Commercial carpet cleaning confusion?
A Phoenix carpet cleaner needs to get commercial work FAST! Steve shares six points that will get things moving IF he has the “fire in the belly”!
Steve’s “Bleeding Hearts” Advice Column
Steve Toburen answers pleas for help from carpet cleaners, mold remediation and fire and water damage restoration professionals. If you are starting a carpet cleaning business or an experienced small business person you will surely find practical advice here. More about Steve.
How to deal with “I wanna a price now” callers!
Any phone script needs tweaking now and then… Steve Toburen’s SFS carpet cleaning phone script is due for a little fine tuning of its own. With these modifications you now have the option of giving a price over the phone and STILL book the job!
How can I “work” my 70 year data base of installed carpets?
A 70 year old Texas carpet store is expanding into carpet cleaning. So how can they turn their thousands of long-term retail clients into carpet cleaning customers? Steve shares tips on how to win them now … or win them later.
“Help! How do I deal with a business slow down?”
A Philadelphia cleaner’s business hits the wall. What to do? Steve hit’s him with four tough questions and shares four practical ideas to get things back on track.
What equipment should I buy with $8,000.00 for a carpet cleaning start-up?
A young Denver cleaner ponders commercial carpet cleaning. Steve shares great downloads plus how this budding entrepreneur can attend SFS absolutely free!
How can I overcome inertia in commercial sales?
Tired of the “just send me some literature” response? Steve weighs in with step-by-step instructions for this commercial cleaner to overcome inertia.
Burning out with janitorial in New Zealand!
A New Zealand cleaner “bought a job” ten years ago but now finds himself burning out and facing a dead end. Steve shares some options and resources that just might help …
Can a carpet cleaner survive in a rural area?
A Chicago area cleaner is facing a “forced move” to rural Missouri. Can he not only survive but prosper?
How can I keep these “inherited” carpet cleaning customers?
A grieving friend asks how he can carry on the legacy (and clientele!) of his fallen carpet cleaning associate. Steve shares some practical advice …
“Steve, what if you could do it all over again?”
A struggling Alabama carpet cleaner asks Steve, “What would you do differently if you could rebuild and sell your business all over again”? Steve (of course) waxes nostalgic as he looks back over the last forty years …
Should I Hire Techs or Stick to Cleaning Myself?
Steve revisits the thorny topic of feeling torn between the undeniable ease and lack of problems of not having employees versus the advantages of not just “owning a job” and being “chained to the scrub wand”.
“I’m hitting a road block on implementing the ‘Stay Beautiful’ program!”
A North Carolina SFS member is getting resistance from customers who don’t want to give up their credit card information for the regular monthly service agreement amount. Steve reminds him that many people are more comfortable with a second option …
After 15 years as a “Lone Wolf” carpet cleaner, should I expand?
A Portland carpet cleaner is at a cross roads in his life. Get big by taking on employees? Stay small as an owner operator? Steve’s answer may surprise you …
So should I ask to put up a carpet cleaning “yard sign”?
A Houston carpet cleaner is torn on asking his customers if he can install a temporary sign in their yard. Steve likes the concept but as always there are some pitfalls to consider …
My big cleaning business just isn’t fun anymore!
Not all successful companies need to “get BIG”. A proven Colorado cleaner needs help in scaling things back into a manageable size. Steve offers a shoulder to cry on and shares his firsthand experience of what to do when your cleaning business gets out of control.