Carpet Cleaning Issues - Carpet construction, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, equipment, events, etc.
How Many of you have a helperPosted by Ian_G. (Ian_Gourlay), 25 February 2004
I dare say many of you have received a mailshot from a leading supplier offering equipment on lease.
In the Cash Flow projections there is costing for a helper.
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I just wonder how many of us work on our own and if employing a helper speeds up the work thus justifying the extra cost or essential to propviding First Class results.Posted by John_Flynn (John_Flynn), 25 February 2004
If you can earn £250/£300 per day on your own, why do you want the headache of employing a helper??
NO I do NOT employ a helper and would never consider it.Posted by strakercleaning (strakercleaning), 25 February 2004
I have never found anyone careful or conscienctious enough 
Its my name on the side of the van so i need someone who will take the same level of pride in the job as myself, my son is only 6 so not long to wait 
Posted by John_Flynn (John_Flynn), 25 February 2004
You got it in one Chris, NO employee will ever take the same care as you, plus they have NO respect for your equipment. That is if they bother to turn up for work.Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 25 February 2004
Hi Guys
A question.
If you do not have any help you are then limited by your own efforts and limited time?
Now, £200-300 per day is great money but with help i.e. staff you can leverage your time and earn money without even being on site. You can utilise OPM and OPT
Other peoples money
Other peoples time.
Regards
Martin 
Posted by strakercleaning (strakercleaning), 25 February 2004
Martin,
Your tagline about a free lunch says it all........extra time or revenue from helper is minimal. Unless you run 2 wands/machines, all the helper can do is move buckets and furniture. I am 41 and the last helper i had was 18, he could not move half the things that i could. Not just strength but his technique was crap......... i was waiting for the snap of furniture or bones 
I cannot afford to lose anymore hair so i decided it was not worth the aggro.
I have a pal who runs business same as me and we help each other on big/ difficult jobs because we both care about the job that we are doing before the money Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 25 February 2004
Chris
You beat me to it... The answer is networking with a colleague.
If I have a job which requires additional help I bring in a fellow professional to help out...One who I know and trust... there are one or two out there...honest
Cheers
DerekPosted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 25 February 2004
after reading the answers so far I'm wondering how all these companies that employ 7-8 people stay in bussiness.
" no one will ever take as much care as you" yes they will, all it takes is documented quality control get them to leave a questioniare with the customer asking how they performed. if the employee knows there work is being checked they will keep up the standard.
who says they won't respect your equipment, I've worked for lots of companies and i never abused their equipment, i don't think you can tar everyone with the same brush. there's lot of good people out their, you just need to find them.
I know this is a Guru cow dung 
but with your attitudes you only ever own your job not a salable bussiness.
MikePosted by MB (Mark Betts), 25 February 2004
Well said dat man Posted by strakercleaning (strakercleaning), 25 February 2004
Mike,
With all due respect, the thread is about HELPERS and they do not have work that can be quality controlled. The person with you is there to assist you in your task and not to do it for you. I have every faith in someone i bring on a job to clean with me, or else they would not be there. The colleague that assists me is capable of getting the same results as me and will clean to the same high finish........I would not ask him to move buckets/furniture Posted by Shaun_Ashmore (Shaun_Ashmore), 25 February 2004
Having employed 4 full timers over the years I'll add my experiences.
Nobody does it like you because that is the way you like to or percieve it to be done and anything else is wrong, yes even the great I can get it wrong. But the main thing is that the type of person we either attract to this industry or the lad from next door are not experienced ie fresh from school or from the dole this is because we don't or can't pay attractive wages and paid sickness (as we are never ill!) and the holidays for staff are rubbish as when they are not working are costing us by paying their holiday pay and NI plus stat hols.
Shaun
PS if they are good and savvy they will get a machine and chem and start up themselves, a;though I do know a cleaner in Kent who has 3 cleaners working for him and he pays them min wages plus bonus for upselling which sounds good but can cause difficulties on presure sellingPosted by lenpg (Len Gribble), 25 February 2004
Re helpers
I mainly network but some times you need assistance depending on the job, but they never do any cleaning.
Shaun who told you I pay the min wage plus bonus, I’ve never paid the min wage in my life, they get what they are worth, bonus you have to be joking. ;
LenPosted by Ian_G. (Ian_Gourlay), 26 February 2004
the answer is nobody employs a helper to help them clean a carpet.
did take misus with me yesterday did speed it up a little, but as it was round her friends house had pleanty of time to have a chat and watch tele.Posted by Cloverleaf (Cloverleaf), 26 February 2004
O.K I have a helper.
If I get a large commercial job that I cant handle she will help unloading the van, move furniture, prespray brush, help filling emptying machine.
I also have a second backup machine which I think I will bring in ready so that it is prepared when the first machine needs filling and emptying.
This works well for me when needed although I am considering taking on a part time carpet cleaner for commercial jobs.
John
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