question on industry "toys"

davegillfishing

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all these new tools coming out like the zipper and stuff..how many of these are more toys for oo's or are there faster paced production/quality driven companies using them also..

seems like there are lots of cool and well working toys for oo's but not so much for the 3 plus truck companies that bank out 4-5 quality jobs a day 5-6 days a week..

i asked my guys all the time if they want any of these new tools and they all respond that they are fine as is..quality equipment, quality chems and a great production rate with one of the best reputations in the area..i just want to be sure im not missing something here..
 

Mikey P

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Wands are quick and easy for techs.

All that other crap just slows them down.:lol:


As you grow you can plan on losing jobs to the OOs who do great, but slow work..

Are you ready?
 

davegillfishing

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we are so well branded in our area im pretty sure that wont happen..it has been a deliberate slow growth and branding for that reason..its a stable and steady incline but not explosive
all my guys are very well known right along with the company..we can be beat on price but not reputation and customer service...i am realistic and aware but not worried
 

Desk Jockey

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Check out the RE's (Hoss,Rotovac XL) at Mikeyfest then buy one. See what a difference it will make in your cleaning.

The bar has been raised, you can jump on board and elevate your cleaning OR pray that your competition doesn't decide to do so and steal market share from you.
 

GeneMiller

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we can clean faster and leave the carpet cleaner and drier with less sweat with the zipper. Repeat jobs average 15 minutes less per hr. than before. You know being in humid Florida the importance of leaving behind minimum moisture. Guys who were brought up on the wand don't like the zipper but guys without any experience prefer the zipper hands down. I was shocked when I first got it and my tech brought it in. I quit hiring guys with experience and none have chosen the wand. This week we did 28 jobs of which none where minimums. One marble job, 6 sofas, 1sectional , 2 chrs, 8 nasty dnrm chrs, 3 cushions and a bunch a carpet and area rugs. Also one quarterly commercial job. Just a little under 4k sqft. Luckily only two cotton chenille in the bunch the rest were synthetic. We bank out more than 5 quality jobs a day no problem. I not nearly as beat at the end of the day at 53

Gene
 

davegillfishing

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we never get complaints and our cheerleaders scream about us all the time so it would be tough for anyone to gain market share on us without our quality or cs dropping..most companies get comfy and slack off on
both after a while but its a focal point daily here..and our quality is top notch..we are mid to top end clientele so we dont deal with trashed destroyed stuff often but when we do we break out the scrubber and do our thing..

dang gene...i need to explore that thing..im fine with a tool but not a toy lol
 

GeneMiller

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Which part Marty, or all of it.

Dave, I think it would be hard to get a seasoned person to get rid of the wand and switch to the zipper. The timing for me was perfect. I just got the zipper and had hired a new guy the same week. I probably would of ended up using it only on commercial. if you don't own a rotary it blows away the scrub wand or zipper combo We did one real nasty this week and we used the rotovac. Way faster and a better job than scrubbing it and than zipper. Just my thoughts but Marty please correct me where I'm wrong.

Gene
 

Desk Jockey

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Short, chubby, Mexican and a wiseass?!? I personally wouldn't marry someone like Chavez.... Nothing personal Richie..... :stir:
Short? I'm not short, you and Marty are just tall.

I'm 5 11, give me a break I'm an old man.

How about "he's average height, athletic build (used to be :redface:) and on rare occasions might make a wise crack??? :lol:
 
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Wing It

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REs may add time to the job but I am certain they do a better job in many instances and have made many cheerleaders for me. The answer is to charge more if you have to break it out. REs are a must have for top quality in my opinion.
 

PrimaDonna

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i asked my guys all the time if they want any of these new tools and they all respond that they are fine as is

Perhaps that is because they don't know, what they don't know.

My hubby, OO, would say the same. Creature of habit. Every your techs with you next time you go to the local distributor (or if Jon Don, Customer Appreciation Day) and let them play around. They may change their minds.....
 

davegillfishing

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They know what's out there and have used some of them..we have a hoss 700
Re

They know I will buy them anything they want..

I'm looking forward to mike fest in fla..I'm going to play with all the tools
 
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Desk Jockey

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I never leave important decision like tools, proceedure up to the tech's. I do want their buy in but Dan & I decide what is best and then sell them as to why.

Per job I will agree they need to be able to decide when and where a tool will work better than another. Sounds like you have a great little team there, I'd want them to tell you why they aren't using the RE more. Speed shouldn't outweight quality of their work.

I'd want to know why they are not asking for one on each truck. ???
 

ruff

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For various reasons, there's constant pressure here to get the "latest and greatest" miracle toy. If you don’t have it ...well… frankly speaking?- You’re a” nobody". However, if you do buy it, you will be instantly transformed into a member of an exclusive 'elite' club. That is, of course, until you fail to buy T LL&G (The latest “latest and greatest.”)

Well, it is our job individually to separate the fluff from the real stuff. There is always going to be the latest and greatest, it is a never ending chase. [How many of yesterday's "must have" tools are currently collecting dust in your garage?]

Your initial investment in high quality tools will allow you to provide your clients with quality, excellent results. Beyond that, most new tools will, at best, accomplish marginal improvements. Your long term success is much more dependent on your thoroughness, dependability, the relationship you have created with your clients and the added value you provide them, than any tool you can possibly buy. That, my friend, will be your real business advantage.

I’d like to convey my sympathy to the people who think that having a TLL&G is what sets them apart. It is the thinnest of business advantages.

Now:
  • If the tool substantially improves your productivity or provides you with awesome results, you were never able to accomplish before (why? is a question that comes to mind, but that is another subject), then go ahead, knock yourself out. Get it.
  • If it boosts your low self-esteem adding that extra bounce to your step, let alone you’d finally be able to ask for that 0.1 cent raise you never had the courage to ask for, since 1954. Knock yourself out. Please buy it.
  • If you found out that you’re just an old fart that will never try anything new. Please try it and find out if it helps.

Otherwise, don’t be shamed or mocked into buying one nor think that it will magically transform your business. We all wish that business was that simple.
Actually.... not really, but that’s a whole new subject.
 

davegillfishing

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I never leave important decision like tools, proceedure up to the tech's. I do want their buy in but Dan & I decide what is best and then sell them as to why.

Per job I will agree they need to be able to decide when and where a tool will work better than another. Sounds like you have a great little team there, I'd want them to tell you why they aren't using the RE more. Speed shouldn't outweight quality of their work.

I'd want to know why they are not asking for one on each truck. ???

i dont let them decide totally...if its needed they do it or use it..we just dont have the trashed rat nasty shit holes..we have some but not many at all..mostly mid to upper scale jobs
a small area needing water claw and such but very few that are beat to death..trust me if i felt it would improve greatly our daily results we would have one on every truck

the hoss we have has been out on a few jobs and we simply dont see a improvement that would make me insist on using them..i have talked to jim martin and other guys
that say they use their re daily and i have talked to as many that say it sits 95% of the time
 

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