Not a fun topic but..

[Mikey P]

Just how slow are you?


You can only guess as to how many cleaners I talk to daily.
I am hearing lots of "dead in the water" comments. Phones completely dieing a week or so ago. For some it happened when the market crashed others it took a couple of weeks.


How about you?

I'll make this a poll so no one is shamed.

 

[Mikey P]

 

[Jim Williams]

I am up 30% for the year but this week business died. Only 4 jobs so far. Under the Bush regime things were so good.

Oh how I miss George!

 

[TimP]

I've had a slow last 7 days or so. But I've gotten some bookings today. I think the election had everyone on hold. Now people are going to start moving cause they have to get back to reality and away from the news. Thanksgiving is coming up and I usually have a rush before then. And after Thanks giving it's smooth sailing for about a month but we shall see. Needless to say I'm slightly worried. I've got 3/5'th of the overhead for november in recievables from October which is good. So if November and December are decent (not great) I should be ok through Feb.

 

[John Watson]

We be doing rus inplant today... Voted yesterday.... Overslept Monday...

Oh Wellllll

 

[Jeremy]

WAY BETTER THAN 07...

 

[Tony Neville]

We are doing more Jobs than last year but with a smaller ticket total. In all the numbers are right in line with last year. Sales are up, Expenses are up, Labor is up, and Profit is the same. Time for a price increase?

Tony

 

[Jim Martin]

we have been slower then normal but the next weeks are filling up.....I think how the holidays play out is going to say it all.......

 

[Desk Jockey]

Off a little, but considering the year other business have had, I'm not complaining.

I had two banks make personal visits last week. The rep that's built boxes for several of our trucks, told me it's their worst year ever.

 

[Dolly Llama]

the bottom dropped out last week big time

we'd be near dead in the water if not for the other chit we do

fishing was great this morning though.
I "spanked 'em" !
I lost count after the second hour of fishing...fo-reel
Best day of the season, by far

I'd have pics of the nicest ones, but I DROPPED MY FREEKIN CAMERA IN THE CRICK!!!
no, it's NOT water proof

DAMMIT!!!!


..L.T.A.

 

[Rich Holcomb]

Meat,

You fishin for steelies?

Rich

 

[Blue Monarch]

It's hard for me to judge. This is really my first year in the Lincoln market. Considering that and the economy, I'm happy with the way things are going right now.

I'm off to a WAY better start than I had in Phoenix though. Hopefully the growth keeps up.

 

[Brian R]

It's been going real well. I don't want to mess it up by looking like I'm bragging but thank God for the jobs I have been getting.

And No, I was not the one who wants to charge for ride alongs.

 

[Larry B]

For the year we are up over 100% but at this time carpets are very slow. Other things are just bumping along just fine like INT painting & janitorial contracts.

 

[Doug Cox]

Would've been a normal year if I didn't get a 6 week vacation. Gross income will be down.

 

[Rex Tyus]

Owner occupied sucks. Way down. Commercial and property management volume is up. Not enough to completely offset the owner occupied drop but makes it a little less painfull. It has been this way all year. Last year owner occupied was up and commercial was down. A drop in commercial doesn't hurt the cash flow the way O/O does for me though. The last couple of weeks it has been better but not as consistant as I like.

 

[Ron Werner]

I'm about the same, better than I actually thought I was.
I've been having a few weeks now where nothing was booked but by the end of the week I've either had a few jobs that week or booked into the next week.
I need to send out a mess of reminder cards!

 

[Dolly Llama]

Meat,

You fishin for steelies?

Rich

yessir

I was on Conneaut Creek today
anything brown that remotely resembled a nymph was killer

here's a fat fresh 8 pounder from Sunday's outing

Chagrin and Grand rivers aren't producing so well yet, but Connie is rockin' and has been since Sept

if you're a steelheader, or want to be, PM me and we'll hook up.
I'm about 45-50 miles east of you just off I-76 48 exit.
make to here, and you can ride up with me.



..L.T.A.

 

[Art Kelley]

I don't do dick for marketing, indeed I was told by a customer that they can't get my number from information, ( I cancalled my landline in the spring and my old business number is my cell, obviously I need to rectify that), I live in Michigan the worst recession state in the country, I raised my prices, and I'm still busy as ever. Just give your customers your best. The bar is set very low to dominate your market.

 

[Loren Egland]

October was a good month. First week in November very slow.

 

[Larry B]

I don't do dick for marketing, indeed I was told by a customer that they can't get my number from information, ( I cancalled my landline in the spring and my old business number is my cell, obviously I need to rectify that), I live in Michigan the worst recession state in the country, I raised my prices, and I'm still busy as ever. Just give your customers your best. The bar is set very low to dominate your market.

Art

You moving in on Bawbs action?

 

[ronald pantelas]

Pretty much the same for me. I will tell you this, everybody is looking at the invoices. When businesses are making money, they will just pay the invoices. Now that there end is being reduced by lack of customers, or smaller takes for the restaurants per day. Every bill is looked at very closely. In Pgh a major hospital just told the cleaning company. You will reduce your prices by 5%. If you do not, we will find someone who will. So instead of bumping up prices year to year. We will be bumping down. Ron

 

[Art Kelley]

[quote="Larry BArt

You moving in on Bawbs action?[/quote]

I did a job in Auburn Hills last week for a maid of a customer. Nice looking project. I locked my doors.

 

[Able 1]

Oct. was only 200.00 over last year but I've been slacking with the flyers. If I want to get more work I'll just go out and do more flyers.

Funny thing is I have gotten a couple calls from custy's from 2 years ago and they didn't go for the new prices. :shock: In years previous this would have worried me but now I know what I want to make and if I don't make what I want I don't want to do the job anyway. 8)

Hopefully they go with a 6.95 a room guy and they will call next year.

 

[hogjowl]

I've been singing the blues for a few weeks now. Phone isn't ringing and one of my school accounts decided not to clean this year, over thanksgiving and christmas, like they normally do. And, my major church account is looking to make cuts in their cleaning schedule in 2009. The costs associated with getting the Vortex and the INCREASED costs of operating a V over my slide-in have me depressed.

However, in reality, I am up a little over $20,000 from this time last year, and my October total is about $2500 more than October of last year.

So, go figure...

 

[Mikey P]

If you need to cry, I'm home and available.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I live in Michigan the worst recession state in the country, I raised my prices, and I'm still busy as ever. Just give your customers your best. The bar is set very low to dominate your market.

Art, I'm curious how many jobs you do a week?

and did you mention before that you worked solo?

Thanks

..LT.A.

 

[bob vawter]

Art...anyone can work in Auburn Hills.....
come to Pontiac!
Lately i see most corners "covered" and the dope man, standing back......

 

[dallasdj]

I think i diversified into T&G at the right time, noone here does it really well nor advertises for it. Got educated @ S&TSchool and let dealers know I'm in it too. $125/hr easy...re-grouts, recolors, clean seal, repair whatever. Between that occasional water dryout and CC, things are good.

 

[Ernie G]

Residential is down, and the clients seem to be cutting back on the amount of work they are having done. Com. work has been up a little, but I just lost a client today that i've cleaned for-for over 15yrs.- they got a new janitorial co. who will clean it for 1-3rd. of what i'm charging. I guess thats a sign of the times, but they won't get the same quality work.