SuccessFul

[GeneMiller]

How exactly do you see your success ?

I'm getting gas and a guy from a conversion van comes over. The thing is from the 80's. He tells me he is a carpet cleaner and runs a porty out of the back. He subs for a larger company and is just killing it. He starts bragging about how much he's bringing in daily. Then he asks me for a jump. His battery is dead. I suggest he walk the 50' to the automotive store but he can't afford it right now. Exactly how is he measuring killing it. If your always broke you aren't killing anything except yourself.

Gene

 

[Mikey P]

Maybe he made enough today to kill a full bucket of extra crispy.

 

[GeneMiller]

It makes me wonder if people know the difference between gross and net.

Gene

 

[Art Kelley]

He subs for a larger company and is just killing it. He starts bragging about how much he's bringing in daily.

Gene

If it is the typical arrangement like Cole's subs had, he makes 30% of the gross, which means he is netting about 10% after his expenses. It's a good deal, but not for him.

 

[ruff]

I am killing it.

Thanks for asking

 

[Desk Jockey]

That's pathetic. Did he used to post on ICS?
The man must think you're idiot to believe that chit!

If I were you I'd have punched him in the throat for insulting me with that story.

unfookin believable!

 

[ruff]

Just wait a minute, dude.
Gene did, he may be building this up to be asking us for bail money

Call Richard, those Topekans are killing it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

uhh huh I bought a battery last week. It was used and I have to charge it every night but I paid cash for it.
Best $9.00 I ever spent.

 

[hogjowl]

Is this a circle jerk?

 

[Desk Jockey]

 

[SamIam]

Big mouths killing it with no credit lol

 

[Shane Deubell]

Somewhere in between the conversion van and cole. Much much closer to the conversion van

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Mean Gene!

 

[GreenTechAgain]

Not only is he killing himself, he is killing anyone who tries to get a decent price for their work.

There are so many $20 a room guys in my area they make it hard to get a reasonable rate.

I have people asking me if I will beat their $59 3 area price.

 

[Zee]

Not only is he killing himself, he is killing anyone who tries to get a decent price for their work.

There are so many $20 a room guys in my area they make it hard to get a reasonable rate.

I have people asking me if I will beat their $59 3 area price.

That's a two way street...

If the customer can't see the difference between the "ten buck a room ma'am" (in my best toothless rennneck voice) and shorts with torn up DC shoes wearing dorks to someone that is groomed properly and wearing attire that can pass for a decent office job..... Then we can't be surprised if they want to ask us to match those guy's prices.

Have we ever seen or experienced the trashy guy walking in the Ferrari dealership and wanting to pay the same price as he would pay for a small Ford Fiesta?

A lot of times, we as carpet cleaners think, we are better than the cheapy guy but can't point out why and can't project it visually to our customers.

 

[Desk Jockey]

A lot of time we as carpet cleaners think we are better than the cheapy guy but can't point out why and can't project it visually to our customers.

For carpet cleaners we think pretty highly of ourselves don't we?

 

[Mikey P]

Show them your big truck...


But great points Zee..


Question for the group:

How do you visually stand out?

 

[Desk Jockey]

How do you visually stand out?

Its difficult but I have found when lost in a crowd you need to do something special to separate yourself. I drop my pants and moon the others.

Cheap, effective and memorable. Try it!

 

[Zee]

Unfortunately Mikey, it's actually not hard to stand out visually in the carpet cleaning crowd....

Lose your comb over if you're balding.. Get a haircut if you got lots of hair. Shave the freaking goatee that was "in" 18 years ago....if you're a hipster and must have a beard to show how unique you are (just like everyone else is, so sorry hipsters you all look alike) at least have it in a decent form.

Put on pants and not jeans...wear shoes (none athletic type shoes but borderline dress shoes)

And you will get this so many times upon opening the door to your arrival: "Uummmm you are the carpet cleaner? You don't look like them..some of those I'm afraid to let it"

 

[Desk Jockey]

I agree Zee!

 

[hogjowl]

It's almost unfair how being beautiful helps me stand out.

 

[Old Coastie]

A "uniform" and ID badge does seem to put them at ease. Numerous reviews comment on it and it does make sense. Here is my foreman at work:

 

[Old Coastie]

Here's me:

 

[Desk Jockey]

I see you are smart enough to stay in the office.

Us ugly guys need to stay away from the public. Yes Porkchop you too!

P.S. Nice uniforms!

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Gene Did you know that the tooth fairy drives a old van.

 

[GreenTechAgain]

That's a two way street...

If the customer can't see the difference between the "ten buck a room ma'am" (in my best toothless rennneck voice) and shorts with torn up DC shoes wearing dorks to someone that is groomed properly and wearing attire that can pass for a decent office job..... Then we can't be surprised if they want to ask us to match those guy's prices.

Have we ever seen or experienced the trashy guy walking in the Ferrari dealership and wanting to pay the same price as he would pay for a small Ford Fiesta?

A lot of times, we as carpet cleaners think, we are better than the cheapy guy but can't point out why and can't project it visually to our customers.

I have those bases covered from the way I dress, speak, present myself and my company. Show up on time, ring the bell, stand back from the door on a walk off mat, vac and another walk off mat to place inside the door. corner guards, full process, etc. And the satisfaction that I leave a customer doing quality work for a reasonable price.

But the guys, including SS who advertise a low price lower the bar for everyone. I have had calls from people who where surprised that they were not going to get their entire house cleaned for $99.00.

It has been a frustrating past few weeks where it seems these guys are everywhere, more so than usual, during a slow period regardless (back to school).

 

[Dolly Llama]

I have those bases covered from the way I dress, speak, present myself and my company. Show up on time, ring the bell, stand back from the door on a walk off mat, vac and another walk off mat to place inside the door. corner guards, full process, etc. And the satisfaction that I leave a customer doing quality work for a reasonable price.

But the guys, including SS who advertise a low price lower the bar for everyone. I have had calls from people who where surprised that they were not going to get their entire house cleaned for $99.00.

It has been a frustrating past few weeks where it seems these guys are everywhere, more so than usual, during a slow period regardless (back to school).

unless they're running a sale/special, Stanley Steemer is relatively "normal" pricing here .
Never shopped them, but think they're in the $40-$60 rm price range


donno what you charge, Ross, but if you're doing the whole dog 'n pony show and trying to compete with the Stanley's and Hogopian's of the world, you're in the wrong market


..L.T.A.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Same here, Stanley is more expensive.

Except for the 20 year .50 cent sqr ft guys, handful of them too.

 

[GreenTechAgain]

unless they're running a sale/special, Stanley Steemer is relatively "normal" pricing here .
Never shopped them, but think they're in the $40-$60 rm price range


donno what you charge, Ross, but if you're doing the whole dog 'n pony show and trying to compete with the Stanley's and Hogopian's of the world, you're in the wrong market


..L.T.A.

I did not set up my prices compared to SS or anyone else. Just talking about the $99.00 price point that they advertise and people seem to expect.

You do make a good point, I see what you are saying. It is not what I have been doing directly, but maybe more in-directly in my current mind set. I've been lucky enough to quote a few larger commercial jobs - and gun-shy with my prices on those jobs.

Bottom Line - If I had a full book, I would care less what anyone else is charging. I'm working on it.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Stanley Steeper's $99 gets you 2 small rooms here, if they can't upsell.