STANLEY STEEMER.........Your FIRED

[B Reid]

Was having a conversation with the clerk about the carpet at this particular store.

In the mix of the conversation the clerk said my boss just fired STANLEY STEEMER.

Quote:The SS Techs don't do a good job and one arrived at the job drunk.

My question is: What is the best way to approach the decision maker about doing a demo and submitting a bid to clean the carpet. Is there a special way to handle this because i'm competing against a national franchise.

Is it even possible for a small guy like me to run SS out of town...LOL

 

[hogjowl]

I dunno, but I'd probably do something intelligent like asking who decides when the carpet is cleaned around here?

And, another thing ... if they've already fired SS, then you're not competing with them.

Relax though, you're gonna make a freak-in great carpet cleaner, cuz you already know how to make the simple things complicated.

 

[JohnnyV]

I personally love Stanley Reemer. They get me more high paying jobs. I can say I don't know of anyone who has used them more than once. Usually when they run their commercials here, I get more calls because they make people think about getting it done. The only thing you might have to compete with them on would be if a national franchise has hired them like an MMM because they were cutting them a volume deal.

Like Marty says you need to find out who decides. Chances are its not someone at that location.
You're not going to run them out of town nor do you want to. Competition or the appearance of competition is a good thing.

I would suggest asking if you could do a demo.
The store manager could possibly make a recommendation.

Just my 4 cents worth

JohnnyV

 

[Jim Williams]

Most retailers prefer an owner operator like yourself. Go talk to the one in charge of decision making and offer a demo. If you have some literature about your company or anything you can show them,,references or whatever. Offer to clean the managers home to show them what you can do.

Retailers are a great source of referrals. I like them ALOT better than realtors. My lips got too chapped trying to get realtors,, and they always call Friday afternoon saying they have an open house tommorow, could you come today?

 

[Guest]

Sell yourself.. be confident..

First of all.. how good are you? Are you better than SS'er..
I'm asking.

If you are good.. sell your services. Be confident.. approach them.. and take care of biz.

The one thing we dont see on here.. are results.. and what a person looks like or most importantly.. their people skills and/or personality.

you can be a great cleaner.. have no personality.. and youre OUT. Sorry.. hit the road jack .

You can be great looking.. have a good personality.. and suck at cleaning.. and you'll get the job.. but you're expendable.

You either have a high mark in all categories.. or you don't.

As I say.. take it up with GOD.

So.. take all the advice on this forum like a grain of salt in a wound.
it ouches.. because we never know the truth.. just how good you are.. (we all think we're the best).

We don't know your thirst for quality.

Do you worry about numbers or quality.. everyone leand to one or the other.

are you friendly. presentable. is your equipment clean.. efficient.
do you know how to clean. Really know clean.

I could go on and on.

Go get some shaving cream.. put it on your face... start shaving.. look in the mirror.. and evaluate yourself. Every day is a day for improvement.

then.. approach that job.. or the possibility of approaching that job opportunity.

Be honest with yourself.. as I am on here each and every day.

its called being real.. and not licking. kissing or blowing smoke up anyones ass.

Ss'er beats most everyone on this board in their sleep.

I said it.. I mean it. I ain't here to be friends.. i'm here to be real.

Respectfully. If Stanley ever tried.. they'd wipe this forum clean.

 

[Jimmy L]

Dobs do you always write a book so you can come back and read it again?

 

[FB7777]

Respectfully. If Stanley ever tried.. they'd wipe this forum clean


What does that even mean? They'd put us all out of business or they're better cleaners?


I thought Dobs was the self proclaimed expert at putting anyone out of business if he came to their town.


Dobs, you are always speaking from the owner operator perspective. Whats with the 'tough love' rants of yours.

There is more than one way to run a carpet cleaning operation.

Being the 'complete package' that you constantly describe will guarantee that you'll always have another carpet cleaning job to run to everyday.

Nothing wrong with that, but if that's your specialty then change huge money for that specialty.

But then you insist that we all make too much money for what we do.

So what I'm hearing is be the best you can at your self inflicted job, but don't charge too much cause you ain't worth it.

You sound like a really good cleaning technician, let me ask you, if SS is beating most everyone on this boards are you being beaten by them?

How are they beating everyone?

 

[Guest]

I didnt say they are beating everybody..

au contraire..

My point is that they shoot themselves in the foot at the very opportunity to beat most. They'll never get to me.. because I'm not for sale.. and dont do this for the money. That will always categorize me in a whole new category.

They're a household name.. with an opportunity to pounce on most of us..
and they don't take advantage of it.

I'd love to seem them 'reinvent' themselves.. re do their thinking and esp their methodology.. and see what would happen.

Thats all. No worries. Carry on!

I just love to take the quiet ones side.. hush naysayers.. and then not rub it in.. rather dust em off.. shake their hand,, smile with a bit of class.. and move on.

So,, I took Stanleys side.. on a hypothetical.

and I type so fast that I forget how long my thread may be. The US Govt made damn sure I could type fast.. .. nobody has a shotgun to anyones head.. scroll by when you see myname.. that goes to anyone. .
I read about 5 peoples threads.. and scroll by all others.
so we all have that option.

 

[harryhides]

Dobs, have you EVER run a multi truck operation ??

If you haven't then all that you are postulating about above is just a lot of smoke. In any case it simply doesn't make any sense that SS could wipe us all out - if that were so then why on earth don't they?

Only thing that you said that has the faintest amount of truth to it is "take the advice on the boards with a grain of salt" - should we add, especially advice from Dobs on how SS should run their operation.

 

[Guest]

Point taken Mr. Harry.

whats up my Cannuck Friend.?

Nothing silly about what I posted.

I would really love to see Steemer reinvent themselves.. and see just how big of a powerhouse they could be if they would only worry about quality and methodology.

Its nothing to do with one truck.. or 1 zillion trucks.

People who study numbers.. are missing the boat.. I say that respectfully. .

Fu.k numbers.. quality wins at the end of the day. Money follows quality..and numbers will Always' fall in line where they will.



I think too many worry about biz end of things and hide behind the excuse that 'as long as the customer is happy' then we have done our job.

Bullshit.
Customers are stupid.. its our job to live up to our standards, which we set.. which we expect to raise the customers expectations.. so they in return know what to expect .. for every future cleaner.. us or somebody else.

And in this industry..
99% our standards are one dry pass above the customers 'ignorance'.

Thats what bothers me.

get the check and run.
Thats what pisses me off.. and drives my big mouth. to hear somebody say' "" well, my customer was happy'..

Somebody has to take a stand.. and question all of these stupid bullshit theories that newbs engrain in them.. let alone long lost cleaners.
I'll do it.

Everybody learn to hate me.. that might be mynew mission.
I'm a free man now.. and i'm going to let me free thinking flow... with all respect.

I'll question the industry... but I wont single anyone out.. or disrespect anyone.
I'm allowed to question the industry... as i'm a member.. a passionate member.

I think thats fair.

And a bit THANKS to MIkey.. for providing a forum.. where we can talk using everyday language..

And it that offends.. tuffen up.. or sink.

 

[FB7777]

"Ss'er beats most everyone on this board in their sleep."

Those are your words Dobs and then you deny saying it.


I could be like you and just read 5 people (probably people that think like you) and narrow my scope of learning however, I believe everyone here has something to offer.


Off the top of my head, I could list at least 30 people worthy of reading here.

I'd be curious to hear your stunted list.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Dobs;

As a vendor to several of the franchisees, I have seen quite a few of their operations.

Some of them are run very well and some are average.

One problem I do see with some of the larger operations is the fact that they do not change course very easily. They are slow to change with advances in the industry. This does limit their potential.

Even with some of these drawbacks, as a group they are very profitable, even with the % paid to the franchiser.

Larry Cobb
Mikey Board Supporting Member

 

[The Preacher]

who here would put their P&L against an even # of truck operation of their local SS???

HArold, you speak down to people when you type, why must you be such a DICK???

 

[harryhides]

First off Danny, calling someone a dick is not very 'christian' secondly to accuse me of talking down to people and to then call me a dick in the same sentence is pretty hypocritical don't you think.

When a guy talks like Dobs does about Stanley Steemer which is not exactly known for their high quality service saying that they could "wipe out everyone on this board" except presumably his high and mighty self - THAT is talking down, don't you think?
IMO contesting the Dobs claim that we are all trailer trash cleaners is hardly talking down but rather defending the operations of my many friends here whose operations I have seen in person.

ps, Dobs this statement makes no sense.

"I would really love to see Steemer reinvent themselves.. and see just how big of a powerhouse they could be if they would only worry about quality and methodology."

They are already a "powerhouse" and they did it despite your contention that "high quality" is the only way to success. Just look at Walmart and HD. Not everyone wants to pay $100 for dinner and in fact the majority will go for the $3 hamburger/fries.

 

[hogjowl]

While danny certainly didn't invent hypocrisy, he certainly has been consistently demonstrating it on the boards.

 

[The Preacher]

being called hypocritical by HArold doesn't bother me in the least. he's just a thin skinned wuss who's a pseudo know-it-all!!!

 

[harryhides]

Danny, unlike some (Dobs for example) I've never claimed to be superior or to knowitall - there isn't a regular poster that I haven't learned from and from some a whole lot.
Know it all's can't learn simply cus they think they think there's nothing more that they don't know.

I wonder if your wife or pastor would be proud of your posting habits.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Dobs, are you related to DARLENE????

Back to the subject.

"What is the best way to approach the decision maker about doing a demo"

Walk in and ask.
I generally start with,
"are you happy with your current carpet cleaner?
We'd like to show you what we can do for you."

"Is there a special way to handle this because i'm competing against a national franchise."

Nope, no different than the hundred other cleaners in your town.


"Is it even possible for a small guy like me to run SS out of town...LOL"

I'm glad you added "LOL" to that question


..L.T.A.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Was having a conversation with the clerk about the carpet at this particular store.

In the mix of the conversation the clerk said my boss just fired STANLEY STEEMER.

Quote:The SS Techs don't do a good job and one arrived at the job drunk.

My question is: What is the best way to approach the decision maker about doing a demo and submitting a bid to clean the carpet. Is there a special way to handle this because i'm competing against a national franchise.

Is it even possible for a small guy like me to run SS out of town...LOL

Did you ever Run Stanly out of town?

 

[Mikey P]

Man, that was a flashback...

 

[hogjowl]

So long ago that I was posting under an assumed name.

 

[BIG WOOD]

I'm glad I could bring up the past.

Don't ever forget....I AM THE FUTURE!!!!!

 

[BIG WOOD]

Sorry, that was a loser comment.

 

[BIG WOOD]

LAME!

 

[dgardner]

Don't ever forget....I AM THE FUTURE!!!!!

Ladwig on Matts computer?

 

[Mikey P]

Dudes like you are the future of MB..

 

[ProSteamCarpetCare]

I read every post in this thread....made for some good laughs with my Fireball and coke

 

[Mikey P]

Cinnamon and coke?


Blechh

 

[ProSteamCarpetCare]

Cinnamon and coke?


Blechh

Well Ive got some top shelf rum too.....but thats for Thursday with coke.....the fireball is actually pretty good in Apple Cider too....had some this afternoon.

 

[A.J.]

I personally love Stanley Reemer. They get me more high paying jobs. I can say I don't know of anyone who has used them more than once. Usually when they run their commercials here, I get more calls because they make people think about getting it done. The only thing you might have to compete with them on would be if a national franchise has hired them like an MMM because they were cutting them a volume deal.

Like Marty says you need to find out who decides. Chances are its not someone at that location.
You're not going to run them out of town nor do you want to. Competition or the appearance of competition is a good thing.

I would suggest asking if you could do a demo.
The store manager could possibly make a recommendation.

Just my 4 cents worth

JohnnyV

Agree completely. My local one sucks, They come in once and rape the customer then I look fantastic coming in and doing a better job for slightly less.

Gotta admit i've shown up boozed out too. On a flood call on a friday night. Lucky for me the maintenance men were far drunker and catching all the attention lol