What do you do to cut costs???? here are a few things that I do..

* Try and buy your chemicals in bulk....go direct....get it from the people who make it for them...may chemical companies will produce the same product for way less, and the love to ship it in bulk

* Try and service your own machine,  ie using re-usable couplings, having a few extra fittings in the truck, changing oils, just basically knowing what you have inside out

* no girl in my office, automated answering machine and a cell phone

* Do the meet and greet, if you're slow go door to door....knock introduce yourself, shake hands....people want to know the person who wants to clean their carpets....way cheaper than a newpaper ad or a flyer.  Don't hide behind a company name promote yourself

If you have any other Ideas please post them....lets keep more money in the pockets of the people that work for it.

Mr. Steamer Carpet Cleaner

What do you do to cut costs???? here are a few things that I do..

* Try and buy your chemicals in bulk....go direct....get it from the people who make it for them...may chemical companies will produce the same product for way less, and the love to ship it in bulk

CAREFUL, MAKE SURE YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT, AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH A SUPPLIER CAN ALSO BE VERY IMPORTANT WHEN 'YOU' NEED IT

* Try and service your own machine,  ie using re-usable couplings, having a few extra fittings in the truck, changing oils, just basically knowing what you have inside out

GREAT IDEA

* no girl in my office, automated answering machine and a cell phone

HUMM, SOMEONE FREINDLY AND WITH TIME TO TALK IS ALWAYS AN ADVANTAGE ANSWERING THE PHONE. WHEN SOMEONE CALLS MY WIFE THEY ARE LIKE A FLY CAUGHT IN A WEB, TOO LATE, WE ARE CLEANING THEIR CARPET.

* Do the meet and greet, if you're slow go door to door....knock introduce yourself, shake hands....people want to know the person who wants to clean their carpets....way cheaper than a newpaper ad or a flyer.  Don't hide behind a company name promote yourself

KISS BABIES  JUST MESSIN WIDYA STEAMER!

If you have any other Ideas please post them....lets keep more money in the pockets of the people that work for it.

YES, ON EVERY JOB, DO THE BEST JOB, PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL, WHEN YOU LEAVE DO SUCH A GREAT JOB THAT THE CUSTOMER LOOKS GOOD JUST FOR REFERRING YOU!

NEVER LEAVE CARPET TOO WET

You know Mr. Steamer, Padman(surprised at you ) and all the rest , why would any businessman want to keep necessary costs low. Chemicals, gas, maintenence, repairs, phone, advertising, misc. stuff.......this is all an integral part of the business and should never be compromised. Any carpet cleaner ( Businessman )that has the time to do any repars aside than preventative maintenence on his equipment is not making money. Get out of the business, and try something else. You have 6 months to make money, and the previous 6 months to plan how it was going to happen. A house gets built starting with the architect's plan........a symphony starts with the composer's thoughts..........your business should start with your thoughts and you are the architect of your businesses destiny..........make money.....all the rest will fall into place.....DO NOT TRY TO SAVE>>>>>>>>>>>SPEND SPEND SPEND and you will reap the profits. If any of you do not agree with what I just said......then......YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BUSINESS......I can make you rich if you listen......BUT you must come to me like a baby trusting, and eager to learn, forget what you know, I will teach you the right way.

  Jack          NIGHTRIDER  A fool who knows his foolishness is way smarter that a smart man who does foolish things

This is free info...once you read this post...your certified...I'LL e-mail you a

Mr. Steamer Carpet Cleaning Certificate...all it will cost you is the paper you have to print it on....lol

MR. STEAMER wrote: This is free info...once you read this post...your certified...I'LL e-mail you a Mr. Steamer Carpet Cleaning Certificate...all it will cost you is the paper you have to print it on....lol

I don't think a certificate written in crayon would help many cleaners.  Unless they are cleaning in your area.

Hey dough...lol I mean Doug..um um lost for words.....my crayola certificate is worth more to me than anything in the world... My daughter drew it for me....

she also drew on my IICRC certificate.....btw doug how do you get crayola off toilet paper..naw for get it. I wouldn't use the IICRC's certificate to wipe my arse.

how can one wipe crap with crap..... or didn't you learn that in the courses

MR. STEAMER wrote: Hey dough...lol I mean Doug..um um lost for words.....my crayola certificate is worth more to me than anything in the world... My daughter drew it for me.... she also drew on my IICRC certificate.....btw doug how do you get crayola off toilet paper..naw for get it. I wouldn't use the IICRC's certificate to wipe my arse. how can one wipe crap with crap..... or didn't you learn that in the courses

After reading your posts I can't see why you would want to drag your daughter into this.  But I guess you had to get you training and ideas from someone.

You can attack me all you want....but it's people like me...who take the classes and pay the dues...that put you where you are.  I'm not your enemy I'm your brother.  I may not see eye to eye with you, but maybe you can take this back to the big wigs of the IICRC and actually let them know how people feel.

It shouldn't be about costy classes, and payment of dues. It should be about learning...thank god for this forum....free education for everyone.

you bend a little I'll bend a little

I think I see a love relationship brewing here

              NIGHTRIDER

Hey Mr. Steamer,

Do you realize that the Floorcovering Institute of Ontario is a shareholder of the IICRC and that we have a seat on the board of directors and that the seat recently came empty??

Did you know that the  current president of the IICRC is from Toronto?

Your opportunity to make your voice heard is better now than it has ever been.

Its all about the common good.

Lee