carpet cleaning business slowing
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Category: Carpet Cleaners Discussion
Forum Name: Portable Carpet Steam Cleaning Machines
Forum Description: Discuss anything relating to portable carpet cleaning machines
URL: https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5966
Printed Date: 08/May/2024 at 12:19pm
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Topic: carpet cleaning business slowing
Posted By: toolman
Subject: carpet cleaning business slowing
Date Posted: 18/June/2009 at 1:49pm
| Hi guys i haven't been on in a while but how is everyones thoughts on the carpet cleaning business. Do you think it is slowing down. I heading into the third year but still kind of slow but the customers are still very happy with the results, and I use a portable and hope to invest in a truckmount but not until the business picks up. |
Replies:
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 18/June/2009 at 2:37pm
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Toolman...............where do you live and operate your business from.....if it's been raining there for 2 weeks straight, that would affect business for sure............many other factors will as well.....such as your city or town experienced massive lay-offs from a major company, you might have competition from the largest carpet cleaning phenomenon in history ( Do It Yourselfers ). Sometimes we think the demand is slowing down, when it is really us that is loosing interest and slowing down
Nightrider
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Posted By: doug
Date Posted: 19/June/2009 at 1:19pm
I certainly have noticed a difference since I sold my biz. the phone just quit ringing? ------------- Just My opinion |
Posted By: toolman
Date Posted: 19/June/2009 at 6:13pm
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I live in London on. It has been wet the past couple of weeks, but you may be right but doesn't it slow down in the summer. Doug why do you sell? was business slowing up
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Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 20/June/2009 at 5:55am
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The slow period is usually December untill April. That's the way it is in Montreal.
Nightrider
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Posted By: doug
Date Posted: 20/June/2009 at 2:39pm
After 26 years I was slowing up and it was time and the time was right? ------------- Just My opinion |
toolman wrote:Posted By: Ken_Is_OK
Date Posted: 20/June/2009 at 11:12pm
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Posted By: Steam Man
Date Posted: 22/August/2009 at 1:32pm
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Generally things very good. The odd week quiet for no reason, start worrying then goes bonkers again.
------------- http://www.carpetcleaningwestonsupermare.co.uk - Carpet Cleaning Weston super Mare http://www.carpetcleaning-somerset.co.uk - Carpet Cleaning Somerset |
Posted By: Americancarpet
Date Posted: 23/August/2009 at 11:43am
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Our company hasn't slowed down a single bit. We are booked solid until almost the middle of October! In fact, we haven't experienced a slow season at all this year! True... the Lord has very much blessed us in these tough times but if you want to know our secret I will tell you if anyone is interested? However.... if I do tell you guys how we are doing things I don't want to hear cheap shots from the bleachers or blabbering advice on how we have it all wrong because you've been in the business since before Christ and only you know what is best. Anyway.... you get my point..... I don't give out sales pitches either.... in fact it's just the opposite. So no need to worry aboout me trying to sell you on some hair brained MLM deal, or Get Rich Quick in this business idea... no books, tapes, CD or video.... nothing! Just a simple plan that has worked EXCELLENT for us and seems to be working just a well for everyone else who has tried it. In fact, I got a call yesterday from a guy in Vegas who's business was going under and he called to tell me that after doing what we suggested and taking a few different steps.... he is now having to ad another truck just to keep up with the work! So I'm happy to share with anyone if they are interested?? What do you have to lose right? ------------- Home of the FIX PRIXING carpet cleaning! |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 23/August/2009 at 7:22pm
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Sounds GREAT.....I'm happy to hear somebody post here that is as open as you.....I'm the same way.....everything comes out in the wash, so why shoot the crap.
Please let us all know just a part of your secret formula for your companies success, so that we too can profit from your knowledge and take our business to a higher level.
Thanks in advance.
Nightrider
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Posted By: John L
Date Posted: 24/August/2009 at 1:54am
Nightrider, arent you going to retire soon?  
Wont you wear yourself out going to the
HIGHER LEVEL?
 Your a year older!!  |
Posted By: Superglide Ken
Date Posted: 24/August/2009 at 2:28am
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Jack may be a year older, but he is getting BETTER. He is figuring out the value of getting more work done thru other people labour.
What the mind can believe, the mind can acheive.  ------------- Inventor of the Teflon Wand Glide and the Turboteck Rotary Air Duct Cleaners for TMs. |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 24/August/2009 at 6:04am
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JohnL.....I am retired, I just like to work.....If that makes any sence. Naturally , the money has alot to do with it too. I relax in the winter.....I'm looking to buy a used Motor Home to amuse myself with in the winter.
Maybe I'll go see Kenny.....................
Nightrider
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Posted By: Superglide Ken
Date Posted: 24/August/2009 at 9:42am
Great idea Jack.
I too am thinking of taking it easier this winter. Touring the Southern USA in a motorhome in the colder months of January and February is not a bad idea.  Just have to hire some reliable people that can get things done while I am away. ------------- Inventor of the Teflon Wand Glide and the Turboteck Rotary Air Duct Cleaners for TMs. |
Posted By: Ed Valentine
Date Posted: 24/August/2009 at 1:05pm
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"CARPET CLEANING SLOWING DOWN"
Not here!
The very best;
Ed Valentine
"Smart-Design" Componentry
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Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 24/August/2009 at 2:33pm
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As long as gas prices is on the high side, and construction keeps pumping out those concrete jungles called high rises.....Ed will be very busy ( Plus he does make a fantastic product ) Maybe I'll start making machines.....I'll call it " ReBoil " It will have a great water heater and re-cycle the water, fill the baby up once and forget it.
Nightrider
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Posted By: Ream57
Date Posted: 04/September/2009 at 11:39am
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So what's your secret American Carpet? ------------- I got money in the bank, but E on the tank. |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 04/September/2009 at 11:47am
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Ream57.....he's only busy in his head. I already powsted that he should share on Aug.23......still NO ANSWER
Maybe he's too busy
 Nightrider
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Posted By: Americancarpet
Date Posted: 04/September/2009 at 3:09pm
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Sorry guys but actually I HAVE been extremely busy. Please forgive as I don't check this board as often as I should.
One of the secrets to us staying very busy is we make things SIMPLE for the customer. Soooooo I'm SURE what I'm about to say will catch grief from some of you.
We are a FIXED PRICE cleaner! In a nutshell... we charge one price for single story homes, one price for 2 story homes and one price for 3 story homes. Of course the price you set will depend on your area but make it AFFORDABLE and easy for them to understand! By affordable I don't mean be the cheapest guy in town. I mean offer them a one stop shop for the carpet cleaning. Every one of our specials include EVERYTHING... except protectant. They don't pay extra for anything. They don't have any surprises at the end of the job, they are not nickled and dimed to death, they don't have to figure square footage or worry how large a room may or may not be. They don't have to worry if the hallways, closets or stairs are included in the price becuase EVERYTHING is included!
YEP.... general spots and stains and deodorization, pre-treatment.... its all included. We do not move furniture other than a few small things perhaps. I know some of you guys are laughing at this right about now but it works and works GREAT! Our schedule is booked SOLID into the 3rd week of October already and the holiday season isnt even here yet! The general public has been so worn down by cleaners charging for every single thing, suprise charges, unprofessional people, having to calculate square footage...and the list goes on.... that they are simply tired of it.
I know the next question already.... What if you run into a home that is huge? Maybe 4000 square feet? Then we clean it for the same amount. That simply means they are getting one helluva deal. We base our pricing structure on TIME.... and nothing else. That does NOT mean we do splash and dash either...far from it. We have calculated that each size home should take a minium amount of time to clean. Of course this varies the larger the home is but this is an average. Fact is that someone with a 4000 square foot home has a lot of tile and wood as well. The actual square footage of carpet really isn't all that much compaired to the size of the home. We also find that generally the larger homes are even easier to clean than the smaller ones because they usually have a maid or at least keep up with the weekly cleaning.
Anywho..... I'm SURE you square foot guys and area guys are screaming at your monitor right about now. Maybe think we are crazy or whatever. I'm simply telling you what works GREAT for us. Will it work for you? Maybe...maybe not, but it works for us. When I first started the fixed pricing structure several years ago I was laughed at by a lot of the other guys around. However... last year alone we made over $700,000 simply on fixed pricing and we are on record to shatter that this year if things continue like they have. While they laugh at me... I'm taking thier customers and laughing all the way to the bank. Also... quite a few of the ones who were laughing at me in the biginning are now out of business!
Like I said... this may not work for you but its working fantastic for us and we do not plan to change any time in the near future. Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend... I'm going camping! Be safe! ------------- Home of the FIX PRIXING carpet cleaning! |
Posted By: Ream57
Date Posted: 07/September/2009 at 11:42pm
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Do u use a truckmount? Do u think that fixed pricing would be effective for someone that only uses a portable machine?
It takes us twice as long to clean than truckmount guys. ------------- I got money in the bank, but E on the tank. |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 08/September/2009 at 7:14am
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I was doing that back in 1985, it worked alright but there was always small problems with the customers way of seeing things. For example, customer would say.....living room/dining room is one big room, the basment with no partitions is one big room, some basements are 45 x30.....then they would want 30 wrap around stairs in the price and all the closets and we would have to wait until she cleans them out.
One of the biggest problems is when one 3 rooms are 9x10 10x10 10x12 and then 15x15 and she wants to know why we're charging her the same price for the 3 small rooms as the big one ( they never see it the other way around )
Anyway.....whatever works for you is great..........I stick to 95% commercial. I have mostly maintenance contracts
Nightrider
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Posted By: Ream57
Date Posted: 24/September/2009 at 10:56am
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You seem to have these commercial contracts figured out Nightrider. School me because nothing I seem to do seems to work for me when it comes to getting contracts. Maybe just times have changed since you were setting them up. I mean I'm fairly new to this I've only been in business for 2 years and it hasn't been always fulltime. Got any tips on how to get something to stick? ------------- I got money in the bank, but E on the tank. |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 24/September/2009 at 4:42pm
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I sent you a P.M
Nightrider
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Posted By: TipTopCleaning
Date Posted: 08/November/2023 at 11:51am
If your customers are still singing your praises, that's a win! Happy customers are like walking billboards. As for the slowdown, it could be a seasonal thing or influenced by local factors. Investing in a truck mount is a solid plan, but timing is everything. Maybe as the business gains more momentum, that upgrade will be the move that takes your carpet cleaning business it to the next level. ------------- TipTopCleaning: Elevating Cleanliness to a Whole New Standard! |