Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: wayne zabel on March 04, 2010, 08:40:01 pm
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As many on here will know I am a newbie who is hoping one day soon to give up the day job and get established as a full time CC - whenever things pick up.seems dead everywhere at the moment.
When i get queries I have a dilema in that because I still have a day job I can only clean at weekends and evenings(not a good idea until the light nights return) and an occasional friday.
Most seem to be happy that they are offered a weekend service but some seem a bit mystified when I say that at the moment I'm only trading 3 days.I tell them that its very quiet at the moment so I have a part time job to tide me over - a little white lie as its still a permanent job.
I think that this might set their minds thinking that I'm a cowboy and I think i could be losing some work.
Am I doing the right thing or should I say the reason I can only offer weekends and evenings is because I soooooooo busy.
I'm sure some others on here must have gome from working to CC in a transitional period,what would you advise?
Thanks
Wayne
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Just say your busy until saturday, just dont say busy doing what ;)
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Wayne
I would add that it is often not what is said but how it is said.
If for example you say with huge confidence in your tone of voice something like
"well that's great now unfortunately I cannot squeeze you in till the weekend, would that be alright, madam?" but said more as a statement rather than a question.
Confidence is the key; get it right and people will buy into you without questioning your competence (or time availability).
Hope that makes sense-it's difficult to convey what i mean in writing rather than you listening to my tone of voice.
Roger
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I agree, and certainly don't mention your status. Your assumption is probably right, you'll be seen as part time. Do everything you can to promote your business, signed vehicle magnetics if necessary and be well turned out. Work trousers, not jeans. Nice logo t shirt.
Simon
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worst case is if they have to have it done in the week you could always join up with another carpet cleaner and then book in the clean with them and then add a bit of commission on top :) as your prices are probably going to be higher you can then say weekend specials reduced price to x (your normal amount) etc to encourage weekend bookings
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You've got the answers you need above, but if really pushed by a prospect, during office hours you are commited to contract work. Is that a lie? Well, not really if it's your contract of employment ::) :-X;)
Safe and happy cleaning :)
The Ken
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You should tell them the truth , that your just starting up and as yet is doesn't warrant you giving up your full time job.
You may even get more orders this way.
No point in lying, start off as you mean to go either as a liar or a honest businessman.
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Glynn
You are so right.
Slap on the wrist for twisting the truth young Wainwright :-[
Safe and honest cleaning :)
The Ken
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As others have said, just tell the client you got 'other' jobs on (during the day). You aint lying by saying that, and personally i think it would put some clients off if you meantion your 'new'.
By saying your 'busy' during the day you will give the impression you have a lot of work on (which you are, just not in carpet cleaning.....yet!). Though if client has to have it during the day then arrange it for a week or two later (so long ok with client) and either book a day off (from your day job) or take a 'sickie' ;)
All the best.
J
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J's right, if you say you're busy you're not lying and if you say you're new, you can forget it.... Plenty of my customers ask if I can work over a weekend cos they don't want to take time off work..... Like what has been said, be confident..... Take command of the situation and you "will" get the work more often than not...
Best of luck, Col.....
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Just tell them the truth that your still in a day job and can only do at certain times but your doing your upmost to become a full time cc. Never lie to your customers the truth will always come out and if they find out you be been lying you will have no customers. Just be honest they will like you more for it. :)
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I have been trying to set up a carpet cleaning business over the last few months and i also work 3 other jobs. :o
My jobs are working in a hospital mon-fri 5pm-8pm,tesco fri,sat-10pm-7am & sun 5pm-2am.I also care for my mum 10hrs a week which is flexible.
If a customer can only have there carpets cleaned mon-fri,
i just ask if i can start as early as possible as i need to set off for a job about 4ish.
So no lies there. ;)
To give you an idea,last thursday i got a call to clean a massive empty 5 bed house asap.
I said i can start tomorrow as early as you want but i have to set of for a job about 4ish.
The next day(friday)i start cleaning at 7.30am & stop at 3pm,left most of my gear there and set of to work at the hospital than home for a hour for a quick cuddle with the wife.Then it's off to Tesco i go 10pm till 7am,i get home and sleep till noon then back to the house for a few hours to finish off 2 carpets.
Oh and yes,i am bloody cream crackerd,but i am determined to get this business up and running.
This time next year rodney we will be millionaires!
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Fair play to you keyplus :D
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Thankks for all the replies.............there seem to be a mixed bag of answers.
I'm tending to go along with telling the truth and saying that I'm a newly established business and can't warrant going full time CC until I can see that I get enough queries to justify this.
I have never been a good fibber/liar and think that siooner or later I will get found out.
If I can get into the clients house to survey and price I can then show them my training certificates/insuance/testimonials.
It is difficult this.I'm currently doing 2/3 jobs at weekend and getting a few more queries for prices but not enough to contemplate giving up work at the moment.
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think i'd side on honesty, its more convincing unless your an expert liar in which case i'd try politics as a career.
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;D hi my name is phillip i am new to this we have been cc for a year now with a full time job it has been a rollcercoaster of a ride.i wuold tell my customers i have a full time job so i can work weekends but the ones who ask can you week days i go sick or put them in a 2 to 3 days and bookit off. I am thinking of going full time now because I have taken to mush time of work so i have been giving a choose cc or work here so i am going sick on monday
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;D hi my name is phillip i am new to this we have been cc for a year now with a full time job it has been a rollcercoaster of a ride.i wuold tell my customers i have a full time job so i can work weekends but the ones who ask can you week days i go sick or put them in a 2 to 3 days and bookit off. I am thinking of going full time now because I have taken to mush time of work so i have been giving a choose cc or work here so i am going sick on monday
Hi Phillip, good job you havent filled in your profile, cause if your boss was on here it wouldnt be sick 4u 2morro it would be the sack :o good luck!
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phillip....how dare you treat my company like this! >:(
YOUR FIRED
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thank you i can go full time now
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Hi
Just say you only have space at the weekends.
It's true and you don't have to give some protracted story which invites more questions, what you do is your business not your customers.
Regards
Martin 8)
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Hi Clynton,yes If they phone when I'm at work I always answer my phone and engage in coversation about their cleaning requirements.I'm not in a postion where I dont have any privacy.
I have found that if people phone near the weekend they are happy that I offer them the weekend appointment,its when they call early in the week that there seems to be the problems,so yes you are right that they are happy to have them cleaned sooner.
Its a dilemma that I face and a real chicken and egg situation..............I cant leave a full time job because I dont have enough work CC and I lose CC work because I'm working.
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you could always sell your house and go rented using the equity to push the business and live off the rest but i suppose only a crazy mo fo would do something like that. ;) ;D
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Hopefully I will be able to generate enough carpet cleaning in the future.I have only been cleaning for 3 months and as lots on here say it can take 18 months to get established.
All the money I have took is being put back into getting esablished,I have a web site coming on line this week and intend to try various other sorts of advertising.
I'm hoping that this will generate more enquiries and when I'm getting those I can then consider the future and hopefully go full time CC
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Derek,
Are you calling me crazy, cos thats what i did ;D ;D ;D
Paul
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paul
we are the crazy gang. anyone else?
"E ooo dares" is our motto
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All the money I have took is being put back into getting esablished,I have a web site coming on line this week and intend to try various other sorts of advertising.
out of interest how do you get the current customers? you seem to be doing very well for someone only set up 3 months ago without a website :)
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I didnt think I was doing well myself.I have had most work from leafleting,and also some from some adverts I put in a few local mags and papers but not enough to warrant trying these again.
I have had a few jobs from friends also so I dont think I'm doing that well.I did think the phone would be ringing more than it has.
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I worked full time from Jan 92 to sept 93 as well as starting my Chem Dry franchises, I did jobs at evenings , weekends and days off , I always quoted on site and had lines on my diary pages when I could not fit in jobs , I used to show the diary to customers and let them choose when they wanted work doing, I personally would not outright have said that I had a full time job , as i think it gives out the message that you are just in it for the beer money, and not committed,and it looks a bit amateur.