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I saw mentioned in a recent thread where someone said there are many ways to cut corners (without losing quality) in order to speed up.
Please share ideas and tips on how to cut corners – without sacrificing quality of course.
For example, I recall an older post (on our older bulleting board, I believe) suggesting using a longer hose on our spray tank, which would relieve you from having to constantly carry the spray tank around. I’m hoping to hear lots more ideas.
Thanks,
Mike
Edited 5/22/06 at 5:45 PM to improve/correct subject line after realizing I misquoted. Thanks…Mike
Aside from the technical ways I’ve found out right away to keep physically fit. It keeps me effecient and productive. If you do quality work then this business isn’t for the faint of heart.
I didn’t say to “cut corners”, I said there were so many ways to increase efficency that you didn’t need to cut corners.
Analyze the jobs that go ultra smooth. What went right and why. Same thing on the nightmares. Think and plan ahead.
How many trips to the van did you make to load and unload? Why so many? How many times did you move the flipping rake? Did you forget it upstairs after your were done and now you need to make a trip up to get it. How many passes with the buffer did you make into the closet? Along the wall? Under the sofa? More than one? Why? Need another towel, another trip to the van. Went to the van empty handed? You should be strung up. Ran out of protector, another trip. Wrap the cord on the machine different each time? Sometimes tangles, sometimes not. Opps, forgot my invoice book in the van. Another trip. On and on it goes. Every job, little 1 or 2 minute delays, adds up to 10 or 15 minutes. 5 jobs a day, waste an hour. get home at 5 instead of 4. Made $140/hour instead of $110. Or squeezed another $90 job into the day. Im just getting warmed uo here.
Thanks for the comments so far!
Dennis,
My apologies for misquoting you. I actually didn’t go back and find the post, so I was going from memory. I was correct though that you meant speeding up without sacrificing quality. Thanks for your thought provoking reply!Based on your reply, it reminds me that I saw a post quite a while back about somebody using a cart, I think. I also think it may have one of the Devlin brothers in Denver. Perhaps a cart would help eliminate some of the back and forth to the van that you described, Dennis. I confess to that on some jobs.
Please, more comments welcome. I find myself not moving along as fast as I would like, however, I want to maintain quality, so I’m looking for helpful ideas.
Thanks,
Mike
How long have you been cleaning, Mike? I’ve been at it almost 11 years.
I don’t think of myself as lazy, but I do everything I can to get finished as quickly as possible each day. I get VERY crankey when I make mistakes. It drives me bananas when I forget the invoice book or what ever it is. As I am cleaning, I am always thinking about the next step and how I can do it the most efficently. Whether I have 1 job or 5 jobs each day. When I arrive at the job site I head to the door with both hands full of vacuums, books, a card and current flyer and, if I know I need it, a rake. I get vacuuming ASAP and get the whole place ready. 15-25 minutes is avg. I haul out the vacuums and bring back in the spayer, pads and buffer. I have the pads, disc, towels and spotters in a large tub with a rope handle that hangs on the buffer. Sometimes it doesn’t work so I have to make another trip for the bucket. I get cleaning and I am not wasting any time doing it. I clean efficiently and very quickly where I can, ie. under the sofa, etc. I spend the time where it’s needed in the hall, stairs and other heavy traffic areas. Groom and finish up make the bill collect and leave like shot from a canon. Practice, practice, practice.
Dennis,
I have been at this for almost three years, however, I was only recently able to devote myself full time to the business.Thanks for your additional ideas. Perhaps the easiest gains in efficiency are a lot of little things as you suggest to save a minute here and a minute there with all those minutes adding up.
Let’s see what other ideas come up.
Thanks,
Mike
I could spend a lot of time here, but Dirtbag pretty much said it all. I want to be like Dirtbag when I grow up! Db . . . you da man!
Not us. Only time we use a cart is in Hi-rise condos, and that is only when they have some available. Those are life savers when it comes to hi-rises.
Agree with Dirtbag on the fact you need to focus the majority of your cleaning time on the areas that need to be cleaned the most. My employee still doesn’t understand when I say “hit that traffic area again”. He starts cleaning the whole room again. No reason to make 3 passes in the closet or the area underneath where the couch used to sit. Make one pass in those areas, and then focus on that spot in front of the couch where the food spilled and the dog slept.
Mama always said I’m not smart enough to think ahead, so I run just like Forrest Gump. I don’t know why, I just like runninga.
i swear to all of you,i have never laughed this hard in years ,i really have not.my wife sais so.
You guys need to come down south and have a good ol Texas BBQ and some beers. I’d love to hear what else is on your minds.
Mike Nowlin
I have my employee stay one step ahead of me. If I’m buffin then she is spraying the next room or the other half of the room and so on if we are cleaning upholstery. I like to have both of us on the same page, knowing what the other is doing and what the next step in “each others” process is. For instance I was heading out to the van to get something and I noticed that she was running low on pads so I grabbed a few more for her. Other time savers:
1. We fill 6 jugs with hot water before leaving. (takes too much time at customers house)
2. Use BBC pad on traffic areas first then go back over with WT (mucho time saver)
3. Finishing towel…huge…saves pads…saves time.
my employee has worked for me on and off for 2 or 3 years now. we work very efficiantly together. sometimes i have to tell him to slow down, we are getting done to fast!!!!
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