The best lesson you've ever learned

Ron Werner

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
8,726
Name
Ron Werner
Recent posts (incl mine) about bad customers etc got me thinking.

One of the most valuable things I have learned in 18yrs of cleaning is when to say NO and walk away from a job.

What are your lessons learned?
 

Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
117,079
Don't associate with Carpet Cleaners outside of the Internet.
 

Brian R

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2008
Messages
19,945
Name
Brian Robison
Anything you can learn from your most unsatisfied customers is golden.
 

Askal

RIP
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
1,097
Name
Al
A true statement if I have ever heard one: From martin King many years ago "If you want to make friends join a club, if you want to make money do fire and water work." Keeping in mind our satisfaction rate is much higher than the industry average but it stands none the less.
Al
 
S

Steve Toburen

Guest
Askal said:
A true statement if I have ever heard one: From martin King many years ago "If you want to make friends join a club, if you want to make money do fire and water work." Keeping in mind our satisfaction rate is much higher than the industry average but it stands none the less.
Al
Wow, Al. Martin King. I learned so much from Marty over the years. Not a spellbinding speaker in his delivery (he could be a bit pedantic) but almost every word was golden. Toward the start of my career as a restoration firm owner I asked him how and when I should start preparing to sell my business. Marty thought for awhile and said, "Remember that everything you do to make your business easier to sell also makes it a better, more profitable, easier-to-run and just a lot more fun place to work. So why not start now?"

Words to live by. Thanks, Al, for bringing up the name of Martin King- one of the unsung heroes of the cleaning and restoration industry.

Steve Toburen
http://www.SFS.JonDon.com

PS I don't remember the year but I know I was in the third ever class of Certified Restorers Marty ever did. Cliff Zlotnick and Pete Consigli plus my brother Tim were all in the class. It was WILD. (Now we've all gotten old and conservative.)
 

Ron K

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
2,371
Be very careful what you put your "thing" or your money into.
 

Brian R

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2008
Messages
19,945
Name
Brian Robison
Ron K said:
Be very careful what you put your "thing" or your money into.


Please don't tell me you tried to put your thing in that thing too? :shock:
 

Ron Werner

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
8,726
Name
Ron Werner
that reminded me of what a client taught me
You can provide :

Best Service
Best Quality
Best Price

But you can't provide ALL THREE at the same time

Knowing that has helped me to be firm enough and confident enough to walk on some jobs.
 

Brian R

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2008
Messages
19,945
Name
Brian Robison
You can have all three....Until you go out of business. lol
 
R

Royal Man

Guest
Ron Werner said:
that reminded me of what a client taught me
You can provide :

Best Service
Best Quality
Best Price

But you can't provide ALL THREE at the same time

Knowing that has helped me to be firm enough and confident enough to walk on some jobs.


Why not!!!

The word "best" is very subjective.

Best can be all kinds of things to different clients: fastest drying, reasonably fast drying, anal retentive vacuuming, no vacuuming, ease of transaction, uniformed and educated crews, no interaction at all, pleasant personality,crews that don't talk much and get down to business, honest, quickest service, slowest service, lowest price, highest price..................

It's up to your company to define best for your prospect and to show your value.

As an example one person may say a Lamborghini is the best because it is very expensive.

Or an other may choose a Smart Car as the best because it is cheep.


Explain all the good things your company has to offer. Or you leave no choice but price left to the prospect as a way to choose your service.
 

Chris A

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
5,475
Name
Chris
listen to those who are as or more successful than you want to be, ignore those who aren't (not necc. money related)
 

Dolly Llama

Number 5
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
31,225
Name
Larry Capitoni
learn to figure things out for yourself

don't follow the crowd


..L.T.A.
 

Brian R

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2008
Messages
19,945
Name
Brian Robison
Chris Adkins said:
listen to those who are as or more successful than you want to be, ignore those who aren't (not necc. money related)


I concur
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom