Message from the 70's, 80's and 90's

Does anything ever change?

When I left the dry cleaning business and switched over to making my living with carpet cleaning I purchased an average portable. You have no idea how in those days you were attacked and ridiculed by the existing shampooers of that era.

Rotary shampoo was the accepted method. Shampooers told people we over-wetted the carpet and would shrink them. Squishy was a word they used a lot. Dye bleeding, bad smells the story went on and on.

Then I bit the bullet and purchased a truckmount. Bruce Hubbs was the first in Toronto and I was the second. You have no idea how the porti carpet cleaners attempted to downgrade and sabotage truckmount cleaning. Cutting or crushing your hose as it laid over the sidewalk. Porties claimed we recycled our water. We were accused of polluting, sucking the carpet off the tacks. Noise pollution, leaving doors open, lowering security, letting bugs in the door.

The story went on and on...

I guess it's like a mother and her pups or a politician. You say and do what you have to. To protect your income and investment. Maybe there is nothing wrong with that but are you slowing down new technology and progress. I think carpet cleaners are afraid of progress and tend to fight it off.

I had a carpet cleaner bragging to me the other day how his truckmount is 20 years old. He won't be happy when he gets his $2,800.00 bill. Old parts were not available. If we worked on a 20 year old computer we would be out of business.

Today you need to keep up.

Ted;

That was a wonderful AND truthful thread.

But, along those exact lines, I would have to say the same exact thing about "Portables". I remember back in 1978 when I introduced the new CFM/Airflow design principle in a modular system WITH 4 WHEELS--"a portable", that it had a ton of resistance. Comments like; "No it can't be done; No, a portable can't operate at more than 25', 50'; No, it just can't clean as good as a TM (another generic statement)". Well, needless to say, thousands upon thousands of operators have changed their tune and especially the ones whom have actually operated one---not those as you had described whom are trying desparately to stop progress with their Bigger is Better analogy.

And, if they thought about it, every gasoline TM is really a Portable on wheels in the first place.

Good Thread, ted. But never forget that "The beat goes on".

Good Fortune;

Ed Valentine

cross-american.com

Ted if you invest as much money in a truck mount... you want it to last FOREVER.... I know thats not realistic...  But how can you throw away an investment so large in 5 years 10 year even 15 years...

Yes better and newer things do come along... I'm sure there are still people out there that will live or die by shampooing... some will live or die by HWE.... some that will OP.....

Closed minded folks will always be around and if everyone was like that we'd all still be living in the stone age.

ps, Make a good living, doing Leather......can't be done !!

Change is a very scary thing for most.

doug wrote: Mr. Steamer:  When an investment starts to cost you money it is time to get out of it and reinvest in one that makes you money

but new equipment before you finish paying for it...it's no good....then you have to start all over again

Steamer,

In western Canada I hear that it's not unusual for a carpet cleaner to upgrade his unit every three or four years. It works well out there.

It must be a GTA thing to hold on to your baby and keep pumping money into it.

I pretty handy... So I guess it's different for me.... every so often I'll remake and referbesh... I like the KISS approach

Keep It Simple Stupid

I think if you cant fix it... you shouldn't be in it