Dennis Bruder's advice to Carpet Cleaner nerds..

[Cleanworks]

Gre

someone posted this on one of the face book pages..skip down to the paragraph that says. The customer thinks they should have their carpets dry in 2
hours..pretty interesting..

http://www.chemeistersusa.com/Truck-mount-lie-1.html

Great link Jim. Everybody on this board should read it.

 

[Mikey P]

So no game changer tools ever came out of a Big Boy?

Rotary Extractors, Low Moisture Uph Tools, 360° fans, Titanium High Performance wands, just to get started..

 

[Mikey P]

Gre

Great link Jim. Everybody on this board should read it.

What modern truckmount salesman lies about the PIE?

The article, while true, is a lie in itself.

 

[Cleanworks]

What modern truck mount sales person doesn't lie?

 

[Mikey P]

Hey Ron I got news for you it's not 1999 anymore

 

[Bob Pruitt]

The RX20 was a game changer invented by a Big Guy but it seems somehow stuck in time...before 1999 even. Big Companies can invent great stuff but it seems it is left to others to take their idea and innovate it. My opinion is HydraMaster should still own the RE category and by simply listening to their end users they would have. This is a video of a 2013 Mikey Fest and the Rotary tools of the day were being tested. Mike asked about a Brush Head and other changes but the Rep said no... the big change of the RX20 was the gearing...make it spin faster. In a big company you have to answer to too many higher ups... if it ain't broke why fix it types.

 

[dealtimeman]

I think jims right and Mikeys wrong.

If you need more proof let me know!

Mikey please try not to get upset by this,
Just try.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Could it be you are taking Bruders comments out of context?

I'm sure if the time to design, build, modify, market, provide support, was totalled up for the end product, it would be a sad accounting. Divide that into units sold and profit might just bring the per hour invested into the negative.

Its a true labor of love and you have to give those inventors props for giving so much of themselves for such small profits.

So would they be better spending that time cleaning? Hell yeahhhha!

Fortunately they do it and we lucky slobs can benefit from their creations.

Tip of the hat to all ya'll that are driven to build a better mousetrap!

 

[rwcarpet]

And yet 90% of the carpet cleaners out there dont know what any of that stuff is.

Hagopian
DA Burns
Stanley
Coit..
And all but two OO cleaners in both of my locations..

But the benefits trickle down eventually, if legit.

I gotta agree here. Most of the cleaning companies in my area don't know what a Seal-A -Door is, a rotary extractor, a Zipper and/or SS Zipper, an APO (most still dump on site), 2.5 hose, an inline filter, a Cimex, a Vario, actual purposed pad machines (Trinitys, Mytees pad cleaning unit) CRB's, pad capping or any type pad cleaning. It's all about the pretty trucks, the fancy high tops, mega wraps, $149.99 whole house cleaning. A lot do, however, have the newest of newer mega TM's, and I see alot of glides. Which just might bite em in the arse come Jan,Feb,Mar cold weather.

I've missed out on a few ideas from just dragging my feet. I've had a few ideas that are now on the market......too late for my input. If I was younger, I might have jumped on my ideas. I've still got a few in my hed, and after fighting with the SS Spinner today, I've got some ideas on that.

 

[BIG WOOD]

someone posted this on one of the face book pages..skip down to the paragraph that says. The customer thinks they should have their carpets dry in 2
hours..pretty interesting..

http://www.chemeistersusa.com/Truck-mount-lie-1.html

Is the originator of Chemeister, originally, a carpet cleaner?

 

[The Great Oz]

"The RX20 was a game changer invented by a Big Guy but it seems somehow stuck in time...before 1999 even." The RX was invented by a carpet cleaner. That carpet cleaner is now in Mikey's list of those who made the transition (Rotovac). It took Hydramaster, their money, and their engineering capability to make it work well enough to sell. Incidentally, Hydramaster was also started by a carpet cleaner.

Why don't we buy every "Now I'm better than everyone else since I bought this" gimmick mentioned in this thread? Just don't have that need.

 

[Jimmy L]

I am the inventor of the "LecTroCob" Many of you don't want to admit owning one but I can tell you there are hundreds of you out there. And for a select few (Mikey) I've designed one to fit replace his motorcycle seat.


And who the hell made that STRYKER wand? What a POS..................fire that dumass.

 

[hogjowl]

If you don't use a Devistator wand, you're a hack.

 

[ruff]

Who sells the DevilStator?

 

[hogjowl]

Don't bother. You can't afford it.

 

[ruff]

At first I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live without it by my side
But then I spent so many nights thinking how it did me wrong
And I grew strong
And I learned how to get along

 

[dealtimeman]

How much is it?

 

[Bob Pruitt]

"The RX20 was a game changer invented by a Big Guy but it seems somehow stuck in time...before 1999 even." The RX was invented by a carpet cleaner. That carpet cleaner is now in Mikey's list of those who made the transition (Rotovac). It took Hydramaster, their money, and their engineering capability to make it work well enough to sell. Incidentally, Hydramaster was also started by a carpet cleaner.

I'm sure you are more knowledgable than I am since I just worked 6 days a week and could barely look up in those days- My first TM was a Bobcat. I thought Mike Palmer who started HydraMaster, invented the RX20 in the early 80's. I was a Carpet Cleaner then. I wasn't aware of a connection between RotoVac and HydraMaster.
However HydraMaster got the RX20, a very fine machine even today...but heavy and limited...no brush head - Would think that it would produce a RV 360i type unit to compete , including price, with the RV and other RE's.

 

[Cleanworks]

I thought Cliff Monson invented the Rx20 as well as the Rotovac.

 

[FB7777]

How much is it?

More than I paid for 3 Greenhorn wands

 

[Cleanworks]

Hey Ron I got news for you it's not 1999 anymore[/QUO I have to credit to truck mount manufacturers these days, they give you the specs (most of the time) and leave it up to you as to what you need. The retailers are another breed altogether. Some are really good and provide good service and proper information but there are a lot who overate the performance, the drying times, the cost of operation, etc. and push the customer into the wrong machine to make a profit.

 

[ruff]

How much is it?

Don't bother. You can't afford it.

 

[Mikey P]

I am the inventor of the "LecTroCob" Many of you don't want to admit owning one but I can tell you there are hundreds of you out there. And for a select few (Mikey) I've designed one to fit replace his motorcycle seat.


And who the hell made that STRYKER wand? What a POS..................fire that dumass.

Orange if possible, Mulato if not.

 

[SamIam]

I thought Cliff Monson invented the Rx20 as well as the Rotovac.

Cliff makes lotsa stuff and knocks off a few too. But ya he did invent the rx20.

Then Keith Studebaker invented the Rotary Dry master for hydramaster.

And then the hoss for sapphire.

 

[SamIam]

Joe Domin
Ultra pac, Dry Slurry

I heard Aaron Groseclose

Came up with heavy duty soil lifter and Haitian powder back in the day for chemspec.

But CTI stain magic, and red rescue.

I don't consider a wand as an invention, major improvements yes but same concept.

 

[TConway]

This is a really good thread and I have read every post. I would like to say something that is kinda bothering me and I don't want it to be taken like I'm being a jerk...BECAUSE I'M NOT...I am still a carpet cleaner I have several to clean tomorrow.
Here it is
What did we pay for gas 10 years ago?
What did you pay for a Truck Mount 10 years ago?
What did we pay for food 10 years ago?
What was the average home 10 years ago?
What was health care costs 10 years ago?
The reason I am bringing this up is IF YOU LIVED IN CHINA would your food be MORE EXPENSIVE today vs TEN YEARS AGO meaning are the people over there saying the same things we are here in the US.
The thing is yes a tool made HERE in the USA is going to be MORE than a tool from China because the labor is less over there vs American labor.
Now if you were living in China would it not be the same? You would be making China wages so Im pretty sure it would be very much the same.
I do understand and I am trying to do my best to try and make this wand more affordable...I also know for a fact Erik has also done the same because we are both cleaners and we look at things from both sides of the coin.
I just got back from a meeting with PMF...I'm not or will not hide the fact that PMF is going to be involved in helping us with this wand.

Today after thinking it over from the first meeting we had with PMF, Melissa and I both came to a decision. The decisision was Do we make a dumbed down version of our wand to meet the demands of cheaper customers, or do we do our best and keep the quality where it is and try and work the numbers a little with forking out a bigger chunk of money to get more produced.
We chose the later I am NOT going to sacrifice my quality for a guy that wants to clean for china prices, and I don't mean this harsh in any way so please don't take it that way.
If you look at any other industry nothing is really getting made for less today than it was 10 years ago.
The PC Ti has been @ 1200-1400 for years...AND they had every right to charge that for it. Our wand comes with everything that you need right out of the box, I am just getting started, no mass volume, no anything, I have a a qaulity standard, just like Erik has his standard. You know what,? everyone that has bought a Zipper has never complained about the quality!! He has built a awesome tool that will stand the test of time.
There are carpet cleaners that will NEVER pay for a Zipper because it is too much money the same with our wand, but the few that do buy a Zipper or our wand are getting our very best, we will stand by them we will take care of them.
I am fixing old Devpro wands that guys bought back when I was working with TD, I am still sending parts for Dev filters that are 7 years old if it can be fixed...am I making any money on this NO but that is not the point....the point is guys believed in us and I will ( as with Erik ) do my best to try and take care of them.
A lot of the problem being said here, I delt with it in Drywall, and I deal with it in carpet cleaning,... and that is the fact that there are guys that will work for nothing or want the cheapest price.... I went back when I lost a bid on a house of drywall to see how it turned out.....I would have been ashamed at the qaulity of work that was done....but the owner was happy as hell cause he saved a buck...but as a professional drywall contractor I could see where he got raped and he didn't even know it, or maybe he did but he saved a buck.
The same goes for carpet cleaners, how many times have you walked into a job and hell, it looks as though they just plowed everything into the baseboard crack, like how the heck did they get that crap to stay in there, how many times has the word HACK and CHEAP been used to talk about the cleaners in your town on this forum?....How many times do you have to explain WHY YOU COST MORE THAN THEM TO A CUSTOMER?

 

[TConway]

I would also like to say, that there is a lot of things that the average carpet cleaner will never understand when it comes to developing, producing, and bringing a tool to market, we leared a lot with the filter but we are still very wet behind the ears.
We just go and pick up something off the shelf and think nothing of it. There is so much stuff that goes on and we don't have that much to really deal with lol.
I would just like to say thanks to everyone, Mikey and Mikeys board
Goodnight and I hope you all have a killer awesome day tomorrow cleaning carpets!!! I'm not going to get rained or snowed on so it is gonna be a good day.

 

[BIG WOOD]

I would also like to say, that there is a lot of things that the average carpet cleaner will never understand when it comes to developing, producing, and bringing a tool to market, we leared a lot with the filter but we are still very wet behind the ears.
We just go and pick up something off the shelf and think nothing of it. There is so much stuff that goes on and we don't have that much to really deal with lol.
I would just like to say thanks to everyone, Mikey and Mikeys board
Goodnight and I hope you all have a killer awesome day tomorrow cleaning carpets!!! I'm not going to get rained or snowed on so it is gonna be a good day.

I love you bro. I love your wand, and I love your look in this business. There's just one thing that I've heard from others that can be very irritating, which is surprising because I've never come across this problem...

Answer Your Phone! That's the only thing that takes the value away from your products being worth 100% of what your'e asking.

Keep a little notepad in your pocket while you're pushing the wand to write down names and numbers while you're working. Don't depend on your smart phone to add in all your call info, because it can be drowned in all the other numbers. I know you're working hard on getting PMF into the game, and maybe they'll be handling all the orders then, I don't know. But not answering the phone is a bad practice in our business.

You've always answered the phone for me, and I always enjoyed conversing with you. I know you're busy so keep up the awesome work bro

 

[Mark Saiger]

We are still in love with Tom's wand....and many of the other products that manufactures have brought to the table....

I feel it is important for me as a cleaner to recognize and compliment all the innovators and innovation being worked on for all of us.

I understand just a small portion of this too....

I would like to also say thanks to Dennis Bruders and totally understand him not being able to comment or participate....there is only one month left to the year 2016 and I cannot imagine what amount of work and things are going on right now to start the year wrap up....and move into 2017

I want to say I have some great friends also that work at Sapphire (and many other places in the industry) and enjoy talking and networking with them everyday on social media and especially in person when I can....

Thank you to all the cleaning industry for making all of our jobs easier....

2017 will be my families 50th year in carpet cleaning...as many others, there has been a lot of great changes in our industry in many ways (and a few flops )

But it has been through experiment, innovation and taking chances that we are doing better I feel....

Now I am getting snowed on today...but hey....I am still alive and kicking and get to go clean carpets today!

Have an awesome day and great remaining 2016! (and go get it in 2017! )

 

[Jim Martin]

This is a really good thread and I have read every post. I would like to say something that is kinda bothering me and I don't want it to be taken like I'm being a jerk...BECAUSE I'M NOT...I am still a carpet cleaner I have several to clean tomorrow.
Here it is
What did we pay for gas 10 years ago?
What did you pay for a Truck Mount 10 years ago?
What did we pay for food 10 years ago?
What was the average home 10 years ago?
What was health care costs 10 years ago?
The reason I am bringing this up is IF YOU LIVED IN CHINA would your food be MORE EXPENSIVE today vs TEN YEARS AGO meaning are the people over there saying the same things we are here in the US.
The thing is yes a tool made HERE in the USA is going to be MORE than a tool from China because the labor is less over there vs American labor.
Now if you were living in China would it not be the same? You would be making China wages so Im pretty sure it would be very much the same.
I do understand and I am trying to do my best to try and make this wand more affordable...I also know for a fact Erik has also done the same because we are both cleaners and we look at things from both sides of the coin.
I just got back from a meeting with PMF...I'm not or will not hide the fact that PMF is going to be involved in helping us with this wand.

Today after thinking it over from the first meeting we had with PMF, Melissa and I both came to a decision. The decisision was Do we make a dumbed down version of our wand to meet the demands of cheaper customers, or do we do our best and keep the quality where it is and try and work the numbers a little with forking out a bigger chunk of money to get more produced.
We chose the later I am NOT going to sacrifice my quality for a guy that wants to clean for china prices, and I don't mean this harsh in any way so please don't take it that way.
If you look at any other industry nothing is really getting made for less today than it was 10 years ago.
The PC Ti has been @ 1200-1400 for years...AND they had every right to charge that for it. Our wand comes with everything that you need right out of the box, I am just getting started, no mass volume, no anything, I have a a qaulity standard, just like Erik has his standard. You know what,? everyone that has bought a Zipper has never complained about the quality!! He has built a awesome tool that will stand the test of time.
There are carpet cleaners that will NEVER pay for a Zipper because it is too much money the same with our wand, but the few that do buy a Zipper or our wand are getting our very best, we will stand by them we will take care of them.
I am fixing old Devpro wands that guys bought back when I was working with TD, I am still sending parts for Dev filters that are 7 years old if it can be fixed...am I making any money on this NO but that is not the point....the point is guys believed in us and I will ( as with Erik ) do my best to try and take care of them.
A lot of the problem being said here, I delt with it in Drywall, and I deal with it in carpet cleaning,... and that is the fact that there are guys that will work for nothing or want the cheapest price.... I went back when I lost a bid on a house of drywall to see how it turned out.....I would have been ashamed at the qaulity of work that was done....but the owner was happy as hell cause he saved a buck...but as a professional drywall contractor I could see where he got raped and he didn't even know it, or maybe he did but he saved a buck.
The same goes for carpet cleaners, how many times have you walked into a job and hell, it looks as though they just plowed everything into the baseboard crack, like how the heck did they get that crap to stay in there, how many times has the word HACK and CHEAP been used to talk about the cleaners in your town on this forum?....How many times do you have to explain WHY YOU COST MORE THAN THEM TO A CUSTOMER?

There is nothing wrong with the price of your wand....

I have worked around machinery..electrical...tools..my entire life..and you get to know the difference between whats good..what will just get by and work..and when something with good quality comes around..(and is it very rare anymore that quality even shows up anywhere)...I was talking to a good friend of mine on the phone last night and I was telling him that I was glad that I was able to get my wand directly from you...because if it came from any where else..the personal quality that is in my wand right now would not be there.... it would be just another wand...

I have been using your wand every single day since September..and it still amazes me what I see it do..its worth every penny and the best advice I could ever give..is dont change a thing...
Not everyone will be willing to pay for quality...
not everyone is going to see or understand the difference..
but for the ones who do...its a game changer...

I have been in this industry for 15 years..and IMO...in that time I have only seen 3 things come to the front of the line that stand out in quality..
Tom's wand...
Erik's Zipper...
and my 570..
( I could add my die hard thermalwave in there but they dont make it anymore )