[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

There are a number of you saying you believe there are more CC's now, do you think the forums have led to an increase.

On one side there is so much info available on here which would have taken a potential CC years to find pre internet.

On the other hand there are lots of posts on how difficult establishing a CC business really is.

What do you think ?

Cheers

Doug

[stevegunn]

There has always been lots of cc's but with the forums you get to hear of more of them than ever before.In 7 years I have been doing it I have seen them come and go.One company has changed his name 4 times in 3 years.Still don't see a lot driving around up here mainly do it out the back of a car rather than a van.

I set up my business before I found these forums but if it was not for the forums I would have been led to believe that extracta sold the best machines,sold the best chemicals and offered impartial advice.Plus because of the forums have met quite a few good lads only too willing to offer good advice.     

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

There has always been lots of cc's but with the forums you get to hear of more of them than ever before.In 7 years I have been doing it I have seen them come and go.One company has changed his name 4 times in 3 years.Still don't see a lot driving around up here mainly do it out the back of a car rather than a van.

I set up my business before I found these forums but if it was not for the forums I would have been led to believe that extracta sold the best machines,sold the best chemicals and offered impartial advice.Plus because of the forums have met quite a few good lads only too willing to offer good advice.     

here here steve we have thought the same for nearly 30 years !

[martin19842]

hi there

the net has made the world a smaller place.

the caveat being that-- you cant believe all that you read.

and you have to make your wn decisions based on the knwledge that you have.

its like a lot of things when you are interested in a particular thing, there always seems to be more around.

what is totally true though, is that there are many many cleaning companies that start up, change name, disappear, reappear, etc.

making a success of what you do is more difficult, takes time hard work, a bit of luck and possibly good fortune, the forum provides the support, and knowledge base aid that.

the drawback being that somebody without a whole lot of info, can get up and running very quickly, by asking tghe right questions, which to others may seem like they are getting " a free ride".  And yes in sme cases that may be true.  i never have any problems helping people, as it is my decision who i wish to talk to or not.

regards

martin

[Mike Halliday]

I think the growth in carpet cleaners is due to the growth in the believe that self employment is a viable alternative to mainstream employment.

where 30yrs ago people where still looking for a 'job for life' now a man may have 10 jobs in his lifetime so has 10 opportunities to consider self employment

also we live in an age where anything is possible and we are only limited by our imagination. In my parents times if any one had suggested they  could aspire to owning a house in the country and earn more than a bank manager or doctor , they would have thought them stupid, but now a lot of people are seeing self-employment as the only way to realise their life ambitions.

plus it only take the brains of a monkey to be a carpet cleaner

Mike

[Mike Osbourne]

I agree with Mike, people now see self employment as a viable option and employment just as risky in this no job for life, oops we lost your pension world.

I remember buying an PC and an inkjet printer for £1500 in '92, that was about 2 months the average persons wages and interest rates were 12-13%. Today a pc and printer can be bought for less than £250 bought on a credit card at 0% for 12 months.

Everything in business finds it's own level, and ultimately those with the flexibility, energy and determination succeed despite all the obstacles.

   

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Interesting replies.

I have found that the number of CC's appears to have remained the same in my area with very few new entrants becoming established.

I base this on sign written vans, regular advertisers , newspaper or leaflets etc

There may be many more who do not come within my radar and I'm sure many try and find it much harder to get established than they thought it would be.

Of course the internet makes us much more aware of CC's in other areas.

Cheers

Doug

[chrisg]

I think the biggest growth of c/c'ers was around 7-8 years ago.

Without doubt these forums have conviced people to go ahead, it only takes a window cleaner to 'change the channel' and think the grass is greener, i mean how many c/cers are ex window cleaners? theres lots on this board.

I recall reading someone say they was thinking about starting up c/cing then found this site and decided they definutly would.

All that said i know so many start only to have a big shock at how hard it is, the trouble with this game you need so much buisness!

We are often compared with trades men such as Plumbers and that we dont deserve as much money but the overlooked point is we need 5 - 10 jobs a week! that takes money to obtain also we DO NOT get reccomended like trades men they often dont need to advertise because they get more recommeneds but the main point here 1 job could last them days, weeks or even months, were we need vast amount's of new buisness.

[Mike Halliday]

I don't think you can attribute the growth in carpet cleaner solely to the Internet, its not as if you see pop-up say; BE A CARPET CLEANER!! EARN A FORTUNE!!  so anyone looking at carpet cleaning sites is probably already a carpet cleaner or is already considering becoming one.

I think the biggest influence the Internet has had is on the success of carpet cleaning suppliers, does anyone think that Nick VW would have such a successful, renowned, industry leading company as he has without the use of the Internet.

The webs has brought the industry forward quicker.

Mike

[chrisg]

I never said the internets SOLELY attributed to the main growth as i said (re-read the post) the biggest growth was 7-8 uears ago before the internet forums.

It has however contributed in more recent years, have you never seen the window cleaners post for advice were as before they never would have entered c/c'ing.

[JS2]

I agree with Mike, in that the visibility of the forum is not at the forefront of a web-surfers attention.  When I first got interested in CCing back in 2001 (and I only do it occasionally at present) I thought it would be an easy business to run.  Following some training at Prochem, and joining this forum a couple of years ago, I really do appreciate the difficulties and challenges.  So IMO the forum can also act as a good pre-warning as to what can go wrong as well as encourage the potential newbie.  Result:  50/50.

Regards

Pete (JS2)

[Mike Halliday]

Chris, if your comment was aimed at me then I have to say you posted while i was typing so although warned some one else had posted I didnt read your reply so I was'nt actually commenting on anything you wrote (if you get what i mean ) 

Mike

[chrisg]

Sorry Mike yes i did think you meant my post. ahh you meant the topic in general, sorry.

[Derek]

Whenever there are redundances it seems to coincide with the increase in new people into the industry

It is an easy business to get into with relatively low set up costs...armed with a redundancy payment many take the plunge...most don't last

[Ian Gourlay]

Do not know if they still do it but I always thought the reasons for the growth in carpet cleaners was the advertising by Extracta Ashbys, Alltec and before them Aschcombe telling you you could make a Foutune, Find Freedom be on the Golf course by two etc.

Plus the Franchise companies and people deciding they could do the same alone.

[Mike Osbourne]

Well thanks to Clean it up and a chat with a few helpful members I got started in the business about this time last year. I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to take the plunge without the forum resources either.

It's been very tough cos I had no cash to start with and now I'm about to upgrade my machine. However I'm still not out of the woods yet, but it's got to be better than working for someone else for not much money.

[carpetguy]

Interesting comments, not sure if the forums are responsible for anything, other than discussion / argument, but something that frustrates me, is the impression given by a very small minority, that you can become a c/c and earn £300 to £400 a day simply by, buying a "big machine  " and marketing yourself at the "top end " clients.

I've frequently suggested a slower approach, with time to gain experience and knowledge, but recently, this has been criticised and made me wonder, why.Do some people feel threatened in some way ?

It's usually assumed or suggested, that we emulate our American counterparts marketing efforts and pricing policy and guess what ?

I hate to tell you, but the Americans, including t/m operators, charge an awful lot less than the UK operators, but I think they work longer hours and have higher productivety.

[mark_roberts]

I think the internet has saved a lot of us from failure.  It has given us access to like minded people successful and unsuccessful and helped us develop our businesses quicker and more successfully.

The internet may provide information to those looking to start but I dont like it specifically causes a boom in new caroet cleaners.

Personally i think some suppliers fill new starts heads full of rubbish just to sell a machine and therefore increase the number of cleaners.  Its these people who now seek/need help from places like this.

Mark

[Liahona]

Rob, you are quite correct in the comments about U.S carpet cleaners.  There are exceptions but that goes for anything.  

You have to figure in as well though is that the expenses of the U.S. cleaner is much much less than over here in the U.K.

A bit of a sweeping statement but most expenses are about half of what we pay here.  Be it basics such as fuel and there type of road tax to chemicals and machines.  

I wont for obvious reasons say which machine it is but here in the U.K. it costs approx, £22,000 plus the VAT where as in America the same machine is only $19,000.

So even if they only charge half what we do here they end up about the same.

Away from the bait and switchers and leafleters the average job is usually much bigger as houses are the same, much bigger.

And yes on the whole they work longer hours.  Mind you at least in Los Angeles most of that is drive time.

Yes they are more productive but again a lot of that is to do with the size of the houses that are cleaned.  

As an opinion having a business in each country mentioned above, there is far more monies to be earned here in the U.K.

Even taking into account the hideous fuel prices and the price of chemicals and machines you are far better off in this country than in the U.S.

In the comments of Robs in the post which will now be above, it mentions about big machines and high end or top end clients.  

For my pennies worth................. I dont go after so much high end clients but more high end carpets and textiles.  Granted one follows the other but it is the textile that I am after, I dont care who owns it.

A "big machine" may not get you work granted but it certainly makes your life much easier.

I charge more for using a portable against what I would charge for using the truck mount.  I just happen to prefer the truck mount in most if not all circumstances.

Best, Dave.