[Chris Galloway]

Howdy.

Im currently working as a full time Window Cleaner, but im looking to expand the company so that my partner can make a go at End of Tenancy Cleaning, and someone had suggested Carpet cleaning to go along with that.

Can you give a lil bit of advise for a newbie in this field about the best way to start.

many thanks.

[spencer davies]

A good start would be to go on some carpet cleaning courses.


S

[suffolkclean]

Hi Chris me again! if you have a look at www.prochem.co.uk they show you the dates of the courses. My husband went on the course first then he knew everything he had to buy for the job.

[Gary Webber]

Certainly do the courses!

I would do the NCCA if you are absolutely positive about undertaking carpet cleaning. That way you will get a Certifcate on completion of course/exam. The only trouble with company driven courses is they want to sell you THEIR equipment etc. The NCCA will give you an unbiased view.

Regards

Gary

[spencer davies]

Also the NCCA membership will give people in your area more reason to use you if
they are considering a few quotes.


S

[markpowell]

Training is a must if your going to take up cc professionally.
The prochem will show you the basics, you will need a decent machine and all risks insurance.
What area are you going to work in, your profile needs filling in properly.
Someone on here may be willing for you to tag along with them for a couple of days to get a hands on feel for the job.
Good luck Mark

[suffolkclean]

I've read posts on here saying they thought being a member of the NCCA was generally a waste of money, that custys don't even know what NCCA even is. Prochem may try to sell their products, but you don't have to buy them.

[Joe H]

You always get knockers

I have got jobs directly because I am a memeber of the NCCA - paid for my first years membership and some of next years.

Potential clients have type in carpet cleaning on Google and the NCCA site is no2 - try it.
They go to the site and look at the map for their area and given a list of members. Bingo.

But you can promote your membership just as you promote other services and advantages you offer over the other carpet cleaners. - sell yourself in other words.

 

[gwrightson]

in reply to Joe,

You will also get members on here praising the benifits and how well they are doing out of the ncca,

you will get alot more who dont get any work from them

Make your own mind up

Only once have I ever been asked if I was a member of any organision.
geoff

[Joe H]

Like I said - some things YOU need to promote yourself - make YOU stand out from your competitors.

[maxcarpets]

Dont do it.......................................at the moment

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Good training is the 1st thing, personally I wouldn't join the NCCA you will be leaking money as it is, then try a marketing course because the first thing you will do with your competitors is compete on price and then you'll go bust!

Loads and loads of cheap shops go bust but not that many who sell quality at the right price and I don't mean expensive, to start try £95 a suite and £50 a carpet you can always discount or if you are getting loads of work up it.

Shaun

[Chris Galloway]

Thanks for the replies. 

I have already done marketing courses, and training courses based in Window Cleaning and found them valuable. I dont compete on price, i offer my services and present myself like Joe Hatton said.

Being trained by or members of associations may be in customers eyes a case of "who are they, what do they do" but if you have more training, and member associations than other people/companies in your field then they are more likely to think you are more the professional in your field, if at very least you can fall back on the experience the training gave should you need it.

This is not something im about to jump into, I want to look at this as a positive approach to a better livelihood for my partner and myself, so of course the 2 main things ive taken so far from the replies are get training (in order to understand the theory and learn what type of equipment we are likely to require), and look to join the NCCA.

[garry22]

Chris,

Unlike many people who start up, you've got the most vital thing already....

A customer base.

People already use your services. They want to deal with someone they know and trust.

Garry

[JandS]

Don't advertise 3 piece suite cleaning at £95, you'll be sat at home all day.

John

[Joe H]

Loads and loads of cheap shops go bust but not that many who sell quality at the right price and I don't mean expensive, to start try £95 a suite and £50 a carpet you can always discount or if you are getting loads of work up it.
Shaun

I reckon Shaun normally charges more then £95, he quoted £95 as a "to start try".....

I have frequently charged and got £125.

[JandS]

I charge £55 and people round here baulk at that price.
We talking normal 3 piece here or leather/suede??
How long does it take you??
I do one in about 1hr 40mins.
John

[maxcarpets]

£55 is a silly price, no one will go to work for that, it not worth setting up for!

[John Gregory]

wish I could do a 3 piece in 1 hour 40mins , takes me 3 hours with a truckmount.

John

[Joe H]

16 months ago I used to charge about the £55 you charge.
Then I joined this and other forums and realised that quality carpet cleaners were charging much more (I reckon Shaun will charge a few £10's more then the £125 I charge)
I started to raise my price because what I learned more about being self employed.
Who pays the NI stamp, who pays for sickness, who pays for holidays, who has to put away money for the "rainy day" (who knows what this credit crunch may lead to), who puts money away to repair the machines we use, or to replace them, who pays for the training courses we need to go on to keep up to date, who pays for the vans we need to get back and to the job and the road tax, the insurance, the petrol/diesel, the time it takes.
Whats the answer?  -  YOU DO
So you need to charge a reasonable amount.
Sure it may be 1hr 40 min on the job - but there is a lot more going on then that.

Yes you will get people who baulk at £55, but thats because there is someone willing do to it for £45.

and actually some clients if you quote £55 for a normal 3 piece suite, will turn it down because they deem you are not going to do a decent job on their expensive suite.

You might not get as many suites at £95 as you did at £55, but you will probably not be worse off financially but have more time on your hand to do marketing, more suites or take time out - whatever takes your fancy.

Try it, listen to the experianced guys like Shaun - I did and I find it works