carpet cleaners who are also retailers

bill luke

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
54
hi,is anyone on here doing both;sales as well as cleaning? I have an opportunity,to purchase a business,but wonder pro's and cons,among those who do it both thanks
 

Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
112,308
Location
The High Chapperal
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TConway

Supportive Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
1,193
Location
Redding
Name
Thomas Conway
I don't own a store but I can tell you it is a challenge, it is hard to try and be focused on both 100%. Without a doubt my cc biz has suffered for it the most, and if you are not careful your hard work, time, and investment of your carpet cleaning company when you let your guard down can quickly vanish as the competition is just so strong and there is so many that can be there in a flash.
So many new companies start and are in line for any mistakes that you make to take your place, no matter how good you are, people need your 100% and really deserve it...after all that's how you got them in the first place right.

The filter is done and we are SO FLIPPING GLAD that it is. This is the first year that my wife has started helping me full time, and I honestly feel if my path would have just stayed with my cleaning biz we would be much further along than we are now with it. I have a friend that I have made, and he has been doing it for about 9 months now and he is much much better off already than we were at that same amount of time just because he is only focused on one thing.
I started out going after PM type work, we are now at year 6 and really this is the first year we started to be able to shift our attention more back to cc and started to build more residential work...how much nicer it is....the carpets are never as trashed, just a completely different type of work...Some of them I look at the carpet and say to myself you really want me to clean this it looks good to me.
It can be done but it is not easy by any means.
 

TConway

Supportive Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
1,193
Location
Redding
Name
Thomas Conway
I would also like to state this. I put my body through hell being in construction most of my life. Carpet cleaning is easier but by no means is it easy. I don't know your age or your health but if you have the opportunity to move into something that you could do for longer that is a very good thing to consider also.
Look at it that way and it may help you weigh out you options of what you are looking at and where you see yourself 10-15 years from know because it will be here much faster than you think.
My youngest just turned 13 three days ago, time just flies by now.
 

bill luke

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
54
thanks all for the replies.i was actually looking for a more passive income,storage units maybe;my friend who has owned the business for over 30 yrs has cancer and wants the store to continue,that's why he offered me this;however,not sure I want to work more. and I will be 60 this December,so that factors.just got back from the keys,it looks better and better
 

Desk Jockey

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
64,833
Location
A planet far far away
Name
Rico Suave
I've only spoken with Tom a few times since he's owned it and he sounds as if he is in love with it. Retail hours, average ticket 3-5K, he sounds pleased at this moment.

PM him or give him a call.
 

hogjowl

Idiot™
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
47,883
Location
Prattville, Alabama
The key is the installers you have. If you have good, dependable installers, life is easy. If you have the kind I had ... it's hell. I used to tell my customers, "If you buy your carpet from me, the first cleaning is free." I'd show up a year later to clean the carpet and it would be wrinkled up all over the floor. That is embarrassing! Add the cost of the re-stretch to the ticket and I was losing money. I bet you I went through 100 installers in that 10 year period, and every one of them told me they power stretched and sealed seams. Not one of them actually did.
 

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
Yep, installations seem to be the issue all over the country. They sure are here.
The only stores here that don't have these issues are the ones that the installers do not get paid by the job, but are employees of the store.
 

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