Mark my word...

[bob vawter]

CJ.......you can say it now......unless I'm missing something HERE yor an........
EMULSIFIER guy...you Don even pre-spray.....
Yous is a splasher an dasher........a blow an go sorta guy...Right?
WHAT KINNA EMULSIFIER you use?

 

[CJ-FL]

Give them a hydraforce type gun/jet

They can spray out most of the crap that collects behind the brushes between jobs.


Especially pee jobs.

We Pre-Spray with a Hydroforce. Just kill the solution feed or pull the hose? Good idea, thx again for the suggestion

 

[CJ-FL]

CJ.......you can say it now......unless I'm missing something HERE yor an........
EMULSIFIER guy...you Don even pre-spray.....
Yous is a splasher an dasher........a blow an go guy...Right?
WHAT KINNA EMULSIFIER you use?

I’m sorry was that English? If the question is “what do we use to emulsify soils?”... the answer would be yes we do pre-spray each carpet. Previously using electric sprayers or B&G cans. Last year we converted to hydro force revolutions. (For pre-sprAy only). B&G for other products

 

[bob vawter]

Hydroforce????
What' dat?

 

[Mikey P]

We Pre-Spray with a Hydroforce. Just kill the solution feed or pull the hose? Good idea, thx again for the suggestion

No put the gun on a quick connect at the end of the 3ft hose.

We use just the gun to rinse showers, wash the trucks, rinse lint filters, dirty hoses, muddy shoes, CRBs...you name it.

 

[bob vawter]

Emulsifier means you meter a certain solution via means of a Dywers meter
That little glass doo-hickey on the front of yor machine. .....and the soap solution is sprayed out the wand nozels.......

 

[Mikey P]

I see in your photo you have a QC on the gun already but it's the wrong type.

Use the same as that's on your pressure hose.



You owe me a beer in StP.

 

[CJ-FL]

Emulsifier means you meter a certain solution via means of a Dywers meter
That little glass doo-hickey on the front of yor machine. .....and the soap solution is sprayed out the wand nozels.......

Yes... we use a slightly alkaline (around 8.5) solution when rinsing. One of my locations has eliminated the solution and has done a clean water rinse for about 2 years. They seem to like it but to be honest I’m not sure if it’s better or worse results comparatively.

 

[hogjowl]

He’s always telling us what we owe him

 

[hogjowl]

Yes... we use a slightly alkaline (around 8.5) solution when rinsing. One of my locations has eliminated the solution and has done a clean water rinse for about 2 years. They seem to like it but to be honest I’m not sure if it’s better or worse results comparatively.

Nobody else can tell either
But the suppliers keep pushing it

 

[Mikey P]

Shouldn't you be on suicide watch for Damon tonight?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Do a side by side. Fresh water rinse doesn't look as clean. I'm not suggesting a high ph rinse is necessary but water won't compare.

Been there done that. Thought I was doing the right thing but clients noticed a huge difference.

 

[steve_64]

Give them a hydraforce type gun/jet

They can spray out most of the crap that collects behind the brushes between jobs.


Especially pee jobs.

And screw up the bearings.

 

[hogjowl]

Shouldn't you be on suicide watch for Damon tonight?

You are so insensitive
He lost his phone dyke

 

[Mikey P]

About to lose his friend Tom too...

 

[SamIam]

Up selling is not really stressed IN OUR FRANCHISE. We average a $25 add on per job (usually tile as we’re in Florida)... we move MOST furniture as long as the customer removes electronics and breakables prior to our arrival (which they are told over the phone when scheduling). I do find that more and more customers do not want us to move very much. Maybe just the small stuff. WE ALWAYS run s 2 man crew so I think that helps with efficiency as well as sheer volume of jobs (about 45,000 per year) help with profitability. We get GREAT deals on chemicals as well. Recently I saw s post on here about %if revenue O/O were spending on chems. It really was surprising. We’re around 4%

Looking forward to hearing you in Florida Sam Miller from Cali!

 

[SamIam]

Yes but we discourage it for sake of the future. Unfortunately you give 15, they take a mile. Next year the customer wants you to “just hit the traffic pattern in
This room for me”.... unfortunately a unsuspecting tech the following year gets treated like an ass when he try’s to do things properly the following year and no clue last years tech “gave some leeway” To be honest I always though 300 per room was a lot. Most of my local competitors ads advertise 200 or 250 sq. Ft per room. ZeroRez in Tampa for example is 200 sq. Ft. per room

Ya I’m $39.95 per room up to 200 sq ft

 

[SamIam]

I don't see why Tom would be harassed any more than usual with the Tony Dang BS that happens every time someone posts that they like his wand.
I thought the picture was cool and the engraving was really nice. This swivel wand would be the one to revolutionize the Industry. All the knock off stuff is junk.
Seeing the new truck mounts that SS had for their franchisees and now the wands and Zipper should be a wake up call to many. Looking forward to MF to listen and learn.

See you there Bob!

 

[SamIam]

Do a side by side. Fresh water rinse doesn't look as clean. I'm not suggesting a high ph rinse is necessary but water won't compare.

Been there done that. Thought I was doing the right thing but clients noticed a huge difference.

Soft and clean pure force baby acid side cleaning smells great boom

 

[Erik]

Then again, the hell with them.

My thoughts exactly..

 

[TConway]

My thoughts exactly..

Ditto

 

[Erik]

Each morning, one of the first things I do is pull out all 4, disassemble, clean and wipe down with WD40

Try to do the thorough cleaning at the end of the day so the corrosive chemicals don't sit all night.

 

[randy]

With the workers available today I wouldn't worry too much about any big company.
In fact that is the number one problem with most businesses today...............employees (quoted from above)
SO TrUE ! The problem is the larger operator can offer benefits and a retirement plan that most owner operators DON'T even have for themselves. They will win the recruiting war every time, guaranteed. Here in the washington, DC metro area Lowes is paying $19 an hour to start for full time employees. That's $39,520 plus benefits to start, year around work, and it's not that labor intensive. How many 1-4 truck operators can match that ? Most of the carpet tech wanted ads I see are $12 an hour to start and that's NOT going to hack it in a growing economy.

Still I see the operation that is often seen as a "hack" fly by night or scumbag trunk slammer as the bigger threat. The chemistry, equipment and marketing technology of getting work has gotten much easier in the 28 years I have been part of this industry. I know guys with a crb & a 3 gal spotting extractor that are getting great results and satisfying customers. Look down at that op only guy that hits the traffic areas only and runs to the next job. He is cleaning the clock of many owner operators that have "real overhead" by having super low cost , doing a decent but not great job and charging more than many of you. Without the higher cost, his net margin is off the charts. I know a guy that cleans everything with a 15" cimex that nets over $150,000 year with only 4 techs and 5 cimexs. The techs use their own truck or SUV and do 80% residential.

Mike is 100% correct, "this thing of ours is changing" and for many reasons. If we don't think about staying competitive the newbie hack of tomorrow and well run franchised operations will own this industry and set the terms to which it operates.

Examples from other industries : The taxi industry vs. Huber & Lyft. Amazon vs the local book shops. Safelite vs small owner operated glass shops.

Mike is warning us of what is coming and we better be smart enough to recognize that or prepare to find another livelihood. This untouchable, over-confident owner operator mentality is something I love to see, but we are heading into a time where it's going to be very dangerous for your business.

 

[Dolly Llama]

You got it backwards there Nostrodumbass

Here's a perilous prognostication for you

gonna hurt the hi-roller priced outfits WAY more than the valpac/mid priced O/Ops methinks

if as you suggest, the mass multi-truck valpac operations will up their game from burgers and fries to prime cut steak......
(like CJ appears to be doing)

How will they justify fiddy-cent-o-ft when the Burger Kings of the world are doing the same (vac, scrub 'n extract) at 1/3 the price and le$$??

you'll have to start panning gold up there in PineNut Gulch to put gas in your weekend QuadBuggy jaunts.....







..L.T.A.

 

[Dolly Llama]

If we don't think about staying competitive the newbie hack of tomorrow and well run franchised operations will own this industry and set the terms to which it operates.

I know you're a sharp businessman, Randy
so lemmie ask,

what will be the "industry terms" they'll be setting?
Pricing at razor thin margins that are only worthwhile to large volume ?

what would the average Damon, Cooper, Matt, Russ, TomDik 'n Larry do to remain completive in this changing world?


I'm a terrible businessman (fo-reel)
But is there really anything new under the sun?

I've heard lots of things that would kill us over the years

Stain Master

Cradle to grave mills getting in the biz

JanSan and CINTAS dominating the com CC'ing market

CRI certs/standards ...or you're toast


the new boogieman that'll kill the average conscientious O/Op, is what exactly ???

LargeVol Stan's of the world offering more for less with the most efficient equipment?
Well organized/well funded armies armed with low overhead vacs, brushes and squirt boxes?
(both with large budget marketing sustainable recour$e$ )

not being a smartazz...honest question to you and other sharp bizmen , what does the future hold that's really so different from now?


what's going to kill or cripple the average priced conscientious O/Op?

thanks

.L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

Larry must be on Straterra
Or Saiger drugs

 

[Mark Saiger]

This has been posted before...but if it can be of help at the moment.

 

[Mikey P]

A passionate owner operator with minty fresh breath and excellent conversationalist skills will be the first choice of choosey mothers.

 

[hogjowl]

May be
But I’ll still get by

 

[Dolly Llama]

Larry must be on Straterra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomoxetine

Maybe could use some
I've had Dropsy and heart trouble for weeks now
(dropsy in the azz and ain't got the heart to pick it up)

ADHD I ain't
but it might help me

Think I'd rather have Adderall though

..LT.A.