[Matt Lindus]

People are panicing at moment and trying to pay off the ankle biting loans and debts.
The future of the UK economy is very un-certain at the moment and people need to try and place themselves correctly for what could be a bankrupt country.

It's very sad to see what used to be prospering country, heading for the same situation as 90s Soviet Russia.

Matt

[CleanToGo1]

We started up a year ago now and up to now been ok , one munute really busy next minute not so busy ! but the past 2 months have been the worst, especially February, not sure we can carry on if it stays this quiet.

[richy27]

People are panicing at moment and trying to pay off the ankle biting loans and debts.
The future of the UK economy is very un-certain at the moment and people need to try and place themselves correctly for what could be a bankrupt country.

It's very sad to see what used to be prospering country, heading for the same situation as 90s Soviet Russia.

Matt

your spot on matt

[Hilton]

I think the quiet times are all par for the course and if you use them correctly you can actually do a lot of good for your business. It's no good sitting there bitching about it though, you have to do some things that help you be more distinctive in the market place. The trouble is lots of carpet cleaners have a sort of crowd mentality and advertise in the same places, with the same style and type of ads, instead of studying what your competitors do, not just in advertising, but in everything they do and seek out ways to do it better so that eventually you stand out from the crowd and if you can do that you will get recognised a lot more. So my advice, for what it's worth, is use the quiet times to your advantage and develop your business so that when business picks up you're in the box seat.

Simon

All good advice, the only thing I would add is to do your marketing while your busy, don't wait till it falls off,

As my old boss used to say, fix the roof while the suns shining    

[M.Acorn]

Had a call to clean a 3 story town house tomorrow  20 mins later ,sorry not going ahead now  Gutted

[cleanability]

Well I feel alot better after reading this post  There are people as quiet as me. Had my busiest December ever followed by my quietest January ever. Very strange.

PS      Read a piece in paper on Saturday that people are ditching their Yellow Pages in their thousands for the internet and overwhelming the recycle companies.

Chris

[M.Acorn]

On the subject of yellow pages,they called me last month to say they were doing a different type of book,one that it very very cut down,don`t think that will be through choice though.
Have cut my advert by a third,going to concentrate on.com instead

[clinton]

Mark

I dropped out of y pages three years ago now and put the money into an account and it has built up into a nice tydy sum.

I also have generated more new clients from web sites rather than paying out on an outdated directory..

[terrymaloy]

Jan / Feb as a rule are generally poor months...and the severe winter has hit hard.
I always take my annual holidays in Jan/Feb to warmer climates...makes sense !

ps Thailands nice this time of year 

[Nigel Cole]

Just picking up on this thread guys.
Around here in Sunny Wolverhampton I advertise in all of the local trade books/ parish mags etc ........ yes Jan & Feb were quiet (ish) but these books are invaluable IMO.
Google, business maps listing are god send for me as well.....
Phone ringing off the hook the last few days, maybe the local Wolves fans are selling their remaining season tickets ...... and treating their Missus to a carpet clean she's been nagging on about for ages LOL
 

[Neil Mc Anulty]

Not for me
Practically unemployed, just hoping the better weather will make people get things done. Also an explosion of new cleaning companies started up which does not help the situation one bit.

[M.Acorn]

Just been bumped off a 2 bed i had booked,i had quoted £110 inc flea treat,which is pretty cheap for me,just called and asked if i could match £94.nope sorry.
Just done a 2 hr round trip to quote another commercial,gone in lower than normal,in the hope i get it.One job this week ! One booked for next,nearly a month of not doing anything now,well work wise,re listed the 6 boxes of hardcore maths / physics books i have on Amazon,sold loads of rubbish on e bay,and got my veg patch sorted and planted loads of seeds in my greenhouse 

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

Mark Ive been in the same boat as you! January was surprisingly good, Feb was diabolical! March is picking up but hardly chocka block! Done a few good quotes recently and waiting to hear back. Got 3 half decent jobs booked in for next week with hopefully more to come!

[Matt Lindus]

I have shut up shop (so to speak) on carpet and upholstery cleaning until May. No point paying someone a wage to go out to clean some d**k h**ds rug at min call out. He could go out and do 7 Aerials in one area per day.
We had someone call today wanting a HSL doing, told them to call back at the open of the cleaning season.

Matt

[MAX Carpets]

All I can say is.....................Shocking! Never known it this bad! I think the snow must of cost this country dearly, almost to breaking point!

[Simon Gerrard]

I'm not sure that if I had so little work in I'd turn down a job for only £16 less than I had quoted. A job's a job and money is money. Carpet cleaning is a 'make hay while the sun shines business' and when it's quiet you take what you can get when you can get it.

Simon

[M.Acorn]

I'm not sure that if I had so little work in I'd turn down a job for only £16 less than I had quoted

Honestly,because they were a pain in the arse !!! Booked me for Nov last year,poxy 2 bed place,which i quoted over the phone,only young,wanted to know the ins and outs of everything,so and so said he could do it for this price,blah blah,so i said yes will match that £110 quote you got,then they cancled me.
Then 4 months later get asked if i can do it for last years price,so said yes !
Booked it for end of march,then  got call asking if i would match lower price,by this time i had had enough,hence why i said no

[davep]

Dont understand those saying Jan was good when the 1st 2 weeks where a snow blizzard and no one could get out?

[Carpet Dawg]

depends where you live. Plus if you really wanted to work you would have gotten out.... :

[Nigel Cole]

Come on guys, let's stay positive - there is work out there, it will come...