The story behind your company name...

[Mikey P]

Why did you pick it?

Any regrets?

What was second choice?

and most importantly, do your customers remember it?



Mine was a play of my overly french and even harder to spell last name. It's been butchered to death .. Karmasutra, Concierge, Conweiser, Ca..ca..caaaan.. is that your last name or what?

The once that can pronounce it certainly remember it. If they don't remember it when they go to the Web or YP it certainly stands out among all the A1's, "City" Carpet Cleaning, Dry Chems/Cleans, Superiors, Qualitys, All Pros and American -Techs that litter the airwaves...

 

[Soxpac]

I live in the Ozarks hence the name Ozarks Carpet Care but there is also a small town called Ozark so that kind of causes a bit of confusion sometimes. My original choice was going to be something like Steam-It but I went the other way. My wife said Shagmasters probably wouldn't go over so well here in Mozurrah

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[Dan]

When I started off I was Advanced Cleaning and in 2001 I bought All Pro Carper Care including the equipment and customers. I decided to stick with it because it was in the yellow books at the time and my name had no real meaning.

 

[Ken Snow]

Hagopian & Son's, our tax filing name, was used as the founder put the business ownership in his 3 sons names. Prior to that and for many years after we started cleaning he operated Cariana Perfume Company, which was his wife's first name. Hagopian Cleaining Services and hagopian World of Rugs are wholly owned subsidiaries of HSI. Hagopian Fire & Flood Services is a dba.

Ken

 

[prodrying]

I used to work for a guy that modeled his business after Jeff Bishop's cleaning company, Bishop Clean Care. So he called his company Grogan Clean Care, but he had to pay Jeff a small amount to use the logo. So 12 years ago, I moved 2+ hours away and decided to call my company Pearson Carpet Care. The regret is 60% of our business is water restoration and 20% is oriental rug cleaning. So some people get confused by the carpet care. Most people just refer to it as Pearson's though. I have thought about changing it.

The story that is more interesting is how we got our logo. My mom worked at the local high school at the time and said that the graphics designs department is always looking for a project. The teacher requested that we give $25.00 to the winner. So even if it didn't work out we weren't out a bunch. The logo we selected, we still use today. Also, the kid that drew it, was able to use this on his college applications and future job applications. His parents became really good customers and now that he is working and out of college he has been a customer also. Over the years we have done at least 5 cleaning jobs for the parents and dried their house twice (one time was a very large loss). So that $25.00 just keeps on giving.
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[Mardie]

When i started out over 4 years ago i did not want to be like everyone else.Being new i needed a niche that would set me apart so i named it Natural Cleaning Systems.
It fit well because my equipment and detergents i use are propriotory and carry the most and highest reconised accreditations for green cleaning in the cc industry other than Host which has the same standards and is a sister company to the one i use.I find that having the accreditations that back up what i use mean a lot more than just having a jug on the truck that is green certified to be able to say that i am green. I think that my logo in combonation with the name is what makes it memorable.They may not remember the name but they will remember the logo,i think.Now it seem every one is starting to use the green thing in their name,but unlike me they can only offer lip service and cannot back it up with anything other than what they say,which in my opinion means very little.

 

[Art Kelley]

A buddy of mine, his cousin came back from Viet Nam wounded with bullet fragments still in him. He started two Rainbow Book stores in a couple hippie malls back in the early 70s. He eventually lost both stores and ended up driving a cab, but I liked the name and admired the guy and the idea you could be a hippie and run a business (a legal one LOL).The Rainbow name has since been usurped by the Black Power and gay rights movement and of course the very large carpet cleaning franchise but I still like the name. To me it represents freedom.

 

[GCCLee]

GC&C is our first names, also what the record shows

A lady at the Election called us The SteamGenie after drilling me with a million questions about what we do and our equipment. She was using an older established cleaner, but is now calling on us so...

we kinda added the GC&C Services (SteamGenie) later. It's easy to say and remember, plus there's not another one close.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Why did you pick it?
My father picked it, I would have probably went with something other than my last name had it been my choice.

Any regrets?
Like your name it's difficult for people to pronounce, so had it been me I might have chosen soemthing else.

What was second choice? CleanTec, ExperClean, 911Restore, Restoration Specialists?????

and most importantly, do your customers remember it? Yea but we've been at it since 1967 and it's a small market.

 

[Weebco]

My Dad thought of the name ,easy to say. My last name is Wiebe. and is hard to say. People would say Dweeb , Weed, Weebles , ect. So that's. how we got Weebco.

 

[dealtimeman]

Lockhart cleaning service

turned 18 and just went down to the courthouse to register the name so people would have a company name to write on the check. Didn't think of anything else at the time.

About four years ago I wanted the company to be less about Michael and more about call lcs cleaning concepts for good, reliable, predictable results, and overall the best customer service. Rather than just call Michael Lockhart, the cleaning guy, Lockhart cleaning service guy. So we attempted to make ourselves look bigger than we actually were with less me on the job.

hence I changed to Lcs Cleaning Concepts before I started any real advertising.

 

[jcooper]

Why did you pick it?
It's our name, IMO using your name conveys trust, pride and so on. You don't really see it much anymore. Steam this, steam that, clean this, clean that - they all sound the same.


Any regrets? no


What was second choice? none

and most importantly, do your customers remember it? Yes, It's easy.

 

[Soxpac]

Why did you pick it?
It's our name, IMO using your name conveys trust, pride and so on. You don't really see it much anymore. Steam this, steam that, clean this, clean that - they all sound the same.


Any regrets? no


What was second choice? none

and most importantly, do your customers remember it? Yes, It's easy.

Give me your opinion on my name.

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[Desk Jockey]

Not a bad name, it fits your coverage area.

Now you need a logo that goes with it.

 

[Soxpac]

I'm trying to find someone to help me overhaul my site and logo. I got a buddy but he is more of a program buy than a Web developer. He's free though!!!

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[Desk Jockey]

At least you have a website, while it could use some work at least it's functional. I'd get the logo first, then get it on all your materials, van too and website.

Free is good to a point, when it holds you up then pay him or pay some one to get you up and going.

 

[Soxpac]

I have everything now, upgrading to a generator though. I am however switching chemical companies. Next year I hope to buy a TM whether it be gas or etm. I'm playing with logos now. It's a pain in the arse.

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[Soxpac]

My artistic abilities are a bit lacking

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[jcooper]

Give me your opinion on my name.

It's great as long as you are close to the Ozarks!

 

[J Scott W]

Way back when, I made a deal with the local newspaper to fill in any blank space they had with 1" ads. I paid $1.50 each. They did not have to pay for little filler material.

The cleaning was part-time. I had no business name. Each ad said SCOTT CLEANS ________ followed by my phone number. The blank might be carpet, upholstery, drapery, rugs, etc.

Before long people knew me as Scott Cleans. I got mail addressed that way. I was often called "Mr Cleans." When I went full-time and decided the business needed a name, it was already known as Scott Cleans.

 

[Ken Snow]

I love it Scott- a negotiator after my own heart :-)

 

[Royal Man]

I actually Was going to go with "Thrifty Carpet Cleaning" Like Budget Rent A Car or Thrifty Scott Motel. But, My wife said it sucked. So, I modeled it after the slogan I come up with "Regal Service at Reasonable rates." Hence the name Royal Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning. At the time that was bucking the trend of starting your name with as many "A"s as possible: AA, Acme, Advance, etc... to jump the heading in the phone book.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Way back when, I made a deal with the local newspaper to fill in any blank space they had with 1" ads. I paid $1.50 each. They did not have to pay for little filler material.

The cleaning was part-time. I had no business name. Each ad said SCOTT CLEANS ________ followed by my phone number. The blank might be carpet, upholstery, drapery, rugs, etc.

Before long people knew me as Scott Cleans. I got mail addressed that way. I was often called "Mr Cleans." When I went full-time and decided the business needed a name, it was already known as Scott Cleans.

That is a good story, Scott.

Steve

PS Me? We named our fledgling operation "Sierra Cleaning". At the time we were kicking around ideas and started playing with mountain ranges for names. "Rocky"- no. "Cascades"- no- sounded like a dishwasher detergent. "Sierra"? Yeah, that sounds good. (In our innocence we didn't even realize the word is a Spanish surname so who knows- maybe we lost the business of a few racist customers. Good riddance!)

 

[bob vawter]

i can remember it like it was yesterday........my buddy and mysef did a couple of Mr Natural blotter acid and was cruising Woodward Ave.......after a spell cars were melting..... street signs were moving around and stop lites were twirlin' in circles.............i can still remember telling my friend about my idea of starting a CC business.........EZactly under the thirteen and Woodward stop-go lite.....my friend puts his arms up in the air and sez......."I can see it all now....MR STEAMCLEAN"it lasted 40 years and CRASH is still running it!

 

[KB Carpet Cleaners]

I actually didn't get a choice to pick the name KB Carpet Cleaners my uncle did 10 years ago. KB is his initials Ken Bronson lol no relationship to Charles Bronson.

So far no regrets except we do get the occasional customer that asks . Not sure of a second choice pretty conformable with KB Carpet Cleaners.

Most of are customers do remember us we have a lot of character when we show up to there doorstep. And if they do not remember us as soon as i get the go ahead on adding Service Monster to our Business i will make them remember with follow up calls, Spam Email and everything else in my power to have a returning client.

 

[Ron Werner]

Got my name in an ass backward way.
Left the dept store company, someone said take your initials and add Carpet Care after it, so RW Carpet Care is how I started.
Got a letter in the mail that had that old winking happy face, and I added that to my truck lettering not so much for a logo, but more that someone might be driving down the road behind me having a really crappy day, see that happy face and just chuckle a little to himself without it ever reaching his mouth. His bright point of the day. Eventually I started using it more as a logo.

Then took a carpet tech class with Mike West back in 96, when Ramsey was still a product on the market. He gave me a marketing talk over a burger after the class. He told the name should match the logo and should have the word "Clean" in it. He also suggested that the logo be a man with a wand, a universal symbol for carpet cleaning.

So, Happy Carpet Cleaners had the best ring to it, and I put a body on the happy face which was REALLY bad, just a blacked out man, the old Hydromaster man with a wand. You think it looks silly now, should have seen it then!

Regrets? Not really. Sometimes I think a more "professional" name would be better but thats only when I start "comparing".
I've thought of "I Can't Remember" Carpet Care, basically cause that's who most people say did their last cleaning! And if they ever forgot your name, they just remembered it

People DO remember it and I have fun with the name, my website is gethappy.ca, so I tell people all they have to do is remember to "get Happy". Its a name that during a party someone could mention who cleaned the carpets, then after the party, after the hangover, and a few weeks later they could be looking through the yellow pages and they will remember when they see it, its very different.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Nice story! Many years ago I spend several days with Mike West, we put on a carpet class here and one in Wichita and KC when we were Ramsey distributors. Sharp guy, he impressed the cleaners with his knowledge and low key personality.

 

[Soxpac]

Nice story.

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[Mardie]

Ron I realy like your name and logo.Stands out and is very memorable .It portrays a confident, trusting and positive upbeat image in a industry that is so often suspect.

 

[Blue Monarch]

Let's see.....

When I was cleaning in Phoenix, I already owned the domain north-phoenix.com, so I named it North-Phoenix Custom Cleaning. Had a gal I know design a logo and went with it.

That name wouldn't really fly in Lincoln, so I had to come up with something new for this market. Shawn had a concept company that you could buy along with a Vortex called Blue Monarch. Came with the wrap and marketing stuff. Always loved it. By the time I was in Lincoln, Tom was in charge so I inquired about using the name and working out a price. He said "no one has bought it, go ahead and just use it".

So I did. I think it stands out pretty well on the van and is relatively memorable.

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