Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: MAX Carpets on November 17, 2009, 08:11:23 pm
-
Just out of interest.
Cheers
Justin
-
If I'd kept everyone on database then I'd have loads more but I refresh them after 3 years.
Shaun
-
IF, and I say IF, the person who has 3000-4000 clients on the database, writes to each of them just once per year, and lets say thats 3500, at current 2nd class postage (30p) that comes to £1050.
That could still be cheaper then YP and if the response was good then it would pay ie 1% response would be 35 call backs, average job say £80 = £2800
If no response after a few years, I think it may be reasonable to take a client off the list.
-
The real question is how many are active customers? im sure we all have people on our systems we have'nt worked for in years, Shaun may have the best idea, as its better to have a smaller database of people who actually use you regulaly rather than say 5000.....that don't!
Marketing people will tell you that you lose about 20% of your customer base every 5 years anyway due to amongst other things marriage, divorce, death, emigration, moving house etc.
Alan
-
Er... about eight so far & hoping for at least another six during the Christmas rush.
-
Mind your own business - stop worrying about others and get on with your own.
Not being nasty but asking questions like this I beleive could seriously limit your potential by way of feeling "I got more than him and he doin allright"...
Best wishes
Stu ;)
-
Can you not ask a question on here without someone being abusive/pompus/stupid!
As it was said, just out of interest. It was never going to be even because of different times of trading. But it is useful to hear different comments on how we all use our database.
I for one have a different way of using mine which is simple but very affective. But as we should "mind our own business" I wouldnt wont to bother you all with this.
Justin Perry Signing off from clean it up for good! Bye bye!
-
OK Justin.
28 have voted so far.
What are the statistics telling you? Surely its comments as well that will tell you things.
You must have started the thread for a reason - or was it really just "out of interest".
-
please be nice and sensible to justin or he won't play with us.
derek
-
It is good to have a bit of light hearted banter, cant be serious all the time, the forums would boring.
I do think things are allowed to go too far at times though.
Never use facebook or bebo type things, but its interesting the news this morning is that there should be a panic button on those type of sites for those who are feeling they are being abused or in danger.
-
some one bullied me with type face, i've got bruises all over to prove it, one type face put me in hospital for a week. i could of just ignored it but i'm not that clever. or i could of laughed and taken it with a pinch of salt, or even joined in but the pain and suffering was unbearable. ;D
bring back boring forums where everyone is polite with no jokes or difficult questions, and everybody says things like, oh jolly good and bravo. and if for some unknown reason we actually don't agree on something somebody says, we should just agree anyway out of politeness to our fellow man.
god i'm bored. swine flu cancellation, again. second one this week.
derek
ps......is this a forum for men?
-
Joe,
It really was just out of interest. Never does a post stay on track, so I was hoping to find out a bit more on how others use there data base. I have been building mine since 1988, I have 3000 good customers on it. I do have a very useful tip which I was going to share. From this database I run 2 Blazers and a large porty with myself and 3 staff. Sorry if I dont qualify in some people's opinion.
Derek
Your a jerk! 8) :) ;)
-
I put smiley faces on it so not to offend you.
-
justin
its posts like that that stop people posting on here so good bye, ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
could of sworn i put smiley faces on another thread and still some big girls blouse took offence.
anyway i'm off to the doctors as justins last post really hurt me. ;D ;D ;D ;D
derek
ps. middle of the day and people like me who aren't fully booked and never claim to be are posting on here, looks like i'll have to holiday at butlins again. ;D <------------- look! a smiley
-
Joe
Your right on a panic button ;D
Same here a bit of abuse dont bother me ;D ;D
-
Derek
Lunch break. Jerk ;)
-
Derek
Is it not the purpose of forums to learn from others?? Or is your web site www.Iknowitall.com??
I bet Richard Branson is shaking in his boots, as the mighty Derek is in business!
(well, when he comes back from the doctors)
Oh by the way you was on-line today at the same time. I had other people earning for me while I had my lunch, did you?? jerk >:(
Smiley face so I dont offend.
-
Derek
To be honest, I'm not to sure why you got involved, if this post is of no interest to you, why comment? I also think its a bit silly to reply to a post "mind your own business" If you dont ask questions, you dont learn. Just my opinion, but hey what so I know> Hopefully I'll be as great as Derek one day!
Justin
-
So Justin
You have a database of around 3000 - thats some going.
Do you manage to keep in touch with them all?
how often?
is it some you target more then others ie areas, spend etc?
and what return do you get in terms of replies and turnover?
-
Joe
I keep it very basic, Every Jan I write to every custy we have cleaned for the last five years in Jan, and so on. This as I say is basic, but if done every month without fail it leaves no stone unturned. I also keep a note of all EOT work, when I write to these I always address it "Dear Valued Customer" I normally send these 11 months after first clean, because 9 times out of 10 the lease is due up for renewal and they cant resist opening the letter! I'm not sure how others keep hold of the EOT property, but this is how we do it and it works, very well! After all as nice as some custys are, it is only the carpets we are really interested in. I would be intersted to know how others keep EOT properties as regular calls, or should I "mind my own business"? Sorry couldnt help it.
Cheers!
Justin
-
emclean, i never wrote "mind your own business"
keep up lad.
and you run a business with emplyee's you say?
listen, i said something about going to butlins (with a smiley) that obviously hit a nerve, i apologised if it offended you and you ignored my apology.
i'll leave you alone now and stick to talking to the guys that don't mind a bit of banter on here.
derek
-
Back to the topic. I chopped mine down a couple of years ago to make it easier to manage. Its just short of 2,000 now and when it gets more than 2,000 I will remove the extra to keep it at that. 30p for a second class stamp now, so thats £1200 for two mailing a year plus print cost - still very good value considering the return.
Dave.
-
Derek,
I know you never said "mind your own business" But you did rattle on some stupid post about being bullied blah blah blah and went to suggest I was a big girls blouse. Yes I have employees, please feel free to take a look at my website, and you will see 3 of my vans in action. Before you slate the site is is being updated as we speak, it is a bit old. Oh, I do enjoy banter, but I couldnt really see why the last two posts I have put on here should get those replys. I have been a member on here for 5-6 years but stop posting ages ago, however I do read and learn alot on here, so thank you to those who have helped me. The web site is www.maxcarpetandupholsterycare.com you will notice it has had over 20000 hits, and I do nothing to optimise it. I must be doing something right!
Cheers!
Justin
-
Oh, and I have'nt been referred to as A "Lad" for many years, for that I thank you.
Justin :D
-
Its all gone quite????
So, just out of interest how do others keep EOT properties as regular work?
-
Hardly do any at all, Justin.
Vast majority of those I do are thro a letting agent but hes gone quiet so times must have got tough for him. His jobs arent all that bad, but I have done some pig holes and they dont want to pay much so I am not all that bothered.
Dont mind doing bad jobs but I do look for a decent return for my effort.
-
One more thing Joe, I always hand write envelopes to cure custys!
-
Justin
Think i remember our avatar was it a picie of you on a hill or something ???
-
If you really want them to work you need a hand written PINK envelope it will look like an invitation and you can't help but open it but the cost of pink envelopes could be prohibitive.
Shaun
-
Clinton
Sorry , youve lost me?
Shaun
Pink is a good idea, not sure its neede that much though. The results I get are very high %.
I think its a shame if you accept that an EOT property is a one off.
Cheers
Justin
-
Shaun, I can just imagine you walking into the post office clutching your wadd of pink envelopes. Could get people talking ;D
-
As with most businesses it is about 20% of your customers who give you the bulk of your business. Those "golden" customers should be seperated out for special treatment.
-
The problem I have found with bulk mailings is a lot of them DO NOT get delivered. I did one about 6 months ago and a great many of the repeat customers I asked said they never got anything from me. Maybe lazy posties know they are bulk mailings and whack a lot of them in the bin as they cannot be bothered to sort them!!
-
Dont you want to play anymore Derek? Has the nasty man got more vans than you? ;) :D ;D
-
The problem I have found with bulk mailings is a lot of them DO NOT get delivered. I did one about 6 months ago and a great many of the repeat customers I asked said they never got anything from me. Maybe lazy posties know they are bulk mailings and whack a lot of them in the bin as they cannot be bothered to sort them!!
Or someone at home is opening their mail or putting it in the bin. Some also just forget that they have received a mailing. If they are not in the market for a clean when the mailing arrives it gets ignored. The intention is to reach those that are in the market NOW, which will be a certain percentage, and is why regular mailing works best.
Dave.
-
John do you think I post them? no way!!
Regarding sending them out in bulk I agree that they don't all get there the postal service isn't good anymore but you have to spread them about the post boxes anyway because they don't take that many letters in them, if it's just a reminder based on 6 or 12 months from last clean then you would get staged amounts or if you were really organised you would do them weekly.
Shaun
-
Monthly, I couldnt face doing it weekly! I agree though, dont put them all in the same post box, even spread it over a couple of days.
-
if you post a letter with a stamp on it then it will get delivered, even if you post a 1000 of them.
how does the postman know its a bulk delivery? its not as if you are sending a letter to every person on his round.
Royal mail not matter what problems they are having are a British institution!! post a letter and it has 99.9999999% chance it will get delivered.
-
No don't agree, if they pick the envelopes up from the box when the get sorted and do look like bulk mail a few will get lost, the institution isn't as good as it used to be.
Shaun
-
Dont you want to play anymore Derek? Has the nasty man got more vans than you? ;) :D ;D
moans like a big girl then gets upset when i don't play, make ya mind up.
thought if i carried on you'd leave the forum and i don't want that me old mucker, everyone has valid thing to say on here, so the more the merrier, even if they can't take a joke. the idea is to sift through the jokes and bollox (which are all entertaining) to gain more knowledge.
thats how i use the forums.
like i said, i'll leave ya alone. unless your getting fond of my banter?
derek
-
Derek,
I hold my hand out to shake on it! ;) ;) ;) I can take and enjoy banter. Lets start again!
Cheers
Justin
-
Shaun that's in Sheffield ;) ;)
here in the garden of England the posties sign a 'declaration of honesty'.... were they pledge to delivery every letter on time, always close your gate, and never make love to your wife while you are working out of town.
-
Sounds like stepford wives, where do I sign?
Shaun
-
Didnt know you lived in Kent, Mike.
Dave.
-
Kent is the back garden, pretty flower beds and patio..
Mike's in Hull which is the front garden.... rusty cortina up on bricks and a pile of betterware catalogues gone all soggy :D
-
as a newly started business, i havent as yet set up a database with custys on it but if /when i do what is the best programme to use and is it worthwhile? what are the benefits?
-
Sammiie.
I've resized your images to make them more readable.
-
Mike could u post them on the original quiet or not thread in thanks for the re-size.
willie,
-
Sorry mate, I resized them then put them in the wrong place ::)