one chimp or two?

[Brian R]

Yoakum makes a good point. Not only can you do MORE jobs but you can do more ON EACH job with a helper or 2 man crew.

For the guys who never "upsell" (sorry for the bad word. :roll: ) having more help gives you the opportunity to do extra areas, sofas, other services and not to mention just more "customer time".


Make your money while you're there.....and you'll make more money overall.


I've always said I would rather do 2 jobs that make $1000 than 4 jobs that make the same. Even if 4 jobs means a larger customer/referral base.


By the way.....When I had my brother or father helping me...We did $1000 per day very consistently. That was my goal for each day.

It was much easier to do if we could add on a tile and grout clean or upholstery clean.

I always mentioned it if needed....Sometimes the customer just doesn't know you do things.....Even if it's in the name of the very company doing the work.

 

[Bob Foster]

I wonder how much it is worth for most cleaners to be able to dual wand if you are team cleaning.

 

[ruff]

Need there be a better proof to the superiority of a one men crew than Dave's endorsement of the opposite?
Therefore, I rest my case

Iseeru

Ofer, MB has been a bad influence on you, my friend .
You're starting to become like US... :shock: :mrgreen: 8) 8) 8)


..l.T.A.

Thank you my friend.
I am still a bleeding heart liberal though.

Could it also be because of Dave, or am I too old to change?

 

[FB7777]

Dave Brokum said ....
The more money made per job pays for the helper many times over. I wish I did it years ago.

aren't you the dousche that claimed 16 employees "years ago?"

so it never occured to you to evaluate the efficiencies of more than one person per truck "years ago?"


You really need to remember some of the bull that you type to avoid sounding less like an idiot and stick to the bullshitting bumbling sociopath you act like on here

 

[KevinL]

Anybody that says they can do the work of two techs, doesn't know how to use two techs. Stanley Steemer doesn't do it just to help the unemployed. When done properly, a second tech is worth way more than his wages and additional costs. Can a solo operator do 7-8 jobs per day and add on additional work at most of those jobs? It's one of the reasons I can't see how you guys can use inline sprayers. What do you do, spray a room and then wait 10 minutes for dwell time before you clean it. With a helper and a battery sprayer, while you do one room, your helper is moving furniture and pre-spraying the next room or two. Then when you move to those rooms, he moves the furniture back and tabs it in the last room. The person cleaning should never have to stop cleaning except to help move dr tables and such.

 

[lance]

If Ken Snow's company always sends two guys out together then it must be a good way to go.

When I'm a helper I help. We keep moving once the truck arrives, prepping and moving furniture, getting the wand cleaning, and of course packing up while the O/O talks to the custy and collects the check.

If you do four $200.00 jobs in eight hours then you have made 800.00 for the day, but you have had to do all the work yourself. If I help you those jobs can be done in 6 or 7 hours. The last job pays for my wages. So you did $600.00 for the day in six or seven hours. BUT, you only "worked" the jobs one-half to two-thirds of the effort if you were solo. So instead of four "full" jobs you are able to do two (1/2 effort) to two and two-thirds (2/3 effort) for the whole day.

The real advantage of this adds up during the long term of your business, say the next five to ten years. You are not as tired for all those years and while you might make more going solo I think the guy with the helper will always be able to do more work when that work is needed (extra furniture jobs, extra t and g jobs, small same-day jobs, etc.)

I might not know how to clean as well as you do, nor spot as well, nor talk to the custy as well. But as a helper I can run out the the truck, vac, and move furniture just as well as anyone else. Those little things add up. If you have the best unpacking and packing procedures in place to save time and energy then why couldn't you teach your helper to do what you do, just as well as you do?

Pretty soon you will be the helper but making the money of an O/O. I'd rather be well off and rested than rich and very, very tired.

 

[Ken Snow]

If the volume is there to complete more work in a day it is a slam dunk to maximize the output with 2 on a truck. If not there it is just extra expense (though for operator fatigue this still may be worth it).

It all depends on what you want to accomplish and ability to do it.

 

[Brian R]

It's also a a matter of hourly to commission.

Pay commission and you will get more done and they'll do a better job doing it all the while making more money for everyone.

Pay hourly and you'll get loafers that don't care if they make the company money and don't care if they have to come back to do the re-clean.

Of course there are exceptions....But that's in general.

 

[Ken Snow]

I agree 100%! Commission is the only way to go in my opinion.

Also- Get rid of anyone you would call a hose puller or a chimp unless you are an oo. Any person who is not capable of deserving a better monikor than that is not going to help the business grow & prosper.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

I'll stop saying chimp if the industry stops saying cleaning technition. It's degrading real technitions out in the world.

 

[ruff]

It's also a a matter of hourly to commission.

Pay commission and you will get more done and they'll do a better job doing it all the while making more money for everyone.

Pay hourly and you'll get loafers that don't care if they make the company money and don't care if they have to come back to do the re-clean.

Of course there are exceptions....But that's in general.

If pay is tied to commission and not to hourly work it creates an incentive to work faster and that many times will reduce quality.
Of course there are exceptions....But that's in general.

Also creating quotas and tying reasonable pay to up sells will add (whether intended or not) to pressure being put on the homeowner to buy more. Most homeowners do not appreciate it.

Of course again, there are exceptions....But that's in general.

Also, are we talking about O/O with a helper or two employees on their own?
Big difference.

 

[ruff]

If the volume is there to complete more work in a day it is a slam dunk to maximize the output with 2 on a truck. If not there it is just extra expense (though for operator fatigue this still may be worth it).

It all depends on what you want to accomplish and ability to do it.

If I am not mistaken Daburns sends one man crew.
Is that so Bryan?
What is your opinion?

 

[ruff]

I agree 100%! Commission is the only way to go in my opinion.

Also- Get rid of anyone you would call a hose puller or a chimp unless you are an oo. Any person who is not capable of deserving a better monikor than that is not going to help the business grow & prosper.

I agree Ken, the term is disgusting and reflects more on the person who uses it than the other.

Did you ever offer a combination of commision and hourly to solve some of the issues (disadvantages) associated with each on its own?

 

[Mikey P]

I agree Ken, the term is disgusting and reflects more on the person who uses it than the other.

:roll:

 

[The Great Oz]

Stanley Steemer doesn't do it just to help the unemployed.

Stanley Steemer uses two people for training purposes. If you have high turnover this is a good hedge against having a guy quit and it reminds the lead techs that they can be replaced instantly. Maybe the best reason for two man crews (that no one will admit).

Crew size is always a fun debate, with no right answer. One thing to consider is that you're comparing adding the cost of another truck versus adding the cost of another employee. A truck gets paid off and becomes much more profitable for you.
A tech gets more profitable but never gets paid off.

 

[joe harper]

Lets do this................."ONE MORE TIME"........ :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:



New helper starts @ $10.00 a hour...
Do NOT hire @ minimum wage...That is what you will GET..
This is a 2week TRAIL period...If they don't get "IT" in 2 weeks ...BYE-BYE...
Explain this UP-FRONT...and remind they are "part-time" cash labor....





"IF" they pan-out....
They will receive 10% of the gross "on the truck"....
This promotion CAN occur with-in 30 days of their "boot-camp"...





In approx. 6 months they can receive a raise to 15% ...depending upon their performance...
At the point they are able to work ALONE...for small jobs...they will receive 20%





The next promotion is for a trained Tech....30% of their truck...
This TECH will receive the largest & most particular clients...including "commercial work"...
This tech will be responsible for their "helpers pay"....
They ALSO have the AUTHORITY to hire & fire that individual.....








"ALL sub-contractor's"...Are required to have a Valid Drivers license...Business License...
Business Liability Insurance....State of Fl. "waiver of workman's comp." Show proof of a
disability Insurance....ALSO show in writing that they have consulted a certified CPA to
INSTRUCT them of their tax liabilities...!

Until an individual...reaches "Sub-Contractor" status....they are treated as an EMPLOYEE..!
Through a LEASING COMPANY...! The state of FL. does NOT require W-COMP..until a company EXCEEDS 3 employees..."excluding OWNERS or OFFICERS of the Corporation...!

Cleaning units are LEASED on a daily basis.."per day" or "percentage"
JOBS are offer for BID @ the LEASEE'S request...With "available" appointment TIMES...
A "damage" retainer of $1000.00 is held in escrow for a period of 6 months after the "SUB" last job.
And ......"YES" the retainer is payed 10% interest....during the 6 month waiting period...!


WOW....!!!!!! I wish "I" had thought of these IDEA'S.... !gotcha!

Maybe ..."I" wouldn't have been a BD carpet cleaner....





If you think this will for for "YOU"...I would STRONGLY advise that YOU seek professional council..

 

[ruff]

I agree Ken, the term is disgusting and reflects more on the person who uses it than the other.

:roll:

Watch your language primate dude