[Alfa]

Hi

This is the worst January since we started exactly four years ago.
Is it the recession or it's just because it is January. Last year was much, much better but this year even the letting agencies are not calling...... how about you are you busy?

[wayne zabel]

This is only my second January as a full timer and Im a few jobs up on last years Jan even now.So at least I can see a year on year increase,which as a newbie is a step in the right direction I suppose.

I started off the month well but the phone has gone very quiet this week.

Its about what I was anticipating really,but you do start to worry that the phone might not ring

[Ben Lugg]

Alot quieter than last year, hope it picks up soon.

Ben.

[Craigp]

Yes I'm finding it's slower than last Jan.

Jans always the slowest month I find but this one seems real slow which is odd because the few months run upto Christmas was ballistic !

[Colin Day]

1st week ok, 2nd week dead, this week ok... I expected it to be all dead, but every job's a bonus...

[Barry Livingstone]

Ive had a good start to the year, the weekend just past was my first off in ages! Pitty its the time of year the tax man takes his cut!

[Richard Basey-Fisher]

doubled up year on year in the quiet months and this year has been no exception 4 th year in  i work hard on my existing database during the busy periods so that hopefully in theory the first couple of month of the year tick over

[Neil Williams]

Jan 2011 was a shock to the system when I thought our phone line had been cut off.
So I was prepared for this one and it's been the same.
2 days of leaflets and no calls from them yet but as we know, people will keep hold of them for weeks or even months before making the call.

[Jim_77]

You might have to just get used to it

I use January as a bit of "down time" to rest myself after being stupidly busy in the last 2 months of the year.... take some equipment/machines apart and service them... also to plan my year ahead, do lots of things I've been meaning to get around to doing... clear my desk and do a lot of boring admin stuff that's been building up.... most of all get some marketing planned and executed to kick the spring cleaning season off.

I don't mind running at 50% capacity for a few weeks, in terms of time out there cleaning, I think it benefits my business for the rest of the year because I get a bit of time to do things I wouldn't otherwise do if I was busy 12 months a year.

After a few years you learn to stop your ringpiece twitching and just feel assured that it's only a little quiet spot

[Neil Williams]

because I get a bit of time to do things I wouldn't otherwise do if I was busy 12 months a year.

Exactly hence why I bought in a stack of tiles, paint, wallpaper, new units which is getting done during the time I'm not out on jobs.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I got an order from JK and it came in 2 prochem boxes I've joined them together and decorated both and we move into them next week I'm so excited.

Poor? not me!

Shaun

[Jim_77]

You poor?!  Think about poor old JK, you've got his house!!!

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Last year must have been a good year very lucky to get a mortgage 

Shaun

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

You might have to just get used to it

I use January as a bit of "down time" to rest myself after being stupidly busy in the last 2 months of the year.... take some equipment/machines apart and service them... also to plan my year ahead, do lots of things I've been meaning to get around to doing... clear my desk and do a lot of boring admin stuff that's been building up.... most of all get some marketing planned and executed to kick the spring cleaning season off.

I don't mind running at 50% capacity for a few weeks, in terms of time out there cleaning, I think it benefits my business for the rest of the year because I get a bit of time to do things I wouldn't otherwise do if I was busy 12 months a year.

After a few years you learn to stop your ringpiece twitching and just feel assured that it's only a little quiet spot

Exactly what I have always tried to do and up till 2010 was very successful. 2011 and this year have just blown me out of the water with the amount of work coming in-about 80% of what I was doing in Nov and Dec of last year. My body is craving for the phone not to ring and to have a chance to rest.

Rog

[Helen]

You might have to just get used to it

I use January as a bit of "down time" to rest myself after being stupidly busy in the last 2 months of the year.... take some equipment/machines apart and service them... also to plan my year ahead, do lots of things I've been meaning to get around to doing... clear my desk and do a lot of boring admin stuff that's been building up.... most of all get some marketing planned and executed to kick the spring cleaning season off.

I don't mind running at 50% capacity for a few weeks, in terms of time out there cleaning, I think it benefits my business for the rest of the year because I get a bit of time to do things I wouldn't otherwise do if I was busy 12 months a year.

After a few years you learn to stop your ringpiece twitching and just feel assured that it's only a little quiet spot

So true, rest and regenerate ready for the rest of the year. What seems like "nothing happening" is really just because you're not belting around at 100mph like other times of the year. Work trickles in without you really noticing
January is a great time for new marketing strategies, seeing what really worked for you last year and getting the decorating done