[edward coller]

HiYa to you all..
Been in this Biz for 7 years started on my own, now with technician truckmount etc would like to talk with someone who has got bigger perhaps turnover well in excess of £100,000 and profitable, on how they go about it, and how I can either move my biz on or get out of it. Tall order I know, can say everything said would be confidential and perhaps might even be 2 way exchange . I operate in the Bristol area and not looking to take over any ones patch . I am Not Looking to take more time off or cash deals or enjoying the carpet cleaners lifestyle/ but in doing more profitable business... Anyone interested...Simon  Tel 07717580085

[*paul_moss]

Simon if you find the secret then share it with us all mate.

[Ian Rochester]

Carpet cleaning is a finite market, often the only way to expand is to buy out another business and modify it to your style.

I know Paul King has done this with Revita.

The other option is to diversify your business to cover other aspects of cleaning, which is what we have done.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

If you have too much work and not enough time put your prices up, it will make you more profitable immediately if you don't like it you can reduce them or run multi room offers.

I have had 2 vans with 2 truckmounts and had the pain of 2 headaches! try cleaning and answering the phone and booking in 2 diaries and the problems you have to deal with as your other technician just drops the van off and then goes home at night.

I put my prices up and the volume of people either booked or didn't but I still do the turnover of 2 vans and the profit is......profitable

Shaun

[David_Annable]

Hi

I have had two vans on the road in the past & found it more on a headache than one.

But if you have the balls five  is proberbly similar to two, but you would just manage & not do any cleaning yourself.

Dave

[Mike Osbourne]

Of course it's a headache and that's why few do it.

Look long into the future though and you are old and your backs gone and you never quite made what you could to retire, now that's a headache.

 

[mark_roberts]

Theres a chap writing an article for NCCA mag over the past few months who went from a fleet of vans to one.  He looks after the office work while the tech does the cleaning.  Id say from reading between the lines hes doing great financially.

If you join the NCCA and get the mag then you can read how he does it.

Mark

[Mike Halliday]

is that the guy who owns 'Clean image' in Hastings? forgot his name but I bought my first truckmount & van off him 7-8 yrs ago.

Edward, call Don Salter in Chester, he is a helpful bloke and runs a multi-truck operation

http://www.competentcleaners.co.uk/

[mark_roberts]

David Coker is his name not sure of business name.

Mark

[spencer davies]

Yes its Dave Coker, who lives near me, the articles in the NCCA mag are interesting reading, I would also be wary when sharing any information with people that I do not know, especially on a public forum. 

[Geoff Jewkes]

is that the guy who owns 'Clean image' in Hastings? forgot his name but I bought my first truckmount & van off him 7-8 yrs ago.

Edward, call Don Salter in Chester, he is a helpful bloke and runs a multi-truck operation

http://www.competentcleaners.co.uk/

FECKIN EEEEDJIT MORE LIKE

[ianharper]

Edward

What the guys are saying is that its steping from a self employed cleaner to a business owner. big difference.

first you need to stop cleaning and get someone working on your first van this will teach you what its like to have someone working for you. and you will be on hand to train at first very important as employees are your business. and most importantly step in and cover when they let you down.

by doing this you can answer the phone do quote etc.

then you start to build.

Hope this helps

Respect

Ian Harper

[carpet guy]

It's the unknown, I've been there several times and currently own a service business, with 20 employees, which can be great, most of the time, but can be hell, much of the time.

In this industry, I suggest the best way to go, is to set yourself a target, either three, or five years ahead, when, provided that you earn enough, you will have built a saleable asset and reinvested your profits to either, increase your business, or prepare for something else.

You are either cleaning carpets " for a job " or " to build a business " which can be sold.

It does'nt matter which, as long as you are happy in what you are doing, bearing in mind that everyone has different ambitions and desires.

Often, it can be more profitable to run a more compact set up with strict cost control than a bigger operation with uncontrolled costs, where you one day realise, you are running a business " to keep other people in work, pay their mortgages, run their cars, etc "and getting virtually no return .

This is more common than most realise and while it's very noble to provide work for others, it might not be profitable.