Something interesting happened to me a couple of weeks ago.  My friend and fellow NCCA member, Jim, called and asked me to help.  He wanted me to talk to his nephew, about becoming a carpet cleaner.  Phil Brown (aka the nephew…there you go Phil I promised I’d mention your name in my blog!) is keen to try his hand at his own business.  He lives in Leicester so it’s easy for me to pop over and give him advice, practical help and so on, basically give him the low down on how to work carpet cleaning magic for customers; how to make a tired looking sofa look fresher and newer; how to spring-clean curtains without taking them away…well I could go on (and on…).

Anyway I met up with Phil and I was (almost) speechless when he told me that Jim had asked no fewer than 3 other NCCA members to help Phil with his business planning.  Apparently 2 of them had complained that this was unfair competition and they didn’t want other carpet cleaners to know their secrets…  and the 3^rd said he was considering putting in ‘an official complaint’ to the NCCA.

Incredible, but true and also very short-sighted.

It reminds me of a discussion I had some years back at a networking event. I was promoting the idea of sharing good practice across an industry as a proven method of creating higher standards and even a major factor in industry innovation.  Yes, there was dissension and uncertainty, but most people accepted my ideas before the end of the evening.

My thoughts were like this:

if there are more people out there cleaning more carpets…then more customers are going to be talking about getting carpets cleaned… and the more popular the topic becomes, the more people will want to get their carpets cleaned too… which means we need more carpet cleaners to do the work…

Not only that, but also the more carpet cleaning that is being done, the more interest there is from inventors and developers to come up with innovations and new technology.  This, incidentally, also means that the cost of buying new equipment will be driven down.

…which goes to prove my belief that competition drives innovation and makes us all better off!

So I was more than happy to spend time with Phil, getting him ready to start his carpet cleaning business and I heartily wish him good luck too.

Bring on the competition!

Whilst the majority of carpet manufacturers would suggest that a deep carpet clean in domestic households is performed between every 12-18 months, a professional carpet cleaner would in fact say that this hard and fast rule is not always correct. … More

Cleaning stair carpets is always a trying task; they are areas which face a lot of heavy feet and thus come into contact with, and trap a lot of, dirt. They are often steep and narrow too, which is never ideal when dealing with cumbersome cleaning equipment though my experience and methods ensure the job is completed to the highest of standards. … More

Office spaces such as walkways and entrances take an awful beating over the space of twelve months, particularly with what the English weather throws at us. All of the mud, grit, dirt and moisture clings to the soles of our shoes and no matter how well one wipes their feet it is inevitable that the remnants of the outdoors makes it to your desk with you. … More

Thursday – Well I did travel around today – started off in Old Dalby at an absolutely lovely apartment in an old Georgian House, cleaning the carpets.  A pleasurable clean, I have to say – lovely good quality 100% wool carpets.  Although the colour was a light beige they came up looking like new (due, of course, to my cleaning skills, but also because good quality always shines through).  But I’m digressing – later on today I cleaned another apartment in a Georgian House just outside Loughborough for the same customer, because he had moved from one location to the other.  Again good quality carpets, again the carpets looked as good as new and again the apartment was amazing.

Friday – BNI at Tigers ground in Leicester as usual and then we were busy with meetings after that.  It does take time to be part of committees for BNI, but I’m convinced it’s worth it.  It helps make the BNI Chapter effective – everyone working on what we call ‘giver’s gain’.  BNI is a referral network – we pass each other business, over £700,000 this year already.  I usually get at least a job a week from my BNI contacts.

Weekend – Last weekend of the summer I think.  Started off watching my oldest Grandson playing football (a real chip off the block he is too – I recognise some of his kicks & tackles from my younger days…..)  Then off to a final summer BBQ on Saturday night with some of the guys from BNI (Plus partners) It’s always good to catch up on the gossip.  Then more fun on Sunday at the Vista ‘Jazz in the Garden’ event at Belvoir Castle Lodge.  What a gorgeous day it was too and top marks to Anand from Vista (and BNI Tigers) for being part of a great event.  Not only was it a relaxing way to spend the afternoon, but the proceeds go to a good local cause – as Vista help blind and partially sighted people in Leicestershire & Rutland.

Monday and Tuesday – Busy finishing paperwork and cleaning out my equipment.  Then off to do some quotes in Loughborough.  First thing Tuesday morning brought a flurry of requests for carpet cleaning from the website.  I didn’t think carpet cleaning would really be something people would look for online.  But it looks like I was wrong about that.  I see more interest every week via the website and it’s surprising how many customers tell me they ‘found me on Google’  Of course I don’t mind where people find out about The Professional Carpet Cleaner, as long as they are asking for quotes and getting carpets, upholstery, rugs and curtains cleaned I’m happy!

Wednesday – Landlord’s day today it seems.  A couple of urgent carpet cleans for outgoing tenants and a very particular landlord wanted all the carpets cleaned in a property in Leicester.  Plus I popped in to say a quick Hello to my friends at Belvoir Lettings on Queens Road. Because I am a very small business I can be flexible around my customers, which, I guess, is one reason that Lettings Agents call on me.  When there’s a need for carpet cleaning ASAP, ‘I’m your man’ as they say.

Thursday – Quick clean today to an empty rental property.  Regular cleaning when a tenant leaves really saves money in the long run for landlords, because carpets last much longer.  This clean was for a Leicester letting agent that uses me for all their carpet cleaning … More

Thursday – Felt like being back at school today as I had to do an exam, following my 2-day flood restoration training at Gelders in Lincoln.  When I’ve passed this I’ll have a City and Guilds qualification in damage management.  I like this – it gives a professional edge to flood restoration. … More