[homenclean]

Just wondered how busy you guys are on the run in to Xmas.

As it stands it is probably the worst I have known in 23 years, if it wasn't for our commercial work we would be struggling.

The phone just ain't ringing with domestic work, when it does its just people price shopping. We aren't the most expensive in our area but not the cheapest.

Quoted £93.50 to do 2 sofas by a lady who is reasonably well to be told we were too expensive. Another customer was quoted £70 to do a 3 2 1 and footstool my quote was £150 not un reasonable I thought and with a of convincing got the job but makes me think what's going on job took just over 3 hours.

When I called into up supplier the other day he was telling me how slow carpet cleaning products were going, got extra Stock in as previous year had run short now stuff just ain sifting.

We are North Yorkshire based would be interesting to know what's yapping elsewhere.

Seasons greetings to all hope you have all had a prosperous year.

Thanks
John

[Andrew Briscoe]

Have noticed here a big upturn in work since July.
This year so far is well up on 2008 when recession started.
this year is up a lot on last year, and xmas will soon be booked up

Andrew

[Andrew@Approved Carpet Cleaning]

It will be my best December of 2013...

[andrew66]

Very busy

[kerrpmiddleton]

Very quite in Edinburgh
Just put out my last mailing list to old customers
It seems to get worst every year
Tell you now the recession not over yet
Where doomed

[Alby]

Bit slow at the moment, phone ringing with price shoppers.
But the last few Christmases have been down, however the summers have been busy maybe the customers habits are changing.

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

Not as busy as I would like considering the excellent weather for the time of year. We have been very steady since April/May with 4 jobs a day apart from 2 quiet weeks, still 4 jobs a day now, but would hope for more a day from next week. I still have not contacted past customers so that should bump it up. I will be spending the next few days phoning past customers like I always do at the start of December and I normally book between 20 or 30 customers from that. I hope the weather stays fine as I have pumped a fair bit into advertising over the last few weeks and want to try and milk a good xmas period. I already have a few jobs booked in for the last week before Christmas day so could be a bumper one!

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I've got 23rd afternoon and 24th to book, I should keep off my phone and I could put more jobs in but I get bored too quick mrs text dinner is in the dog.

Shaun

[stuart_clark]

I am just about fully booked up now ! Have a few spaces for smallish carpets but not booking anymore suites in, working until pm of the 23rd then two weeks off

[jasonl]

Booked up this week and next , put another van on the road that has no work booked yet.

[Barry Livingstone]

Why people leave it so Late to Book, ive had to turn customers away that want DONE this week or even on the day the call!!!!

as for turnover on Dec, am up on last year 

[wayne zabel]

Same as above - 5 jobs turned away over last 3 days due to those wanting it done yesterday.

[Mike Halliday]

It's the people decorating that are always last minute callers, they finish then have the bright idea... ' while the furnitures moved why don 't we get the carpets cleaned' or they are getting a new bed delivered so the old bed is out of the room.

We are busy, having to clean suites in the afternoon which I hate doing

[Mike Halliday]

And the winner of  CIU 'worst spammer or the year'  goes to.....

Evercleanindia!!

Pity they cannot post thier acceptance speach as I've just banned them

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

Ha Ha, why do people use Indian companies to design and optimize their sites, they may be cheap but as evercleanindia shows they tend to be bloody terrible at SEO from my experience!

[John Kelly]

I think Christmas has crept up on people this year. Two of our local guys decided to do a ring round a few weeks ago. One booked in 48 jobs. He found that a lot of them were planning on ringing him (or someone else) but just hadn't got round to it. His phonecall was the trgger they needed to book. People are so busy now.
Also believe the manic Christmas rush is a thing of the past. It used to be crazy up until Christmas then absolutely dead in January, however January tends to be quite busy these days.
Feedback in general from our customers is that things are definately getting better. We have seen a massive upturn in the last 3 months.

[clive ware]

Shaun, are you not working on the 25th?

I`m busy all year except December for some reason, same every year.
I say not busy but still doing 3-4 jobs a day-just not rushing round like a mad thing.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Mother in law is coming for Xmas day of course I'm working on the 25th!

Shaun

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

its been getting later and later every year   I can remember having 5 vans fully booked two the roof from the middle of sempterber  mind there flying down south been fully booked there for weeks even the new t.m. is booked soild mine it does like a drink of petrol  

[Shaun_Ashmore]

What tm have you got?

Shaun