Letting go of the wand

[Total_Rookie]

In the Congo jungle, the natives capture and eat monkeys. Monkeys are not easy to catch... The natives are smart about this.

To capture monkeys, it's very simple. Monkeys love peanuts. So the natives get coconuts and make holes just big enough for the monkey to fit their paws in. But small enough to not get there paws out while clenched in a fist.

They will bake some peanuts to permeate the air and draw attention for the delight of fresh peanuts. Then stick a few in the coconuts.

The monkeys will soon show up after the coast is clear of danger.

They will stick their paws and dig for delight. Only to not be able to retrieve the delicacy of fresh warm peanuts. In anger and excitement the monkey will NOT let go and pull its paws out. "It's thinking fook dat, I wants me nuts"

It will NOT let go and beat and struggle to the point of exhaustion. Then it will wear itself out. But NOT let go of the precepted prize.

It will lay there alive for simple collection from the natives. Only to be eaten.

I see this story as an analogy for my business. I love wanding, but how long will it last before I get tired and get eaten by ......?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Urban legend. You underestimate the intelligence and ingenuity of Monkeys.

Carpet cleaners, on the other hand...

 

[jkowalski]

I thought it was raccoons.

 

[jkowalski]

Fun Fact, many business owners quit, just before they start to be "successful".

 

[Lee Stockwell]

gotta love auto correct

 

[dealtimeman]

I want to fix it so bad.

 

[Total_Rookie]

Not quiting, just thinking about the next level.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Its the carpet cleaners curse. "No one can clean as good as you, so you can't let go of the wand or quality will drop."

 

[Mikey P]

Joe do you have a helper?

 

[Ron K]

Joe you're fairly new here so you probably don't know this but......... there are a lot of nuts here.

 

[Mikey P]

But premium Nuts.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I fear the monkey, that's why I won't let go of my nuts.



Nate on Richard's PC

 

[Mikey P]

Joe....
Read my yelp page..

The right monkeys will out nut you.

Have faith brother, train well..

 

[Nate The Great]

I fear the monkey, that's why I won't let go of my nuts.



Nate on Richard's PC

Nuts are overrated......... I like the vertical smiles, 2 legged ahi's, have many and don't let go.........

The zipper jr evens the playing field for commercial work and letting go of the wand.... It's so easy, even Marty could do it....

Chavez on Nate's computer....

 

[Shane Deubell]

I still like to bang out a couple jobs week but wouldnt want to clean for 40 hours or anything close.
Too boring.

 

[Ron K]

Nuts are overrated......... I like the vertical smiles, 2 legged ahi's, have many and don't let go.........

The zipper jr evens the playing field for commercial work and letting go of the wand.... It's so easy, even Marty could do it....

Chavez on Nate's computer....

Nate so,

Zipper for Commercial then what for Residential?

A Vortex??

Remember our Monkeys are a little slow in Wa.

 

[dealtimeman]

I still like to clean once or twice a week, if I have the time. In fact will start making time to clean as I feel good when I get to clean a couple of times a week.

I will say though, I had a mixup in the schedule last week and had to take off to a job by my self. Boy that was no fun, I haven't had to prevac, pull all hoses, setup rotary, extract and roll up everything by myself in years.

The customer kept asking me if I was ok. I must of been huffing and puffing while sweating up a storm and I felt it the next day. It was only 3.5 hours but it felt like all day.

I want to be able to physically work when the occasion or situation arises and I don't feel I get to work (physically in the field) enough anymore.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I still love cleaning but I'm annoyed with setup and tear down. I just want to clean.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

At 63 I still love all of it.

As long as it doesn't start before noon Monday.

And as long as I don't have to work alone for more than an hour or so.

 

[mirf]

Fun Fact, many business owners quit, just before they start to be "successful".

There is the carrot. This year i am going tooooooo! Leaving the wand is hard and when something goes wrong it is easy to say " get out of the way I'll do it"

 

[Nate The Great]

Nate so,

Zipper for Commercial then what for Residential?

A Vortex??

Remember our Monkeys are a little slow in Wa.

I mostly rv360i Residential, unless it's lightly soiled then wand it.... I feel like I'm not doing as good as a job if I wand it.... I guess I just have higher standards of cleaning.... Commercial gets a Cimex or CRB scrubbing before Zippering and a post pad in the bad areas.... Since getting a #4 Little Giant heater, I haven't had to post pad much at all.... I do have 5 03 jets on my Zipper jr, and I feel it flushes faster and less passes then 02 jets.... I only have a 20hp 45 blower but run 2.5" hose to a 25' of 2" lead hose maintaining 230-240 degrees....

I noticed since switching from 02 jets to 03's my waste water hasn't been as "thick or chocolate milk like" as when the 02's were on.... Same commercial accounts cleaned faster with less passes and faster dry times.... And yes, I tested it on our office carpets too..... As for Zippering residential, believe it or not, I can make the 360i fit in tighter places than a wand or Zipper jr.... Get in where you fit in.....


Your Multi-Jet friend,

Nate The Great!

 

[Art Kelley]

I will say though, I had a mixup in the schedule last week and had to take off to a job by my self. Boy that was no fun, I haven't had to prevac, pull all hoses, setup rotary, extract and roll up everything by myself in years.

The customer kept asking me if I was ok......

Sometimes when I'm driving between jobs I find myself panting with exhaustion after doing all that stuff and trying to keep a tight schedule. But I recover quickly. This job is unique in that you have to be athletic and in top shape in order to do this all day by yourself. Aside from the quality concerns, the best reason I can think to continue on this path is the physical discipline this work imparts.

 

[Blue Monarch]

I need to let go of my nuts. The cleaning thrill has lost its luster.

Need to get busy and get someone else on the truck!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Need to get busy and get someone else on the truck!

I think everyone gets to a point of being bored with cleaning. Sometimes it takes a class, a new tool, a new machine to bring back some of that thrill.

It does sound like you might be ready to get off the truck. That could bring some excitement back in to your life. Managing technician is always fun. Cleaning is less stressful but harder on the body.

 

[TomKing]

Fun Fact, many business owners quit, just before they start to be "successful".

Then I am going to keep going if I might be close.

 

[Desk Jockey]

 

[dealtimeman]

Then I am going to keep going if I might be close.

I tell people I am faking it, till I make it, all of the time!

 

[Brian H]

For a lot of you it may be letting go of the wand... as our company has grown, I have found it tough to let go of job duties. There is no way we could have grown to the size we are now if I had not had people take over parts of my job.

When I started 25 years ago with Hagopian, I was the dispatcher, Customer Care Manager (office manager). and On-Location manager all rolled into one. Now I have 2 dispatchers, an On-Location manager and a Customer Care Manager as well as a Maintenance manager and a Commercial sales manager. I have found getting the right person to take over has been the easiest way to let go.

And just like cleaning, no one you hire will ever do it as well as you can!!! Though there are lots of people that will do it better!!! I know, I have found that to be the case with the job duties I have let others do. You just have to keep looking until you find them!!

It's not always the easiest job to hire the right person the first time. I have made lots ( and lots) of hiring mistakes over the years. The thing I learned early on was to recognize when I made the WRONG hiring decision and get rid of that person as quickly as possible when I finally recognized they weren't right for the job.

 

[Mikey P]

and there you go Eco Joe..


word's of genius from the master of hiring.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Its the carpet cleaners curse. "No one can clean as good as you, so you can't let go of the wand or quality will drop."

Yep. we all invent excuses to stay within our comfort zone... even if it is stunting our financial/business success and emotional growth.

What helped me was Toburen's Law: "Perfection is defined as sufficient for its intended purpose." In other words, if the customer was delighted (and their check didn't bounce) I was delighted too!

Steve

PS Hate to say it but I agree with the others that (much as I loved it) you reach the point where "pushin' the wand" is kinda boring!