DEPRESSION GROUND ZERO!

[bob vawter]

Detoilet Mi....has flatlined!
My phone is ringing SQUAT....NADA......

ZERO!

oh sorry...it DID ring twice today...

BOTH..WERE CANCELLATIONS!

 

[Art Kelley]

I'm down to 2-3 jobs a day. Thank god for sick dogs. This should be an interesting winter. Oh well, gas is cheap and we'll take a long road trip down south. March is just around the corner.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Carpet cleaning is about normal for this time of year, but Fire & Water have been slow for last two weeks until yesterday.

Praying must help??? :mrgreen:

Even had another fire and good sized water loss call in today.

Bob since you won't pray for yourself, I'll pray for you too! :wink:

 

[bob vawter]

:wink:
watch for us on TV...we'll be the ones sleepin' on a wet mattress, under a viadock!

 

[Guest]

We had 78 jobs in Ann Arbor/Ypsi go today!!!!

 

[hogjowl]

It's tough down here in Dixie, too.

I haven't been financially stressed in years.

I'm having to get used to dealing with it again.

 

[Guest]

Oh, BUSTED! :shock:

You really need to stop doing that, Marty.

 

[okccarpetman]

I CAN SEE A BIG INCREASE IN CALLS(JOBS)4 OR 5 ADAY SOMETIMES 6 BY MYSELF. MAY HAVE TO PUT OTHER VAN ON ROAD... I CANT EVEN GET A DAY OFF, THANK GOD, BECAUSE LAST YEAR I COULDNT EVEN AFFORD MY PHONE BILL!!!!

JAMES
_______________________________________________________

ABC CARPET CARE LLC

" SHOULDN'T EVERY CLEANING BE THIS GOOD"!!!!!!!!
AMERICA'S BEST CLEAN CARPET CARE LLC


SIMPLY THE BEST!!

 

[Doug Cox]

Still working full days.

 

[Mr Carpet]

Times are rough.
Unemployment is up to 3% here.

like always busy the first 2 weeks of December, Likely to drop off after that. Clients still call in at the last minute. So, it is hard to judge my work load for the month.

T Are you going to sell that markrting system of Martys?

Could be a winner for all the dick broke cleaners.

Dave-

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Bawb , my brother works on the GM line in Lansing and he's going to be getting laid off near the end of January. It could get much worse.

 

[bob vawter]

It could get much worse.

YES...like sleepin' on a wet mattress under a viadock......

 

[esquireservicesinc]

Definitely can see the same down here in VA too. We are behind from last year. We did about 15% less this November compared to last. Also, lately we have had a rash on cancellations. Some rescheduled, others haven't. I hope it picks up soon. We just bought the business in April of 2007, and we had a good year. This year has been a bit tougher for sure.

 

[Curtis Pennington]

It's tough down here in Dixie, too.

I haven't been financially stressed in years.

I'm having to get used to dealing with it again.

what about your walkups?

 

[Guest]

San Diego isn't doing that well either, we are one of the many areas where the real estate boom is now bust. The start of the dominos is now starting to fall near the end where businesses like CC is effected. How do you think things will go if the auto industry isn't bailed out?

 

[Able 1]

I will end this year making about 35% more then last year. Right now it's alright with me, I'm just thinking of ways to advertise for next year! Last year I had the whole BP thing that took the wind out of my sails... Next year I really want to buy a box truck and a TM (Dreams are free).

 

[Larry B]

Busy as hell

 

[encapman]

Two questions...

:?: Doesn't business cool off a little bit every year as the thermometer drops? (So maybe the sky isn't falling after all.)

:?: Have you considered building up your commercial accounts, which typically run "year round"? (What are you waiting for?)

Bottom line, I don't think that any resourceful business owners will be sleeping under overpasses anytime soon. As the economy slows - think smarter! Use your head, be resourceful with good marketing, do quality work, and I think you'll get by just fine.


.

 

[Jeremy]

Well said Rick... but we are talking about Vawter & Marty.

 

[hogjowl]

Two questions...

:?: Doesn't business cool off a little bit every year as the thermometer drops? (So maybe the sky isn't falling after all.)

Not in the second half of November and December.

:?: Have you considered building up your commercial accounts, which typically run "year round"? (What are you waiting for?)

My commercial accounts are keeping me afloat right now.

Bottom line, I don't think that any resourceful business owners will be sleeping under overpasses anytime soon. As the economy slows - think smarter! Use your head, be resourceful with good marketing, and do quality work, and I think you'll get by just fine.

I agree. It's the marketing that I really need to work on.


.

 

[Guest]

I say we kill/invade every opec country; they caused this; good thing a retired from the navy; always a backup. i will throw you a sandwhich or 2 bob; i like wet mattresses; usually means i am getting busy with the wife; lol

 

[TimP]

I was doing good before thanksgiving. Now it's pretty well dead....phones havent' rang in a while for a customer. I had 2 jobs this week....1 on the books for next week and that's it. I've got money in the bank but I'm still worried. I am really hopeing that next week it will be full followed by the next. Or at least a 7-10 day blitz where I do 5-6 grand would be nice although I prefer to spread it out but I'll take what I can get.

 

[RandyHilburn]

Hang in there Bob!

A few months ago, we reorganized the company and broadened the type of work we were accepting. We went with the lower margins, but higher sales philosophy.

When times are good, we specialize, but when things start slowing down we take on business that we hadn't previously considered - until things turn around again. Are you already doing carpet repairs, color-matching, grout & tile, vct, carpet dying, stretching, etc.?

You've got a good sense of humor and I bet you already do well with the commercial accounts that you have. Just a thought; maybe a good time to introduce yourself to some new businesses (but stay away from Sid and his brother-in-law. I hear they are bad news).

 

[AshleyMckendree]

My calender is full for the next 14 months unless I piss off one of my contracts.

Only 10/15% of our income is from residential... just about all of them are repeats and have us on a quarterly rotation.

 

[steve r]

im a little slow on this side of the state bob. thank heaven for apartments and restaraunts.

i also stopped running ads this summer i was getting tired.im still growing so i aint complaining.

still getting a few repeats and referals.lots of promises coming up but you know how that goes.

 

[Greenie]

My calender is full for the next 14 months unless I piss off one of my contracts.

Only 10/15% of our income is from residential... just about all of them are repeats and have us on a quarterly rotation.

So....this is a good time to present the 5 yr. contract with a 2% annual raise if they sign right now.

Then you can buy some cool stuff with all that dough, put pops into early retirement, and put a second truck on the road, and command your own empire.

 

[Scott S.]

i've been steady with all kinds of differant work, i just bought high pressure tile tools so i can expand into that area of cleaning also, so far has worked out very well. keep your good customers close. do little extras for free just to make sure that they feel special, customers dig that stuff.

Hang on guys!!!

 

[AshleyMckendree]

So....this is a good time to present the 5 yr. contract with a 2% annual raise if they sign right now.

Then you can buy some of my cool stuff with all that dough, put pops into early retirement, and put a second truck on the road, and command your own empire.