They were down to 4 and a ductmobile, but they went bust.....( lowball scumsuckers). Gonna have a visit at this one
http://www.marvelauctions.ca/auction_details.php?id=00216
http://www.marvelauctions.ca/auction_details.php?id=00216
20 plus trucks to bankruptcy
- Thread starter Willy P
- Start date
Desk Jockey
Member
Buy me that duct truck Willy. I'll pay you back...........eventually! 
Those are some nice looking trucks, like the Cleano unit too.
What happened to them Willy?
Those are some nice looking trucks, like the Cleano unit too.
What happened to them Willy?
Mikey P
Administrator
So what Guru's advice drove them over the cliff?
is that a *** decal I see on that rear bumper?
is that a *** decal I see on that rear bumper?
This should drive Ken up the wall -grossly underpriced, piss poor work, high pressure sales, no training for techs. Look at the coupons.... I couldn't make money at those prices and I don't burn 15 bucks an hour in gas or have the maintenance costs associated with the machinery.
http://www.nationwidecarpetcleaningvancouver.ca/a/j/websaver-coupons
http://www.nationwidecarpetcleaningvancouver.ca/a/j/websaver-coupons
Ken Snow
RIP
Not sure why it would bother me more than anyone else Willy, nor do I or anyone know any details of what drove them under. No effect on me whatsoever.
Mikey P
Administrator
Ken
When you get a new customer are they typically bailing ship on an owner operator or a multi truck company like yourself?
and could you say what the top three reasons they stop using either type biz model is?
When you get a new customer are they typically bailing ship on an owner operator or a multi truck company like yourself?
and could you say what the top three reasons they stop using either type biz model is?
Ken Snow
RIP
Making an educated guess Mike- #1 certainly referral from a friend or co-worker that used us. Whether they were unhappy with another company or not I don't know and we would never ask. #2 someone who has the need and has no particular loyalty and hears/sees one of our ads.
I know didn't answer the exact question you asked, but for us it isn't relative and I don't see anything positive from asking.
I know didn't answer the exact question you asked, but for us it isn't relative and I don't see anything positive from asking.
Mikey P
Administrator
maybe cause you don't want to hear that Modernistic sent out a goof one too many times and you fear what her goof limit will be with your guys..
if you have 40 crews running they can't all be Cracker Jacks.
if you have 40 crews running they can't all be Cracker Jacks.
Desk Jockey
Member
They could with a population pool they have to chose from.
But you're right any tech can have a bad day and you're only as good as the work you perform that day.
That's the message we constantly pound into our tech's and even as good as our people are, we still get the occassional reservice. I think we bring it on ourselfs by telling them to call us if it doen't look just right. Some would call back anyway but some call back just because "the nice technican told them to." LOL
Willy they looked like they had nice equipment & trucks, they either had deep pockets or were doing something right for a while.
But you're right any tech can have a bad day and you're only as good as the work you perform that day.
That's the message we constantly pound into our tech's and even as good as our people are, we still get the occassional reservice. I think we bring it on ourselfs by telling them to call us if it doen't look just right. Some would call back anyway but some call back just because "the nice technican told them to." LOL
Willy they looked like they had nice equipment & trucks, they either had deep pockets or were doing something right for a while.
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Ken Snow
RIP
You got it Richard- definitely only as good as the last job we do for someone.
Mike, we do not have anywhere near 40 crews, but if we did they would all be top notch as our 20 something are today. They don't get the promotion to run a crew unless they have proven themselves over a few years and many thousands of jobs.
Ken
Ps. Modernistic is a fine competitor and I consider Bob McDonald a business friend. I have never said anything negative about him or his company nor have I ever heard of him or his employees saying negative things about us. Neither of us does business that way.
Mike, we do not have anywhere near 40 crews, but if we did they would all be top notch as our 20 something are today. They don't get the promotion to run a crew unless they have proven themselves over a few years and many thousands of jobs.
Ken
Ps. Modernistic is a fine competitor and I consider Bob McDonald a business friend. I have never said anything negative about him or his company nor have I ever heard of him or his employees saying negative things about us. Neither of us does business that way.
bob vawter
Grassy Knoller
For every "big " outfit like this that hits the skids and slides into bankruptcy there are probably 50-75 owner/operators that arrive at the same place just without being noticed. The average carpet cleaning operation (statisically speaking) is a couple of guys and two trucks. They just assimilate into the 25% annual turn over of carpet cleaning companies. Every year for like forever that has been the average, 25% are newbies and 25% just went out of business in one form or other. This business must have been down & out enough for it to just be an asset liquidation. Sad, mismanagment and a lousy business model are extradenarily expensive.
You wonder how long they existed operating off cash flow, equipment leases and lines of credit without ever really making a profit. Recently we bought out a small operation (nail & hair salon) that had 34 full time employees and was in operation 8 years. Here is the shocker: $256,000 in cumulated tax losses. We can write that off over as long as 20 years against income from other enterprises. Even with the owners skimming (I'm guessing she was hauling between $40,0000 to $80,000 in cash out the back door from what I can see thus far) I'm left wondering how and why this operation stayed afloat as long as it did.
Carpet cleaning stats based on research from Craig Jasper's research as presented in his seminar training.
You wonder how long they existed operating off cash flow, equipment leases and lines of credit without ever really making a profit. Recently we bought out a small operation (nail & hair salon) that had 34 full time employees and was in operation 8 years. Here is the shocker: $256,000 in cumulated tax losses. We can write that off over as long as 20 years against income from other enterprises. Even with the owners skimming (I'm guessing she was hauling between $40,0000 to $80,000 in cash out the back door from what I can see thus far) I'm left wondering how and why this operation stayed afloat as long as it did.
Carpet cleaning stats based on research from Craig Jasper's research as presented in his seminar training.
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Willy they looked like they had nice equipment & trucks, they either had deep pockets or were doing something right for a while.
For years it was $89 for 5 rooms, stairs and a "free" armchair. They had "waste handling fees, fuel surcharges" and some other ridiculous fee that I can't remember. It was a shitty job with little interest from the management if the customer didn't buy "Aquaguard" and/or deodorizer. The quality was pathetic. Seems like a goos course if you want to hit the rocks, even with a couple million population to draw from. They were a part of http://www.albertacarpetcleaning.ca/, (see the website template) they even tried to set up in Tjereland, but they got tossed in the bucket for shitty practices. Asscoles. ( I just invented a new word
)
Desk Jockey
Member
For hacks they sure bought nice stuff. 
Randy I had no idea failure was so high in our industry. Pretty sad!
Randy I had no idea failure was so high in our industry. Pretty sad!
hogjowl
Idiot™
Randy created a new word too.
Yep, it sounds horrible but you know it's pretty consistent across the board for low capital requirement start ups. Many of these operations consist of a couple of portables and a van so it's kind of understandable. Recently I had dinner with a guy that runs four trucks in a junk hauling business. He knows what he took in today, spent today for gas but that's about it. Can't tell you what his receivables are, just that the invoices are in a folder in the closet. Doesn't know what he grossed last month or even last week. I have a feeling that is more common than we would ever guess.
New iPad user so my fat fingers need to go on a diet or something.
Desk Jockey
Member
Randy you have to ignore the Pig, he's just a mean fooker! 
Desk Jockey
Member
that was Robinson!
But hey I hear he is pretty good at it!
But hey I hear he is pretty good at it!
Ken Snow
RIP
Hey now Willy, I have the reg trademark on Swishy.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
I've seen a lot of companies come and go. I worked for a company that was the highest priced cleaners in the city in 80 to 83 era - 35 a square, 50 with protector which was a given on every job. 4 truckmounts, rug plant , furniture shop, flood gear and a minimum 2 week out period, year round. The money was fabulous for the techs at 20% and the owner was doing really well, nice home and family. The owner decided to "invest" in a low cost operation and instead cut his own throat. He bought 10 rug bugs, the first high pressure portables available here at 6 g's each, rented office space and set up and staffed a phone room. He not only lost the machines he'd bought , he ended up walking away from the successful business with a few grand and that was it. They come, they go. I've been on my own with only one resurrection for 30 years or so.
trojancarpetcare
Member
they must have been doing the right thing to get 20 trucks then reality hit them when they thought it was easy street for them for now on
hogjowl
Idiot™
Only in California can you get away with naming your business after a condom.
Desk Jockey
Member
Pull your hed outa da prophylactic, it's the USC Trojan's! Doomasss!
