Summer stress

Let's face it, we work hardest on summer trying to bank what we can for winter, and if you're owner operator, between phone calls and wanding and answering stupid questions or requests from customers, it takes a toll on your mind, how do you cope with it ?

I just simply don't answer the phone when Im cleaning DP and I know that's not good for business. But I started this biz to lower my stress level not increase it.

I'm with Mo on this one. I do this work to avoid stress, so I set up in a small market, turn off the phone during meals, and find some time for myself.

This guitar and harmonica hobby has done well for my stress levels so far....you have to have something.

I just have on my voicemail that if we dont answer we are cleaning or with a customer and call backs are at certain times of the day.  

It also says in there to send a text message if they can and that has really made a big difference,   so many customers send a text after adding that.

But at the same time what you describe is another good reason to hire people to wand for you, it allows you to take better care of your business... lets face it everyone on this forum is way overqualified to spend their energy wanding all day long

It takes a lot of practice running a business to get systems in place to make sure quality stays high, but like ive said before its much harder to trust someone to build walls and patios than it is to have someone wanding for you.... carpet cleaning is simple ez pz once you have your system down pat

ACpower1 wrote:
It takes a lot of practice running a business to get systems in place to make sure quality stays high,    but like ive said before its much harder to trust someone to build walls and patios than it is to have someone wanding for you....     carpet cleaning is simple ez pz once you have your system down pat

That is very true, cleaning isn't very hard that's for sure.

But I do think it's hard to find a person to do it that cares and does the same quality work I do.

But it's time for me to find someone, because I'd like to retire soon!

I also don't answer phone usually while I'm working either.

But find it very convenient to communicate with customers via Text, and like that idea of adding that 'you can text me if you'd like' line to my VM message!

AC is right, we are over-qualified to run a wand, but it is all the other things that we bring to the business that comes from us being behind a wand that should not to be ignored.

Today, I was getting an eye exam and in the waiting room was the former apartment manager that I worked for a year ago. He had me come over and clean his house after the appointment.

I cleaned the place up and was talking about the status of those apartments and how I turned them down due to the preferred vendor stuff. He placed a phone call and spoke to the owner on my behalf.

That former manager is now a real estate agent and by the time I had the van loaded up, he had 3 houses for me to clean and may have gotten me those 7 apartment complexes after-all....without having to work as a vendor.

If I had a tech running that van with me behind the desk, it would have just ended with a simple house cleaning...$250 instead of a much grander situation.

Running that wand puts me out in the public's eye where I can lean on my strength to improve my business. Don't underestimate your presence's importance in this industry.

Wow, that is a cool deal, you running into him and hookin it up like that.  I guess that's one of the advantages of being in a small town.

I can go a couple years without running into one of my customers out and about like that!

just for the sake of argument, what if you had seen him at the eye doctor then after the appointment added his house to the route for your tech?

then tech shows up does a stand up job and all the while your chatting with him about the apartments

also you have to imagine what if 100% of your energy was directed towards improving and driving in business?

you could be a millionaire in 3-5 years with a great local business and customers that still love you just as much

ACpower1 wrote:

you could be a millionaire in 3-5 years with a great local business and customers that still love you just as much

But where do you find these employees with the same work ethic, care and attention to detail that you provide, to make that "love" keep flowing??

I'd guess , at some point, you have to give up that idea your employees are going to provide that same level of service you do?

I suppose my level of service standards might be higher then most, I've heard it from customers many times over.............I do what others don't or aren't willing to take the time to.

SO maybe my question is answered by myself doing what others don't, and the reason I can't expect others to do it?

AC makes a very valid point as does Davey. If you can find that key employee that allows you to basically clone yourself, one could grow their business at a rapid pace.

I look at this industry as being about the cleaner and not the cleaning. The cleaning is just the vehicle that brings the cleaner and customer together. People hire you because they like and trust you, the actual skill at cleaning is a very minor part of the equation.

Take the cleaner out of the equation and all you have is the cleaning part which is not really different than anyone else's cleaning, so your business lacks value.

I would be crushed in a large city operating on this premise, but in small markets, it is the gospel truth. How often do you think the large franchises in large markets are getting customers to offer them a beverage or baked goods?

I think the size of the market matters in this discussion.

I have technicians, they're doing as good of a job as I do ( I'd like to think so anyway ) but on those days when they're busy, I have to get off my a$$ and work and still have to answer the phones, I can't tell you how many times I called customers back after 10 minutes and they already scheduled with my competitors, that really pissed me off, especially if they left a voice mail asking me to call them back, that usually will ruin my whole day.

Maybe instead of techs on the truck, we need office managers taking calls?

How about we run the cleaning side, but hire caller bank / sales to handle the phones, emails, billing, and sales part of the business? Truth is, I am good with the customer in the field, but not the best office manager, so it makes sense to me to go with strength and find a good office manager instead of a replacement for me on the van.

I personally think if you cant trust someone to wand for you then your either way over thinking the business of carpet cleaning or your standards are too high.  

I understand completely your point that no employee will ever be able to care as much as the business owner... but this is something you have to get past.      Customers do not care nor think as deeply into carpet cleaning as we do.     You can tell them all about your 15 step process and in the end they are going to go about their busy lives and just want an easy no hassle service that leaves their carpets cleaned.  


In fact the real truth is,   they probably dont even want you in their house for as long as it would take you to do a 15 step ultra cleaning process...  not that anyone here does 15 steps but just making a point.

they want a fast easy solid cleaning,    they most likely dont want to know nearly as many details as many owner operators like to explain...   it bores them,    they want clean fresh smelling carpet thats it.  


Ive read some other cleaners websites and its just a massive over thought explanation of why a customer should pay them 3x as much...   the huge process of how they do this and that,    all really a waste of time explaining.  

This one guys website boasted that they wipe down all baseboards with a special baseboard cleaning solution,     its like come on man your cleaning carpets stop making it so complicated

If you really have a passion to be the best carpet cleaner in the world then its a good job to be an owner operator, you can make more than most firefighters/police men/county workers... personally I want to own a nice bar, a food truck and a carpet cleaning business someday

Try to compare it to pressure washing more, sure someone could be the best ever at it... but are you going to pay him twice as much because hes really great at pressure washing or are you just going to call a larger company that you know does a fine job?

were equipment operators with knowledge. its not an artform, or highly skilled trade, or craft doesnt mean you cant be great at it... just means most people dont care that much and want a simple easy service done.

honestly if you and your employees have the image and look that allows a customer to trust them in their home with nobody home and valuables lying around... your wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy ahead of 90% of your competition

and even if you or your employees totally suck at cleaning, most customers will still call you back because thats how much they hate the stress of having someone questionable in their home

You make a great point AC, unless you are a specialized cleaner (silk furniture for example) you will never be able to impress a customer to pay you twice when they really just need a simple cleaning.

If I had a tech that I could trust to operate the way that I do in the field, I would consider letting him solo, but I have never found that person. In fact, if that person existed, he would be running his own show in a matter of months and become competition.

I like having a like-minded helper on the job, but the thought that all my customers are going to associate the company with another cleaner other than me doesn't make me feel comfortable.

That is how I started, I worked my butt off for someone else and then went solo and took about 80% of the guy's customers with me as I was the one they recognized. He did very well for a few years with me as his employee, but it cost him in the long run.