Step up marketing and add another van?

[Becker]

Helper.

Step up marketing and add another van?

Or just raise prices.

2007:

Carpet cleaning alone so far I have cleaned 54,734 sq ft of carpet over 84 jobs.

Busy season has not even hit. This is Jab, Feb... These months are normally so dead.

I've had past Febs were I did not do 20 jobs. This last Feb I did 48 jobs.

I'm booked till the 14th. Of course I will be at MF. But also have jobs scattered into April. ( I get a huge call volume after the 10th of the month)

Of that total sq ft cleaned, less than 3000 was comm.

My costs are pretty low. Paid for TM, 06 van will be paid before MF.

My thought was to step up prices and add a helper and see how that goes.

 

[The Asian Sensation]

CAn I be your new helper?? Ill just live down the basement...I promise I wont be a bother.

Just as long as I can attend those drunken parties of yours....Ill be cool.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I'm a POOR business man, Beck.
Just lucky is all.
But I'll give my thoughts for what it's worth.

You're still a young man.
But you won't be forever.
You're also a sharp guy and a go getter.

Add a man, see how he works out over the coarse ( or is it course) of a year.
You "should" be able to increase productivity by 50%
You'll also have more options available to make more choices/decisions once you know you have a man you can trust.

You can continue to be a one truck op and take more time off (you won't have to bo on "every" job) while still making money, or choose to add another van

..L.T.A.

 

[Goldenboy]

If you ad a helper figure the cost of 20 more vacations. The helper will only be helping himself.

Golden Boy

 

[cu]

iv had much more work for jan and feb then i was thinking i would have and march dont look any easier , but i hate the thoughts of hiring another person to train , to show the ropes to and the investment in . all it would take is some marketing and........ been there done that .never been more happy then then i am now
and as some can atest for me, it,s been a long time coming
o/o for me is the way to be. i to am not getting any younger and will plan for where i want to be in 10years time and that includes still pushing a wand but only cause i like the biz not because i have to .
only you can say whats best for you . but i could be worng and bitter just cause i got burnt. get the truck ,ins,tax,s workers comp,equipment,pay roll,...as the shitheads in the s.a.s say "who dares wins"

bet this is of no help

 

[Desk Jockey]

You're in an ideal position, I would hire a good helper with the intent of getting off the truck.

If the volume of work continues then think of adding a second truck, you run it when ever there is over flow.

As the business continues to develop groom a second tech to take over the second truck, again working yourself out of a job.

Continue until supply equals demand.

Work less, make more money, retire early...send me money for making you millions! :wink:

 

[FB7777]

Back in 1993, I did both at the same time.

I purchased a a 2nd upgraded van and ran myself and a helper on that van while the other van sat in backup for about 6 months.

Then the workload got to the point where my helper and I would split up on a couple days where I felt comfortable leaving him alone.

Then everyday we would each take a van, sometimes park one in the street and work together and then split when emergencies came up or to get ahead of schedule when the job was just a one man task.

Don't know how old you are Don, but it sounds like Platinum Carpet is really "Becker the carpet guy"

At 28 I realized I ain't gonna be young forever and I better get some help. ( I was forced to tho, because I had WAY too much work)



It sounds like you are maxed out as a one man show, the only way to make more money is raise prices or improve efficiency.

 

[Blue Monarch]

The way Fred did it seems like a good way to go. Having a backup van can certainly help out. Curt's got one and it's saved his tail plenty. Even mine a coupla times.

You have a very tight radius. With an extra van, you could blow one up, go get the other and never miss a beat.

I hate working alone. I go faster and have more fun when working with another cleaner.

 

[Desk Jockey]

The second van always seems unnecessary until you over book or get a big job an emergency or break down.

It slowly works you into the second crew and more growth!