Do you have a network?

Saw this question brought up in another thread. Do you have a local cleaner you network with that you trust to handle overflow or back up if you break down?

This is a hard question to answer for most cleaners. I even had a hard time with it in the early years. Trusting other cleaners with you customers or potential customers. It's important to find a local cleaner that performs and cleans like you. Trouble happens and you do get to busy. The best you can offer is another quality cleaner that you can refer and speak highly of. It's a perfect sceniro, even though you can't take the job, you can tell them about someone who is just like you.

The other is to know you can trust they honor you good gesture and value your customer referral. The scary part that you all think of I've been down. I have had a few guys that I refer to that after a while they begin to start going after areas that you currently manage. That's hard to go through, when you find out, fire them!

I have a great network cleaner who is actually a Lounge member. Eric from pro touch. He is new to our town and has started his business here. I called him about two and half gets ago. Back when it was the cafe. We began to build that network and relationship over time. Now we have worked together on jobs, I've sent some overflow and some where I had a down van. It's been a great relationship and one I hope to continue.

So, do you have a network or not. How do you feel about networks?

I wish! My good friend in the business is busier than I. Can't rely on others in this area- most are hacks. I prefer to let my customers find out for themselves what the alternative to my company is. Sad but true. I wish I had a quality company that could handle overflow and time constraint jobs without stealing my customers. NO back up here, I wish.....

I understand the concerns over having your customers stolen by a rival, but remember that they can't become you.

It doesn't matter what tools they use or their experience, your customers chose you because of you and how you treat them. Nobody can steal that as long as you have a good connection with your customer... they will just see the other guy as an extension of you since they trust you.

I have only lost a few jobs to my small network, but I was happy for them in the end. They didn't try and steal them, they just were a better match for the customer, we all won in the end.

Think of it like dating. The other guy can't steal your girl if she is happy with you, doesn't matter what he looks like.

yup got a portable guy that cleans like a true pro, just doesnt have big time equipment... but he can clean right along side any small TM maybe dry time is a little longer but he uses several tools and gets the jobs done right.

My biggest concern is my customer. Can the person you're referring them to perform an excellent job or not? Will it cause your customer or you grief over the referral? Remember, this referral is a direct reflection on you. It takes time to find the right fit and sometimes some grief. I've been lucky in that regard. Ryan and I have worked together and forged a friendship. I know that he will perform an excellent job and I don't have any worries about how he will treat people. In the end if I lose a customer to another great cleaner that I referred them to, so be it. I'm pleased that the customer is happy and taken care of and that the other cleaner impressed them.
So yes, my network is small, but really good.

eldiabloz wrote:I wish! My good friend in the business is busier than I. Can't rely on others in this area- most are hacks. I prefer to let my customers find out for themselves what the alternative to my company is. Sad but true. I wish I had a quality company that could handle overflow and time constraint jobs without stealing my customers. NO back up here, I wish.....

I guess I really never thought about it but I do have a support network- I don't do portable work or flood work and I have 2 companies I refer that work too. I even had a rug plant that for I referred difficult or not truckmount cleanable work too. He really pissed me off and I booted him to the curb. I would consistently refer him to some high end clients, probably about the tune of $10,000 a year. Whenever I would call him for a favor- let's say-" can you pick and clean 2 of my Moms area rugs when you are at Mrs. Moneybags that I referred you to, 2 blocks away? Well we track all of our referrals and we really don't get a lot of work from you, so I can give her a 10% discount, that's about it. Well the next time I was at these big clients homes I would tell them the story and how pissed I was and that they should call this other rug cleaning plant. They did. He would call them up and say your ready for your annual spring area rug cleaning they would tell them why they switched. Well after a while he called me up all apologetic and said I can clean your moms rugs for free. I laughed, you did this to me 3 times over 10 years, you suck and now you lose, goodbye. End of story.

Yep I do have sent him work right from the swimming pool in Vegas

Pro Touch wrote:My biggest concern is my customer. Can the person you're referring them to perform an excellent job or not? Will it cause your customer or you grief over the referral?  Remember, this referral is a direct reflection on you. It takes time to find the right fit and sometimes some grief. I've been lucky in that regard. Ryan and I have worked together and forged a friendship. I know that he will perform an excellent job and I don't have any worries about how he will treat people. In the end if I lose a customer to another great cleaner that I referred them to, so be it. I'm pleased that the customer is happy and taken care of and that the other cleaner impressed them.
So yes, my network is small, but really good.

100% totally agree. Just think, it's all because of The Real Cleaners Cafe'. Never would have guessed it.

I have in the past but they all are so brainwashed and over and under educated by the wrong guys. And they have had to go reduce work for my customers too.
Case in point guy with a big 47 proc hem had to reduce a pet job where I I got it done with a 3 stage vac at 75 feet out ..

I have a guy here in town that I refer when I can't get to some one on time, he does the same for me. Great guy and he is a customer of Joes to.

Meet him at a dentist office that we were both bidding, and became friends. He is on vacation this week , sent me 300 bucks worth of work while he was gone.,

Yes I do, the guy who bought my old prochem performer and that cracker dude I know from this forum, lol, what's funny is both of their name is Dave, and then there's another Dave in Pasadena area too, way too many Daves in the carpet cleaning industry   
What's funny is when I was on vacation last year, one of my client called and needed immediate service, since it was only a hallway and stairs I refer her to my buddy Dave who bought my old machine and my client never called him and when I got back I found out that she never got it done, I called her to ask why and she said she's too loyal to me, then she scheduled an appointment with me, lol.

Had some minor problems this week. Transmission went out on a van. Could only handle minimum work load. Eric helped me out big time this week! Still is matter fact.

Lesley went to QC a house we had Eric cover for us, she said Eric cleaned the hell out of this carpet.

Thanks Eric.

Ouch....probably what $2600 to replace?  If yours doesn't already have one, put an aux cooler on when you deal with the transmission and install a temp gauge.

If you look at the temp chart, you will see how long and how short a transmission can go according to temperatures.  Our shop made a point of installing temp gauges on every auto equipped vehicles that passed through our doors.  I think the guys who build these vehicles should be including it as standard equipment, but then they wouldn't be able to sell replacement transmissions now would they?

Nah, wasn't that bad. $1800 with more commercial grade parts. Pays to have a father Inlaw as a Chevy Gm. That gauge would be nice. Would it have helped with preventative maintenance?

rebuilt ya plus or minus 1500-1800

not that bad and was a good idea to replace with parts from a 3500 express or commercial grade if yours is a 1500

Ryan S wrote:Nah, wasn't that bad. $1800 with more commercial grade parts. Pays to have a father Inlaw as a Chevy Gm. That gauge would be nice. Would it have helped with preventative maintenance?

Absolutely! If you know that your trans ran hot, you can get it flushed before the damage is done. Ask your trans guy to install one, they are pretty cheap insurance.

It's no problem Ryan. I'm glad you van's up and running again.