Steve Toburen 
One veteran professional carpet cleaner in California has been debating the pros and cons of offering the credit card payment option to his clients. Steve helps him realize he has already sub-consciously decided …
Remember the old expression, “under promise, over deliver”? In other words, IF you’ve already got the Scotchgard protector sale, it is now time to lower the no doubt unreasonably high expectations of a typical residential cleaning customer. Steve shares how to NOT oversell carpet cleaning products.
True or false- “Every penny counts when you are a brand new carpet cleaner.” Steve’s answer to a neophyte North Carolina, new to carpet cleaning, may surprise you. Here’s a hint: the cleaning chemical supplies you buy are not the most important factor …
Nobody likes misunderstandings or arguments and especially with a testy customer who feels like she has been “betrayed” on her carpet cleaning pricing. Here is a very simple way to keep all your advertised price promotions straight and heading off ugly confrontations before they start …
A prospective Denver carpet cleaner has caught the “entrepreneurial cleaning bug” but his wife just isn’t excited about this new development. Steve timidly ventures into the “family counseling” field with some hard-learned wisdom from his own experience in cleaning up …
In a perfect world your first clients would all be clamoring for clean carpets BEFORE you even open your doors for business. Surprise! It doesn’t work that way, as one slightly disillusioned Kansas City carpet cleaner is finding out …
SFS is all about the “Emotional Dynamics” of working in the “residential environment”. However, all these good feelings only go so far and eventually you have to get some work done! Make the most of your cleaning / restoration time with this idea.
A premium Georgia carpet cleaner looks to expand into the budget cleaning market with a “parallel operation” operated with his existing staff and building. Steve isn’t real positive but would like other cleaner’s thoughts. Read and chime in …
Sometimes the best quickTIPS focus on the little things. For example, how much money are you “leaving on the table” simply because your client doesn’t know everything that your company offers?
All of us brag about our “imagined percentages” of repeat clients. Comments like this are common at every SFS seminar: “Yeah, over 90% of my clients are repeat business.” But honestly, have you ever put a magnifying glass on this claim? (Steve confesses he was guilty of this empty bragging too!) One very capable SFS member did and here is what they found out …
You would never knowingly hire a heroin addict, would you? And yet you are allowing another equally insidious addiction to continue without trying to stamp it out. Steve shares one sure-fire (but very painful) “tough love” approach …
It has been well said, “the way to the heart lies through the stomach.” Read how you can create a great Moment of Truth with a traumatized restoration client with some very memorable but “personalized” comfort food …
There was a lot of energy in Dallas last week at Jon-Don’s most recent Strategies for Success seminar held at the Jon-Don Garland, Texas store. It was a pleasure to work with such an exceptional (if somewhat rowdy!) class. So what did these very capable, no-nonsense entrepreneurs have to say about their SFS experience …
Does panic strike your cleaning company when the phone rings? Or even worse, have you lost your “sense of urgency” on the phone? Read how one multi-truck SFS graduate deals with the phone …
A harried Florida cleaner is battling an upholstery cleaning problem. Steve explains that sometimes the best thing to do is “throw in your cards” but do so with honor and dignity …