[Griffus]

Are you giving up CC?

[Matt Seymour]

Yep, giving up.

Too much competition and prices going down all the time. I am earning peanuts and I am not enjoying it anymore either.

[Steve Chapman]

Hi Matt,

What are you doing instead of carpet cleaning, do you have something lined up ?

regards
steve

[Griffus]

Have you considered keeping your gear and doing it in addition to whatever you move onto?

You may find that not being so dependant on the revenue would ease pressure on you and the rates you have to charge. You could then start to build a proper customer base and maybe in time move back into this full time.

For the sake of the £1500 or so you're going to get for the gear it must be worth a shot.

[Matt Seymour]

I am starting a transport/distribution company. That is the background I am from and where I feel more comfortable.

I can't say that I enjoy carpet cleaning. It was OK for a while, but it's becoming harder and harder to get business and it's not really paying so well.

Can't afford to hang on to the gear really as I need every penny I can get.

[Griffus]

Matt, for almost 21 years I was involved in Contract Logistics on a large scale. I started as a Van Driver at 19, graduated to LGV's then onto Transport Clerk, Transport Supervisor, Transport Manager and finally Logistics Manager.

I have been out of the game since the end of 2007 but I feel pretty sure that it's a hell of a lot more difficult to make money in transport. We ran at a loss on a lot of jobs and margins were considered great if anywhere near 10%.

The cost of fuel and insurance is now right through the roof and I often wonder if there's any money left in it at all, especially for the small firms.

Youy're a braver man than I!

Best of luck.

p.s. I would defo keep your kit. It may well come in useful on days off --- if you get any  :-)

[Matt Seymour]

I am only setting up a small scale outfit to begin with.

Mainly removals and things like that and also a leaflet distribtion/marketing company. I have a few contacts in the industry and it all gives me far more strings to my bow than just carpet cleaning.

There is also nowhere near the same level of competition around here as there is for carpet cleaning.

You're right though, couriers in particular are having to work very hard for their money at the moment. In fact, I don't think any particular industry is exactly flourishing right now. It's a tough time for all, but I'd rather take my chances in an industry that I know well than trying to compete with the likes of Enterprise Cleaning for what are fast becoming scraps of work.

[Ian Gourlay]

Well you will have to spend a lot more on a Luton type van

Saw white van man on Channel 5 and there was this guy doing light removals think he had several vans on road

Just need to work out how much each van need to make.

think you have a large enough City to have a fleet.

Personally if your Ninjas secondhand in first place I do not think its worth £1500 so good luck if the person pays

[Matt Seymour]

Well you will have to spend a lot more on a Luton type van

Saw white van man on Channel 5 and there was this guy doing light removals think he had several vans on road

Just need to work out how much each van need to make.

think you have a large enough City to have a fleet.

Personally if your Ninjas secondhand in first place I do not think its worth £1500 so good luck if the person pays

As I say I am starting out small and not thinking of fleets of vans at this stage. Something to aim for, but fleets couldn't be further from my mind right now.

One step at a time.

The Ninja is 3 years old, serviced by Ashbys for the first two years of it's life and I've just spent £300 on it so it's in good shape for the next owner. I've seen lower spec models in terrible condition go for more than £1500.

[Griffus]

Hi Matt

I considered setting up a small transport firm when I first knew that I was likely to be made redundant but just couldn't get a plan in place that looked anything like I could make it work. I could have gone Continental as my last year was mainly shipping out to France and Germany, but the rates I used to pay for our Continental stuff made a nonsense of that. I could get a full trailer to most part of Germany for less than £250, this due to having a strong network in place whereby the load to Germany was actually a backload for a German driver and so covered his fuel as he'd made his money coming over here.

It is being done all over but what you really need to do is hook up a small network where you get together with a bunch of similar businesses and cover back loads / tranships etc. Complicated to set up the T & C's and what have you but gives the small business man a chance against the big boys. You could always join one that has already been set up but be very wary of becomung an 'owner driver' with the big boys. You'll be lucky to pull in £20000 a year gross.

Also, try to get in with legal firms. Couriering legal doc's is a real good earner and certainly won't break your back.

I wish you well.

[jasonl]

I believe there is a good living to be made in transport , I have done over 100 jobs last year for Shiply.com , the rates are good , trip to Glasgow and back took 2 days and grossed 1100 quid , with a good van I could have done more. I have people calling me every week asking for things to be moved.

I prefer the cleaning business though

[Matt Seymour]

Woah there Ian!

I am not considering a large outfit shipping to Europe or anything like that. To begin with it's more like your good old fashioned man and van and building from there.

Start with one van on the road and once I have enough work to keep me going I will look to bring in another vehicle and so on. It's a longterm plan that starts off very small.

[Carpet Dawg]

Matt

I noticed on your carpet cleaning site that your prices are a on the "good value" side. Nothing wrong with that just saying.

Have you worked out your potential outgoings for the new business? wrote a business plan etc?

Just make sure you charge a good rate and cover yourself! Cheap prices are the killer of many small businesses.

Tony

[derek west]

very subtle tony! you feeling all right?

[Carpet Dawg]

lol I'm not having a go Derek, just stating that its not always best business sense policy to be the cheapest around thats all. I'm sure Matt wont mind me saying.

[garry22]

Matt,

Maybe you've got to find a real sub niche within the transport business. As Tony says, become a specialist and charge more

For example, in our garden,  I saw a crow knocking seven bells out of a knackered racing pigeon. The poor sod couldn't defend itself but I managed to rescue it. I fed it and eventually traced it's owner (it had got blown off course in the gales).

The owner sent a courier to collect it a couple of days later.

I got chatting to him and he explained that he works 100% on collecting / delivering racing pigeons. That's all his company does and he's making a living.

He also explained they were worth anything from a few hundred to tens of thousands of pounds each!

It's got to be worth some research to find a niche like that.

Garry

[Carpet Dawg]

Matt,

Maybe you've got to find a real sub niche within the transport business. As Tony says, become a specialist and charge more

Garry

Piano's for example.

[derek west]

you av it son, i'll play it

[jasonl]

Today I had a call from a shed manufacturer in Sheffield want one to Oxford , and one to winchester  £120quid , then one carpet retailer wanting a roll of carpet to southampton £60 . I have a job pending from poole to sheffield , an engine for 65 thats £240 for a days work , less 70 diesel , but if I tried I could take a couple more items north and earn at least anothe 100 .  Too bad I cant drive, so wont be doing any of it.

[feldon]

Jason, sent you an email with regards to shiply.com as I might look into this and could do with some advice.

Cheers

Richard