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Right on Gordon! Our business is primarily through personal references – and in a smaller, contained area if you do a great job – everyone will know about it. In a larger Metro area, you have to pay to get over the ‘buzz’ of all the advertising. Also, people tend to not be as loyal and there is a faster turnover of homeowners. There are good sides to both rural and metro – it’s a matter of what each person is more comfortable with. Having done both – I’ll stay right here in the Hill Country!!! Thanks too Gordon for the phone message the other day – appreciate it!!!
Joey fits me fine, my wife has a number of colorful names for me that are worse than that, so Joey is cool. 😀 I actually service about 7 counties so population isnt a problem, (just the time on the road) and typically have my schedule booked 2-3 weeks ahead. I don’t have much competition so that is nice and am cutting back alot of my advertising in the areas where word of mouth and reputation carry me. Thats the other nice thing about a rural area people talk (gossip) and if your quality is good you can pretty much guarantee repeat biz and that they will pass your name on to everyone they know. I have several customers I’ve cleaned for and never even met.
That’s cool. I honestly don’t have much competition down here, believe it or not. There are about 50 total carpet cleaners. One that actually cleans, us of course. Only franchises, as far as competition is concerned, are chem-dry, steamatic, rainbow and service master. None compare. Chem Dry, I guess, is my biggest cocern. Not really though, because we pick up a lot of their mess-ups and bad service. The other 45 or so are no names that average a business life of 5 or 6 months. Correct me if I’m wrong, you used to work or own a chem-dry franchise (Joey). What made you change, or what is the biggest difference when it comes to the cleaning process? I’m just curious. I might make a post about this queation later and you can re-answer so others can see or read about it.
Mike
Hey Gordon,
You forgot to mention…NO TAXES!!!!!
That might make it even a little sweeter there, or so I have heard…
Just kidding..
Dave
Mike, no i didn’t own a chem dry franchise before this, I actually worked for John Deere and was tired of politics, etc. and knew I could make more money working for myself. Chem Dry is the only other franchise company in my area and I honestly don’t know when he works. I always see his van parked at the coffee shop, truth. Maybe they have really good coffee. I have heard numerous customers say that they like our system over chem dry’s, again I think it depends on operators also. The guy that owns Chem Dry is somewhat older and maybe burnt out, plus he smokes and cant’ imagine that his odor is too appealing to his customers.
JOEY 🙂Unfortunately I smoke as well. I am trying daily to kick the habit. I do not smoke in the van. Just lunch and after workday is over. I take a clean shirt and change my hat after my lunch brake. Spray down with cologne as well. Starting to get tedious. I know somebody on here said they owned or worked for chem-dry. It’s cool. Believe it or not, my cousin owns chem-dry where I am at but he has ran it into the ground. We don’t talk much as it is. He is from other side of family that never comes around, so nobody worry, he gets no info on our process from me. He won’t tell me either. All I know is I’m picking up his mess-ups.
Thanks Joe,
Mike
Mike,
A little advice from a man who had a 25 year smoking habit, at the end 1 1/2 packs per day…It is not quit on a daily basis…one picks a day then QUITS!!!
Then it is a minute by minute, then hour by hour then week by week struggle, to stay off…no cheating and after a number of weeks, the desire finally slips away..it will resurrect itself once in a while…beat it and go on… and then finally, after some months…no urge at all…no desire and no regrets and it will be the very best bad habit you ever quit.
No hacking, no phlem no rotten odor no having to hide what you are doing or go outside…and save money!!!!!!!!!!! And, if you are in the market, since you are a younger guy, you can even get term life insurance really cheap after a couple of years of no cigs.
Trying to quit is not a trying thing…you must just stop!
I wish you the best…
DaveThanks Dave. I appreciate the advice and care on your part. I will do it, I have a set date and will go from there. Again, thanks for the help.
Mike
Mike- Smoked for 14 years. I’m 11 months without a drag. Surprisingly the cravings went away pretty quick. Set the date-Good luck.
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