Culling the herd

[hogjowl]

Sometimes you just have to make a decision to let a job go, other times you have to figure out how you’re going to do the job when your schedule is full. Personally, once a job is on my schedule, I won’t take it off or reschedule it unless someone is sick or the needed equipment is down. I won’t bump one customer because another is paying me more. However, there are a few things that occasionally happen that almost always make me turn a job down.
1) Same day callers. They’re almost always a pita.
2) Past customers I’ve red flagged.
3) Water Damage jobs. ( See #1)

I did have a water damage call yesterday that I couldn’t get rid of, and now I’m kicking myself for taking it.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Sometimes you just have to make a decision to let a job go, other times you have to figure out how you’re going to do the job when your schedule is full. Personally, once a job is on my schedule, I won’t take it off or reschedule it unless someone is sick or the needed equipment is down. I won’t bump one customer because another is paying me more. However, there are a few things that occasionally happen that almost always make me turn a job down.
1) Same day callers. They’re almost always a pita.
2) Past customers I’ve red flagged.
3) Water Damage jobs. ( See #1)

I did have a water damage call yesterday that I couldn’t get rid of, and now I’m kicking myself for taking it.

A cleaner I know has a pretty good routine for water calls from non customers:

"Who cleaned your carpet the last time?"

Whatever name they give, he says:

"Call them"

 

[hogjowl]

 

[Mikey P]

Sometimes you just have to make a decision to let a job go, other times you have to figure out how you’re going to do the job when your schedule is full. Personally, once a job is on my schedule, I won’t take it off or reschedule it unless someone is sick or the needed equipment is down. I won’t bump one customer because another is paying me more. However, there are a few things that occasionally happen that almost always make me turn a job down.
1) Same day callers. They’re almost always a pita.
2) Past customers I’ve red flagged.
3) Water Damage jobs. ( See #1)

I did have a water damage call yesterday that I couldn’t get rid of, and now I’m kicking myself for taking it.

Moniqua, is that you?

 

[Desk Jockey]

It was rarely a problem to bump or delay a cleaning job when we had an emergency pop up.

We explained there was an emergency fire/water and would offer them a 20% for the inconvenience of moving.

Those that couldn't (moving in or out) or didn't want to move, we gritted out teeth but accommodated them and cleaned it.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Sometimes you just have to make a decision to let a job go, other times you have to figure out how you’re going to do the job when your schedule is full. Personally, once a job is on my schedule, I won’t take it off or reschedule it unless someone is sick or the needed equipment is down. I won’t bump one customer because another is paying me more. However, there are a few things that occasionally happen that almost always make me turn a job down.
1) Same day callers. They’re almost always a pita.
2) Past customers I’ve red flagged.
3) Water Damage jobs. ( See #1)

I did have a water damage call yesterday that I couldn’t get rid of, and now I’m kicking myself for taking it.

What's wrong with your water job?

 

[hogjowl]

It has water in it

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Lazy cleaner!

 

[PKMC]

1) Same day callers. They’re almost always a pita.

+1

 

[Cleanworks]

It was rarely a problem to bump or delay a cleaning job when we had an emergency pop up.

We explained there was an emergency fire/water and would offer them a 20% for the inconvenience of moving.

Those that couldn't (moving in or out) or didn't want to move, we gritted out teeth but accommodated them and cleaned it.

That's the tough part about emergency work. You really need to separate it from regular cleaning.

 

[Desk Jockey]

We had tech's working on rugs & upholstery or cleaning fire damage contents that responded to the majority of the calls.

When we had to shift the schedule was when more than 3-calls would come in at a time.

When we would have area wide flooding or frozen pipes we would get 80-100 calls in a few days and keep the crews running for a week or two.

5-6 crews out extracting 3-crews running equipment, monitoring jobs, shifting equipment.

That kind of effort meant moving those that would allow us. Those that didn't we cleaned and then went back to wdr work.

Runs like that would be between $100,000-$250,000k.

 

[sassyotto]

sometimes you gotta trust your gut

sometimes you gotta make rules and stick to them

no matter how long you have been doing this, sometimes you have to have a reminder of the above

 

[Hack Attack]

my little run of WDR couple weeks back grossed me almost 15k, alright for owner op who isn't a preferred service provider for insurance work

admittedly I would of passed on a few of those if not my quiet season

 

[BIG WOOD]

my little run of WDR couple weeks back grossed me almost 15k, alright for owner op who isn't a preferred service provider for insurance work

admittedly I would of passed on a few of those if not my quiet season

That’s what my goal is. To hit one of those once a month or two. My only hurdle was to get access to a knowledgeable staff to handle filling out xactimate invoices to communicate with the adjusters. I finally found my source that charges per job, (very affordable and up to date on pricing), and I also have access to good sub work for demolishing after water extraction to help save time

I’m ready to finally grow in that field

 

[darcie smith]

I almost never accept same day. It’s like people think we’re sitting around with nothing to do. For the next couple weeks with three trucks out I have a few holes where I can work someone in but the soonest is Thursday next week. For water damage, Scott goes when he finishes what he’s working on if there’s enough time in the day. We aren’t a restoration company but we can do small things and if we’re too booked or the job is too big, we refer a local restoration company. We only had to move someone once for a flood call and it was a commercial restaurant that we just did the next night instead.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

When the "emergency" actually happened Thursday and they're calling Saturday morning.

 

[darcie smith]

When the "emergency" actually happened Thursday and they're calling Saturday morning.

Exactly. I think we had three calls this week about water that came in from a hard rain we had three weeks ago. Lady one: “I just can’t stand the smell anymore.” Dude two: “We were cleaning it up and drying it ourselves but we’re just burnt out now and want you to finish it.” Lady three: “Can I lie and say it happened yesterday?”

48 hours, people, that’s all you have, or we’re referring you to the mold guy.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

That’s what my goal is. To hit one of those once a month or two. My only hurdle was to get access to a knowledgeable staff to handle filling out xactimate invoices to communicate with the adjusters. I finally found my source that charges per job, (very affordable and up to date on pricing), and I also have access to good sub work for demolishing after water extraction to help save time

I’m ready to finally grow in that field

Oh God! I can’t believe you pine for that. I think you have to be like Richard said or do one every great once in awhile, as an accommodation. But, you have put some thought into it for that occasion. Kudos

 

[BIG WOOD]

Oh God! I can’t believe you pine for that. I think you have to be like Richard said or do one every great once in awhile, as an accommodation. But, you have put some thought into it for that occasion. Kudos

Since I'm an owner/op with no employees, it's much better to sub out parts of the job that make it overwhelming so I can focus on what I'm good at. With Water mitigation, it's extracting the water, setting up and maintaining drying equipment, and recording moisture readings.

If I can hire out the xactimate and avoid paying the $300-500/month cost, xactimate classes, etc. and sub out a self employed carpenter to do demolishing on the material that needs disposed, I'll be able to dry out that facility and collect the profit part of the job with less work

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I don’t disagree. That business brings out the lazy cleaner in me. But I’m 70. I worked two floods last month, got paid and didn’t Even deal with the carrier. I still hope that’s my last!

 

[BIG WOOD]

I don’t disagree. That business brings out the lazy cleaner in me. But I’m 70. I worked two floods last month, got paid and didn’t Even deal with the carrier. I still hope that’s my last!

You've put your time in. It's time for you to find a young idiot like me to take over your flood jobs and pay you a referral

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I know. Of course it’s always an emergency which means you’re short on means Your plan sounds solid. You can’t do it all unless you go big and have the headache.

 

[Desk Jockey]

It's very physical work. Just loading equipment in and out of the affected area is hard work.

 

[Cleanworks]

Good to partner up with another local.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Good to partner up with another local.

Pooling resources for large jobs would be beneficial to both parties.

 

[hogjowl]

No it wouldn’t
It would just create another Mikey syndrome occurrence

 

[Desk Jockey]

As long as they help then to can give them tires. It's a currency to Mike, much like bitcoin.

 

[Trip Moses]

I’m ready to pay someone to answer my phone.

 

[hogjowl]

I don’t want another mouth to feed

 

[Nomad74]

I don’t want another mouth to feed

I’m surprised Jim Pemberton answered you after you’ve been so mean to him lately.