Some days lol. No slow moving, mostly just upholstery and Tile he's gotten much better at carpet
Notice It's been a while.....
- Thread starter PrimaDonna
- Start date
Some days lol. No slow moving, mostly just upholstery and Tile he's gotten much better at carpet
PrimaDonna
Megatron
You're right, Mike. This was not my intention. I had no way of knowing where this thread would lead. I certainly didn't have any inclination it would turn in to a pre-vac debate.
Since I had no idea what the comments were going to be, there was no intent along these lines. I have found when I've posted this type of scenario in the past it has lead to great conversation and insight. This thread is proving just that. It' up to 8 pages.
The original post had nothing to do with John or that he did anything wrong in the field that would have caused this. I was not looking for anyone to take sides or trying to prove anyone, especially John, wrong. If anything, it's my responsibility since I'm the one that booked the appointment knowing the client wasn't going to be there for John to do his detailed walk through and have the client sign off on it. And my responsibility for telling him he could mail us a check instead of insisting on payment in full. This experience has helped us tweak our procedures and taught us a valuable lesson. We also understand there will be times when a homeowner can't be there. So no we get to plan for how to deal with that to minimize these types of things. We can either pass on the job, extend our hours to be there in evenings or weekends, or have a new procedure in place for confirmation so the client responds in writing and it's not a verbal authorization. We talked about it and said in this instance we will now require the tech to send a text to the client with the total and any pertinent information and we don't start the work until we receive a text back with the go ahead. This way we avoid, the "he did tell me, but I was busy or not feeling well and it just didn't register so I said yes but I shouldn't have".
As I titled the post...."It's been a while"...., so no, I don't hear quite frequently how fast the crews are and I'm wanting or needing John to slow down. If we heard this once a week, then absolutely. And I know John would take that into consideration and make changes. I don't need other people to get leverage for him to make changes if that is the kind of feedback we are getting from clients more than once or twice a year.
I'm not embarrassed to admit this. I have admitted it multiple times here and in classes. I will tell anyone. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. I think it should be part of our process, but I'm not the one on the truck living it each day. John has his reasons for not pre-vacing. While we don't do this, there are still so many other things that we DO do that create positive moments of truth for our customers. We do exceed their expectations. We do a lot of other extras that "the other guy never did". So we have repeat and referral customers that are willing to pay our prices and feel they are getting a great value. They don't know what they don't know. And what we do give them, even if it doesn't include vac does set us apart from others and creates the feeling of us being 'premium'. And that is a subjective interpretation. You're idea of premium and mine could be very different.
I had a friend that I took on a GNO and we stayed in a hotel in the city. It was an Embassy Suites or Double Tree. Not a fancy or what I consider a premium hotel by any means. She could not stop talking about the hotel and how nice it was. But, this is a person that typically stays in a Motel 8 or Red Roof Inn. To her, it was a premium hotel. I can only imagine what she would her reaction would be if she ended up in a hotel like the Waldorf Astoria or the Ritz-Carlton.
The point is, while we may not do all the "premium" things others would, it is our reputation and that is how we are viewed in our community. And I'm not embarrassed about that in any way.
See my response above, Zee. Not at all why I initiated this post.
Mike is right. I do have a plan on how to handle this situation and I did have intent when I posted, just not the intent Mike thinks. I find value in sharing these things with others, starting conversations, seeing differing viewpoints. If it can prevent someone else from having this experience because they put a system in place to eliminate it before it happens because of my post, then I'm thrilled. It's invigorating to have a thread that so many people chime in on....especially ones that don't normally post. It think it's a great thing for the board. I hope Mike and others appreciate it and what it brings to this community. So, yes there are some motives behind my post. But not to get John's attention, bring embarrassment to him or us or leverage him in to doing things they way I think they should be done.
Maybe he will take Mike's advice and try the pre-vac. I'd be thrilled if he did. What a great, unintentional/unforeseen benefit from this thread. Maybe he'll keep on doing it the way he'd doing it. So be it if that's the case.
hogjowl
Idiot™
That was possibly the longest effort to explain away being a hack that I've ever skipped over.
Mikey P
Administrator
We have LOTS of customers and situations were we are left to enter the homes unattended, do the work and leave an invoice. While it drives my daughter nuts, he we had to wait for a confirmation, the job would never get done.
A hand full a year need tracking down and I can think of only one, a Hard Wood, Dirt Dragon job that felt we were ripping them off, but he was a stoned out dufus who was virtually camping in this home who I should have known better on. We got half payment, threats of leans and court did nada.
As for pre vacuuming, I and anyone else who know's the emotional and physical benefit of using this part of the cleaning pie, would rather skip out on tarps, corner guards and other acts of premiumship because in the end it leaves the carpet cleaner. The customer will live with this long after the wow of booties and free spotters are gone..
A hand full a year need tracking down and I can think of only one, a Hard Wood, Dirt Dragon job that felt we were ripping them off, but he was a stoned out dufus who was virtually camping in this home who I should have known better on. We got half payment, threats of leans and court did nada.
As for pre vacuuming, I and anyone else who know's the emotional and physical benefit of using this part of the cleaning pie, would rather skip out on tarps, corner guards and other acts of premiumship because in the end it leaves the carpet cleaner. The customer will live with this long after the wow of booties and free spotters are gone..
Mikey P
Administrator
hogjowl
Idiot™
No! Get one that only speaks Mexikun or he'll be as annoying as Chavez.
Mikey P
Administrator
I love Mexican
Mikey P
Administrator
no cheese on these...
Eggs is the yellow stuff
Eggs is the yellow stuff
Mikey P
Administrator
Over the years I've witnessed many a cleaner NOT performing dry strokes.
Many.
Which is worse?
Not pre vacuuming or not dry stroking?
Many.
Which is worse?
Not pre vacuuming or not dry stroking?
Not dry stroking for sure. Vacuumable soils are still vacuumable after we leave. You're leaving a lot of the specific soils they are paying use to remove by not dry stroking. Less so with an optimal set-up like Tom's wand, but still some. IMO.
PrimaDonna
Megatron
Mikey P
Administrator
Why, he doesnt dry stroke either?
Nate The Great
Member
Vacuuming and dry stroking is for suckas...... Pray and spray..... 
I'll be honest that some jobs if I see the vacuum lines in the carpet and she's an elderly lady, I won't re-vacuum it.... It's not about being lazy, it's about not slapping the customer in the face with the way they vacuum.... When you have had some elderly ladies get pissed off for re-doing something they just spend time doing, you'll understand my point on why I don't re-vacuum it...
Dry strokes is like wiping your butt after making mud........You can't skip that step..........
I'll be honest that some jobs if I see the vacuum lines in the carpet and she's an elderly lady, I won't re-vacuum it.... It's not about being lazy, it's about not slapping the customer in the face with the way they vacuum.... When you have had some elderly ladies get pissed off for re-doing something they just spend time doing, you'll understand my point on why I don't re-vacuum it...
Dry strokes is like wiping your butt after making mud........You can't skip that step..........
Bob Pruitt
Member
If John is making 12 hundred dollars an hour there is no WAY he's dry stroking!!! Is he even using water?
PrimaDonna
Megatron
If John is making 12 hundred dollars an hour there is no WAY he's dry stroking!!! Is he even using water?
Wow...these prices are getting inflated quickly. Now its $1200 an hour??? He must be doing something I don't know about if he's making that much an hour.
hogjowl
Idiot™
Vacuuming
I can afford Devistator wand!
I can afford Devistator wand!
Nate The Great
Member
If John is making 12 hundred dollars an hour there is no WAY he's dry stroking!!! Is he even using water?
I know a few ladies who make that kind of $$ but it's frowned upon....
Mark Saiger
Mr Happy!
Both.....
steve_64
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2012
- Messages
- 13,371
N
Not by the John ummm I mean customer.I know a few ladies who make that kind of $$ but it's frowned upon....
Desk Jockey
Member
where is the single digit icon? 
Cleanworks
Moderator
Your customers are revolting anyway.
hogjowl
Idiot™
My customers are outstanding people.
Cleanworks
Moderator
Farmers too, out, standing in their field
hogjowl
Idiot™
Shaddup
Cleanworks
Moderator
If you don't prevac and you don't dry stroke either, that's how the wicking happens
