[Art of Clean]

I’m looking at pushing for up to 4 vans (truck mounted) ASAP as our overheads on this will only marginally increase with every van we add.

What are the experiences out there?

[markpowell]

I wouldnt send anyone else out cleaning carpets for me, i would have an helper pre-spraying, filling etc.
I know the work i do is to the highest standard and if i was paying staff, i would be concerned that they did not have the same attitude as i do. Our business is built on Service and quality and the only way i can be sure the job is getting done right is to do it myself.
Mark

[gwrightson]

I,m in agreement with you on that one mark,

I like to be on the job myself.

geoff

[C A Payne]

i agree with mark powell, i'm just a owner/operator, i like to keep my business small, i do occasionally work with other c/c ers, but, i like to keep things simple, abit like me..... charlie

[clinton]

Same here as the above.

I do know of companys with more than 1 van in there set up and the quallity has suffered :

Not complaining mind you as i reap rewards from there bad workmanship

[derek west]

i agree with mark to a degree but believe with the right person, 2 vans (truckmounted) can be run very successfully, i had a chat with john gotts about this and he told me straight, no more than 2 vans or your quality will start to dip. i may in the future push for 2 vans but will stop at that and if neccessary, put my prices up if we still couldn't handle the work load. one of my competitors round here, had a fantastic rep when he first started but has a bout 5 or 6 vans on the road now, i'm pulling alot of his customers.
derek

[richy27]

agree with derek the most important thing is who is behind the wand if quality goes down bad news travels fast and before you know it the tms wont be doin much

[Mike Halliday]

same old excuses for not growing

some have done it!

[Shaun_Ashmore]

2 vans are great if YOU are not on one of them!

I had 2 vans on the go and found it hard to cope as I was one of the cleaners, what you need to be doing is having yourself as the salesperson doing audits and assessing problems so your tech can just do the job, if a tech has to sort out problems then they may as well set up on their own.

Ideally you need a person on the phone, a saleman per 2 techs, and cleaners oh and enough work to give them.

Shaun

[Shaun_Ashmore]

F ing staff!

Had enough work infact that's the reason i went TMed, I had 2 bane systems and when he went I had loads of work and needed a system that could cover that amount but quicker.

I would go the staff route again but employ part time nearer retirement aged people as they are more reliable and flexible, I will employ again when i get a bit older and train someone up so I can just do a few days a week.

Shaun

[clinton]

Forgot about the banes and you did tell me :

Def with reliabillity of staff as thats the heartbeat of a buisness.

Guess am like roger and want just enough work to have a nice lifestyle and have spare time

[C A Payne]

a mate of mine "perry" you now him shaun, had 3 vans on the drive, tons of work, which he had built up over 18yrs or so he's been c/c ing, took on about 6 staff over about 6 or 7 yrs, they were all crap.. perry had paid for all their training & onward going support... he was always going back & correcting the work that they had done, he's gone back to c/c ing by himself, he nows he'll get the job done proper like... charlie

[clinton]

Charlie is he in the north 

[C A Payne]

clinton, nope! he like me is from dover, kent.. the backside of the uk...  charlie

[clinton]

Charlie

Never heard that saying before

[M.Acorn]

Just me  more than enough to keep me occupied  Can do without the extra stress of having to worry about what someone else is upto.
Aoc your from fen ditton area ?

[C A Payne]

well clinton, you better believe it.... dover is the pits of the earth, shops closing down, ugly empty buildings, its no wonder that when people come off the ferry's, they drive straight through... "look forward to seeing you down here in dover, when you come for your holidays" i've been trying to talk my wife into moving up to manchester, but, she's having none of it... charlie

[clinton]

Charlie

Am from doncaster(the graveyard of the north )Been in stockport for over 20 yrs.

Yes its a pitty all the sshops closing down and also we have that up here in areas too.Dover was a lovley town

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Never been to Dover been to the ferry terminal though, but I know that Perry said that there were alot of asylum seekers there but like all areas there are the posh bits you just have to look for them.

I know Perry had loads of staff but the majority of customers want the guy that did the quote or the business owner as CC is a more personal thing but I do believe that in the communiter belt it is a different story as you may be dealing with a house keeper, cleaner or other to let you in so the home owner may not even meet you.

I think the idea of staff was to sell them areas of his business so he could retire or at least make money on their monthly franchise fee.

Well driven person is Perry is he still cleaning with his muck spreading system I mean bonnet system?

Shaun

[Shaun_Ashmore]

No he did one step and a buffer and it was set up as a franchise with Proclean (I think) he was something to do with the marketing.

Shaun