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Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5746
What does it take to become a Cleaning Millionaire
« on: June 07, 2004, 11:16:56 am »
This post was really inspired by reading about one of the Window Cleaners on this board in Oxford in a Cleaning Mag.

Then Yesterday I received a Mail Shot from Robert Saunders.

Yes I could join Fast Track/

However I believe there are certain qualities that make people successful and overcome obstacles.

IF I might expand a little

I often read that many of us do not take on staff because they will not do as good a job or steal our customers insurance will go through roof etc.

Yet the Window cleaner in Oxford has overcome this obstacle in a very short space of time.

If I am to become a Carpet Cleaning Millionaire, i will need to take on staff. My running costs will be aprox £150k

Frightening mabee but when I had a shop the running costs were this high.

What i am asking is what are the qualities that make some people develop a business.

As a matter of interest what would a £250k turnover carpet business with a net profit of !00k sell for if 7 years old/

Regards

Ian

cleanmac

  • Posts: 104
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2004, 12:10:24 am »
Ian

It is the profit potential of a business that usually determines the value upon the sale.
And you leave us guessing about that .

And even if the potential is great,the new owner might not do as well as the previous one.

Personal rapport is very important in the service industry,people very often award work on this basis alone or ditch the new owner,because they consider him an a..e.

David

adl

Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2004, 02:32:43 pm »
I started one year ago this month, I now employ 15 staff 5 full time and 10 part timers, i am not regreting it one bit. yes the initial outlay on wages insurance uniforms and the ballache of waiting 30, 40, 50 days to be paid is a strain, but lets be serious about this,
THERE IS MORE SQUARE METERS OF CARPET IN THIS COUNTRY THAN THERE ARE CARPET CLEANERS TO CLEAN THEM AND THAT IS A FACT!.
So come on lads and lasses all this rubbish that i here from local ccs that claim they are quiet is down to one fact alone.
GET YOUR MARKETING RIGHT!
If some of the ccs i speak to who say to me that they only have 4  or 5 jobs booked in at any one week, spent only monday to thursday cleaning and friday planning, thinking, selling, they would all be busy and expanding their businesses.

I dont mean to cause offense to some people but if they would rather spend hours upon hours on their arse talking about what wand and psi and all the rest of the garbage that you read about then they shouldnt be complaining about being quiet.

And yes i am having a bad day! :-X :-X :-X :-X

Mark Betts

  • Posts: 449
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2004, 07:31:14 pm »
Dave

Come on then let us into the secet of your success??

Large commercial accounts?

Low End Residiential ? (hence 15 staff) ie low price quick turnover.

This post is not meant to sound sarcastic or offensive, just enquiring minds wanting to know the market you are aiming at.

Thanks

Mark
A Dog Isnt Just For Christmas.........  Save a Bit For Boxing Day  !!!!!

Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5746
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2004, 12:40:45 am »
Dave 555 somewhere in Preston.

The question was what qualities do you have that gave you the confidence to achieve what you have

Let me start

Industry Knowledge?

Get up and go/

Marketing Programe

Funds to buy vans equipment advertising etc?

Attendance Fast Track?

Back up team?

What makes you stand out from crowd.

As you have staff do you worry about loosing customers when they start on own

Quality control etc.

neil 47

  • Posts: 1345
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2004, 12:47:44 am »
I think that dave has a point you have to market yourself in a lot of different ways .
you have to be commited to what you are doing and have faith in your self and stick to basic,s once you have found out the best way to clean a carpet stick to that and concentrate on the next bit of your buissnes ie :
Marketing
excisting customerS
yellow pages/Thomsons/phone book
newspapers
working partnerships ie carpet shops /dry cleaners etc
networking wife,s friends/pubs/local community boards/shops
leaflets
postcards
reminders
sign written vans
training records
insurance
police checked
customer satisfaction letters
be happy
direct mailing
refferal forms
special offers
local magazines
uniforms
door knocking/cold calling
free demonstrations
even free carpet cleaning
charity donations
presentation
local shows/car boots
up selling different products
dry fusion/texatherm/bonneting
quick drying
speed
odour removel dustmite protection
flea protection
stain removel
carpet repairs(burns)
non detergent cleaning(safe for pets & allergy sufferers)
carpet protectors
latest biggist sucking most powerfull machine on the market today(THEY DONT CARE OR KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PORTABLE OR A TRUCKMOUNT, TOOK ME MONTHS.  AS LONG AS THE CARPETS ARE CLEAN AND THEY GET GOOD SERVICE)
Do I do this, do I heck I,m like the rest to scared to take the plunge and not commited enough (idle).
but good luck to them that try and succeed they deserve it so dont knock them at least they,ve got off there arse,s and tried .
Not like me, who as dave said talks to much about it


Neil    


     ps I,M GOING TO DO IT ONE DAY

IICRC

Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5746
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2004, 10:11:12 am »
Neil,

Perhaps our biggest mistake is we are trying to do it all ourselves.

If we clean carpets perhaps we need someone at home ie partner   relations or even paid people  carrying out some of the methods you have just mentioned.

Or if you are like me would like to work at marketing full time train someone to clean the carpets.

My biggest problem  ( Due to other commitments and activities) I appear to be split in about 5 diffrent directions which is diffrent from being idle.

In other words I think you have to be FOCUSED.

Regards

Ian


George-Reid

  • Posts: 264
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2004, 10:51:52 am »
Good post neil you have got most of the answers their.
A good admin person working 3 hours a day can do 50%
of that for you. Every good Technician can carry out and do 30% of the list while cleaning. Leaving the 20% that Ian would like to do for yourself.

Ian like your self I am pulled diffrent ways having diffrent business intrests and variour community group involvements. The best thing I ever did is start to use Microsoft Outlook tasks lists. All my marketing is here Although my present business is diffrent from yours I am doing essentially the same 20% you could be doing. Once you start you will wonder why you never did it before.

Cheers
George
Spectrum Advanced Services Ltd
The Specialist In Wheeled Bin Washing
Domestic, Bulk, Commercial & Industrial
Equipment Supply
Environmental Best Practice Green Apple Award Winner
N.E. Scotland

adl

Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2004, 11:34:56 am »
There is no secret and just because i have a few staff working for me doesnt mean i am on millionaires row, when the time comes that the business is self sufficient and i dont have to worry about money then i will consider this business to be a sucess.

Yes i do have some large commercial accounts but i have not dropped on these because i am a godley cc, it is simply a fact that i can offer these companies what they want.

How many of you or your wifes when you go shopping go to the butchers, the bakers, the fruit & veg shop, the off license, the grocers, clothes shops, toy shops, newsagents, when one company i.e ASDA or TESCOS can take care of your every need once a month, one credit card bill, one account, easy to work with and easy to budget for.

This is the way global commerce is moving to, take our business we are cleaning contractors, a facilities management company that can take care of a companies needs with one easy phone call, no more get mr a, b & c to come in giving quotes for this that and the other, when we can simply phone Mr cc and he takes care of the lot.

I will use one of our contracts that we have with a group of 400 nursing homes nationwide (this is the one that i spoke about a couple of months back that i was dissed about)

We take care of;
The carpets & upholstery cleaning,
The steam cleaning of kitchens
The one off cleaning and sanitising of the homes.
The carpet laying
The Altro saftey flooring
stripping and sealing.

What we have built up is a network of proven sub-contractors around the country to do the work for us, we then sub the contract out, we then make in turn our percentage out of the job and everyone is happy.

This is what is known as a facilities management company, a one stop superstore taking care of companies needs, one account for the company, less paperwork, less staff to maintain the accounts, end result the company saves money.

Secret to getting you foot in the door a bit risky if your not confident, but get it right and your laughing;

Most companies now employ cleaning companies to take care of their day to day office cleaning, i will use one of ours as an example of how it can work.

A large catering company who installs fridges, ovens, sinks, fryers, canopies and all that were looking for a new cleaner to clean their offices, we were approached to quote on the job, i went to look at the job and put a cheap quote in, this price could never have been beaten by any other cleaning contractor, the reason for this loss leader is that now we steam clean all their reconditioned stock and also travel around the country for them doing hotel kitchens as and when needed.

We get on average 10 calls a week from offices, pubs, factorys etc to place cleaning staff into then each day. 9 times out of ten we quote proper rates but that othere one time we quote very cheap (on the same lines as ASDA charges for bread and milk, it is called a loss leader, a way of getting bodies thriough the door to buy something else) for us it works but like i say you have to be confident, you should never loose money at putting in cheap prices and always we give an 8 week trial 4 both parties before we go into a contract with them, so that we can way up the potential work from the company.

I hope this gives you an insight into the ways that it can work for you, and i hope to the 11 people that have privatley emailed me, it answers your questions.

regards

Dave Ashmore MD
ADL Cleaning Services Ltd

Mark Betts

  • Posts: 449
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2004, 03:08:36 pm »
Good post Dave.

Certainly food for thought.


Mark
A Dog Isnt Just For Christmas.........  Save a Bit For Boxing Day  !!!!!

mark_roberts

  • Posts: 1899
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2004, 09:23:34 pm »
Did anyone see the programme on Tuesday night about people going into plumbing.

The company was called pilmaco (I think) but had the most outstanding attitude towards image, customer service etc etc.

Anyone wanting to go big or small for that matter would do well to look at this company as a model.

thanks
Mark

HolmansUKLTD

  • Posts: 849
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #11 on: June 11, 2004, 12:17:07 am »
Yep there called  Pimlico Plumbers around the chelsea way.

They fitted a new bath for a friend of mine
they did an excellent job by all acounts and charged £950 outrageous!! but the job was top notch.

So there you go

A quality company charging a quality price :o
Surreys No1 Carpet & Upholstery cleaner
Surreys No1 Dart player
IICRC water restoration Technician

Len Gribble

  • Posts: 5106
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #12 on: June 11, 2004, 12:45:01 am »
Nick

Not only around Chelsea. They are not a Mickey Mouse company!

Len
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. (Sidcup Kent)

The Great One

  • Posts: 12722
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #13 on: June 11, 2004, 10:02:54 pm »
Hi

Hmmm...

A Carpet Cleaning Millionaire...

The ability to do more for more people for less.

Regards

Martin 8)

(that should stir things up)

Len Gribble

  • Posts: 5106
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #14 on: June 11, 2004, 11:22:51 pm »
Win the lottery and get slaves to do the work

Len
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. (Sidcup Kent)

HolmansUKLTD

  • Posts: 849
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2004, 01:22:55 am »
Len ive just won the lottery..............Fancy a job old boy? ;D
Surreys No1 Carpet & Upholstery cleaner
Surreys No1 Dart player
IICRC water restoration Technician

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11382
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2004, 01:49:24 am »
Don't forget chaps, alot of running around for nowt gives you a head ache!
Long term there may well be a profit but if you live by price you die by price and when the next contract firm comes in and quotes lower then your gone and left with staff wages to pay and loads of machines that you have bought for that contract.
You have to keep moving to keep up, as we all know when quoting for some commercial work they get 3 quotes and then decide who wins.
Dave555's world is one of the ways to become a millionaire but there are others, as one man said (can't remember who)

work smarter not harder

Put a few marketing formulations in to practice as well as good workmanship and you will see a good stream of work come your way and you will make a very good living for yourself far better than most professional people who have gone to university, it doesn't take much but you have to be a little patient and persistant and when you have plenty of work on still do the marketing.

Shaun

Dave_Lee

  • Posts: 1728
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #17 on: June 16, 2004, 02:23:46 am »
Its all relative. I know huge turn over CCs (the highest price chargers in the country) who are less profitable than most lower price charging average CCs. I know guys who have done the big stuff when their initial enthusiasm led them that way, ended with big headaches and hating the business, untill they downsized dramatically and became happier and more profitable in their work.
It all depends what you want. Personally, I just want to earn a good enough living without killing myself, and working all hours under the sun, to support mine and my families lifestyle. I do not have carpet cleaning on my mind all the time, Im far too busy thinking about and doing the things I enjoy. Ill never be a CC millionaire, but its Carpet Cleaning that allows me to get up into the wild rugged  beautiful mountains of the world. The challenge of the climb, and the reward of a magnificent view from the summit that gives me for one more personal riches than any amount of money could ever provide.
Lifes too short for work, work, work. and if you try saving it all up for some time later, later may never arrive.

Dave.
Dave Lee, Owner of Deepclean Services
Chorley Lancs. Est 1980.
"Pay Cheap -You get Cheap - Pay a little more and get something Better."

Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5746
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #18 on: June 16, 2004, 12:30:23 pm »
Dave,

You are a millionaire in personal contentment

Regards

Ian

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11382
Re: What does it take to become a Cleaning Million
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2004, 01:15:22 am »
Dave will  not be short of a few bob as he took a wad off me when he sold me his rotavac at top price.

Shaun