I am curious, after hearing about the volume you do daily, I was hoping you might share some time-saving tips. I.E. what tools do you bring in when, set-up and tear down, etc. How much time do you spend on pre and post inspection and dealing with custys face to face? As a solo operator I am impressed by how many jobs you manage to get done in a day.
Hey Jim Martin!
- Thread starter Chris A
- Start date
lancehollister
Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2009
- Messages
- 193
I know you didnt ask for general help , but here is my 2 cents.
I find the 2 ways to save time are how i prespray and machine maintance. A few more minutes prespraying and agitating spots saves 4 times that in cleaning.
Then keeping my machine's filters clean so the unit does more work then i do.
And my prewalk time depends on customers concerns , the more they have the longer i take.
I find the 2 ways to save time are how i prespray and machine maintance. A few more minutes prespraying and agitating spots saves 4 times that in cleaning.
Then keeping my machine's filters clean so the unit does more work then i do.
And my prewalk time depends on customers concerns , the more they have the longer i take.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
c_adkins said:
start to finish..........
When ever I walk up to the house to ring the door bell I always have my vacuum cleaner with me and my bag
In the bag I have some spotters....tabs (both types) rags ...sliders...lift buddy...all the little things that keep me from running back and forth out to the truck.. I set these by the front door and ring the bell...
Once in.... I have the client give me the lay out...what they want moved.. any problems that may may have......etc....BS with them a little pet the dog (if they have one ) and get to work.....
Set clip board by front door and grab vac and bag....sliders and sticky tab what ever I can....Pre-vac all areas..I never ever pre spot unless it is something like a plant stain or things like that...asnd that is normally just a quick spray with a bottle....
Take vacuum back out to truck...( I have already save a bunch of trips)....Grab Mytee sprayer and rake...take inside... throw down mats in door ways spray the first 2 rooms and agitate........
While those a fermenting On my way out I move the sprayer out of my way to the next set of rooms...
Go out to the truck and take of my first 20 foot of hose and my wand ( I always carry in the first 20...It goes faster to lay it out at the farthest point and work back then to try to drag it all in at once)....
Then I will wrap the next 50 foot on my arm just before the cuff and bring it up to the door and lay it out hook it to the 20 foot piece I already brought in...Hook up my "Y" and my filters and a 4 to the door hook up...
( I have my hoses set up in the truck for a long run or a shot run ..which ever I need....)
From there I finally fire up my truck set my pressures and bring in my solution line....
Hook everything thing up and clean the first 2...After they are done I move the hoses to a neutral place....spray the next set of rooms and agitate..while they ferment ...go back to the first 2 and groom the areas...move my mats turn on all ceiling fans (if they have them) and go clean the next 2...and so on...
when I get to the last areas...I spray it down and by then I can take the bag and the sprayer back out to the truck while those areas are setting...Clean the final areas and the only thing I have to take back out to the truck is my rake and my wand.....roll up hoses....change nylon in filters and have it ready for the next job
collect my check...kiss the client ..pat the dog one more time and head to the next one........
lancehollister
Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2009
- Messages
- 193
start to finish..........
........[/quote]
Lovely story .
........[/quote]
Lovely story .
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
lancehollister said:
Lovely story .[/quote]
and it works.......
dealtimeman
Everyday is Saturday.
jim do you think you could video record one of your jobs from start to finish? if you could that would be pretty cool to see.
steve frasier
Supportive Member
I bet it is a little faster since you dumped the RX 20 and wand dry strokes
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
don't know never tried.....it is pretty basic stuff here....this little program works good for me...It does not mean that it is the key for everyone else...we all have our own different ways of doing things.......
I just do everything I can to stay efficient as possible...cut back on running in and out to the truck for stupid things...and that has been the best time saver for me.....
I just do everything I can to stay efficient as possible...cut back on running in and out to the truck for stupid things...and that has been the best time saver for me.....
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
steve frasier said:
Yes sir...... that has saved me a bunch of time....
bob vawter
Grassy Knoller
one small correction....if i may........
should collect the check BEFORE wrapping up.....cuz ever once in a while a custy will say.......
Ohh are you done....i was hoping that you'd try that little area....once more!
IT HAPPENS!
should collect the check BEFORE wrapping up.....cuz ever once in a while a custy will say.......
Ohh are you done....i was hoping that you'd try that little area....once more!
IT HAPPENS!
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
bob vawter said:
I get the ..."Oh I forgot to ask you to clean the area rug for me " or " I'm sorry can you add on this room please"...........after everything is packed up
Another on of my favorites is.... I always make sure I ask if they have pets but you would be surprised how many have forgotten about that cat until the little bastard is hauling ass down the street.....
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
c_adkins said:
LOL...I had a client leave me a key under the mat and put the dogs out side but she forgot to put in the dog door.....let me tell you it is not fun to be in the back of the house with no escape and all of the sudden come face to face with a few rottweilers.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
c_adkins said:
yea......I am sure that is what was going threw there minds to.............
No way I could do six a day, even with a helper. I do essentially the same drill as you except I powerscrub vs. rake and need a dry stroke cuz I got a 25/47 vs. a V. Not needing a dry stroke would be a big time-saver.
___________________
STOP GLOBAL COOLING!
___________________
STOP GLOBAL COOLING!
Nate The Great
Member
V's really don't need dry strokes? Damn, I want one.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
so.....what is the difference in working all night long doing restaurants .big commercial jobs...knocking out apartments...hotels.... or things like that.....or just knocking out 5 to 6 homes a day.............
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
I have not done any marketing in about 2.5 years....the only thing we do now is a news letter every 3 months to our existing client base.....
I really think this is just a spike right now and it will start slowing down some pretty soon....
winter was short here..while most of you were sitting around still trying to thaw your chest nuts
we have been running out A/C for the last month....
as far as what I charge....I do not low ball a job just to here my truck run.....I am not the most expensive cleaner in the dust bowl town but I am also not the cheapest.....
I really think this is just a spike right now and it will start slowing down some pretty soon....
winter was short here..while most of you were sitting around still trying to thaw your chest nuts
we have been running out A/C for the last month....
as far as what I charge....I do not low ball a job just to here my truck run.....I am not the most expensive cleaner in the dust bowl town but I am also not the cheapest.....
hogjowl
Idiot™
I'm going to wait for the movie.
It would take me 3 hours to clean a 1900 sq. ft. home solo with Jim's described approach, so at 3 a day, I'm gonna be wasted and ready for miller time, so how on earth do you manage jobs 4,5 and 6?
Must be smaller jobs, a lot smaller?
Even three 1500 sq. ft. homes would clean my clock for the day, so what are we missing here Jim?
oh...and how many buy the Gard?
I "think" I could do 4 or 5 in a day with a helper, cause that is the most Lisa and I ever did, but she is a cleaning godess, so I had a secret weapon.
Must be smaller jobs, a lot smaller?
Even three 1500 sq. ft. homes would clean my clock for the day, so what are we missing here Jim?
oh...and how many buy the Gard?
I "think" I could do 4 or 5 in a day with a helper, cause that is the most Lisa and I ever did, but she is a cleaning godess, so I had a secret weapon.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
This is not as hard as your making out to be........
find yourself a good program...set your self up one that works for you...and stick with it.....
repetition is your best friend ........
Take some time and find ways to cut corners on your truck and not your cleanings...
be strict with your area that you go to daily..try not to pinball yourself all over town...
set a pace that is comfortable for you........
work smart not hard.....we spend a lot of money on equipment and chemicals....
let them do the work for you..after awhile it just becomes a brain dead job and you start doing things with out even thinking about it....
find yourself a good program...set your self up one that works for you...and stick with it.....
repetition is your best friend ........
Take some time and find ways to cut corners on your truck and not your cleanings...
be strict with your area that you go to daily..try not to pinball yourself all over town...
set a pace that is comfortable for you........
work smart not hard.....we spend a lot of money on equipment and chemicals....
let them do the work for you..after awhile it just becomes a brain dead job and you start doing things with out even thinking about it....
hogjowl
Idiot™
Jim has now replaced jImMy as my idol.
jImMy is so 1990!
jImMy is so 1990!
Bob Savage
Member
Dual wands! No better way to get amazing production on any given day.
My son works with me part time on those days when we have large jobs, or a lot of jobs. Yesterday, we did 4 jobs — a total of 20 rooms, an over-stuffed suede couch, loveseat, chair, and a huge sectional.
We started at 9:00 AM and were done by 3:45 — $1145.00 total.
On days when we have less scheduled, I work alone, or, he works alone.
Thanks Jim for sharing your system.
I've always practiced that you never go to the truck or from the truck empty handed.
I've worked with guys before that are constantly comming and going to the truck for this spotter or that spotter, some tabs, you name it... what a waste of time.
Having a system is the way to go.
I've always practiced that you never go to the truck or from the truck empty handed.
I've worked with guys before that are constantly comming and going to the truck for this spotter or that spotter, some tabs, you name it... what a waste of time.
Having a system is the way to go.
