I really hope this is the calm before the storm.

[juniorc82]

Ive only got $600 dollars on the schedule for this week thats including the work that we did yesterday. I also had a slower than last year first quarter. I think some of this may be due to the freak spring snow we have and some of it is due to having a couple massive vct jobs fall in our lap last year. Seems like every carpet call Ive gotten has been a price shopper lately. I would assume in the near future we will have so much work we cant handle it all but till then Im stuck doing busy work such as stuff in my office and organizing my shop I will be optimistic and have faith this the calm before the storm.

 

[Chris A]

I'm doing yardwork this afternoon in between my one residential job this morning and my small attourneys office at 4. it will come eventually ,always does.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Take advantage of the break, it will come. With rainy and stormy weather people will put off what they can.

Getting all those tire kickers is a good sign, people are thinking about carpet cleaning.

 

[The Great Oz]

April 16th baby!

 

[Jim Martin]

Hang in there.....it has got to be the weather.....we warmed up about 3 weeks ago and I have been slammed...shitty time for my big truck to go down......




....

 

[Royal Man]

Winter just doesn't want to give up this year. More snow/ice coming in again. People are burned out and want to think spring. It will arrive eventually. Hang in there.

 

[Russ T.]

Slow this week in Iowa too. They're calling for a little snow tonight. We will all be singing a different song in no time. Hang in there.


Russ Terhaar
The Clean Machine of Iowa LLC
www.thegreatcleanmachine.com

 

[juniorc82]

ok I booked a nice one for the end of the week. Im in better shape now. This feast or famin shyt is getting real old.

 

[ruff]

April 16th baby!

Yep. Only it takes them a little more time to recover from Taxes.

 

[rwcarpet]

Cleaning has had it's spotty times this year. The weather in NE Ohio has "punked" us a few times since Spring has arrived. Custys are gun shy about cleaning before the weather clears. It's been in the 70's the last few days, but cold is coming back this week end. No snow forcast. Carpets are dirty.......they will call. I'd had a few last minute calls this week, and that helps. I turned down a 13,000 sf tile and grout/sealing job last week because it was just a logistical nightmare, and there would be constant students in the cleaning area. Plus it was 3"x6" quarry tiles that were a mess. Lot's of filthy grout lines.......possibly coated in a wax or sealer. Plus it was a pricing compitition amongst other cleaners. Someone will do it for 50 cents a foot. I'd want $1.50 or more.

 

[Chris A]

Cleaning has had it's spotty times this year. The weather in NE Ohio has "punked" us a few times since Spring has arrived. Custys are gun shy about cleaning before the weather clears. It's been in the 70's the last few days, but cold is coming back this week end. No snow forcast. Carpets are dirty.......they will call. I'd had a few last minute calls this week, and that helps. I turned down a 13,000 sf tile and grout/sealing job last week because it was just a logistical nightmare, and there would be constant students in the cleaning area. Plus it was 3"x6" quarry tiles that were a mess. Lot's of filthy grout lines.......possibly coated in a wax or sealer. Plus it was a pricing compitition amongst other cleaners. Someone will do it for 50 cents a foot. I'd want $1.50 or more.

if you would like to forward the info to me Id be happy to do it at $.50 a foot!

 

[rwcarpet]

if you would like to forward the info to me Id be happy to do it at $.50 a foot!

Chris.....I think it was only to get a price for a contractor that is refubishing the building. If he calls me back, maybe we can work it together. 2 trucks would be a plus, because of the length of the building. Do you have an APO? There won't be any dumping ........it's a State Campus with lot's of enviromentalists! Believe me, .50 cents a foot won't cut it. Grout lines are deep, so a cylindrical brush pre-scrub would be in order.

 

[Chris A]

I have 2 vans, but no apo on either. I do however have drain hoses that I got from bristor that almost exactly match the color of the spring grass

 

[trojancarpetcare]

Yea once taxes are done money should be spent also with good weather.

 

[everfresh1]

Ive only got $600 dollars on the schedule for this week thats including the work that we did yesterday. I also had a slower than last year first quarter. I think some of this may be due to the freak spring snow we have and some of it is due to having a couple massive vct jobs fall in our lap last year. Seems like every carpet call Ive gotten has been a price shopper lately. I would assume in the near future we will have so much work we cant handle it all but till then Im stuck doing busy work such as stuff in my office and organizing my shop I will be optimistic and have faith this the calm before the storm.

it's been a bit slow for me too this year, although last year it was warm here early. Hopefully it'll pick up soon or I might haft to spring for some direct mail this year

 

[Royal Man]

Woke up to more snow again this morning. Winter just doesn't want to give up this year. The bad thing is I sent out 500 spring cards on Monday to Prev clients. That said that Spring was finely here. Glad I just mailed out 1/2 of them.

 

[Desk Jockey]

SNOW?

Oh man I feel for you!

We just got rain, it's 34 degrees but supposed to be 48 today.

 

[hogjowl]

junior:

Now is the time to start taking steps to levelize your cleaning cycles. One of the best things I ever did to help in this was signing up for ServiceMonster and faithfully using their Fill My Schedule program. It has worked wonders for my repeats and referrals.

My next step will be to upgrade my website from the work of crap it is now, to something that will actually attract customers.

I don't know where you stand on either of these points ... marketing to existing customers ... and your google presence ... but that is the first two places I would start.

 

[juniorc82]

junior:

Now is the time to start taking steps to levelize your cleaning cycles. One of the best things I ever did to help in this was signing up for ServiceMonster and faithfully using their Fill My Schedule program. It has worked wonders for my repeats and referrals.

My next step will be to upgrade my website from the work of crap it is now, to something that will actually attract customers.

I don't know where you stand on either of these points ... marketing to existing customers ... and your google presence ... but that is the first two places I would start.

I have been doin a pretty crap job of managing my residential clients. It must have been the weather because I am half full for next week already. I just started 2 new vct contracts for weekly maintenance so Im slammed. Guess I should have enjoyed the downtime because I suspect in about 2 or 3 weeks its gonna be on like donkey kong

 

[Jim Williams]

My business has always increased each year for the last 9 years. Not to start a political thread, but right after the election my numbers plummeted. Just in Dec. I was down $2000 from the previous year. I think I got spoiled when consumer confidence was increasing last year when people had the hopes of a new regime in Washington that wasn't going to screw the private sector to death. Then confidence died after November. I sort of got complacent the last few years and have been hitting my database less and doing no advertising in about 6 years. I may have to start back doing some PPC ads or something.

Hopefully the spring rush will start soon.