[Mike Osbourne]

Well thanks to lots of help from you guys on Cleanitup I am now very much in the swing of things when it comes to carpet cleaning. I don't know if you can remember your first cheque from a satified customer, but boy did i feel good when I got mine!

All my work has come from door to door canvassing and apart from the man who laughed at me when his dog chased me down the garden path it's been ok.

Today I had a double whammy though.

1. To my horror I looked round while cleaning to find the rubber cup connector on the vac hose extension had come away with a torrent of water spilling on the carpet. I vacced it asap and dry on leaving, fingers crossed.

Question This happened before, how do you make sure they dont come away, seemed like they had a bit of silicone or something holding them or are they push fit?They are 2 months old from Ashbys (I'm not talking about parts that would normally detach)

2. Just when I thought I was in the clear. BANG, rcd trips on my Ninja vacc cable. Checked for water round electrics, swapped RCD, changed fuse nothing.

Told Client I would get back tomorrow morning with status and do the rest for free. I felt very embaressed(Even had to empty solution tank with a jug!)

Question. Was there anything else I could have tried?  Ringing Ashbys toms as I rang at 4.45 and were shut.

On the whole though things have gone well, the knocking on doors seems to be the key for starters though! 

     

[Kev Loomes]

If you've checked all the obvious you could always check the power cable with a power meter. This happended to me and there was no way I could have seen it to the naked eye. Got me out of trouble.

Even check the plug wiring - not just the fuses, yes this happened to me too after presuming it was the fuse (the wiring looked fine but not on very close inspection)

[Steve Chapman]

Normally if the rcd trips it's a faulty motor, something shorting inside or drawing to much power and it stops the motor killing itself.

If the motor is not very old then it could possible be the wiring, so worth checking.

As for emptying the solution, if you have a spare end male connector you can use it to empty out the tank straight into toilet, sewer etc.

Regards
steve

[edwin]

Hi Mike,
This is my second ever post! I'm interested in finding an efficient way to market carpet cleaning as I'm just about to start up, having had equipment in the garage for a year now. It's anniversary is this month! I noticed you've had success door knocking and wondering if you could tell me how you plan your canvassing, ie. how many doors you knock on every day, how many days per week you go out canvassing, what time of day and the script that you use. And what sort of conversion rate you get. I'd really appreciate your help as I don't want the equipment to remain unused for another year! Thanks! Ed

[Buster Ingram]

Best way to start Ed is get some training first, if you carn't afford the training find someone who is in the business and is willing to take you along with them for a few days so you can get an idea of whats what.
Never ever think its a straight forward case of pulling up at Mrs Jones and then comencing to clean her carpet.
A little spent on training at the begining will save you pounds in the long  term.
And a lot of sleepless nights

[carpetclean]

Ed ; Mike
http://z14.invisionfree.com/cmslimited/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=7089049

not too late

[Mike Osbourne]

Ed,

Yes get training first, you will feel more confident and pick up more jobs.

What I'm doing is based on all the threads I found on door knocking.

I like to think I come across as Smart, Friendly/trustworthy and Competent.

I'm still 'struggling' but can see it does work. 2hrs on average yields 0.6 jobs and 3 quotes and my average job value is currently £87 and I have turned down 2 suites and two rugs (to my shame) 

I book jobs up in the morning first if I can and canvass for the rest of the day if nothing else on. I'm trying for two jobs a day.

Yesterday I did a job that was finished at 3pm and canvassed till 5.30 I got a job booked and did 8 quotes. Typically 50% of quotes book up and hoping some others will come in over time.

What I like about canvassing is:

You can choose the neighbourhoods. This makes a huge difference to your conversion ratios.

It's proactive

It costs nothing exept the time you are sitting on your duff

You get feedback from people

You can do a quote there and then and judge the job better.

I personally enjoy it

Downside

Some people get a bit shirty with you, but very occasionally. 

Bad weather (it's been kind to me on the whole)

I want to be cleaning carpets not a pro doorknocker


I had DP Print do 10k of leaflets and leave if no one's in. I have a signed van and an embroidered white short sleave shirt. Clipboard with quotation forms etc.

My opener is to apologies for disturbing them. Initially I didn't do this as I thought it reduced your posture but find it helps defuse any annoyance.

I say I'm 'going' to be doing prof carpet clean around here so I thought I nip round the neighbors with my special offer.

Once I get a job or a quote I then talk about this, pointing to the house.

I have a smile on my face all the time, including between houses, if nothing else it makes you feel better than you otherwise would.

I have a few rebuttals for standard objections, but I think it is counterproductive to push it too much. 

If you have a dog phobia forget the whole idea of CC or go see a Hypnotherapist.

And yes I have no job this afternoon and no I'm not out there pounding the streets, but hey I'm not perfect.

 

[Buster Ingram]

Well done that man its nice to see some of you do get off your arse’s and drag in the work.
I started out the very same as you Mike 26 years ago and I still have the same clients today that I met door knocking, like me they look much older and to think I first started cleaning their lounge carpets for £10 in those days.
Like you say, it is a great way to bring the bacon home you do get to choose your jobs and it is a good way of getting feed back too.
Interdentally Mike never apologise for disturbing them because until you mentioned it they was not, until now!
I spent 12 months door knocking when I first started out,  I’d post around 100 leaflets on one part of an estate then go knock the doors on the other were I’d delivered the previous day weather permitting.
Working this system did not take me long to build up a good client base, hard work at first but very rewarding and I  don’t just mean financial.

Good luck for the future  mate it beats the hell out of putting a  £100 ad in the local paper and then sitting back waiting for the phone to ring?


Regards
Dave

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys,

I too started in London in 1982 door knocking.

We used to do two hours after work 3-4  days a week and Sat mornings.

The reward for this was a few beers afterwards

As Dave says , it is cheap so if you have a really bad night all youv'e lost is a bit of time.

Mike stick at it , and keep a list of all your quotes and ask them if you can ring back in a few weeks if you have not heard from them.

This will bring in a few jobs and give you something to do if it's raining.

Cheers

Doug

[edwin]

Hello all

Thanks so much for all your feedback. What I should have made clear is that I have had some training, but am just worried to take the next step for fear of.... I don't quite know what (CARPET SHRINKAGE, nutters!! etc) but let's just say that something's stopping me from taking the next step forward.

I have completed and passed !!! the IICRC carpet cleaning course plus a hands-on manufacturers carpet/upholstery cleaning course, which was run by an ex-NCCA techie. An extremely nice and very knowlegeable guy (with unquestionable credentials).

Anyway, back to the point at hand. I've done a few mates' carpets for next to no money and at the moment am making ends meet by mini cabbing, hence the late post. My hours are 6am to 7pm five to seven days a week but am earning a few quid. I'm not afraid of hard work, but I suppose what I am afraid about is failing at this. Carpet cleaning is what I've wanted to do for years and now that it's within my grasp I want to make sure I make a success of it.

I'm sure if there was a fail-safe way to succeed we'd all be doing it but your feedback/tips are so appreciated so keep 'em coming!!

Thanks so much for all your comments. It's all very helpful.

Ed

[Neil Mc Anulty]

Ed
Take the word fail out of your vocabulary. You will have setbacks (we all do) but if you learn from a setback or mistake then you have turned it into a positive.
By the sounds of it you have done everything right and are probably lacking in confidence, this can show to a prospect through body language etc and if you think you are going to fail youre half way there regardless of training.
Go for it and knock the doors and keep smiling

Good luck
Neil
 

[edwin]

Neil,
Thanks for your post. I'm very grateful for your helpful words. I'll brush down my carpet cleaning kit at the weekend, polish my valves, weigh my Ultimate Mater and look at it all from a more positive frame of mind!!!

6am start so signing off now.

[vangaurd]

i am the best i have more work than i can handle now due to recomendations
praise the lord