What do you feel causes some of us to struggle year after ye

[Guest]

There are some cleaners that just seem to never get it. It seems they are just destined for failure. What do you feel can help them find the path to success? Some of us just need a roadmap and need a little guidance and there are many here that can help. Now is your chance to give someone that is struggling an idea that may guide him on the right path.

Dave

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Dave, in a way you've asked the same question in two different ways. I'll reply here so that we can get a free flow of success stories on the other thread.

I'd like to share what I've watched happen during the last 30 years I've been in this business full time. Over that time I've watched people at the beginning, the "middle", and at the "end" of their business careers.

A few things I've seen consistently hold people back:

Closed mindedness. This doesn't mean they'll "try anything" (that can make you broke quick), but if you spend all your time saying "that will never work, nothing will.

Lack of focus. This business has so many niches, often its a matter of not staying with any one part before a cleaner dashes off to the next. The cleaners who have the discipline to take one part of the business, and stay with that till they get it right, then go to the next do better than the ones who give up after a month or so and try something else.

Lack of support at home. This seems a bit personal, but I can tell you that a supportive spouse makes a huge difference when sacrifices need to be made to get things started.

Expecting too much, too soon. If you have to always be "eating your seed corn", you can never make it. Many businesses need to be started while the cleaner has a job, or his spouse does. (See above)

Lack of Patience. Few businesses grow fast. I would guess most of the truly successful people here had to live a little bit lean at first. I had a guy get out of the business after three months because he hadn't yet turned a significant profit.

Lack of work ethic. (Ok, I mean laziness). This business is not for the lethargic. If you can't get out of bed, can't work hard, make sales calls, do paperwork at night, do work late at night/early morning, and perhaps hold down a part time job at first, its not for you.

I could go on. Dave, I think this is what you might have wanted. I hope it can help get the thread where you want it to be.

I'm looking forward to seeing the success stories on your other thread.

 

[Mikey P]

I think your idea of offering ride alongs is great.

If a guy who only thinks he is worth .20 sees how easy it is to get .50 it may boost his courage.

Or may not.


Guy's are so fearful of rejection because they think their clients have the same financial worries they do. They cant imagine that someone would pay what amounts to a week's pay for most for a good carpet cleaning.


Dave, you're smart enough to realize that most new cleaners are coming off 20 to 30k a year jobs and have no idea how to pretty people think and live.

They start out competing in an arena full of like mined low wage earners who usually don't have the vision to see themselves getting anywhere further then being a discount company.
Once a guy has established himself as a coupon/ apartment specialist its aweful hard to weed out all those thousand's of money loosing, but sure thing jobs to go after the "high end". Who may or may not stick with him since his cleaning and social skills may be more appropriate for "lower end " work.


And besides, somebody has to do it.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Mike, you made me think of another good point, regarding self image:

The guys who either paid to have carpet cleaned themselves, or had parents who paid for carpet cleaning do far better than guys who never saw a carpet cleaned until they worked for a carpet cleaner, or until they saw a machine demonstrated.

If you grew up in a home, or during you adult life saw carpet cleaning as a good investment in your home, your more likely to think you're worth the money.

Not always true, but a fairly common thread with the guys I've worked with over the years.

 

[Rob Lyon]

Failure to plan is Planning to fail!!

Unfortunately many do not set goals or benchmarks!!


A business plan is a great idea even if you do not need a loan.

I have known a couple of cleaners that did not look into
these (3) simple and to me basic idea's even though they worked
very hard to make a success at it.



All The Best, Rob


PS, This was a great topic Dave!!

 

[Derek]

1 piece of advice for Owner/Op's:

don't advertise price. why would anyone want to be the cheapest? and why would anyone want to charge according to "the going price"?

it's said over and over, but figure what you need to charge, to make a good living and support your family without strapping yourself to bills. i'm still working on this mindset myself because sometimes it is easier said than done. "the going price" doesn't pay the bills and give you a nice savings for the future, least not for me.

thanx --- Derek.

 

[Rob Lyon]

Great advice Derek!!!





All The Best, Rob

 

[Mikey P]

 

[Mikey P]

 

[RichardnTn]

Carpet cleaning is about doing a good job, in fact, that is number 2 on the list... P R is number one, selling yourself...

Unless you sell yourself to a customer, your just another carpet cleaner, develop a report (show genuine concern for the customer). Let them know your name more than once...let them attach a personality to that name and a job well done...they'll call you back

90+ % of my customers know me by my first name..
" Doors open, there is a signed blank check on the counter, do what needs to be done." Got a lot of them...

Whether you do $100 a day or a $1000 a day, remember your the best..You have to believe in yourself and your ability to deliver.. Everything else will fall in place, given time...
Richard Robinson

 

[Guest]

I'm certainly no expert but I know this: Look next time you go into you distributors shop at other cleaners. Look at how they're dressed, how they talk/act, and look at their trucks.

90% of the time you find guys that aren't neatly groomed. They have a poor grasp of being able to speak/communicate. Their van is dirty. The TM has NEVER been wiped down. The dash board is littered with garbage. They won't spend $1000 to get it logo'ed and/or painted.

I think a lot of people (like Mikey said) just don't know how to present themselves in a professional manner. Almost all instructors will say its 80% show, 20% cleaning. I think its even more than that. Before this I worked at a bank that put huge emphasis on customer relationships. My parents had a very successful small business for over 30 years. So for whatever reason I can talk to my customers, not look like a slob, and take 10 minutes a week to clean up my van.

Simple things like that allow cleaners to charge more, be more confident, and make more money. This doesn't answer the original question, but it's the truth. A lot of us can't see the bigger picture. Its tough for guys to look a month down the road, let alone 10 or 20 years.

 

[Guest]

Jim,

Excellent points.

Mike & Terry,

This post has nothing to do with my ride alongs and I am just trying to get people to give their idea of what it takes to achieve success and why some struggle for a lifetime. This is not the time to debate whether I have the skills to help someone on the path to success.

I do want to say that Success and failure can be done both in high and low priced companies. I was in the Service Team of Professionals franchise and trained the new franchises for STOP. When I speak on this subject I do know what I am talking about. I have never or will never charge anyone to ride with me.

I will give my main reasons for success. You have to be willing to do what others won't and that is consistently market and keep doing it even when you are busy. You need to deliver what you promise and you must be confident in yourself or your company. There is more to it but that's a start.

Dave

 

[Ron Lippold]

Thanks.

Dave , Mikey, Jim, Rob and all others that put in their 2cent i really appreciate it. You old pros sure make all this much easier.


Keep up the good posts, it just makes the industry better.

 

[Rambo]

Wow! Jim Pembertons analogy is the best I ever read (as are most of the others) on this subject. I have mentored seven into this industry and three were miserable failures and the reasons for those failures were covered in this post.

 

[Dolly Llama]

"What do you feel causes some of us to struggle year after ye"

Too stupid, too lazy, too irresponsible or any combination of .

too stupid;
Poor people skills
Poor attitude
just plain no common sense

too lazy;
I call it the treadmill syndrome.
Just like the treadmill we see in folks homes
with stuff stacked on top of them.
they know they're there, know how to use it
but it just sits there and isn't used

Too irresponsible;
Might make plenty money and good profit,
But as the saying goes
"a fool and his money is soon parted"


..L.T.A.

 

[Jim Martin]

to many are sitting around waiting to make it big instead of applying them self to create it......................

once you do a cleaning it does not stop there you have to stay in contact with every client.........new client or old client it is still up to you to keep the phone ringing...........

stop thinking that you know everything.........this industry is changing all the time.......so just because you have arm full of patches it don't mean you know everything.....just ask and you will see......

get the hell out of that comfort zone ...........it will kill your company...........

 

[Jimmy L]

Its image image image!
Look professional and you will be treated like a professional.
Do your research into customer relations.
Stay away from political and religious talk with customers.
Interview your customers for possible long time relationships that will add to your bottom line.Be aware of one time only customers that will never refer you or are price conscience.

All goes back to how you were raised.
My father was a German with a hardworking background.
I learned from him.

Mr. Pemberton is right about spouse support.I married a woman who did offer support and often kicked me out the door to "get over my fears".
Its important to balance your life and not work 24-7 because you will lose your life and there is no going back.
Take charge of your life and do what YOU have to do in life and never compare what you do with others.
Remember life is an adventure , everyday is different and damn the torpedoes!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Excellent post Jimmy!

 

[alazo1]

Those times that I see that I can be busier, it always leads to one reason. Lack of consistency. Many good points above. You only need to take a few and run with it. Best way to get into any business is not thinking you're going to make big bucks quick.

Being a good salesman/ people person is more important than being a good cleaner. Most can learn how to clean well a lot easier then being a good salesman.

Albert

 

[GRHeacock]

Part is self confidence.

I always had offered ride-alongs to anybody that wanted to come with me.

Several people took me up on that.

One fellow who called his business- "Carl's Discount Cleaners" was dying on the vine.

During his ride-along, I found he was pretty knowledgeable, but had low self esteem. I suggested he change his company name to "Carl's Custom Quality Cleaners" which would raise his self esteem and help to get a better quality customer, and at higher prices.

He did, and when I went to see him 3 or 4 years later, he was doing very well.

Gary

 

[markmark]

I think that many people fail because of attitude and finances!

IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO YOU......THEN YOU WILL FAIL
1) If you have a weekly paycheck and never save money....you will fail
2) If you buy "toys" instead of things that make money...you will fail
3) If you think you are better than anyone else (and you aren't in all aspects....you will fail
4) If you can't handle your personal finances, then any business that you start will fail.
5) If you can't make yourself work, even when you don't want to...you will fail.
6) If you rely upon your boss to keep a good attitude....you will fail

I could go on and on here, when I went into business every tech that I know thought that his sh## didn't stink.

There are 3 kinds of people 1. those that watch things happen
2. Those that make things happen
3. Those that wonder what the hell just happened

laughing and serious.

If you are not wealthy (because of what you "think" is someone else's failure) you are a pussy and will never get ahead!

 

[Brad_Smith]

We fail because we don't do enough apartments.

Brad