Are You As Good As You Know How to Be?

[Jim Pemberton]

I was talking to the owner of a multi truck, high priced/high quality operation in my area.

He noticed a few things that he wanted to discuss with me:

1. His upholstery cleaning volume has 30K in a few years.

2. His upholstery cleaning machines have been sitting in the same place in his warehouse so long it that they have spider webs attaching them to the wall.

3. His customers, when surveyed, said his two best cleaners were routinely turning down anything with an "S" code, and only wiping it with a solvent dampened towel if they insisted it be cleaned.

I will be conducting some training to help bring his guys around, but the problem seems to be a combination of employees being sent to classes but still not upgrading their skills for several years, as well as older and comfortable employees (one guy has been with him over 20 years) getting a bit lazy, perhaps.

Have any of you noticed this with veteran staff? Or yourselves?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Have any of you noticed this with veteran staff? Or yourselves?

Jim I'm pretty sure I'm the best that ever waz. Ok, so only I think that.

I do still have concerns with my technicians cleaning special care fabrics on location. I even have concerns when I clean special care fabric on location.

I wonder if those technicians didn't want to slow down to clean upholstery. I hate to sound like an upholstery snob but most carpet cleaners don't like upholstery cleaning and truth be told many of them have no business cleaning it. You have to want to clean it, if you don't have the desire to do a great job then you'll find any excuse to pass on it. (no time in the schedule, my tool is back at the shop, I don't want to drag all that stuff out of the truck)

To excel at upholstery cleaning takes someone with a refined level of cleaning. Someone like Mike P. or Ofer come to mind. Too many cleaners would much rather turn it down and get to the next carpet job.

 

[Art Kelley]

I can't think of any upholstery I wouldn't clean, other than Haitian Cotton that was trashed, regardless of what the cleaning code was placed on the label. I clean tons of upholstery; it's a perfect add-on. I don't "dry clean", which is essentially doing nothing but going through the motions with a towel or a vacuum with a solvent. With the modern tools and chemicals and techniques available today, there is no reason to turn down any upholstery cleaning job.

 

[KevinD]

I think I suffer more from burn out vs. lazy.
I ran a dedicated upholstery route for years with 6 companies in my area
feeding me referrals because they did not clean or only did the easy stuff.
If the phone never rang again with an upholstery call I would be happy.

 

[Donwand]

I think I only turned down one sofa cleaning job many many years ago. It was a filthy haitian cotton. Thankfully, I don't see much of that anymore.

 

[Shawn Abbey]

With us (myself included) its an additional time problem with a hassle factor included.

Sure, the guys enjoy the commission, but setting aside another hour and being late to your next appointment, vs. being on time and home with your family at a decent hour is probably the largest motivation whether to take the extra work or not. Many times a Customer will want to add on the sofa, and we will advise scheduling it another time. They usually reply that they'll wait. The other deterrent is price.

 

[Ken692]

Ok insert ->awesome pro chem pre-treat and cleaner <- so this funky cotton is untouchable? If it's dirty won't the customer want it cleaner. S, w X if it's smelly lets clean it.

 

[Mikey P]

I take too many chances


Only been bit twice though..

 

[Chris A]

I clean 3-4 microShit sectionals a week. I got em down to about 45 minutes if the back cushions are attached. If I ever come across a "Good" piece of furniture I probably wouldn't remember what to do with it

 

[Desk Jockey]

I take too many chances
Only been bit twice though..

I've always said those with lots of experience are the ones you have to watch out for. We take more risks.
Those with less experience will pass on something they feel uncomfortable with.

I always think I can clean anything and make it look great.
The reality is I am limited by the material and the soiling condition.

I fell like I don't have a big ego until it comes to cleaning....then I can be a cocky bastard.

Sometimes its a detriment though!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

The cleaning company owner who made me think to post this made a big change that he considers to be part of the problem:

His peak upholstery cleaning revenue came when he had an employee and truck committed to upholstery cleaning, and other "non truck mount" specialty work, such as wood floor care, pick up and delivery of area rugs, advanced stain removal and odor control services, etc.

He had come to the conclusion that someone of this skill set had the personality of a "chess player", where his best carpet cleaners were "hockey players". When his "chess player" left the company, he trained his "hockey players" to take over the services, and over time, this loss in revenue occurred.

He sent these guys to classes, and for a while they filled the gap so well he felt he had a far more efficient system than before. But over time, they did what most would expect:

They preferred "playing hockey", and found ways to avoid "playing chess"

 

[Desk Jockey]

That is what did it.

Anyone can clean upholstery but it takes a true specialists to clean finer special care fabrics. His "hockey players" passed the puck and came up with excuses as to why they couldn't clean the pieces. More than likely they just lacked the desire.

How can he resolve it?
As Gordon Gekko said in Wallstreet, "Greed is good".
If he can come up with a compensation plan where the technician wants to clean it then less upholstery will be passed on. Trying to crack the whip and showing them spread sheets and charts as to the drop in upholstery cleaning sales only affects the owner. The technician unfortunately only cares about "what's in it for me".

 

[Brian H]

His customers, when surveyed, said his two best cleaners were routinely turning down anything with an "S" code, and only wiping it with a solvent dampened towel if they insisted it be cleaned.

It has been my experience that those customers won't accept the fact that their furniture can't be cleaned and will find someone else who will clean that furniture, along with the carpet. Not only is he losing the furniture cleaning dollars, he may be losing the carpet cleaning dollars.

When I started at Hagopian a thousand years ago or so... we had a veteran dedicated furniture cleaner. He used to drive me crazy because he was always turning down work. He was so afraid of getting a reclean that he turned down 1/3 of his total jobs. Tons of coaching, training, counseling, lecturing, etc had no effect. He was costing me too much in lost revenue and I had to pull him off the road.

 

[ruff]

Maybe that's why it is so important for you guys to watch the world cup. Soccer- the real world championship. Hockey is for baboons.

I think that partially, after going to class, they are scared silly. They hear all the stories of all the stuff that goes wrong, that it looks like a minefield. And who, if they have any sense left (after cleaning a carpet all these years) wants knowingly to step into a minefield.
A better training will be to teach them what to avoid, and have them test before hand (not for fiber content) with the solution they intend to use. Using mild upholstery pre-sprays, that these days do an awesome job.

Yes, I have noticed it with myself. Even though I charge high price for cleaning upholstery, so I am well compensated and I do a lot of it. I'd still rather clean carpet. It is just easier.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Maybe that's why it is so important for you guys to watch the world cup. Soccer- the real world championship

That's not a real sport. Don't gurls play that too?

I'd still rather clean carpet. It is just easier.

I exclusively cleaned upholstery for more than a decade. I prefer to clean upholstery over carpets, I think its easier, more appreciated & respected. But then "I'm the best that ever waz!"

ummm the cool thing is, now that its just a story...I keep getting better over time!

 

[ruff]

You're the bestest.
I could tell at M Fest, just by the way you held the cleaning tool.
And the dream in your eyes while you did.
And that you persuaded me that the Zipper is the best upholstery tool ever, for sectionals.

Thanks, buddy.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

He's a very savvy businessman, and has great insight into human nature.

While he searches for a chess player, here is what he's going to do with his hockey players (who are really good guys by the way, and who get rave reviews on their carpet cleaning and associated services)

1. Keep the schedule pressure off of them. He will leave enough time for them to do the job right.

2. Let them know that if they damage a high value piece he won't over react. As long as they use the steps and products he wants them to use, he can afford to pay a few claims versus the revenue loss he's experienced. They are not the type of men to take advantage of that "get out of jail free" card.

3. Have them get updated information and hands on guidance instead of using the "same old stuff" they did for the past 20 years. The fear of damage, time consuming processes, and bad results comes from not having the latest information. He will get them the tools and products they need too, of course.

The main reason I brought this up, though, is that some of us (owner operators and "non-operator" owners) don't really see how we or our people "let things slide" until many years have passed (and many dollars are lost).

 

[Desk Jockey]

The main reason I brought this up, though, is that some of us (owner operators and "non-operator" owners) don't really see how we or our people "let things slide" until many years have passed (and many dollars are lost).

I agree, good subject. Thanks for mentioning it!

And the dream in your eyes while you did.
And that you persuaded me that the Zipper is the best upholstery tool ever, for sectionals.

The dream look in my eyes? Ofer I just farted and wondered if you heard it.

The Zipper? It was a joke but if you tried it and it worked tell me more.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Good thread. Thanks, Jim.

My guys turn down an occasional piece but mostly accept anything with proper customer preconditioning. We use low-moisture dry foam on the more sensitive fabrics and have never had a claim using that method. Two guys on my team have been with me over 20 years and they know fabrics, their limitations and how to talk to customers about servicing their fabrics. Good communication is key.

 

[ruff]

The Zipper? It was a joke but if you tried it and it worked tell me more.

Works great. Not as well as the Hoss 700, but dries faster.
Try it on one of them S labels.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Try it on one of them S labels.

 

[Bob Savage]

We clean a lot of upholstery, but I am on every job. We use the truckmount, and run 2 upholstery tools, or we run a wand and 1 upholstery tool at the same time. We use old school Kleenrite jet by-pass uph. tools, that bypass water so we don't use too much water, but allow the heat to come through. We use vac relief cuffs on uph. tools.

I agree there are a lot of cleaning technicians who are afraid to clean upholstery, including here in my area. They see the "S" code and freak out. They hate upholstery cleaning, but that gives us more upholstery that we can clean.

I can't tell you how many times that after we cleaned a piece of upholstery, the customer commented that the last company that cleaned it didn't get it anywhere near that clean looking and fresh smelling.

We use a mild clean smelling deodorizer on just about every job unless the customer is allergic to scents.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

can't tell you how many times that after we cleaned a piece of upholstery, the customer commented that the last company that cleaned it didn't get it anywhere near that clean looking and fresh smelling.
We use a mild clean smelling deodorizer on just about every job unless the customer is allergic to scents.

That's a good point, Bob.

People sit on, sometimes sleep on, their furniture. A pleasant smell can make all the difference in their perception of how clean you actually got it, and it leaves a nearly subconscious pleasant reminder that you were there.

...which is another good reason to avoid dry cleaning or using foul smelling "haitian cotton" formulations

 

[Brian H]

That's a good point, Bob.

People sit on, sometimes sleep on, their furniture. A pleasant smell can make all the difference in their perception of how clean you actually got it, and it leaves a nearly subconscious pleasant reminder that you were there.

...which is another good reason to avoid dry cleaning or using foul smelling "haitian cotton" formulations

Just make sure it is a VERY slight odor, especially if you were not asked to do it. I have had experiences where the smell lingered and the homeowner complained after we applied a mild deodorizer to make it smell nice.

 

[Bob Savage]

If it looks clean, feels clean, and smells clean, it IS clean!

 

[Bob Savage]

Just make sure it is a VERY slight odor, especially if you were not asked to do it. I have had experiences where the smell lingered and the homeowner complained after we applied a mild deodorizer to make it smell nice.

It is very subtle - Proliminator Sunshine, and it is metered at the TM and not directly applied. I have yet to have a complaint on it. I know what you mean about over-doing the deo.

We also now have water softeners in both vans. That makes carpets and upholstery so much softer after cleaning.

 

[Spurlington]

The cleaning company owner who made me think to post this made a big change that he considers to be part of the problem:

His peak upholstery cleaning revenue came when he had an employee and truck committed to upholstery cleaning, and other "non truck mount" specialty work, such as wood floor care, pick up and delivery of area rugs, advanced stain removal and odor control services, etc.

He had come to the conclusion that someone of this skill set had the personality of a "chess player", where his best carpet cleaners were "hockey players". When his "chess player" left the company, he trained his "hockey players" to take over the services, and over time, this loss in revenue occurred.

He sent these guys to classes, and for a while they filled the gap so well he felt he had a far more efficient system than before. But over time, they did what most would expect:

They preferred "playing hockey", and found ways to avoid "playing chess"

I love the analogy .. hockey players are on a fast paced move and do not want to be slowed down to play chess !! Im the same way .. I like move along until Im done. I collect a good amount but still prefer not to do it. The time it takes to prep and protect surroundings before the actual clean drives me nuts. Then theres the bending over while cleaning, working on your knees, wiping off picture frames and lamp shades - yeah Im not a fan of uph cleaning.

 

[Desk Jockey]

The time it takes to prep and protect surroundings before the actual clean drives me nuts. Then theres the bending over while cleaning, working on your knees, wiping off picture frames and lamp shades - yeah Im not a fan of uph cleaning.

Paul get a dry type tool, Sapphire, Sheardry etc. those types are not as messy and leave the fabric drier also. Its still work but at least that negative you won't have to worry about.

 

[Spurlington]

Paul get a dry type tool, Sapphire, Sheardry etc. those types are not as messy and leave the fabric drier also. Its still work but at least that negative you won't have to worry about.

Thanks

I use the original Drimaster for most of my uph .. the Prochem tool if I run into ancient Herculon

I was kidding about the picture frames .. although my prespraying could get messy - I use the $7 Home Depot half gallon pump n squirt sprayer

 

[Desk Jockey]

Thats a good setup! We carry the Sapphire & Prochem tool in our Upholstery tool totes. We like electric sprayers and use the MultiSprayer Spray1we have one of them in each tote also.