Hector you and Jason are no doubt the exceptions to the rule but I think alot of non-groupies feel this thing is going to impact in a negative way on ALL carpet cleaners and it is a legitimate subject for debate on a forum like this - Ive worked with Jason and I know he is sound...
BTW i notice there is a new offer going on near me in all SO and SP areas by a company calling itself combined cleaning - it APPEARS to me as if this is a group of smaller operators ganging together just to hoover up (geddit) alot of pre-xmas business - when you look at the website it has a 50 for MAINTENANCE clean two rooms offer which they have used as the basis for the groupon disc of 62% off - so they are getting half of 19 squid plus whatever they can upsell
what is really interesting is the FAQ on their site about the nature of the maintenance clean - I quote
· ''What is a maintenance clean?
· A clean that manufacturers recommend at least once a year to prevent the build up of ground in dirt and stop the appearance of traffic lanes. It will not remove visible staining or traffic lanes.
Well correct me if Im wrong but on every carpet job i've turned up to for the last ten years the owner has booked us specifically because they want us to remove visible staining (as opposed to invisible!) and traffic lanes - I suppose it gives them a getout if the customer kicks up later...
Also am I the only one who thinks the groupon school of copywriting is so 'out to lunch' that they could hardly be held to task for anything tangible in the offer as it is all so... how shall I put it... loose and in parts non-sensical - look at the copy for the combined offer:
''Discolouration can be a feature of carpets, books, and silent monochrome movies. Restore cinematic colour with today’s Groupon: £19 for a professional carpet clean for two rooms at Combined Cleaning Services.
Sprucing up carpets with speedy drying times, Combined Cleaning Services sweep up all manner of houses and fabrics in Southampton. The family run business turns their brushes and tools to reviving aging carpets, and also tackles stains on upholstery and rugs, as well as deodorising tell-tale pet smells from tail wagging homes. The fully insured team uses state-of-the-art equipment to deep clean furnishings and fluffy floors, with speedy drying times spanning up to four hours.
Homes can get two rooms measuring up to a combined 300 square foot expertly cleansed. Dust bunnies and fluffy residue will be sucked up and scrubbed out by the technician and their specialist cleaning machine over the course of approximately one hour. Most furniture can be moved beforehand on request, and clients can also enjoy a 25% discount on further cleaning services booked for the same day, meaning homes can feel pampered from floor to floor.''
I suppose at 19 quid some people can just put it down to experience but if they DO have a bad experience it affects the whole of our industry and not the people who have maybe already moved on to some other business that is easier to make money at...
anyways about thats my take on it...