[clive ware]

just out of interest, has anyone at any time found that they are are struggling to keep up with work, phone calls etc.If so, have you taken employees on or given work away to other cleaners etc?
Just wondered

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Yes, 2 vans on the road never again!

If I get too full I know that has to be a price alteration.

Shaun

[Robin Ray]

Yes..... but I dont just do carpets.

[Paul Moss]

Past few months has been f ing madness.

[Melissa Edwards]

I took the leap and took on an employee and then another. There was certainly a period of financial readjustment!


Hi Shaun,

Are you running things solo at the moment? I'm guessing from your post that staffing problems were an issue?!

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

Yes. The last 2 months have been extremely busy and it's now at the stage where we are losing work because customers won't wait for 3 weeks to get the carpets cleaned. Their are 2 of us on the domestic carpet cleaning and I have another on commercials and 2 lads doing office cleaning and odd jobs. I have had to pay out loads this last 8 weeks for help on big commercials and i have loads of commercial booked in the next 2 weeks costing me thousands in wages. It will be the back end of September before i get paid for most of these jobs so it's hard work but worth it when the money rolls in  

I must admit it has been very stressful and constantly being on the phone, texting a emailing all day and all night and i have decided it is not for me so i am going to make some changes after my holiday in a few weeks and i have already scaled my advertising down and intend to have just mainly my web presence next year and chill out a bit and just have me and the one employee.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Solo with helper, although in theory my full time employee was a good cleaner his attitude was all wrong and perhaps I wasn't ready to manage him but it was definitely a bumpy ride.

If I had to do it again I would employ 3 cleaners and rotate them and I would become the sales person and marketer but I'm happy ATM on the van.

Shaun

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I'd recommend that you increase your prices, if you are that busy then you can allow to be less busy for the same money if you go quiet at your new high prices then offer a genuine discount.

Shaun

[clive ware]

So Melissa and Deep Clean(sorry cant see your name amywhere),
Are you still cleaning carpets every day and taking calls or getting a tech to clean whilst you manage phone calls?

[clive ware]

Hi Shaun - how are you doing mate? I know what youre saying but I`m also starting to get a bit concerened what would happen if I were to become injured or ill. No money coming in. My lot spend it like water!! 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I know that feeling greatest business expense going are the kids!

If you had less customers buying at a higher value meaning that you earn the same as before you've less risk and less wear but I do acknowledge your point it's just one avenue I wouldn't be bothered about going down again plus you have to work harder getting customers in, I found that I was turning money over and not actually making any.

Shaun

[Ian Gourlay]

Clive I was seriously ill two years ago for a long period. I was thankful I did not have overheads. Therec was no way I could have managed by remote control .

Best solution take out insurance for illness and also get critical cover.


Maybe you should consider spending some of your fortune on howard Partridge Courses as he tells you how to run a multiple van operation then get Keyman insurance to cover you

[Melissa Edwards]

Some good points. Yep, it's a bumpy ride!

Clive - I'm not on the van very much now. Mainly on the phone etc but still go on some jobs. Depends on areas and number of searches, but if you can improve Google rankings in as many areas as possible, there can be enough consistency to take on staff.

I found it hard to let go and trust at first though...

[Steve Chapman]

Absolutely snowed under with work at the moment,  been doing alot with adwords recently, been working so well I've actually had to shut it

down for a while so I can catch up !

I guess thats the beauty of adwords though you can turn it on & off when you fee like it so you have good control over your advertising.

Steve

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Best time of the year to work, nice and warm and can pick the better jobs.

I could easily have worked 9 days some weeks but the problem with taking someone on is the quieter winter months, ok if you want to continually market but I prefer to allow the work to come to me.

Cheers

Doug

[clinton]

As doug said its lovley weather and seems to have people in a getting the furnishings cleaned frame of mind..

Got 5 schools to clean over the next month too so that's good

[COLIN BRIGHT]

i have increased my prices again this year Shaun, but the buggers still keep booking in the jobs.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Do you know Colin it doesn't matter what you do to get rid of your customers the buggers keep coming back, you must be cursed mate!

Shaun

[Darran Pryce]

Stacked!  We have 16 schools that we clean during the summer months (windows), plus end of tenancys and carpet cleaning.  I'm worked up  between 8- 11 days and have been since Feb/March. I have a small team out just doing gutter cleaning which ticks over.

 

[Craigp]

I'd recommend that you increase your prices, if you are that busy then you can allow to be less busy for the same money if you go quiet at your new high prices then offer a genuine discount.

Shaun

Couldn't agree more, do it.

When your stacked out you don't want to be doing £70 jobs when that space could be used doing £150+ job.

Regarding illness, I'm lost Clive, that problem is there if your charging low or high, but your better protected if your high as you can put more into savings.

But yes a few years ago I posted 'how many calls a day' because at the time I was getting so many it was a annoying as some people want to discuss their problem for 20 mins when I needed to crack on with carpet cleaning.

What I did that helped get rid of price shoppers was quite quickly tell them my min charge or give them an indication of price.

A nice problem to have.