Record Breaking September

[Brian R]

Best September ever. Not the best month ever but I am still a happy camper.

Incouraging for a "bad" economy. I am still doing well priced jobs at a little under 100 customers a month. I was at 68% new customers :shock:
I am getting a lot of repeats but more new custys...that's awesome.

If you are having troubles in your company just remember to keep you image high, your prices just under that and don't compromise your integrity at all or your prices too much or it will follow you around and bite you on the ass.

If you give in to the bullshit too much then that's what your business will become known for.

I would rather do 1 $200.00 job than 4 $50.00 jobs for obvious reasons.

Treat yourself well your customers better and your Technicians the best
In the end you will benefit the most

And when a Tech says a customer wasn't worth doing...sometimes you just have to trust them.

 

[Desk Jockey]

September sucked for us.

August was huge so it kinda evens out.

Still too many peaks and valleys for me to feel any level of comfort.
We are on track to do 1.7, yet with roller coaster ride it doesn't feel like.

 

[Brian R]

We did a little better than August but nowhere near July (Best month ever).
With a couple of huge commercial jobs in Oct. I see us doing better than July.
Just today's jobs are surpassing our average for the month.

Ok, it's back to work...wish me luck.

 

[Torn]

Glad to hear you had a good month. Things are going well for me also. My business is about 2.5 years old and growing.

 

[Ron K]

Brian

Did you raise your prices?

Did you push ad-ons?

Is it all Web-Site driven?

Service Monster?

Still alot of peaks and valleys September was very good not the best but very good. Drop offs to Rug Plant picking up. All thing being equal it could be better but it also could be alot worse.

 

[Bjorn]

how much in Mary Kay sales ?

 

[Brian R]

how much in Mary Kay sales ?

:roll:

Ron,
I didn't raise my prices although I stick to them more because of the split I do. I don't want to send these guys out to low ball jobs.

With quality work the company grows more every year. My website brings in a lot of new custys and now that I can answer the phone full time and pre inspect every job...the tickets are higher and I am not missing jobs.
Secrets to Success. :wink:

Service Monster helps me keep in touch with customers and I can't say enough that it helps me track them as well...and that is a big deal.

The add ons are house cleaning, window cleaning, carpet repair and now we are polishing with the Monkey Pads...learning.

Word of mouth is huge too.

 

[Guest]

I visited your website, and it looks like you work all over California. I know you subcontract, but is this your best September in your area? Or is it all around Cali including your area? How is your contracting doing in areas like San Diego? Cool idea, do you have potential contractors abide by any kind of quality standards? Does the customers know that they are being cleaned by a sub or are they handing your business card out?

 

[Brian R]

Best Sept. for the whole company

I establish a relationship with an O/O that does quality work and keep using them.
I hire the personality and the good work usually comes with it.

If the custy asks, I tell them. Not sure it has ever mattered.
Honesty is important...If I lied, I would have to keep too many stories straight.

 

[Ken Snow]

Brian, suggest you edit your last post so it cannot be used against you by the irs or a sub at a later date. email me if any question.

 

[Brian R]

Yea, I thought about that when I posted it. Made it sound too much like I was using them as employees....which I am not of course. I changed it just for peace of mind.

I studied the laws of Subs and employees and they are very specific. I let the subs know that as well.

Thanks Ken

 

[ACE]

Brian,

Way to go on breaking a sales record!

I’m sure you have explained this before but, how do you keep you name recognition when the van in the driveway has another companies name on it. How many jobs a year to you think your subs are taking from you?

 

[Brian R]

Name recognition comes from the marketing not the always from the van in the driveway...which is usually white with no lettering or logos.

I am sure some of the jobs that I get are stolen from me...that's just part of the game.
If I find out someone is doing that then I don't use them anymore.
It would probably be from a sub that I don't use on a regular basis.
I have to depend on my marketing program to keep customers.

The guys in my area that I use are trustworthy and they just want to work. They don't want to market or track customers so they let me take care of that.

I just send them a days worth of work and they do it.
It works for them to have me involved instead of them doing any of the legwork.

 

[ACE]

Huh, I guess it works because most owner ops are better cleaners then business owners. I started my business with almost 100% sub work. I am dropping most of the sub work as I grow my own customer base. I am taking customers with me but the people I sub for know it. They were not able to find anyone else that gave the same quality. Now I just pay them a referral fee for most of the work they send me.