D
Len
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I had a little chuckle the other day having read on the demise of C-D, perhaps I shouldn't have, but it brought a smile... I passed one of my local C-D's and noticed that half the sign writing had been ripped, and I mean ripped, off the side of his van.
If particular Mr C-D man is reading this - Sorry!
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I rent my house and the Bailiffs are knocking on the door ??? ??? ???
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I live in a £28K house, thats what it cost in 1986 anyway, the back garden is worth that alone now. Not had a car since I wrote it off. Chem Dry!!?? who cares!
Dave.
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I live in a 25K house and drive a G reg ford escort.
Am i doing something wrong.
Dave :( :( :(
You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.
http://www.phespirit.info/montypython/four_yorkshiremen.htm
;) ;D
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Dennis......
you had a paper bag?????
you were lucky............
we used to dream of luxury like that......
etc etc etc.........
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Glynn, I dont believe you!
You could buy Preston for £300.000. :D
In Stevenage you would get 3 bricks a roof tile and a front door for that amount.
Phil
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Yeh but I dont live in Preston.
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Sorry, Leyland.
Phil
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£300,000 in Belfast would get you a 5 bedroom house and a double garage in a really nice area.
We have a bit of catching up to do.
Mark
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Someone mentioned their "Local" Chem-Dry franchise. Well I have "Six" on my patch, and their ads are next to each otherin the Yellow pages. If I had paid all that dosh for the franchise I would be pretty p***ed off at the ethics of the company. Has anyone else got that many in their area?
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Hi, It was me that mentioned our local franchise. There isn't one as far as I know in our town but the nearest is/ was about 5 miles away. A bit further afield and they are almost neighbours with each other! And yes, our YP has a selection of CD ad's too.
Nicky
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In that case we have not got one our is 1O miles away, and the next one which claims to serve our area is 30 miles away in a place I have never heard off.
But then 30 miles is not far when you are in the sticks, or as Phil said to me Sibera
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Someone mentioned their "Local" Chem-Dry franchise. Well I have "Six" on my patch, and their ads are next to each otherin the Yellow pages. If I had paid all that dosh for the franchise I would be pretty p***ed off at the ethics of the company. Has anyone else got that many in their area?
They sell franchises based not on an exclusive area but on a ratio of one franchise per 60000 population. A large town of say 240000 population could in theory have four in the same street.
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Don't knock Chem-Dry. They started as a carpet cleaning franchise, however they have made major inroads into the insurance fire & flood restoration industry. They are now the biggest player. There are still a few original franchisees who stick to carpet cleaning but the majority now make their living from fire & flood. Anyone with around five licenses can be making between 70-200k profit depending on the area. They have been bought by Homeserve who also bought DRL last year. DRL ceases to exist from next month and the DRL subcontractors have been offered the chance to buy into Chem-Dry at a reduced price. If I was with Chem-Dry my main concern would be Homeserve starting to do the work with their own staff.
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John Kelly
Thought before their take over, DRL changed from subcontractors to franchisees network, if what you say is correct offered a CD franchise :P
Bet that now leaves DRL people in 22 position as most run a separate carpet cleaning business.
I would also be concerned if Homeserve started to use own staff that would mean CD are back in carpet cleaning in a big way.
Len
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Your right Len, some of the DRL guys do have good carpet cleaning businesses and it would be pointless buying a Chem Dry franchise. However the majority are buying into Chem Dry, the fire & flood business is lucrative, less so now than it used to be, however if you are prepared to put up with all the hassle that comes with it, you can make a really good income, excess of 100k not unusual. DRL only made theirs a franchise to get round the paye rules. Basically if you subbie to one main company you become an employee.
I'm with DRL at the moment and I am not taking up the Chem Dry option. Trouble is when you buy in you are made very aware that what you are buying is a carpet cleaning franchise. The insurance work is not guaranteed.
Homeserve are a PLC, their sole existence is to make profits for their shareholders, why pay a franchisee 75% of the job when you could take 80% using staff.
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John
Glad I’m not in that position amalgamating a separate independent business into a franchise, the cost alone would be enormous, don’t think CD will pay for that, but there are was round the franchise system one has to be very cute!
I’m looking in to the fish bowl! And hope they don’t get their finger chop off, who’s going to be Queen bee and the end of the day, we all know what internal politics are like!
As I said previously “I would also be concerned if Homeserve started to use own staff that would mean CD are back in carpet cleaning in a big way.” BUT WITH TRUCK MOUNTS!
Len
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hi len i dont think they will go for the truckmounts to expensive
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Benneymon
Thought you were a CD team player, you must know what’s going on within your network!
Was not on about existing CD franchisee buying Truck Mounts, was referring to DRL franchisees who are joining CD, as I believe most of them are T/M users, that would give them an unfair advantage over existing CD's! :o ;D ;D ;D
(Shaun your premonition has come true in the UK)
Just reading threads and between the lines.
John
Understand where you are coming from franchisors can/will and do change the goal post to there needs! Do they guarantee carpet cleaning?
Wonder how many YP have been signed up under old trading name!
Understand Bill L now works for CD? Now that one Gentleman I have a lot of time and respect for!
I wish all CD’s and new ones to be, all the best stay with FF very lucrative
Len
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your allways reading between the lines master yoda (Len ;))
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Nick
A very quick mind if some one trying to stitch me up and I’ve been they before!
By the way download did not work, can you bring cd to next meeting of the franchise network. :( :(
Len
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DRL guys have to sign a declaration that they will not use their truckmounts for carpet cleaning. Don't think anyones going in expecting to do any carpet cleaning. Just hoping to make up their loss of income on fire & flood work. When you have had a couple of hundred grands work cut off suddenly, this seems like the best option. You can not get any volume work as an independant.
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I have been to a party tonight so completly confused.
Ive heard of Regency application form is in my fileing cabnet, not enough pay. But no worries about equipment van marketing etc
Homeserve no idea and who is DRL
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hi len bill lakin is now technical training director as for DLR they may not do so well with insurance work as it is a bit thin on the ground mainly from norwich union who used to give us over 90% of there work but now give out 60% between rainbows and munters but i have been told we have a good chance of winning it back. my advice to the DLR lads would be think long and hard before making any decisions. :)
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Ian
Regency now own DRL = Disaster Restorations Ltd
Homeserve own Regency plus other companies and now have the UK master licence for CD.
Hope this helps.
Bennymon
A wise move of CD in recruiting Bill next time you see him give him my best regards he will know me under Lenny kept tilling him it’s Len!
If I were in your shoe I would worry who your next local team player will be and it wont be a new CD carpet cleaner.
I know I should not say this but your big brother should check up on telephone manner of those of you who cover the BR postcode; this is not coming from me but a remark from a now customer, please note I always recommend CD as my alternative company, that’s not good for my image will I have to lower it to the 50% people? :(
Len