S'not what you know, it's who you know...

[Mikey P]

The biggest tile contractor/setter in town ( did our floors, shower and counters) has a sister who he refers to do all their follow up sealing.


She quoted around $400 for our place.

All the tile stores refer her as well

I think I lost a job to her a time or two, as she cleans too.



The realtor/developer who built my house, who has sent me a few jobs, including his own home for carpet and tile, called today. His new house is ready to move in to but the new 1/4 grout is loaded up with all sorts of construction crud that "She" could not get out. He asked me to come by today and look/test today.

Turns out "She" was there. Didn't take but a few minutes before I was warned not to use steel brushes, acids or heavy, hard to handle big machines (a 175, lol)

It was all eyes on me as the home owners, She and She's helper, watched me set up the very mysterious SX12/370.
I tried just water first but no go. Shut her down and used my Rhino Snout toof brush and Cobby Acid and some Flex. The Acid did the trick. All the while a polite battle of wits was going on about chemistry, this job that job anecdotes and what not.
I did learn that some porcelains are absorbent so its best not to use Enhancers....


Looks like I'll be spending all of Friday doing what She, couldn't.




But I suspect it will take years to overcome the good ol' She'ism in this valley.


s'alright.

 

[DAT]

Who's she? And FB?

 

[Nomad74]

It amazes me she didn’t know who she was talking too.

Business are built, and rebuilt, one customer at a time. Good job.

 

[Nomad74]

Who's she? And FB?

Ask the question you really want to know..... Was she hot?

 

[DAT]

I doubt it..

 

[Mikey P]

What do blondes and dog turds have in common?

 

[DAT]

The older they get, the easier they are to picked up?

 

[BIG WOOD]

She sounds like she's healthy competition. I wish there were more carpet cleaning businesses like that in our industry. It'd be allot easier to charge what we're worth

 

[Mark Saiger]

Some of this was former tile...and grout...and some of this is new tile and grout....

They had problems with former contractors that built this elder care facility....so they hired them in to do some additions and remodel....

The construction workers installed the new tile and grout...then did the demo...a lot of demo...and had all kinds of tool boxes, and debris, boards, metal....and scuffed the heck out of the new tile.

Some areas look like a belt sander was run over the top of the tiles (probably from the tool kits and other debris)

We of course could clean it up...but no repairing the damage even to the new tile....(Marty insert IDIOTS here)

The white in with the brown grout....is white grout (I know it looks like it might not be) but they were mixing all kinds of grout in with the brown to save money and stretch it out...

I had one area I kept scraping the grout to see how deep I would go if could find brown....it's to the bottom.

The gals who are in charge of this facility were so mad when I showed up, because we had just cleaned the day before, told them about the damage, but it didn't' get to the gals in charge....so I was back yesterday...

Breaking the bad news to them (and showing them)

Should have seen the pouting session after my meeting....

Then they showed me a room still with a bunch of debris on it that want us to clean....was a disaster...and I was told the areas I just got done cleaning were 5 times worse with debris and such...

They are lucky to even have tile remaining!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

But I suspect it will take years to overcome the good ol' She'ism in this valley.

Is this your toughest competition? I don't mean in the "I know stuff -she doesn't" way.

I mean as far as how she's connected and referred.

If so, that's what makes the game fun.

 

[Mikey P]

Is this your toughest competition? I don't mean in the "I know stuff -she doesn't" way.

I mean as far as how she's connected and referred.

If so, that's what makes the game fun.

Yep.

A Lady with a ( nylon ) toothbrush and a mop.

 

[Mikey P]

Saiger" data-source="post: 4554592" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Some of this was former tile...and grout...and some of this is new tile and grout....

They had problems with former contractors that built this elder care facility....so they hired them in to do some additions and remodel....

The construction workers installed the new tile and grout...then did the demo...a lot of demo...and had all kinds of tool boxes, and debris, boards, metal....and scuffed the heck out of the new tile.

Some areas look like a belt sander was run over the top of the tiles (probably from the tool kits and other debris)

We of course could clean it up...but no repairing the damage even to the new tile....(Marty insert IDIOTS here)

The white in with the brown grout....is white grout (I know it looks like it might not be) but they were mixing all kinds of grout in with the brown to save money and stretch it out...

I had one area I kept scraping the grout to see how deep I would go if could find brown....it's to the bottom.

The gals who are in charge of this facility were so mad when I showed up, because we had just cleaned the day before, told them about the damage, but it didn't' get to the gals in charge....so I was back yesterday...

Breaking the bad news to them (and showing them)

Should have seen the pouting session after my meeting....

Then they showed me a room still with a bunch of debris on it that want us to clean....was a disaster...and I was told the areas I just got done cleaning were 5 times worse with debris and such...

They are lucky to even have tile remaining!

View attachment 76933 View attachment 76934 View attachment 76935 View attachment 76936

Not nearly that bad but similar


I'll take pics tomorrow

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Yep.
A Lady with a ( nylon ) toothbrush and a mop.

I'm sure she's going to make a doll that looks like you and stick pins in it at night.

Still, if she can hold onto market share with that type of equipment investment, you gotta give her credit

Funny story:

Back when we rode dinosaurs to cleaning jobs, our cleaning company was using the first truck mounts, latest and greatest cleaners, etc. Our toughest competitor was this guy with a Duraclean franchise. In those days, Duraclean used a machine that created foam, and the cleaner dipped a hand brush into the foam, and cleaned the carpet on his hands and knees with that brush.

We had no trouble getting jobs from the other cleaners, but "Jack" had a clientele that would NEVER leave him. Even after we got out of the cleaning business, he was still cleaning that way for decades later. The franchise got them into "stand up machines", and eventually even truck mounts, but Jack never changed...

....and we never got one of his customers.

Here is the machine. I couldn't find a picture of a guy on his hands and knees using one. But you can see where the foam was created.

 

[Mikey P]

She had a relative/ assistant with her, who I hear will be taking over soon.


If the two of them show up on cleaning day, I'll hand her a card.

Or I may stop by on Monday to watch them seal..

I'm guessing its 1800 of 3'x6" plank.

A perfect Cobb job.

 

[J Scott W]

One of the reasons my policy was to never bad mouth the competition - some of them were connected. Talking down the competition could lose you a lot of potential clients. But step in to "help' out when the competition had a problem could leave a favorable impression with all the same folks.

BTW - I cleaned upholstery with one of those Duraclean machines for a very short time. Worked for a Duraclean franchise for 3 or 4 months back in 1971. The experienced guys got the "cushy" carpet and upholstery jobs most of the time. As the new guy, I was cleaning ovens and washing windows. (The company cleaned a lot of housing at an air base.)

 

[Nomad74]

One of the reasons my policy was to never bad mouth the competition - some of them were connected. Talking down the competition could lose you a lot of potential clients. But step in to "help' out when the competition had a problem could leave a favorable impression with all the same folks.

BTW - I cleaned upholstery with one of those Duraclean machines for a very short time. Worked for a Duraclean franchise for 3 or 4 months back in 1971. The experienced guys got the "cushy" carpet and upholstery jobs most of the time. As the new guy, I was cleaning ovens and washing windows. (The company cleaned a lot of housing at an air base.)

I agree. It’s a very small world. I’m constantly reminded.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

One of the reasons my policy was to never bad mouth the competition - some of them were connected. Talking down the competition could lose you a lot of potential clients. But step in to "help' out when the competition had a problem could leave a favorable impression with all the same folks.

BTW - I cleaned upholstery with one of those Duraclean machines for a very short time. Worked for a Duraclean franchise for 3 or 4 months back in 1971. The experienced guys got the "cushy" carpet and upholstery jobs most of the time. As the new guy, I was cleaning ovens and washing windows. (The company cleaned a lot of housing at an air base.)

I'm constantly reminded of how long I've been at this when things like this come up.

(That's a nicer way of looking at it than saying "I'm older than the dirt most of you are removing")

 

[Mikey P]

I'm actually afraid of the repercussions of just how well I'm doing at making myself The Carpet Cleaner in my new community.

I'll need help in another year or so if I gimp up or want weeks off.


I think I could steal Ely from SCruz in a heart beat.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I think I could steal Ely from SCruz in a heart beat.

I was thinking the exact thing....He's a real star in your firmament, and maybe he'd like to emerge from the California lifestyle and have the same rebirth as you did.

 

[J Scott W]

I'm actually afraid of the repercussions of just how well I'm doing at making myself The Carpet Cleaner in my new community.

I'll need help in another year or so if I gimp up or want weeks off.


I think I could steal Ely from SCruz in a heart beat.

By next year I should be available for fill-in work.

 

[DAT]

That be real cool.

 

[Jimmy L]

In regards to "She" I would have TAKEN HER OUT BACK AND BEAT HER ASS!

 

[Desk Jockey]

I talk trash/truth on all my competition. Its so hard not to do so. People come in her in tears sometimes.
Just last moth we had two that went they way of the Vendor Program both calling once it went sour on them but it was too late for us to get involved. They just wanted to know how it should have went.

Another came to our office so upset she said she received some of her contents back and they still smelled of smoke. When she complained to them they told her her contents were fine. The odor was coming from the boxes, they didn't have time to deodorize the boxes. She said "you gave me dirty boxes?" They told her no, they vacuumed out the boxes but didn't have time to ozone them.

Too hard to hold your tongue when you competing with idiots.

Just calling them as I see them.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Let them do the talking.

 

[Vincent Feehan]

At least Ely could buy a house in Nevada

 

[Mikey P]

Just sold anot for long..

 

[Josh Almanza]

I'm sure she's going to make a doll that looks like you and stick pins in it at night.

Still, if she can hold onto market share with that type of equipment investment, you gotta give her credit

Funny story:

Back when we rode dinosaurs to cleaning jobs, our cleaning company was using the first truck mounts, latest and greatest cleaners, etc. Our toughest competitor was this guy with a Duraclean franchise. In those days, Duraclean used a machine that created foam, and the cleaner dipped a hand brush into the foam, and cleaned the carpet on his hands and knees with that brush.

We had no trouble getting jobs from the other cleaners, but "Jack" had a clientele that would NEVER leave him. Even after we got out of the cleaning business, he was still cleaning that way for decades later. The franchise got them into "stand up machines", and eventually even truck mounts, but Jack never changed...

....and we never got one of his customers.

Here is the machine. I couldn't find a picture of a guy on his hands and knees using one. But you can see where the foam was created.

View attachment 76938

Lol! “Back when we rode dinosaurs to cleaning jobs”

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Lol! “Back when we rode dinosaurs to cleaning jobs”

It hit me kind of hard last weeek when I thought back to the first cleaning job I helped my father with:

It was a car dealership and he took me along to run buckets of detergent to his scrubber and replace chairs and waste cans. I was 8.

50 years ago....

Yeah...that's as close to prehistoric as we'll have it in this business.

 

[Cleanworks]

It hit me kind of hard last weeek when I thought back to the first cleaning job I helped my father with:

It was a car dealership and he took me along to run buckets of detergent to his scrubber and replace chairs and waste cans. I was 8.

50 years ago....

Yeah...that's as close to prehistoric as we'll have it in this business.

My first couple of jobs were with Clarke 16 inch scrubbers with tanks and shower feed brushes. Von Schrader shampoo and use a wet vac to pick it up. Carpets looked great except for the residue.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

My first couple of jobs were with Clarke 16 inch scrubbers with tanks and shower feed brushes. Von Schrader shampoo and use a wet vac to pick it up. Carpets looked great except for the residue.

And we didn't need to empty a waste tank ....