[Dave_Lee]

Regarding gradually raising prices. Why gradually? This is done only so the CC himself gradually gets used to quoting more. If its done on a continuous course until the conversions start to falter, I am not so sure that is the right way. After all, if you raise those prices over 12 months by a total of 50%. Any clients you last did work for over 12 months ago is now going to have to pay 50% more for the same job. Why not just put them up 50% in one go - do you think you will lose all your repeat clients if you do? You wont, I did it a few years ago and hardly lost any, but my turneover shot up. I have just increased my prices by over 20% and again have no resistance at all.
Dave.

[ianharper]

dave

when i did it, my past customers said i thought you where a bit cheap.

[carpetguy]

Dade

Gradually, as suggested by, me, would be based on increasing charges, annually. Don't be impatient and accept, that you are a novice for at least the first year.

Too many new starts are being influenced, by talk of high earnings, must have's, etc. This is no different from any other service business.................how would you feel about a first year apprentice, servicing your Beemer / Merc / Central heating boiler

If you market a c/c service at prices that equate to around £35 - £40 per hour, you should be busy enough to earn around £30 k, or more per annum.

If you increase prices by 5-10% at the end of the first year, you probably won't lose anyone and simply earn more for doing the same work.

[the red carpet]

Ian Gourlay

Re; Fastrack

No not sworn to secrecy
Sorry for any questions not answered, its just everytime i look back in on this thread i have been asked a load more questions its hard keeping up with them all especially when another couple of people have posted and its started to go of topic.

I think Fastrack has good potential it seems a good way to build your buisness but does require some investment, maybey to generate the kind of leads i need to be getting i need to change my current marketing but this takes resources i havent got at the moment.

I personally think i might put the fastrack systems on hold for at least a month as i am sinking fast and whilst what i was doing before wasnt making me rich it was turning a profit so i think i need to go back to this to get myself out of the hole i have dug for myself. But will be returning to a lot of the fastrack stuff when i get back on my feet as it does have a lot more potential but needs to be done properly.

I have done 50 quotes now with the laptop and higher prices etc
and have only got 50% of the jobs weras i was getting 72% before
i have also found i am getting a lot more cancellations and people having second thoughts afterwards
i done 7 quotes on monday and so far none have booked (this dosent pay the bills)
also people expect so much more, i have never had so many callbacks, no matter how bad the carpet is to start with even after pre-qualifying with the client i have found if the carpet is anything less than perfect you get a callback

And i dont mean im not doing the work to a high standard, say theres bad draught marks i will explain to the client that the whole carpet will look great but these marks will probably cause a bit of a problem i explain that they will improve but may not remove completly and will return over time.

i then remove 99% of the marks and the next day get a phone call saying that the can still faintly see them in certain lights would i mind returning to have another go, its not complaints but i just find that if they are paying top dollar they expect a new carpet out of it and imo at the end of they day cleaning is a compromise and you cant expect 100% perfect everytime.


That said 50 quotes is a limited test and allthough i have only booked 50% 7 of them have signed up for maintenance so could end up being good regular clients for years to come (and the will refer people of the same quality)

Another point i think is that with the ft system you really need to see both husband and wife together as because you are giving them three different service levels they allways say "ok sounds good but i will need to talk to my husband about it" and thats it you may aswell forget about that job

99% of the clients i attract are ringing to get there carpets cleaned (they are ready to make a decision on getting there carpets cleaned) i find once you start offering protection and maintenance etc they have to stop to think, these people are impulse buyers making them stop and think isnt a great idea in my opinion, why stall somebody who wants to pay you money

i think it would be better to upsell once you have done the clean myself.

I will be using a lot of there stuff in the future but will tailor a lot of it to suit my buisness

[Barry Livingstone]

I have watched this with some interest, as i was thinking about fast track. But i think my customers are the same as REDS. they want it done and thats it.

It wanted to get customers on main plans a few years ago but it just didnt seam to take off.........maybe i didnt push it enough but i was busy then all the time too.............

si i know where you are coming from .....

[the red carpet]

Dont let my experience put you off i think the maintenance plans are brilliant, its money in the bank even when your sick or on holiday.

Iv pretty much definatly landed a comercial maintenance at £176.97 a month and iv got seven domestic that come to about £100 a month. Thats getting on for £300 a month and i only started about two months ago and its the slowest time of year.

Imagine if i kept on what i would be getting in a year or two

I just dont think that these options should be offered in the way they are at the time of the quote as it stalls people who are ready to make a buying decision.

[darrenlee1]

hi red
so are you saying fast track program you sell maintance on qoute
surely its better to get them first time and while doing clean try and get them on a program

darren

p.s pricing is real hard  and probaby feel better to be owt there and doing a 1 hour job for less money than sitting waitin and hopin
its all well and good tryin for top money like alot on here say. but how many customers are out there, that will pay crazy prices to how many cleaners there are in a area chasing same job , i think not many.
a lot of people dont value floorcoverings never mind the cleaning of them, 6 years ago i had a flooring shoowroom next door to a kitchen showroom, me thinkin loads a sales, was i wrong,
no i was right, but they would spend 7000 on a kitchen and wont to cover floor for £150, the flooring industry as done it to them selves cheap half decent lookin carpet fitted next day, and this is what at least 70% of people buy, so it comes to point how much can we charge to clean a  carpet when madam can buy new for a couple a hundred quid.
20 years ago i wood get asked refit me stairs or room with carpet mam aunt gave and clean it this never happens know they just go buy new, we are a stop gap for must people when there a little skint,
but in saying this i admire all you guys that are trying to educate customers into buying better carpet and mainting it.
sos about spelling
 darren

[ianharper]

Red

Don't give up. the fix is that you are over selling. you need to keep prospect expect ion at a realist level.

you need to explain about the difference between spots and stains and that spots will come out and stains are not guarantee to come out. I am sure you have been taught to get the customer to ID all stain as it makes it easier to get them out. if they cant then it puts the responsibility back on to them. how can you be expected to get them out if they cant tell you what they are?

widen the price distance between basic clean and your clean with protection. so that you are pitching for basic or maintenance.

so that you don't have to take a step back get some cleaning contracts that you can do at night or early. this will take the pressure off you when quoting.

You are very brave talking about thes issues here, and I wish to say that if you need any help I am offering it.

I think that you have highlighted one of the small problems with this program and that its not easy to talk about problems in a positive environment. it takes skill to spot people that need it and help. I have never understood why Robert lets so many cleaners just leave without fixing their problems. maybe he is to busy. one way would be one to one calls setup periodically.

Keep going my friend, the rewards are worth it.

Respect

Ian Harper

[Ian Gourlay]

Dan,

Somtimes i think you are too honest.

Yes I was thinking about your situation yesterday and thinking you were doing OK last year why not do what you were doing then.

We all wish you well.

Regards

Ian

[Terry_Burrows]

its all about money.the more you spend on adds every where and getting your name out there,but thats by no wat assured of getting work,as we : are finding out

[Mike Halliday]

doesnt fastrack come will a full money back guarantee? if so send it all back and get your 3 grand back.  Then hire a part-time helper who's sole job is to put out leaflets.

the key to quick success in carpet cleaning is to learn from people who know what they are talking about and not the pretenders, the hard thing is to be able to recognize the difference.


Mike


 

[spindle]

a certain saint len once told me....

minimise costs=maximise profit

if you dont need it.........dont buy it!!
if you dont use it.......sell it!!

i think that dan needs to go on the foot patrol and get posting leaflets!!
imo it is the best medium to use for advertising!


i think that some people here spend too much on advertising..........and end up getting too little return.........
isnt it a bit of a trap??
if you spend ££££ on advertising........and you only get xxxx in work.......wouldnt it be almost economical to keep the money in your pocket/bank for those rainy days?

yes we need to advertise but where do you draw the line......i think that a lot of new c/c get swallowed up in all the costs/hype surrounding advertising and also equipment needed to do a job!

[craigp]

Dan,

can you not stop your payments to FT just to give you time to get sorted out?

In my first couple of years the key to my survival was keeping out goings as low as poss.

Remember that leaflet you helped me with, that got the best response i've had from a leaflet.

[davep]

What so you guys find you get back from advertising?  £4 for every £1 spent?

[mark_roberts]

Red

Have you got a plan.  Whats your point in being in business.  Thats what you use to justify how well/bad your doing not turnover. 

Maybe you have starting running too soon with the TM and helper etc.  With your turnover you dont need a helper so get rid of him or get him to deliver flyers.  You need to keep doing what your doing it just takes time.

Set your prices according to you plan.  Access how things are going every month and adjust accordingly.  Are you in fast track?  Then get on the phone to Robert and make him earn his money.

Mark

[carpetguy]

I think this might be the first time I've ever agreed with you Mr Roberts, but you're spot on !

rob

[ianharper]

Mark

With respect

One working on you business and not in it can benefit you in the long run. if you take this way you need to cover wages and the way i would do this is contract work. office cleaning etc. it hard to take that step at whatever point your are in your business development. I think the earlier you do it the easier it will be.

two, Mike has a point Robert does not know our end as much as we do. at least with Joe polish he has a carpet cleaning business. i know he sold half of it but he still has a insight into things when markets change or any other operational problems.

I don't think Robert teaches and keeps reminding students about demographics, when you comment to this type of investment this takes on a very important role.

Business plans should always be updated and reviewed with incoming data adjusting up or down your goals. it this that will keep you afloat.

Faith in any system is important, but not blind faith.

Respect to you mark

Ian Harper

[Dave_Lee]

Red,
I am absolutely sure that if you got in touch with Robert Saunders and explained the difficulties you are facing, you will find hin extremely helpful. Thats all part of Fast Track, sharing problems. It is also abig part of what you pay into Fast Track for, so use it. Do NOT be frightened of admitting to Robert that you need help - he will want to know about it. I have done Fast Track and I have been where you find yourself today. You have shown your commitment to your business by the fact that you have put your money down, and if I can be of any help to you as a fellow Fast Tracker, you only have to get in touch. I have sent you my phone number etc by E mail. Best of luck.
Dave.

[Mike Osbourne]

Red,

Sounds like you are in a slump like athletes have every now and then. You've achieved an aweful lot in a relitively short period of time.

You also have committed yourself quite heavily with the TM etc and maybe your motivation has wained somewhat with the added mental burden.

Progress is never linear in anything, let alone business.

Look after yourself otherwise everything will collapse like a pack of cards.

[Matt Read]

With regard to the replacing carpets instead of cleaning , people with that attitude won't pay top dollar for cleaning  because they don't pay top dollar for the carpets. I wouldn't have thought fast track (not that i know much about it ) would want you to target that type of customer. This sounds like i'm a bit of a chancer i guess but i normally adjust my price's accordingly, if i'm in a home with acres of wilton then my cleaning price ,even at the top end of my scale would only be a small percentage of replacement costs, whereas a nylon carpet in an average lounge on its own i would price at the lower end of my scale. Theres so many different scenario's in this trade, some jobs i price on time because its too much stop/start , commercial is completely different again.