Let's talk about customers who want it now!

[joeynbgky]

I get calls liek these all the time............... at 3pm a lady calls and says......... I need 3 rooms cleaned today or tommorrow morning..... I say......... Well, I'm sorry we are full I can get you scheduled for Monday, will that be ok? No it wont be I want it done now.. So.... I say I can do Friday morning at 6:30 am to help you out. thats to early, Ill do it my self and hung up...


Now, I am so good about getting people fit into the schedule. But sometimes I cannot. We have had lots of flooding here, so we are behind a little anyways.... The customers here are so use to the cleaners setting something up the same day. How can I break this cycle? One cleaner here has no appoinment book, When customers call he says we can do it today or tommorrow. Thats it.. any one else have this problem? it pisses me off

 

[Ken Snow]

That is one of the challenges for an owner operator. We love it, we get many same and next day appointments and can squeeze them in. Nothing wrong with not being able to get them done, but it sure is nice to be able to.

Ken

 

[Desk Jockey]

Like Ken only on a MUCH, MUCH smaller scale we look forward to getting those "squeeze me in" jobs.

They are a pain and they do wreck the schedule, but we are already use to changing plans mid-stream with restoration work.

 

[Ken Snow]

To be honest Richard, our dispatchers don't really love it (especially the same day ones), but I didn't want to just say I love it.

:-)

 

[tmdry]

Usually those types are tenants moving out, so that is why they say they'll do it themselves, as they are probably moving that day, and just want to get their deposits back asap.

 

[rhino1]

We do add-ons everyday, it doesn't matter if it takes all night. I started at 8 am and just got home - it's 7:30

Every Thursday is like this, I don't know why - I just keep smiling and taking checks.

StanSchemer blatantly advertises same day service, good luck changing that.

 

[Ken Snow]

It's never tenants for us, just crazy busy people who wat it now with lots of things in their life. I'm the same way.

 

[tmdry]

It's never tenants for us, just crazy busy people who wat it now with lots of things in their life. I'm the same way.

I'm the same way too, but my response was coming from a non multi million dollar operation company like ours. :mrgreen:

One day shiteatinggrin

 

[ruff]

Yes, I get frustrated too. But that's how it goes.

The multi truckers can get them.

Or those that are not completely booked and can fit them in on a short notice.

My experience here is that they are mostly renters, and they all try to tell me double parking is not a problem, they do it all the time.
Ye. Right! In San Francisco $200.00

If you are an owner operator and you can not do it on a short notice, that means that business is good, though

 

[GeneMiller]

I had a guy call today who had to have it tomorrow but when I worked him in he balked at the price. He called back a hour later just to double check he had heard right. It always gets my goat when a price shopper is in a hurry. I can usually work in a quick spot or two for a regular and not get to far behind. I try to leave a little room in the schedule just for such problems.

gene

 

[Able 1]

I don't mind as long as they will let me do it whenever I can get to it... If they say I need it done tomorrow at 9am, and I'm booked, I will refer it to a friend (if he has time).

 

[ruff]

Yes.
Usually they want it- right now.
The carpet is pretty trashed.
And they want it done for peanuts.

I refer them to our peanut department.

 

[Brian R]

It's that American "want it now" attitude. I don't have a problem with it.

I would say to solve it, just get another van going.

If you can't do that then it probably doesn't happen enough to really make a difference.

When I schedule someone out 2 weeks I really start to get nervous that they will cancel.
I like those next day or next couple of days schedulers the best.

I can almost always schedule someone the same day....helps if it is a good job...1 roomers are SOL.

If you can't add another van right away, find someone slower than you and sub out to them...someone is always looking for more work...you could be the guy to give it to them.

 

[Desk Jockey]

We get a lot of them that have company coming and just realized they need the carpet cleaned.

Occasionally we get a competitors customer because they had a breakdown or didn't show up. The majority are already our customers that just need a favor by butting in line! :wink:

 

[ruff]

Existing clients. You go out of your way to help them.

New clients that are devout price shoppers and want it yesterday. I do if I can.
And charge them more.

Unless they are actually nice, then I do what I can.

Brian, you are right regarding a second van, however some of us would rather not have employees.
Or are smart enough to realize that being a good and successful owner operator and managing and having employees is a different set of skill.
And that not all good carpet cleaners are necessarily good managers.

Totally different skills.

 

[joeynbgky]

I fit 3 in today. And my tech is still out working. I didnt do any carpet today. LOL I got stuck cleaning toilets and ovens. Did a sectional today. for $120 bucks. A small construction office $211.56. apartment water extraction $65.00 5 rooms and a hall empty for $180.00. (just did it a month ago. wasnt bad. a 3 n hall for $99 bucks. then whatever the 3 add ons are. not a great day but hey. I'm gonna eat tonight

 

[Brian R]

Brian, you are right regarding a second van, however some of us would rather not have employees.
Or are smart enough to realize that being a good and successful owner operator and managing and having employees is a different set of skill.
And that not all good carpet cleaners are necessarily good managers.
Totally different skills.

You know, you are absolutely right. If cleaning carpets is what you do and do it well then so be it. If you don't want to manage employees it wouldn't be worth while to get them until you area able to get a manager for that.
I've always...or at least in the last few years...looked at it from the point of view of the non-carpet cleaner.
If you can hire one person who is business oriented to run the new employees, there is no reason why the owner can't stay on the truck.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

The problem with this whole thread is how some people are getting their customers.

Yellow pages equalls how soon can you come and what specials are you running.

I got those calls daily when I was in the price shopper book. If I was booked and knew I couldn't fit someone in and they needed cleaning done that day, I would book them for late in the day and then call right before the appointment and make an excuse why I couldn't come. I know that is hackish on so many levels but I used to be a huge splash and dash hack. What are they going to do? They will wait. If you tell them at 12 you can't come, they will call someone else. If you tell them at 6 you can't come, they will wait because they aren't getting someone to come that late.

 

[Ron Werner]

Depending on the caller I try to fit them in, I call it creative scheduling.
If I can't I'll refer them to another cleaner.

I have no idea how to get through 5+jobs a day and I don't want to know how. If they're looking for that kind of cleaning there are plenty of cleaners that can help them.
If its a move out, usually my price is a deterrent. If its not, they'll wait or again, I'll refer them.
I try to keep month end open for those emergency jobs, ie they booked a cleaner and he flaked out on them, or the tenant was supposed to clean it and didn't, or the tenant had some splash and dash cleaner in and the landlord wants it cleaner.


Brian, your comments make it sound like "you" are the one doing the work. You could fit in any number of jobs if you've got enough cleaners to sub to.

 

[Brian R]

Brian, your comments make it sound like "you" are the one doing the work. You could fit in any number of jobs if you've got enough cleaners to sub to.

Did they? I'll have to go back and re-read them.

Wud Isay?

 

[Wayne Miller]

The sheet metal shop manager at a place I used to work had a sign on his door, "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine." lol

I guess we're fortunate. We've never gotten too many same-day/next-day requests. A few are people who are just a little more special than everybody else. "Can't you move somebody to fit me in?" Sometimes they'll argue the point because "that's what they did last time." Gotta love it....

Ocassionally, there's a genuine urgency or maybe somebody didn't show up and they start with something like, "I'm sorry, I know this is last minute, but......" We'll do the best we can to fit them in.

 

[juniorc82]

Thats when I tax their asses for the premium cost lol

 

[joeynbgky]

Its Saturday. I have 5 Residential jobs today..... A lady just called and said......... Can someone be here in 30 minutes cause im getting new furniture delivered in 3 hours i need it cleaned now! I couldnt do anything. I felt bad. I said i can get there at 5:30 she said nope

 

[rhino1]

I think of it like this.... I can either fit someone in and potentially have another customer for life or go home for the night and do something that doesn't generate income and lose a potential customer for life.

Not much you can do if your day is truly full, but I would skip lunch and squeeze in that last job. Like someone has suggested, grab another truck or even a porty, send your help to one job while you do the other...... so long as you're not a one man crew that is.

 

[Ron Werner]

Its Saturday. I have 5 Residential jobs today..... A lady just called and said......... Can someone be here in 30 minutes cause im getting new furniture delivered in 3 hours i need it cleaned now! I couldnt do anything. I felt bad. I said i can get there at 5:30 she said nope

This is where I'd refer to someone I knew. I'd rather send her to someone reputable than have her end up with someone I wouldn't let clean my own carpets. Besides, she would really appreciate the referral since she's in a hurry and doesn't know who to call. Its good to know the people in your neighbourhood

 

[Ron Werner]

[quote="Ron Werner":29jh9xi1]Brian, your comments make it sound like "you" are the one doing the work. You could fit in any number of jobs if you've got enough cleaners to sub to.

Did they? I'll have to go back and re-read them.

Wud Isay?[/quote:29jh9xi1]

It's that American "want it now" attitude. I don't have a problem with it.

I would say to solve it, just get another van going.

If you can't do that then it probably doesn't happen enough to really make a difference.

When I schedule someone out 2 weeks I really start to get nervous that they will cancel.
I like those next day or next couple of days schedulers the best.

I can almost always schedule someone the same day....helps if it is a good job...1 roomers are SOL.

If you can't add another van right away, find someone slower than you and sub out to them...someone is always looking for more work...you could be the guy to give it to them.

 

[joeynbgky]

She called back and said 5:30 would be ok. then i fit in another one into the schedule to today. Sometimes I can fit them in sometimes i cant

 

[ACE]

Most of the people who call and want it done yesterday are a PIA. Half the time they keep calling looking for a better price and will cancel.

 

[Brian R]

[quote="Brian R":2ehlg7ge][quote="Ron Werner":2ehlg7ge]Brian, your comments make it sound like "you" are the one doing the work. You could fit in any number of jobs if you've got enough cleaners to sub to.

Did they? I'll have to go back and re-read them.

Wud Isay?[/quote:2ehlg7ge]

It's that American "want it now" attitude. I don't have a problem with it.

I would say to solve it, just get another van going.

If you can't do that then it probably doesn't happen enough to really make a difference.

When I schedule someone out 2 weeks I really start to get nervous that they will cancel.
I like those next day or next couple of days schedulers the best.

I can almost always schedule someone the same day....helps if it is a good job...1 roomers are SOL.

If you can't add another van right away, find someone slower than you and sub out to them...someone is always looking for more work...you could be the guy to give it to them.

[/quote:2ehlg7ge]


Sometimes it's hard to find another guy to do a job at the last minute. Now if it's a really good job they will jump at it.