Should I change my company name..

truckmount girl

1800greenglides
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
8,880
Location
Sun City, CA
Name
Lisa Smith
What bob says CAN be true, IF your business plan is to be on the truck at every job....for the life of your company. However if you call Bob vawter's mr. steamclean and Jim Jones shows up to do the work, you will feel a little ripped.

So, what is your vision for your business?

Take care,
Lisa
 

bob vawter

Grassy Knoller
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Sep 15, 2007
Messages
43,753
Location
La La Land
Name
bob vawter
Lisa...everyone of my dear little ol' black ladies know BOB....cause he talks to 'em on the phone when they call their jobs in......i talk to 'em about their broken hips or the operation they had last year.....or did i clean for a certain person they recomended......

a LOT of the time i call them back in the evening or next day to see how "our young man" did on the job......
 

Captain Morgan

Supportive Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
604
Location
Maine
Name
Bill Morgan
change business name

Hi Lisa,

What's my vision of my business 10 years? Very good question! I suppose the reason anyone who gets into business is to be successful and make a good living. I'm not the type of person who has to have a Mercedes Benz to be happy. Not that I would enjoy having one but I don't measure my success as a human being based on the number of expensive toys I have. I rather have a lot of money in my accounts than a fancy car depreciating in my driveway.

That said, I have just scratched the surface but I'd like to continue my training in most areas of cleaning for residential and commercial carpet, hard surfaces;VCT, tile/grout, upholstery (leather), odor removal, water remediation, not sure about fire/smoke but if I really want to be a multi-service cleaning company than I'd have to throw that in too. That ought to keep the IICRC happy if they are reading this..

In 10 years I'd like to have a 2-3 trucks or two divisions.. one residential the other commercial. Commercial could be split into 2 segments commercial flooring; Carpets/VCT/polishing etc and the other could be WRD and Fire/Smoke damage. I love what I do but I would like to possibly retire someday and maybe manage the business off the truck and play golf, get active raising money for charities I am committed to and the like Juvenile Diabetes (which I have) and let my boys run it while I manage the accounts and later sell it to them or to someone else entirely if they decided the want to do something else.

Pretty aggressive vision... fantasy is more like it yuh? All that in 10 years? Probably won't come close but, you've got to have stretch goals to reach for right?

If in 10 years I only have 2 trucks, 2 full time and 1 part time person and someone working office, doing billing and account receivables but we're working all day, 5+ days a week grossing $700-800k annually which I feel isl possible, than I'd be ecstatic.

I have fun and like teaching and mentoring. Hopefully after 10 years I will have achieved a level of success and a respected professional in the community who really knows his stuff.. A person people can turn to for answers to questions large or small, like many of the people on the board today.

Does that help you Lisa?
 

truckmount girl

1800greenglides
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
8,880
Location
Sun City, CA
Name
Lisa Smith
Great, that helps a lot. Given those goals I would definitely look to a change in name and I would NOT use your personal name...

What equipment / methods do you use currently?

Take care,
Lisa
 

bob vawter

Grassy Knoller
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
43,753
Location
La La Land
Name
bob vawter
I say it's up..yous all say it's down...i say here... yous all say over there....

c'est la vie......you all!
 

truckmount girl

1800greenglides
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
8,880
Location
Sun City, CA
Name
Lisa Smith
Oh don't take it personally...geez Bawb, dab the tears from your eyes and carry on.

He can listen to all opinions and make his own decisions.

Take care,
Lisa
 

Captain Morgan

Supportive Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
604
Location
Maine
Name
Bill Morgan
changing business name

Hi Lisa,

Currently I have a Bane Clene TM with portable base unit. I also have a Steam Way PowerMatic 1150. It an 80's system. The owner didn't use it much in the last 10-12 years or so, only part time. It has about 3870 hours abd he didn't put ant monet into maintenacr except wheb had to fix something, It needs some parts to be replaced and the aluminum waste take has a crack. But the mechanic said the major components, engine, burner, vacuum blower are all in good shape. Once that is fixed I planned on putting it in a trailer and using in on larger commercial work, water damage, tile/grout cleaning etc.

I have an old 175 rotary for doing stripping and wax jobs and I'm in the process of picking up a used drimaster machine from a board member.

I'm also saving money for picking up a used Cimex or similar so I can offer encapsulation for interim maintenance cleaning to customers.

My Bane system and a nearly 25 year old Steam Way are not the best pieces of equipment to have for where I want to develope my business but, I can't afford to buy a newer used truckmount system for a while.

I really got caught with my pants down around my ankles jumping into the profession without looking. I spent all my marketing money and savings fixing problems I encountered with my equipment a.k.a. buying my Bane System. It was a knee jerk reaction to go 180 degrees in the other direction. Now I see I've made mistakes there too and I'm just going to have to make the best of it until business catches on so I can make another expenditure to upgrade my TM again.

I guess the short answer to your question was Bane, Steam Way, 175, RDM. I just wanted to provide you will a little more information you might find useful.

Regards,
 

steve r

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
1,109
whats wrong with your bane? have you taken their class yet?if not i recommend it.
 

Captain Morgan

Supportive Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
604
Location
Maine
Name
Bill Morgan
changing business name

Hi Steve,

There is absolutely nothing wrong with my Bane, I love it. I was out to out to Indianapolis in Mid May and bought my system in June when I was in tears over my Steam Way continually breaking down and not getting any help from the previous owner or Steam Way distributors.

I like my Bane a lot. It's a simple system, easy to fix, so easy even I can do it. I've had no problems with it since I bought it which is a lot more than I can say about the Steam Way I inherited.

Only problem is I would like more vacuum for longer hose runs and/or pump outs/water damage . That's $3000 for the aqua mount. I also want to add Tile and Grout cleaning because there has been a big increase of Tile/Grout and Wood floors going into new homes being built here. It's not hot enough for some commercial carpets, restuarants, etc... But my Bane as set up now, can't do that. That would be another add on of a water pressure pump and another separate heater ie little giant or equivalent. Or I'd have to pick up a high pressure/vac portable.. again for about $3500 or more if it's got heat.

I'm trying to think longer term.. I apologize if my note made it sound like I hate my Bane system. That's not at all the case.. I yanked my Steamway, drove out to Indi and drove back with my Dad over Father's Day week end... I worked flawlessly for me.. I'd already been to class prior to buying my unit. It works fine but it's real slow and I'm getting tired of being at someones house so much longer than I would be if I had a bigger system. It's fine now because I'm not booking 3-4 cleanings each day.. but I'm hoping that day will come.

Understanding its limitations and rather than buying 2,3,4 different pieces of equipment to meet my needs, trying to wedge them all into my standard sized van... that's going to be pretty hard. My Paramount takes up my entire van. That's why I thought for a couple grand I might be able to salvage and trailer my Steam Way and get a lot of needs covered.... but at the same time, I don't want to be driving my van and a trailer everywhere I go, so that would be another reason to consolidate things down into 1 powerful TM system that can do it all. I know a local competitor who has an older bane system than mine and he's basically going through or gone through everything I've talked about.

But this is looking out 4-5-6 years to get a newer bigger system. I just can't do it now. How's that for a long answer to a short question...are you still awake? :lol:

How long have you had your Bane? Have you or do you used anything else or have a back up? What's your range of services cover

You can PM since this is getting of the original subject. Thanks Steve for your question! I hope I gave you an adequate answer.

Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!
 

truckmount girl

1800greenglides
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
8,880
Location
Sun City, CA
Name
Lisa Smith
Don't take the class! They'll BANE wash you....

Relax guys, Just kidding.

Okay this gives us a lot to work with...

Purity Cleaning Systems (logo/picture of a waterfall in the forest)

EnviroCare or Responsible Carpet Maintenance with a pic /logo of a globe cupped in hands.

or my personal favorite:

Second Best Carpet Care with the tag line "when you can't afford the very best" and a logo of a big red award ribbon with a 2nd in the center.

Seriously, the humor and self-effacing attitude of that name would actually win quite a few customers just from the name. You could get a customer testimonial that said something like "2nd Best comes in FIRST with me!"

Take care,
Lisa
 

GRHeacock

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2006
Messages
1,406
My opinion- like others suggested- change the name in stages, over 3 years.

First year- MorganCC/Acme CC

Second year-Morgan CC Formerly Acme CC

Third year- Acme CC is now Morgan CC

or whatever name you decide on.

Fourth year, drop Acme totally.

Gary
 

steve r

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
1,109
Don't take the class! They'll BANE wash you....

thats funny lisa! :D

bill, ill get with you later.good answer by the way.
 

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