Day in the life of 2 Butlers with Saiger's Steam Clean

I did a live day with Saiger's on a Facebook Carpet cleaners forum. Someone had asked about us running two Truckmounts on most jobs, so it was the catalyst to doing the posts and thought I would share here too.

I am posting actual invoice totals and info about the jobs for the day as well. This was from this past Thursday 9-11-2014 for us and is a pretty typical day. This is a watered down version, but it was kind of a play by play on Facebook in a closed group....

Ok...here we go for a typical day lately with us.


We used to run the 2 Butler truckmounts and 3 people (sweet spot) but the youngest daughter's boyfriend quite at the beginning of June, so we did not hire someone new.  

This is our twist on keeping a busy schedule (scheduled hard to the end of the month and taking booking into October and November)

I did the presentation at a convention in California this past Feburaty about how much extra time we saved and the extra money we were able to make with this system.  This is just to show you a possible option and there might be others.  We are always looking at ways to save time and money and make out lives easier with the busy schedule.  

Here were the numbers from last year (2013).  Will analyze at the end of this year as well to see if we are doing well.  

**54,055 Additional sq ft carpet cleaned ($20,000 additional cc monies) does not include other services such as upholstery, tile & grout will all increased too.

**20 more total Van/CC machine hours over 2012

**each van generated over $25 an hour total increase fro the year (we gave ourselves a $25 an hour raise for every hour the van was running)

** a total of 20 more van hours - increased income of $20,000 (Almost $1000 per hour additional increase)

**866 less total van miles (and more money made!)

** each van doing over $178,000 each (for carpet cleaning type services)

So here we go....complete with invoice pics!  Not trying to pull any bull here! Todays' jobs 9-11-2014!

Day of 2 Butler truckmounts with Saiger's Steam Clean. First job 3 bedrooms WALL TO WALL...argh... Hall, living room, Set of stairs.

Arrive 8:30 am, wrapped up 9:54 am.

Prevac, edge out, prespray, CRB, everything sticky tab prepped or tags set... $444.07 with 2 of us...

When get close to end, one starts Wrap up of other vans while other finishes. We read each other. This is my son in law.

Today was a strange day as 3 of the requests were for moving everything in the rooms/bedrooms.  Rarely have that happen!


































Moving a piano sucks...but they way...But they insisted....OK...It's moved!

First one was 1005 Sq ft and 12 steps


Second Job:

2nd job is a living room, hall, full bedroom, downstairs Family room, steps for Clean and protect and touch up a couch cushion. Lucky route plan and was only 10 minute drive... Diving in more... Back in a bit. Soil filtration lines need some tlc















Little Harvard Bone Dry encap juice and agitation....then extract.







Scrubbing on the soil filtration lines!



Cleaning behind the furniture first...everything sticky tabbed before moisture present.





Son in law in Basement...me up top with other van



These pieces we blocked up after applying prespray just in case....then cleaned the area and put back in place.



Dang red spot appeared....out to the van!





RED Gone!



Touching up some stains that need to oxidize....





This job involved switching rinses in my van a couple times for upholstery rinse and carpet rinse (acidic and alkaline)

Just starting the wrap up. Son in law final grooming and any extra stain treatments. Next client called and informed on the way. On site for this 2nd job at 10:04 am probably out around 12:15 and about 15 - 20 minute drive next...





3rd Job a small have to have it today slip in....was only supposed to be a LR center area...ended up being a couch, LR, Hall, Bedroom area, kitchen and entry....oh boy...schedule in trouble!  



Great view though...and I live on this lake too!

The couch....LOL!





The importance of prevacing!



I cleaned the couch, son in law was doing carpet areas, after couch finished....pulled my hoses out, wrapped up and son in law finished carpets.







3rd job was 12:30 to 1:40



4th job...and a biggy!!! This will take some time!!

And another wall to wall, move the beds....argh!!  

Bunch of domestic area rugs (take a couple specialty rugs back to the shop for cleaning later) upholstery, 3 LARGE bedrooms wall to wall, 2 sets of stairs, halls, Master bedroom with huge walk in....

2 vacuums going, 2 of us sticky tabbing and prepping....things go quicker!



























Nice to have the 2 vans here as we can set up in 2 different areas to get in.



Some of the upholstery I was doing as son in law doing carpets downstairs.



Luck that not much grooming needed on this one!

Wrapping up and folding tarps...plus that large area rug has to go in the van for a little while...



She was a big one!




4th large of day... In at 1:55.. Out 3:56. One more to go after 15 minute drive. Lucky day of Route planning




5th and final!!! 15 minute drive (recoup time)

CRAP...Baking powder sprinkled every where!!!















Switched to acidic rinse in the truckmount!

Only one truckmounted needed on this....




2 Bedroom areas, hall, LR, DR combo!













Total for the day....$2050.71



Last job 30 minutes tops!  

Fuel up and head for the shop.  



Each van took about 13 gallons for the ay ($90) and about 5% of our days expenses.

My step count for the day cleaning carpets



6:15 dinner date business meeting with my office manager, accounting department... And beautiful wife



and....A BLUE MOON! (or 2)




Just trying to show this isn't an easy job at times and maybe the way we do it will also inspire someone else to think outside the box and maybe figure out something that works for them too..

If they do I hope they will share so we all have a chance to gain some other ideas

Carry on....and best wishes to everyone!



Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com
"Bring on the Blue"!

Mark, I do like the way you brand your business and it looks like an efficient day all around, thanks for sharing.

As for the piano moving? Never again for me. I was asked to move one 5 years ago and was told that the "men" in the family just need an extra set of hands to move it out onto the deck.

Well, being a sucker, I agreed on the way to the job. Those "men" consisted of an 82 year old with a cane and his 13 year old grandson. Even dumber, I still agreed to move it.

I managed to get the grand piano across the living room, around the sofa, and up over the entry onto the deck while the old man just barked directions and the 13 year old just complained that his hands hurt and would let go without warning.

The best part......wait for it.....the piano was too heavy for the deck and me and it fell through the decking. Luckily, the piano got hung up on the supports instead of falling on top of me, but you get my point.

Never, ever moving a piano for a customer.

That log cabin house is cool lookin', I like it!

But you need more pictures!!! Kidding of course.

milspec6 wrote:Mark, I do like the way you brand your business and it looks like an efficient day all around, thanks for sharing.

As for the piano moving?  Never again for me.  I was asked to move one 5 years ago and was told that the "men" in the family just need an extra set of hands to move it out onto the deck.

Well, being a sucker, I agreed on the way to the job.  Those "men" consisted of an 82 year old with a cane and his 13 year old grandson.  Even dumber, I still agreed to move it.

I managed to get the grand piano across the living room, around the sofa, and up over the entry onto the deck while the old man just barked directions and the 13 year old just complained that his hands hurt and would let go without warning.

The best part......wait for it.....the piano was too heavy for the deck and me and it fell through the decking.  Luckily, the piano got hung up on the supports instead of falling on top of me, but you get my point.

Never, ever moving a piano for a customer.

I saw the same band director when I was a kid push 2 pianos off a lifted stage....by accident of course....loud....

And funny as all get out as a kid!

When the cloud of dust settled, you could still see him bent over with his head in his hands hiding on the second one.

I laughed so hard....I shouldn't of...but dang....two pianos within 2 months!

I was at a regional jazz fest.

Piano moving sure can get the best of all of us...LOL!

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com

Davey Cracker wrote:That log cabin house is cool lookin', I like it!

But you need more pictures!!! Kidding of course.

My phone just about died 4 times with all the facebook posts and pics that day....LOL!

Trust me....I had more pics too, but I had to get focused to on doing some cleaning.

Poor Son in law....I was working him to death too!

I have a friend that builds those custom big log....log homes....

They are difficult to get insurance for though...and a lot of upkeep....

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com

Mark, wow, that was a great share, I wish I have time to take some pictures today, between doing 4 jobs by myself and 4 jobs the other van with 2 techs and customers calling and scheduling, I didn't have time, both vans worked 8 hours each ( including sitting in LA traffic for one of the van for 2 hours ) we made $ 2600 today, God is good :-)
Quick question, does Minnesota charge sales tax on service ? You don't have to answer this if you don't want to of course :-)

Nice post. We have our second van out everyday now, havent yet brought 2 on 1 job but going to try it out soon.

Im planning on getting another small TM from Terje so I can mount the ETM in the box truck with the TNT and double up that way.

On jobs with a lot of upholstery it also works well to run 2 pressure lines, bring in the rotovac CFX for the upholstery while other guy works the carpets upstairs.

Im always trying to think of ways to get more efficient, thanks for the info.

dp1 wrote:Mark, wow, that was a great share, I wish I have time to take some pictures today, between doing 4 jobs by myself and 4 jobs the other van with 2 techs and customers calling and scheduling,  I didn't have time, both vans worked 8 hours each ( including sitting in LA traffic for one of the van for 2 hours ) we made $ 2600 today, God is good :-)
Quick question, does Minnesota charge sales tax on service ? You don't have to answer this if you don't want to of course :-)

Great to hear about your day too. Nice numbers!

Sitting in traffic would have killed off our schedule. That is one of the reasons I really enjoy living up here in the North. Very limited "Rush Hours" or "Traffic Jams". In the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN areas they do have the traffic situations at times. Not my thing, but that is 3.5 hours south of me.

Minnesota does make us charge for service oriented businesses. Started about 30 years ago for carpet cleaning. They don't break out the labor (which isn't taxed in some services) and charge for all. The people who do my lawn mowing also had to start charging sales taxes for their service last year. We are not charged sales tax on clothing or groceries....yet....

MN is good at taxing a lot of things. Some cities also have a separate city tax and our city is trying to incorporate that for next year of 1%. My brothers are in a city that has this additional tax. It is a real pain! Hope it doesn't fly here!

Matter of fact, I am going to pay my State sales taxes here in a few minutes on line. I have to pay monthly as we make enough money to put us in that paying time line. Some people are quarterly, and some yearly, depends on your income.

Minnesota....Land of 10,000 lakes and sometimes that many taxes....LOL!

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com

ACpower1 wrote:Nice post.     We have our second van out everyday now,    havent yet brought 2 on 1 job but going to try it out soon.    

Im planning on getting another small TM from Terje so I can mount the ETM in the box truck with the TNT and double up that way.    

On jobs with a lot of upholstery it also works well to run 2 pressure lines,   bring in the rotovac CFX for the upholstery while other guy works the carpets upstairs.    

Im always trying to think of ways to get more efficient,   thanks for the info.  

You might find it works well for you too.

We are so used to the 2 trucks available all the time, we feel we are spoiled.

Once you get a system down and get in the groove, just seems to make life even better.

I look forward to hearing about your endeavors too....

Thanks!

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com

Nice work Mark. Do you get a rush before the winter hits in your area? Not that you're not busy in the winter because we've seen you working in some crazy weather.

Mo wrote:Nice work Mark. Do you get a rush before the winter hits in your area? Not that you're not busy in the winter because we've seen you working in some crazy weather.

We do stay busy....but for some reason, we are getting pounded this Fall.

We think it was because of the terrible winter and spring, and now people are getting things done to get ready for being inside for the winter.

We are thinking about promoting that idea of "prepare for a nice clean indoor environment for the winter hibernation" or something to that effect.

Right now, we feel bad telling people it might be 2-3 weeks to get them in, but we find a way somehow to get everyone in....we have not lost a client yet....which is unbelievable too...

Just have to say, we are feeling very lucky and blessed!

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com