[Mike Halliday]

I can tell you with certainty that your key domestic market is now .... The elderly (retired)/ Wealthy/ Or Both.

Look at all the best customers you have at the moment and I guarantee that most (not all) fall into the above category.

It used to also include young familys, living average lifestyles (ford mondeo people), but those days are gone. They sort out their own carpet cleaning, be it, hire, own a little machine or go for the cheapest idiot they can find or dont bother. It’s actually to the point where I feel quite insecure when these type of people contact me.

In the current climate, self employed carpet cleaners are a product of the wealthy man or the unable man or both.

i think that is all bunkum, the market is the same now as it was 20yrs ago nothing changes there will always be a market for carpet cleaning for all companies from the cheap to the higher priced.

the 'young families who clean thier own and the people choosing the cheapest idiot' existed 20yrs ago the same as now

the only thing that has slightly changed is how people find us, gone has the YP replaced by the internet.

people will always pay to make thier lives easier

[stuart_clark]

Mike
yellow pages certainly hasn't gone, it may not be as effective as it was ten to fifteen years ago but I still make a good return on my £4000 investment every year

Stuart

[Pete Blackburn]

I can tell you with certainty that your key domestic market is now .... The elderly (retired)/ Wealthy/ Or Both.

Look at all the best customers you have at the moment and I guarantee that most (not all) fall into the above category.

It used to also include young familys, living average lifestyles (ford mondeo people), but those days are gone. They sort out their own carpet cleaning, be it, hire, own a little machine or go for the cheapest idiot they can find or dont bother. It’s actually to the point where I feel quite insecure when these type of people contact me.

In the current climate, self employed carpet cleaners are a product of the wealthy man or the unable man or both.

i think that is all bunkum, the market is the same now as it was 20yrs ago nothing changes there will always be a market for carpet cleaning for all companies from the cheap to the higher priced.

the 'young families who clean thier own and the people choosing the cheapest idiot' existed 20yrs ago the same as now

the only thing that has slightly changed is how people find us, gone has the YP replaced by the internet.

people will always pay to make thier lives easier

Mike,

Bearing in mind what I said - Retired, Wealthy or Both
Take the last 2 customers (non commercial) you have worked for today. Being honest, do they marry up to what I have said?

Regards
Pete

[Mike Halliday]

Yes both were elderly retired and I would guess wealthy.

But that was a coincidence

I've also booked today 2 EOT Cleans for young couples and a terraced house  (living room and up the stairs) which from the address would make me think they are Not high earners.

I would describe the customer you describe as the cream of the market, but this is a sustainable market .... People  will always get older and become rich

The other end of the market will always be there as well.

[Pete Blackburn]

Cheers for being honest Mike.

Now the EOT cleans you mention are totally irrelevant to what I am saying. These people are forced into a corner due to the terms of the tenancy agreement. That being "All tenants to have carpets professionally cleaned before vacating premises". I class these type of jobs as commercial.

If these young EOT people had a choice they would try and either get away without doing it or try and do it themselves.

Just go through your diary Mike and see how many people fit into the Retired/Wealthy or both category. You will see firm evidence.

The other end of the market you mention are not viable in terms of the effort/money needed to recruit these type of customers.


Regards
Pete