[ianharper]

Shaun

I can say that it does work in carpet cleaning. I bought woodmans database and website plus got my hands on prodry site both are major parts of by business.

Many carpet cleaners when shutting up shop dont even think about selling their database. as a side note its good to sell some much interest in databases these days. (my choice http://www.amazon.co.uk/ACT-Sage-2010-1-user-PC/dp/B002M78LA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1270462142&sr=8-1)

I did try and buy a site about a year ago but the owner that had no idea what it was worth so asked someone else that had no idea as well that gave a silly value. shame was that the site could have done some good business with some SEO. but he lost out because he took the wrong advise.

On this subject of what our business are worth many think is the value of the tools used. you can have the best money can buy but with no repeat customers you just have lots of expensive equipment.

When you look at how many posts on forums are about method and equipment it not surprising that our profile with the public is not that high. add up all that money over the years and think how things would be different if it was the other way around.

Respect

Ian Harper

[daz1977]

i posted a thread about these guys in the wc section months ago about how they will undercut everyone to get the big contracts,and how i think they will end up getting all the high streets and the new commercial parks that seem to pop up every where  ie with curry, b and q etc on them, if they are moving over to carpet cleaning as well, i think they will go after all the hotel chains, travel lodges etc

its who u know, not what u know

[Barry Livingstone]

Shaun they wont be in the health clubs I used to be a sales and marketing manager for him in the one In Dunfermline, And I no they have in house cleaners if anything they might get the window cleaning contract but wont get in the health clubs.

They use a rotowash to do the carpets on a weekly basis. they do them on a Sunday night when its quiet.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Andrew

www.laundryroomukltd.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=15&bc=no

James I have cleaned carpets for Bannatynes (lucky 6) ltd at Barnsley, took 6 months to get paid though.

Ian, I once bought a database from another carpet cleaner but the customers didn't transfer very well as I wasn't the same person as they were used to, I did the trick of 'under new ownership' which is the wrong angle I should have gone for ' a new addition to the company' to keep continuity.

Shaun

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

It'll also depend upon whether there is a "fit" between your client base and the one you purchase.

If you are marketing to a higher-end customer then you probably won't want to deal with a new set of clients who are used to paying a cheaper price-even if the new service more than makes up for the increase in price.

Roger

[Phild]

I wouldn't worry about them whatsoever. First as Shaun stated all DB has done is buy himself an inhouse cleaning service, secondly, if my memory serves me right he invested £100k. Put simply that is the working capital you need to finance about £700k's worth of daily cleaning turnover in the commercial world and that's just your working capital i.e. you still have to buy your capital equipment etc. Finally as I have noted previously on CIU the  lad who owns the business was hawking it around the North East for sale within 6 weeks of appearing on the TV. He believed that due to the publicity it was worth millions and was trying to cash in. I wondered at the time what DB would have thought of his 'partner' if he had found out.
p.s Also anyone who offers to undercut the lowest price a client has got without even looking at the job is in my opinion a fool and we have personal experience with this individual doing that.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I guess you make the company so big you can either float it with a share issue or sell it with customer contracts and get a tidy sum.

They don't affect me so I wish them well.

Shaun

[happy mondays]

Some people from the north east seem to be a tad worried    cant blame them.  The shareholders of this company have now both set up a new Ltd company (Duncan B and Mark that is) last month called: uk commercial cleaning franchise Ltd, watch out servicemaster! DB is a very wealthy and well informed business man.  I think Mark has done very very well in business to get someone of DB's standing to buy into his company, and it seems to be thriving, Mark still owns 65% of that company and is the majority shareholder. Good luck to him, dont think he will ever be as rich as DB but you never know. 

[ianharper]

Shaun

the best way to handle it is say that the new company has joined a network. if you get the OK from the last owner you can even get a cover letter from them introducing the network.

If you take the personal view in your monthly communication the new people will be welcome into the network, and the old ones see that your growing.

taking the personal angel is a great way to sell as you can write a paragraph on whats going on, like we have just added this machine or this service then you can go on to sell it with an offer.


Ian