[Carpet Dawg]

hey guys

I've had the most stressful couple of the days ever!!

basicaly my machine packed in while on a job on thursday.  traveled 1 hour and 20 minutes to my nearest sevice tech (pain in the a.... i know) does anyone know anyone that can does servicing in Edinburgh by any chance???

i stressed that i really really needed the machine sorted by friday morning. all that was needed was a replacement end-belt on the pump which takes around an hour to put on!
anyways, i call at 8.30 friday (today) to ask if the tech has had a chance to take a look at the machine and i get back "ooohh he's only in the door! give the guy a chance" in a real cheeky way! keep in mind i have being going too these guys for 5 years now, and spend around £150 a month on chems and not including all the machines and accessories i buy from them.

He told me he'd call me when he gets a chance to look at the machine............ (aye) in the meantime i re-book all my thursday and friday jobs for the weekend (4 saturday and 4 sunday, rubbish i know)

I call at 1.30pm asking if he got a chance to look at my machine and he said no the tech is up to his chin in work and is leaving early today at 2pm and wont be back till monday! i cant tell you how angry i was and still am!

He then offered me a hire machine while i wait,  i thought great! but he wanted £95 plus vat a friggin day for it!    i had no choice but to drive all the way there and pay for it for the weekend! totaly gutted. i couldn't cancle/re-book all 8 jobs again so had no choice.
and to top it all, the hire machine is disgusting! really dirty and scuffed heavly on the outside! the custys are going to think i am a cowboy!

i'm so disapointed in their lack of compation or customer service! all they wanted was money money money! try and weed ever last penny out of the situation! if they turned round and said, "sure tony mate here's the steampro free for a couple of days" then i would have thought wow! what a great company! (like garages that give you curtiousy cars) thats real nice of them! but NO they had to be greedy buggers!

well not anymore! i'm not going to be using them again!

sorry rant over. i really had to vent and get it off my chest! i know i should havea  back up machine and i did have up till a month ago where i sold it and lookin to buy the airflex pro at the moment.

so my question is, do you think what they done was fair? and can anyone recommend someone in Edinburgh that are able to do maintance and repairs. and also possible carry parts, like pumps, vac motors etc etc

thanks in advance
tony

[Darren O]

It wasnt in Cupar by anychance.

[Carpet Dawg]

It wasnt in Cupar by anychance.

possibly...

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Really feel for you Tony. It just goes to show that taking back-up for granted can be a big mistake.

I hope you manage to de-stress yourself over the weekend.

Perhaps it might be worth looking around for an independent engineer/mechanic nearer to home (and cheaper).

There was a thread a few days ago about a mechanic offering his services "down souf", and of course I have waxed lyrical about Carl who is near-ish to me in Buxton. So who knows; there may be somebody near to you who can give you the service you require and to whom you are prepared to pay a premium because of the response given. All you've got to do is find them.

Good luck!

[robert meldrum]

I'm surprised how few seem to have sourced other companies than the well known suppliers for servicing. Many janitorial service companies and suppliers of jetting machines etc are perfectly capable of servicing carpet cleaning machines.
Just ask them ..............you might get a pleasant surprise, or two.

[Carpet Dawg]

Thanks Cleaning Docter mate yeah its a nightmare i really need to get something sorted.

Robert, i've tried calling round many "eletrical" servicing type techs. but they all gave me the same gormless reply "dont touch commercial machiary mate" 
But i never gave suppliers of jetting machines a thought! might try calling round some next week as my weekend is going to be pretty busy

cheers

[markpowell]

1 hour to fit an end bell on a pump, takes 15 mins, where you based??
Mark

[Carpet Dawg]

Hey Mark, Edinburgh. Do you have any contacts up here mate? they charge me 1.5 hours labour poo

[Mike Osbourne]

1 hour to fit an end bell on a pump, takes 15 mins, where you based??
Mark

Fitted by a bell end more like.

[colin thomas]

with service like that i would walk away, seems like you are a familiar face that they feel they can push to the back when other work comes in, you can get chems delivered from anywhere, you just need to find someone to service your machine, i use a power-washer company now and again for my truck-mount, they seem to like the challenge!!

colin

[Mike Osbourne]

Colin's right.

Most portables are a plastic tub with two vac motors, a pump, possibly a heater and a wiring loom.

The problem comes if you ever need a bespoke part.

[robert meldrum]

The man who built this business had a massive heart attack a year or so ago and his son is clearly not up to the job.

Only spent a couple of minutes searching and found a company in Edinburgh called Barton's who sell floor maintenance products including a range of machinery. Such companies usually have a maintenance man or dep't to look after their customers machinery.

Most janitorial suppliers sell machines and have back up maintenance department there must be a fair number of such companies around Edinburgh / Dundee / Falkirk / etc.

good luck

found another........Lothian Powerclean .........karcher main dealer

Must go Arnold Clark needs me

[Karl Wildey]

stuff happens, so you now got some choices,
firstly, do  nthing, and not learn from this mistake, and have another stressful day another time,
secondly, get some spares and learn to do your own repairs, not that difficult but does that a bit of learning over time
Thirdly, get a back up,
Fourth. get friendly with some other local carpet cleaners, and maybe next time it happens you can borrow a machine off them, and vice versea, also handy if you have a large job, you need a second team to help on, making friends with the competition.

I would add that although the fourth option seems crazy its the best one, as I have local cc's who give and I give work too, and borrow/lean tools too, and swap advice and enjoy curry/beer nights with.

[Paul Simpson]

Had a similar situation approx. a year after starting out, so I know exactly how your feeling.
Vowed it wouldn't happen again and stuck everything I could into getting a 2nd (back up) machine.

Sod's law  :  it hasn't happened again but still use both machines if one is in for service or the smaller of the 2 if I need to drag a machine upstairs, etc.
Difficult I know but I would advise trying to get a back up, at least you won't have to cancel/put off customers and there's alot less stress if one does break down.

[DK]

Hi Tony

Im based in Dunbar and travel to Restormate in cramlington which only takes 1.5 hours, i get a great service and decent non rip off service, wait for the machine then head up the road, if i was you i would give them a call, you wont be disapointed, oh and by the way the chemicals they have in stock are good too. I gave up the scottish lot long time ago, too expensive and full o sh??te.

Regards

DK

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Karl's right.

As you know Stockport is the cc centre or England/Britain/World (take your pick, depending upon who you speak to).

There's a fair bit of camaraderie amongst us like Karl suggests and yes we do help each other out from time to time for example if you need extra equipment for bigger than normal floods or jobs that require a specific expertise.

We pass jobs onto each other as well if we can't fit something in that's a rush job because what goes around, comes around.

We're all adults and most of us are able to give each other a friendly wave whenever we pass each other out on the road. (Quite often stop for a chat as well.)

Clinton has really helped me out several times this year. Can't thank him enough for his kindness and generosity (although I'm sure the money I paid him helped!)

That said there is nothing quite like the feeling when you know you have been quoting against your opposition and YOU get to land the job!

[kerrpmiddleton]

  hi tony any time you have a breack down again, and need , ahand , or help out gives a call and will see if we can help , always got machain  spare, machine handy, between me and my mate ,got 60 plus years experiance, between us , certainly not sales men !!!!!!!!!! based in edinburgh, 01313342080, C&W cleaning ,

[derek west]

That said there is nothing quite like the feeling when you know you have been quoting against your opposition and YOU get to land the job!

or even better when the customer says. "he was cheaper but i liked the sound of you better"
oh yes, back of the net
derek

[Mike_Roper]

As has been said - fitting a pump end unit is simple , so is fitting a new pump which may seem over the top but finiancially makes more sense than waiting for someone else to do it.
Its good to see an offer from a local guy to help out ,it will work out both ways in the future,good to make friends.
------- systems uk have been going through the mill in the last few years by the sound of it ,had a bit to do with them over the years as my wife is from St Andrews although I dragged her down to Whitby kicking and screaming 22yrs ago.
Mike

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

When I had lots of problems with my Extracta Exel, I did just what Mike suggested.

I kept spare a spare pump and vac and fitted as required.

Then I bought an Alltec which was much nearer so I had the option of driving toi them and their service is good.The machine was also much more reliable.

Cheers

Doug