Are all carpet cleaners dumb?

[joeynbgky]

I have been working at a property, where we are doing the cleaning... Another carpet cleaner got the carpet contract.... He is a nice guy but..........

He runs two trucks full time........... I was looking at his carpet cleaning job, and let me tell you.......... I could do better with a rug doctor!

All of the property managers love him and his work............ I am guessing it is because, they have never seen my work or any body elses......

I did get into an argument with him about wicking.......... He says all spots will come back within months. I said not true... He is having PM replace carpets to much..........

He is running two TCS units.. with 2 inch hose and a 1.5 inch whip hose......... LOL I about died when I saw his wand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

It is either a 10 inch or 12 inch SINGLE JET wand!!! a single jet really no glide......... I said you should get a glide he said........ I don't think so I am not lazy I can push the wand.......... I'm thinking yeah I could too with a ten inch wand......... I Just found that after 25 years in business this guy doesn't have a clue.. Who know what kind of chemicals he uses! He has streak marks all over the place.... He really thinks he does a good job!

My question is................... How many nice dumb guys are there like this out there? I started to explain things to him, but eventually people will see how bad some are........ A one jet wand though? LOL I am affrais to ask what he presprays with or rinses with, I am affraid I know that answer!

 

[Lee Stockwell]

You copied his machine Joey!!

lol

Seriously you described much of the industry.

 

[Ryan]

Where would we be without the internet......

 

[Cameron1]

Now you know why its not hard to excel in this business.

 

[bob vawter]

i can remember back 40 years ago...................................














sometimes!

 

[bob vawter]

WOW...WTF moved this thread.......cuz it SHOULD BE post of the month!

 

[floorguy]

Where would we be without the internet......

a freaking men to that


I have learned tons....some i use other i dont


non the less its been of great help....



also i have had a few customers that are like "who knew it would look like that"

 

[bob vawter]

you shoulda SEEN the lobby at Nashville.......it looked lik the homeless shelter bus made a stopover......people was sneakin' booze down there so's they wouldn't have ta pay bar prices..the help was all rollin' their eyes.....
OH YES we are a sorry lot alright!
One gentleman had a case of PBR...under his chair
but i never saw one!

 

[joeynbgky]

It's funny cause everytime we clean a new customers house they will say............ Now I just had it cleaned by a few other companies over the years, but its never looked that good... They say............ I wish I would have found you sooner. Always!

 

[Royal Man]

If it was commercial property.

The quaility can became secondary to the price.

Often the bean counter picking the service provider will never see the job or care.

They are thinking about saving X dollars on every job will save the manangement company thousands.

Too bad they don't factor in carpet replacement cuz the lesser cleaner can make the carpet serviceable.

 

[rhyde]

clean and making people happy with your service are often unrelated


truth is you can be successful doing a marginal job if you look good and package it well isn't that sad

 

[Doug Cox]

I've always used a 12" single jet Hydra Hoe and I've never had a problem making carpet clean.

 

[Brian R]

It's all about the relationship...cleaning is secondary.


I keep telling you guys that. !gotcha!

Sure..you need to clean the carpet....but the relationship keeps you coming back.

 

[Jamesh921]

Joey,
You should invite that guy to visit here.

I'd like to see the "freak out" on his face when he started reading and learning something.

Maybe you should invite him over for a beer and sit him down at the computer, then secretly video tape him when he starts reading. shiteatinggrin

 

[GeneMiller]

yes what was the question again

gene

 

[joeynbgky]

Well, He needs to probably get the internet first. I doubt he has it.

 

[steve frasier]

doesn't sound like the guy needs to learn anything, sounds like he is the better salesman and you are doing turnover cleaning

 

[everfresh1]

I've always used a 12" single jet Hydra Hoe and I've never had a problem making carpet clean.

Ditto I like single jet wands. :mrgreen:

 

[dealtimeman]

i would say ignorant not dumb or stupid. and yes a lot are.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Joey after reading this thread why didn't you just say "are all carpet cleaners HACKS" instead of dumb?

There is a difference between being dumb, not being able to spell worth a damn, having very little real world common sense, and being able to clean apartment grade carpet as in this cleaners situation.

You are going to lose contracts to other cleaners not as good as you because they are cheaper.

You don't have anything to worry about unless a new company drops a fleet of shiny new trucks, has clean cut techs, does everything the right way, and is priced reasonably. Then I would definitely worry and consider going up on my prices right away.

Rich folks or people with common sense can look at two carpet cleaning ads in which one says three and a hall for 79 and the other says three and a hall for 150. They are going to look at the 79 dollar ad as a second rate job and go with the 150 ad every time. Now if the other ad was like 400, then maybe not. The point I am trying to make is you are not going to win every customer and sometimes it is better to not have them anyway.

 

[XTREME1]

I have a carpet cleaner in my area who is a hack and doesn't know it but man his customers are loyal. I get alot of "I know your better but so and so has been doing my carpets for years"

There is nothing wrong with consumer loyalty. Instead of looking at him and saying " I am better and better priced, he is a hack" why not look at what he is doing right and learn from it.
I love the way people angry that someone has a different skill set, you should learn from it and if you are a better cleaner and learn the charm from him you will have just as much loyalty. There is plenty of carpet for all of us./

 

[Ryan]

Greg has a great point. Who cares what he is doing wrong. Just look at what he is doing right and copy it quickly.

 

[joeynbgky]

How bout this....................... He's not dumb, just not educated on the industry at all! He is not a clean cut person, or a good salesman. He has been doing jobs here for 25 years, so it's all people know.......... P.S. I just took over 5 of another cleaners contracts.. Not this mans, because I like him. I could have them if I wanted them. But I really like the guy! So I am not greedy.. I just know I am better and eventually take on the world!

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I have a carpet cleaner in my area who is a hack and doesn't know it but man his customers are loyal. I get alot of "I know your better but so and so has been doing my carpets for years"

There is nothing wrong with consumer loyalty. Instead of looking at him and saying " I am better and better priced, he is a hack" why not look at what he is doing right and learn from it.
I love the way people angry that someone has a different skill set, you should learn from it and if you are a better cleaner and learn the charm from him you will have just as much loyalty. There is plenty of carpet for all of us./

Wow Greg that was a very insightful post. There is nothing worse than knowing another cleaner that is a total hack is getting tripple what you charge and tons of repeats and referrals. It is called personality. Some people just draw others in. As long as the job is somewhat decent the customer isn't going with anyone else regardless of the price. I have a friend right now in Lexington KY busting heads yet people allow him to come out every 6 months. They just can't say no.

 

[bob vawter]

Wow Greg that was a very insightful post. There is nothing worse than knowing another cleaner that is a total hack is getting tripple what you charge and tons of repeats and referrals. It is called personality. Some people just draw others in. As long as the job is somewhat decent the customer isn't going with anyone else regardless of the price. I have a friend right now in Lexington KY busting heads yet people allow him to come out every 6 months. They just can't say no.

yes...you either GOT IT or you DON'T

 

[Brian R]

Some home owners just want to feel safe in their home and have a good experience.

I think someone calls that a "Positive Moment of Truth"

Someone who's name starts with an "S"....could it be..oh I don't know...maybe.

SATAN!!!

Nahhh it's justy Stevie T

Have you hugged your SFS instructor today???

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I think it's funny guys feel the need to spend a hundred grand on a cleaning system yet there are people that work from their cars with 175's and rake cash in. Well I guess it doesn't hurt having a 12 inch d**k or at least that is what I have heard from another female about this guy I am referring to. Damn maybe that is the trick to getting so many call backs.

 

[prestige cleaner]

i have 20 yr veteran cleaner in my area who for the past 20 yrs. did not pre-vac, used the same ps for the 20 yrs. and has failed the certification course 3 times, when i asked him if he knew the difference between wickback and resoiling he just had a blank stare, but all his customers love this guy.

 

[Ryan]

It is possible to have a great personality and do a good job.

 

[Brian R]

It is possible to have a great personality and do a good job.

Only in Mikey's mind.