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To everyone,
How many days on a van, when you returned from training would you think necessary? This will help me a lot on my future sales and state seminars. Maybe this can get new people up to “speed” faster and make them feel more comfotable with the process sooner.
Thank You for your time on this question.
Ron
IMO, I think 3-5 days should work for most, more than 5 would obviously be beneficial but maybe not feasible or practical. Any less and it’s just a more glorified version of the training that may or may not help depending on what jobs they happen to ride along to. I think the key to it is getting a diversified schedule (see furniture cleaning, dog spots, heavily soiled area, really busy day or two, carpet dying, wood/tile for those that do them, commercial job, etc.). This is obviously not something that is easy to plan in advance as it is dependant on your customer’s needs/wants, but I think at least 1 or 2 out of the ones I listed would be beneficial. If they ride along to 5 (3) room special jobs, it probably won’t benefit them too much. Have them go to a couple 3 room specials, plus a full house cleaning (5+ rooms) that includes a couch and a loveseat or 2 rooms with lots of dog spots….now you’re learning something that will really help you.
We purchased an existing adjacent area in addition to our initial area when we started, and we were lucky enough to ride around with the previous owner for a month during the transition. That made a HUGE difference. It felt like we came in with a year of experience under our belt as opposed to 3 days of training in Rexburg. Besides seeing how to clean a house (as opposed to how to clean carpet….big difference), you also get a picture for how to schedule jobs, how to balance phone calls while cleaning, what to ask about on the phone, etc. that may not be fully grasped during training.
I would fully endorse a ride along program for new operators and would be willing to help in any way possible.
I think that all it really takes is watching one job covering each of our services and then following up with practice at home. I know that more is always better, but I think that just a little reinforcement is all that is needed for most to bolster what they learned in training. Then again everyone is different and it might need to be tailored more specifically to that individual’s learning curve and style. Some operators are ready to go right out of training and others may need a few weeks just to get the confidence. Others like myself fall somewhere in the middle. I think that most of us have a pretty good idea of how to get the job done right out of the gate. It’s just a matter of confidence. I know that is how it was for me. Even though I have many situations that I have yet to face my confidence has already grown by leaps and bounds. Just my thoughts.
Hi Ron i think it would help all of us on sales alot more if people knew who we are im tired of seeing stanley steamer ads on tv everyday day after day and hearing people telling me what crap work they do at such high prices also telling me they never herd of us 1 guy told me how are you cleaning my rug your just grinding in the dirt and moving it around that turned my stomach. TV ads work the best and get the most exposure everyone uses stanley because they all know that name thats whats hurting us the most if we are the biggist growing company out there now we should be the biggist known name hope we get on tv soon . Thank you all!
A good way to explain how our system works is to give people another example of how something looks one way but is doing something different.
Take for example, Playtex Cross Your heart bras, You look one over and you’d think this thing is gonna flatten the whole……………..issue, but as everyone knows, a Playtex Cross your heart bra does two things. Lifts and separates.See how a good example can really clarify things
Too busy to watch TV and worry about SS or CD. I rarely see their vans around anyway. I drive my van everywhere….it is very visible and it has gotten me calls. I have had no car for several years now…wife has one though.
The new YP/YB ad has not worked as well as our former one, but that is another topic…we will be going to a minimum ad and more into newspapers.
TV is way too expensive for us for sure…word of mouth is better and cheaper.
Gary, the guy you spoke of….were you cleaning for him, or was he just projecting his ideas? You could offer a freebie and show him a clean woven turf final pad…see what he says then.
Dave
Dave can you share your ideas about keeping busy because it looks like without Barefoot Bay im shut down around here how much more free stuff i got to give away to get work?miss my snowbirds alot!!!!!! Thank you all.
Gary,
Things are slow in many places right now.
Get to know real estate agents, send thank you notes/letters and give 5 +++ business cards and/or brochures to each and every customer…they get used. Word of mouth…takes a little time.
Talk to Barry &/or Jim in D.C. When they first started out, they told me that they went door to door…in short, you have to do what you have to do in order to get business.
Any strip mall that has carpeted or hardwood or tile floors is a possibility, but impossible…IMPOSSIBLE…if they do not know who you are. We are an alternative to the other guys and when tried, they like us, usually a lot.
Hope this helps…I also read the Proverb for the day, every day, and that really helps…sets my mind in the right place and mood for the day.
Just wrote this between jobs and meeting a guy from the local newspaper for lunch to discuss ads for this next year instead of high cost YP/YB ad.
Dave
Gary,
One more thing…get a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. If you are negative…you will transmit that negativity to those you are with or around. Dr. Peale noted this back in the early 50s and others have tried to copy…with other methods and names.
Positive people and attitudes attract the same and negative the same…
Just a thought. It does wonders for me since my wife got me hooked a while ago. See the glass as half full, no matter what…and something that doesn’t work in our business gets you closer to that which will, ask Cody.
I doubt that any of us on here have ever seen Cody depressed or down…at least not for any length of time…good role model in that area.
In short Gary, attitude is very, very important…
Just a thought or so…gotta go. Wish you the best.
Dave[/quote]
ok dave negative you say i say facts i must say i dont like to beg people for jobs when its slow and have to worry about paychecks i say what i got to say thats just me not gonna try and be someone im not but i know it will come back around after summer till than as you say im doing what i got to do to much time on my hands now maybe its time to do the cab thing again for a while???? the bagel joint that i cleaned sold his place to go back to driving a truck not that i hate this kind of work to quit anytime soon though . Thank you all!
What about all of the other operators in Fl? Are they all in the same boat as you? I know everyone comes north in the summer, bur many of the northerners are too stupid and come there in the summer for vacation. I would think there is still business with all of the movement of people… of course I could be wrong. What about all of the other operators Gary, also Ron should be able to help out…
Dave
dave we need to talk on the phone sometime im sure alot of people are getting a kick on this topic and yeah ron has been alot of help to me i owe him alot he told me not to do the money mailer thing he was right out of 10,000 flyers not a single call thats just rotton luck on my part so it cost me from now on i listen no more mistates. Thank you all!
bur many of the northerners are too stupid 😈
interesting comment?
Hi Den,
Seeing how I’m a NH native and just arrived in Sunapee, I picked up on that line also!!!!!!! When do we meet up for Northern lobster?
Ron
Sounds good to me, maybe in early August? Most of my weekends are booked, we travel to our daughters Softball tournaments most of the Summer. Maybe a weekday would be better. I will give you a call sometime in July.
Also spoke withe Dave on the phone yesterday he sounds like a very good man. Guess he thought I was upset, he did not realize I am just a wise guy.
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