What's your challenge?

[Mikey P]

As brief as possible, what are the top three biggest challenges you face today in your carpet cleaning business?

Me?

1. growth, should I or shouldn't I
2. keeping up with demand
3. replacing the "fleet'..

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

1. Figuring out where to spend advertising dollars , I seem to have more advertising money then there are advertising avenues to spend it on.

 

[Mikey P]

You website could use some work, why not start there?


Mine does as well but I'm putting it off until some internal matters are handled.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Giving up my flexible lifestyle, residential service requires way more business administration then commercial. Its a huge decision for me actually.

 

[Ken Snow]

Bruce you have quite a few options in the Bay City area and even much more if you are also targeting Saginaw.

Mine:
Growth in Retail sales of rugs an flooring, residential carpet, tile & upholstery cleaning.
Bringing my team into a growth mindset (including me) vs a cost containment mindset we have been in for a few years.
Managing our multi year double digit increase in health care costs- these are eating us up more then gas prices.

 

[billyeadon]

While I am not in the cleaning business, the biggest question we get is how to find good people. One question that should be asked "would you want to work for you for the money you pay?"

 

[Mikey P]

Im not sure that's the right question Billy.


Most twenty somethings dont need or expect the earnings we as owners do.

 

[Beeks]

The fast growth that I have had early on,has turned me into the "I want more I want more" mindset

1. I need to slow down and take a step back, as i know what i have now will only get better but it takes time
2. Similar to bruce, i have the money but not sure where to put it as I'm already using a lot of advertising avenues
3. Expansion into the commercial side of things, as im about 90% residential

 

[billyeadon]

Mikey, I realize that they are not going to make 50,000 the first year as a tech. My thought is many O/O have never given a lot of thought to how to manage future employees.

 

[Mikey P]

Is 50 the industry median for a five year tech?

 

[billyeadon]

Maybe in California but I would think it would be lower everywhere else. Sounds like a good question to the group. Another good question would be how many MBers are 2 trucks or less which also determines number of employees.

 

[hogjowl]

Effective advertising (I know my website sucks ... so give it a rest, buckethead)
Putting into place the systems necessary to keep me from shooting my son and future employees. (Yes, I've already been to SFS)
I had to struggle with this next one ... nothing really jumps out at me ... but yes, I suppose securing the proper equipment to work my growth might be next in line.

 

[Ken Snow]

$50k for a 5 year tech would be a little low to me in Detroit.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Desk Jockey]

50k is good pay here, our supervisors make a little more than that but none of our carpet cleaners are in that neighborhood............some are not even in that same town.

 

[Desk Jockey]

While I am not in the cleaning business, the biggest question we get is how to find good people. One question that should be asked "would you want to work for you for the money you pay?"

Bill I think that's just an excuse.

It's either the age old "cleaner's curse" of "no one can do it as good as I", which letting go of the wand is one of the toughest things to do.

OR they have have not seriously looked to replace themselves because the don't have enough work to employee another person full time.

There are always plenty of good candidates for employment. We really can't be the only industry that can't find employees, can we?

 

[billyeadon]

Bill I think that's just an excuse.

It's either the age old "cleaner's curse" of "no one can do it as good as I", which letting go of the wand is one of the toughest things to do.

OR they have have not seriously looked to replace themselves because the don't have enough work to employee another person full time.

There are always plenty of good candidates for employment. We really can't be the only industry that can't find employees, can we?

Yes there are definitely a lot of people that believe no one cleans as well as them. Just ask everyone on this board if they aren't as good as the next poster.

No matter what generation, we have always heard that no one works as hard as they do. I think the issue with GenY techs is they don't really think work is the number 1 priority. They think differently from Boomers or GenX. I didn't say they think incorrectly just differently. As an owner/manager you must be able to figure out what motivates each of your emploees. Each one is different and the best managers are able to differentiate.

Next year the last of 76 million boomers turn 50. So we will have a much larger demographic to clean for so we will need more techs.

Ken Snow must be able to deal with Gen Y very well or he couldn't run an organization that large.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If we are being honest....and I'd like to be for once. I am the best cleaner you've ever known.

Yep lots of people wonder and maybe you've even been asked about who it is......it's me!


No really!


ALL cleaners think we are the best that ever wazzz. Just ask them!

Me included.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Well i must be the exception then, can guarantee 100% no way i am the best cleaner on this forum.

Hell, not even the best cleaner in my own business

 

[Desk Jockey]

I know this Shane.

Want to know how I know......cause I AM THE BEST.

 

[Shane Deubell]

 

[Desk Jockey]

 

[Derek]

getting the phone to ring.

 

[ruff]

After cleaning too many stairs- Hearing the phone when it does ring.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

The website is a work in progress , I take one step forward and almost always 3 steps back with the stupid thing but I'm working on it.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Bruce you have quite a few options in the Bay City area and even much more if you are also targeting Saginaw.

Ken, I would love to hear those options. I target Bay City , Saginaw and Midland.

 

[realclean]

getting the phone to ring.

I agree, getting phone to ring on a regular basis.

 

[Ken Snow]

Pm me Bruce and we can schedule 15 -30 to talk about them. I am fairly open later wed-fri.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[jcooper]

As brief as possible, what are the top three biggest challenges you face today in your carpet cleaning business?

1. Staying organized, sooo much crap to do other than actual cleaning.

2. My mindset... I give away way to much. Ohhh, Ms Smith was nice, I'll give her a free hall etc. Or not wanting to raise price because of more work. Screw that, not going to get a helper or 2nd truck giving sh@t away.

3. Being faster(on job), working by myself seems like things take forever.

 

[TomKing]

Maybe in California but I would think it would be lower everywhere else. Sounds like a good question to the group. Another good question would be how many MBers are 2 trucks or less which also determines number of employees.

$50k is got to be your goal and more. You can not get long term staff who can buy a home, maintain a decent vehicle for less than that here in the Midwest. They still need a spouse that earns 30-50k to truly be just middle class.

 

[TomKing]

1. Keeping our advertising machine moving. Finding quality venues to spend our dollars and keeping the systems that work moving.
2. Developing our staff and their cleaning skills. Weekly coaching for each team member
3. Growing to provide future opportunities for our team.