Do Homeowners Really Want To Pay $100 Hour To Vacuum?

[jcooper]

Do you rotary scrub every job like we do?

Nope...

Plus, we use a pre-spray that releases hair.

Yea, me too... However, I have yet to see that actually happen.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Higher costs = higher prices = less prospects

I agree with you to some degree but I don't think pre-vacuuming is necessary driving the cost up. If you're running a two man crew what is that second man doing to speed up the crew since he no longer vacuums.

I'd prefer to sell the separation, "We pre vacuum to remove as much soil dry as possible" "Yes we clean to industry standard" "While our TM is capable of dry soil removal we have this found method to not only be a more efficient but also fast."

I don't think most customers think how much is vacuuming costing them.

When you fly do you think, "if only the stewardess didn't bring me a drink the flight would be $50.00-$75.00 cheaper".

Ummm ok I do but I'm twisted like that.

 

[Jim Martin]

there not paying me $100 an hour to vacuum there carpets......there paying me $100 an hour to clean there carpets which includes vacuuming

 

[floorguy]

only time i vac is if it LOOKS like shit cuz they didnt....

I ask them to have it vacced and stuff moved....yea we move couches and what not and put them back and block them....

but you know what....

I AINT A FOOKING FURNITURE MOVER!!!!

seriously though...they arent dumb, they know they can save a buck or 2 if they vac, and move stuff....

here again maybe its a UTAH thing, that people out here get or expect to save a few $$$ if they help out a little...i dunno..

Plus when they move stuff they find lost stuff under the couches you know how it is when you move yours, and its like "OH SHIT I THOUGHT I LOST THAT"

Also I want them to notice how nasty their house is, and maybe they should clean more and move stuff around...

and then if they have a question about their vac...i go through it and fix minor things for them as well...

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think it's who you are cleaning for in the market place.

I had an attorney call a couple of years ago wanting us to remove the tabs and blocks the following day. We informed him we could do it but it was not a part of the standard rate. He said he didn't care, he just didn't go to 4-years of college and 6-years of law school to move furniture around.

Adjust your rates to the level of service you deliver.

These people have money and can afford to pay for a higher level of service, it's what they want. If they want less, give them less. Don't vacuum or don't move contents but in every market you have clients that want low levels and also high levels of service.

 

[tman7]

Since were on the subject. What Vacuum cleaner does everyone use or recommend? If you use one at all?

 

[jcooper]

http://www.thinkvacuums.com/royal_commercial/ry6900.htm

Works great.

 

[Shane Deubell]

All this stuff adds up though, pre-vac,pre-scrub,pre-spot, 4TTD,move furniture, 25 point inspection, rotary, 50 moments of truth {the only one i would keep} ETC,ETC.

The average job in the suburbs is not even that dirty to be honest. I just want to keep my costs down and offer some basic package if people want all the other stuff then we have no problem charging $100 room.
Maybe it is a local issue, we are the 2nd poorest city in US behind Detroit.

 

[Jim Martin]

All this stuff adds up though, pre-vac,pre-scrub,pre-spot, 4TTD,move furniture, 25 point inspection, rotary, 50 moments of truth {the only one i would keep} ETC,ETC.

The average job in the suburbs is not even that dirty to be honest. I just want to keep my costs down and offer some basic package if people want all the other stuff then we have no problem charging $100 room.
Maybe it is a local issue, we are the 2nd poorest city in US behind Detroit.

for me packages never worked......so mine is structured on what I do at EVERY job.......that way I am getting paid for what I do..........
none of this..." I am going to charge you $20 extra dollars to vacuum "...or..." I'm going to have to raise the price because I am going to have to get my rotary out of the truck"...
that's just BS...its the way I clean...its structured in the price.....nothing is itemized....broken down...this is my price for what you want done....take it or leave it.....99.9% take it with no problems.....

this is really not the difficult.....if your getting paid for what you do and you do it right.....your going to make money...

 

[Hoody]

Package pricing works very well in my area. I offer the 3 package deal. 1st is your basic move out package for prop managers, and traffic lanes only. Second is the most common where we pre-vac, pre-spray, rinse, move furniture and groom. And the third is everything of the second with protector. It works out well. For people with many kids who need two cleanings a year I try to sell them the package with protector explaining the benefits with the amount of food traffic, and recommend in 6 months they have just the TP's done to clean up any spills.

The way it works out numbers wise I actually make the same amount as if they purchased package two twice a year, as I do if they purchase package 3 and then package 1. However with the latter option, I profit more as my machine runs less, because I spend less idle time moving furniture on the T.P. cleaning, no pre-vac. I can knock out T.P. cleaning quickly with great results. I slow down a great deal when it comes to dealing with furnishings. Its not a whole LOT more profit, but my thought process/working out the numbers if its done with a majority of my clients, it'll add up by the end of the year. At the T.P. cleaning I also try and sell them another service like a couch or recliner cleaning, especially if I already know what the fabric is. The savings that they're getting from package 3 to 1 is a 50% savings, leaving them money to purchase other services that I can be productive and profitable on.

It works for me so far, I'm sure it will have to be changed when I actually establish a residential client list, and expand into different markets, but right now I'm trying to maximizing market share in my home town.

 

[hogjowl]

Are you taking away the crew chief's ability to make money by preselling protector?

Is that a demotivator?

 

[Dolly Llama]

. I just want to keep my costs down and offer some basic package .

then just do it.
MOST cleaners don't vac
what you see/hear on the boards isn't the "norm" of the biz


..L.T.A.

 

[Mardie]

then just do it.
MOST cleaners don't vac
what you see/hear on the boards isn't the "norm" of the biz


..L.T.A.

From what my clients tell me they have never seen a cc with a vacuum

 

[Hoody]

I am the crew chief.

 

[ruff]

All this stuff adds up though, pre-vac,pre-scrub,pre-spot, 4TTD,move furniture, 25 point inspection, rotary, 50 moments of truth {the only one i would keep} ETC,ETC.

Yep.
Some people make it real complicated.
A genuine dog and pony show.
Including 75 unadulterated, honest to god, moments of truth (What did you do with the other 25?) .

Question is: After all the live performance, do they actually have time to clean the carpet?

Second, and this is a technical one: How do they keep track of all the steps?
See, Mon through Sat, I actually have trouble remembering my name. On the weekend, the wife reminds me.

 

[Desk Jockey]

From what my clients tell me they have never seen a cc with a vacuum

Man your area is just prime pickin's for a real TM cleaner to come in and dominate your market.

jeezzz none of the carpet cleaners in town pre-vacuum and a Von Shredder guy is the best cleaner. Better enjoy the ride while you can, it won't last if you get serious competition!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yep.
Some people make it real complicated.
A genuine a horse and pony show.
Including 75 unadulterated, honest to god, moments of truth (What did you do with the other 25?) .

Question is: After all the live performance, do they actually have time to clean the carpet?

Second, and this is a technical one: How do they keep track of all the steps?
See, Mon through Sat, I actually have trouble remembering my name. On the weekend, the wife reminds me.

I hate to be the one to break it to you but"dumbass" isn't your real name, well not your given name anyway! She just has you thinking that.....maybe we can embroider your polo's with your real name???

 

[Shane Deubell]

All i want to point out is when you are making these equipment, set up, service decisions you are in fact also making marketing decisions. Just keep that in mind

I attended SFS and thought it was great and encourage everyone to stop by and learn. But after all the high prices,MOT,vacuuming, rotaries, gloves, mats, etc. etc Steve readily admits his residential division was not that profitable and was used more to lay the foundation for water damage work. Which is great unless you do not provide water damage...

Just a different point of view thats all.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Shane I agree, that is what is so hard when comparing rates for company to company.

What part of the country are you servicing, what section of the market are you servicing, how established are you (newer entity's tend to have lower rates), what's your overhead.

Some of us couldn't afford to compete on price, without some due respect to overhead.

 

[hogjowl]

I am the crew chief.

Oh, sorry. For some reason I was thinking you were working for someone else who ran crews and were like his production manager, or something like that.

 

[Mardie]

Man your area is just prime pickin's for a real TM cleaner to come in and dominate your market.

jeezzz none of the carpet cleaners in town pre-vacuum and a Von Shredder guy is the best cleaner. Better enjoy the ride while you can, it won't last if you get serious competition!

Over 400k population.Lots of competition but Richard you should know that the majority are steam cleaners and we all know how they do things.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

I think it's who you are cleaning for in the market place.

I had an attorney call a couple of years ago wanting us to remove the tabs and blocks the following day. We informed him we could do it but it was not a part of the standard rate. He said he didn't care, he just didn't go to 4-years of college and 6-years of law school to move furniture around.

Adjust your rates to the level of service you deliver.

These people have money and can afford to pay for a higher level of service, it's what they want. If they want less, give them less. Don't vacuum or don't move contents but in every market you have clients that want low levels and also high levels of service.

So put on the dog and pony show for those who want it and will pay for it?

We all have our excuses to justify our price , ego and why we are the best at what we do. Every time I clean my living room carpet I vacuum half before I start cleaning , I've never been able to tell the difference in cleanliness between the vacuumed side and non vacuumed side. I have nothing against vacuuming , I pull it out when needed. I've found the same results with carpet protection , been protecting one half of my living room for 5 years and I can't tell the difference in the two sides, they feel the same , look the same. I still sell protector to my customers.

 

[KP]

I now use the reality approach.."Mrs Jones,do you want me to use the vacuum that I just used on a shithole pet piss maybe bed bug infested carpet"? Or the secondary.."I do not want to enable you Mrs. Jones,who is going to vacuum when I am not here?So I guess the moral of this story is to get YOUR customers to get in the habit of vacuuming themselves and they will get pretty good at it.You vacuum first guys can use the custy's vac if you feel so inclined to enable them.

 

[ruff]

I hate to be the one to break it to you but"dumbass" isn't your real name, well not your given name anyway! She just has you thinking that.....maybe we can embroider your polo's with your real name???

And I, Sir Richard, thought that this was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

As of today, I'm withdrawing your name from the beatification process!

You will never bring order to the galaxy

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hey I'm being punished for her actions? How fair is that, I wouldn't get her anything for Valentine's if I were you.
; )

 

[ruff]

Hey there lonesome Kansan.

Let me get it straight cowboy: Are you actively trying to mess up with your after life now?

 

[SamIam]

My helper vacs while I setup we remove a good amount of dry soil I have a couple with severe pack out dirt that would make mud, but over all low levels of dust and debris can easily be flushed by a wand.

Having a carpet pre vaced makes cleaning easier with a glided wand like marty said.
also less crap in your filter.

I would be careful to compare carpet fresh to soil in a carpet that crap is awful.

Most vacuums wont touch pack out soil with their weak beater bars.

In super thick carpet my rx20 has dug stuff out of a carpet keys kids pets ect.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Jeff Madsen]

To me its a money issue plain and simple, just lowers the number of prospects in a crummy economy.
This is in the marketing section marty....

Higher costs = higher prices = less prospects

The formula is ... Marginally higher costs = Substantially higher prices = Much higher profits

You are playing to a smaller crowd - to each their own.