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SFS Instructor’s Blog

The SFS / VAST team of Jeff Cutshall, Chuck Violand, Bill Yeadon and Steve Toburen share their insights into the best business practices and how you can make it alone in the Cleaning and Restoration Industry.

The best way to train techs in customer service

by Jeff Cutshall

How can owners and managers train their employees so that they morph into “Cheerleader making machines”? Jeff Cutshall shares one solution…

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags airlines, carpet cleaning education, carpet cleaning training, customer service, education, moment of truth, training, Value Added Service for Technicians seminar, VAST Leave a comment

Video: How to ‘convert’ a complaining customer

by Steve Toburen

Watch Steve Toburen’s interview with Jeff Cross on Straight Talk. There is even a PDF download bonus.

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags complaints, customer cheerleader, customer service, video clip Leave a comment

What is your biggest ‘Business Struggle’?

by Steve Toburen
hiring the best

Your workers are the ‘wild card’ in your continual game of ‘business poker’. And yet I (finally) learned how to get the odds on my side with just six words…

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags employee development, hiring, part-time employee, recruit Very Best People Leave a comment

SFS: ‘Winning over your caller’ online LIVE seminar!

by Steve Toburen
sfs handson operations class

In my online SFS: Winning over your caller! seminar on November 10th from 10:00-1:00 (Eastern Time) you’ll get guaranteed solutions to your profit-crushing phone problems.

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags education, Strategies for Success Seminar, training 1 Comment

WHY you must get rid of ‘Marginal Workers’ in your company.

by Steve Toburen

Here’s WHY (especially right now with so many great VBP unemployed!) you should never ‘settle’ for a marginal worker (MW)

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags employees, hiring Leave a comment

PLEASE offer more ‘ASO’s’ than just protector!

by Steve Toburen

These Additional Service Options will bring you huge profits IF you give your client the PRIVILEGE to spend more money with you!

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags add-on sales, additional cleaning services, carpet cleaning marketing, marketing carpet protector, stay beautiful maintenance program, upselling 2 Comments

The life you save may be your own! (Or your customer’s life!)

by Steve Toburen
carbon monoxide

Any death is a tragedy. But when people are killed from blowing off basic safety rules it is just so maddeningly senseless. Avoid this dangerous gas …

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags carbon monoxide, cleaning methods, cleaning procedures, cold weather, employee development, employee retention, employees, family safety, health, safety, systems, technical cleaning skills, truck work crew Leave a comment

The SFS ‘3-Legged Stool’ Business Model

by Steve Toburen
three legged stool

Let’s analyze the three synergistic ‘legs’ (business sectors) I recommend in SFS training.

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags carpet cleaning technician, cash flow, commercial, diversification, fire and water damage restoration business resource, residential carpet cleaning Leave a comment

Kudos to a great Seattle SFS: ‘Business Transformation’ Group!

by Steve Toburen
Seattle 2019 SFS: Business Transformation class

A big shout out to our August, 2019 SFS: Business Transformation graduates- you folks were seriously focused!

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Leave a comment

Time to “Git ‘er done”!

by Steve Toburen
increased efficiency procedures

A collection of efficiency procedures for the cleaning and restoration industry. Don’t just do the work right, do it quickly to move on to the next job.

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags efficiency, increased efficiency procedures Leave a comment

The Customer Comes Second!

by Bill Yeadon
customer comes second

What does it really mean to value you workforce as your greatest asset? Few cleaning and restoration companies live up to their claims of caring for their employees. How do you measure up? Does it really matter?

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog, Special Reports Tags carpet cleaning technician, employees, management Leave a comment

Step by step guide to put a price on your cleaning business!

by Steve Toburen

In this report, Steve Toburen shares 4 factors to guide you to a realistic price on your company. The included worksheet will get you started …

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog, Special Reports Tags business sale, business valuation, cashing out, growing your carpet cleaning operation, personal success, success, wealth 7 Comments

I sold my restoration company for 22 times MORE than I paid for it!

by Steve Toburen
Sandy Dean is thankful for an exit strategy

Do you have an “exit strategy”? This successful restorer sure is glad he took action after attending SFS some 10 years ago.

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog, SFS Training 'Success Stories'! Tags business sale, exit strategy, selling, SFS Member success story 1 Comment

New format for Weekly QuickTIPS

by sfs

We are really excited to share this sneak peak of what the SFS QuickTIPS are going to look like starting next week.

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags quicktips Leave a comment

How to get paid BEFORE your client “disappears”

by Jeff Cutshall

Making the Cheerleader is your prime objective but if you don’t get paid it doesn’t feel quite so good!

Categories SFS Instructor’s Blog Tags carpet cleaning technician, customer cheerleader, customer eyeglasses, customer service, getting paid, in the home script, new carpet cleaning customers, On The Job, telephone formats, value conscious cleaning customers Leave a comment
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SFS: Winning over your caller $149

Upcoming dates:

Online Jun. 12, 2025 ⇒ RESERVE NOW

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SFS: Hiring the Very Best $149

Upcoming dates:

Online Sep. 10, 2025 ⇒ RESERVE NOW

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