[neil 47]

I have been a member of this site for many years and a lot of the posts stray off the topic and somtimes end up in a argument .

is there any way we could set up once a weekly a sticky interview, with a set carpet cleaner or other business owner

such as Mike , Jamie , Shaun, simon etc that would just answer questions about their business how they started what mistakes they made , days when a good idea came to them , how they clean , not whats best just how they do it .

ie say it was mike my first question to mike would be

Q. what percetage of your profit do you spend on your marketing

Just a thought a bit like carpet cleaners question time 

[peter maybury]

I think that the problem with this idea is that there are people on here from all areas and personally speaking, there are a lot of things that people would not want to go into too much detail about. There is a lot that can be said on the subject, but many of the techniques and mixtures that I have spent years perfecting I have no wish to share with everybody. Like wise why would someone like Simon wish to share the workings of his business with people he does not know and therefore is unable to place any trust in.
I think one of the problems with the forum is that anybody can get access and a lot of the people on here are on here anonymously.
I find it easier discussing things in depth on a forum where everybody is known to each other.
Peter

[Mike Halliday]

Like peter said most will volunteer information  but to open the floor to an question & answer session would be uncomfortable as thee are something's that are private.

Plus it  Would make you a target on anything said that people didn't agree with,  if I was to comment on paying £3hr to teenagers  to deliver leaflets or using cheap foreign labour. Some would get on their high horse and make daft comments.

But to answer Neils question... I spend approx 10-15%

[Simon Gerrard]

I think it is a great idea and don't see any issue with participating.
As for divulging confidential information, well you can politely say that your not prepared to go into detail on it, but then I don't have many secrets, as such.
Some of the best things I learned early on were from people with far more experience than me, not just from the world of carpet cleaning, but also on the business aspect of things. What these people provided were ideas, techniques and concepts that you may only take one part of and then apply it to your own business, (which are often completely overlooked by newbies) things you would never have thought of yourself and yet provide you with something that decades later is still at the heart of your business. So having been the beneficiary of other people's generosity and time, I see no reason not to do the same now that I am at the other end of my career and could possibly help others with what I have learned along the way.

Simon

[Jamie Pearson]

I will go first:-

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=183603.msg1565969#msg1565969

[bobby kneale]

Hi there, iam currently looking into offering a carpet cleaning service in the south east area. Was wondering what training I would need, if anybody can recommend, also which equipment I need for starting up, any other tips you guys think I might find useful will be much appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Bobby

[gwrightson]

 I cano6t quite see the point in aiming specific questions at one particular person,  surly if you want to know something an open question to all gives you more scope for answers, and if indeed you wanted to ask an individual a question , just ask them.

What I cant get my head around is what is the criteria for been one of the recipients to questions ? similar to an earlier thread really.

Personally if I wish to know some thing in general , I ask an open question, this giving me a choice of answers,hopefully   If I want to ask a certain person a question, I will either ask them directly or send them an email.
IMO  not a good idea, having said that a number of the people whose names are  put forward to answer questions may well feel important in this particular role

Geoff

[neil 47]

Geoff

Your right .




Now your Important 

[gwrightson]

Neil,

 I always was !!!

Geoff