When I started my house cleaning business, I had a business
plan and goals. One of those goals was to be known as a
professional service with top paying clients. Establishing
a business plan helped me define who these top paying clients
were and how I would win them as my clients.
At the time I started this house cleaning business, the upright
vacuums with the tools-on-board were relatively new. When I
saw my first bright orange German-made machine at the supply
company, I fell in love and knew this was one way to stand out
from the other cleaning services. Imagine my glee as I looked
over this sleek machine with the HEPA filter, dual motor and
furniture arm that would allow me to complete a room without
the additional time and energy needed to interrupt my routine
and retrieve the canister.
This was a huge investment for me at the time, but I knew I
could offset the cost with reduced cleaning time and acquire
more customers by telling my prospects about this unique
vacuum.
These features were important to prospects as so many people
in my city had allergies and asthma and were concerned about
the additional dust floating through their home by the usual
vacuum cleaners.
With the dual motor, this vacuum turned off the beater bar
automatically when it was placed in an upright position,
allowing me to use the on-board tools without having to press
a button. This is an important feature because it is so easy
to forget to turn the beater bar off and this could wear the
carpet while standing in one position and in some instances,
even cause a burn.
One feature of this commercial brand vacuum that I was looking
forward to was the 50ft cord that would allow me to vacuum
whole sections of the house before having to re-plug. You know
what I'm talking about; you just have a small section left to
vacuum by the back window and the cord will not reach. This is
so frustrating that sometimes you end up not completing that
section just because you do not want to take the time to re-plug
for that little area. I knew this would be a problem when I
started hiring employees.
This great vacuum lays flat to vacuum under beds and tables;
what a time saver! Soon after I started using the vacuum in
client homes, I realized another benefit. Those darn paper
clips, rubber bands and other small objects that normally
rattle around in other vacuums are sucked right in and immediately
deposited in the vacuum bag. No more broken fan blades and no
more stopping to get the vacuum head working again.
And my clients loved this machine. They were so impressed they
told their referrals who then called to schedule an appointment
and would always ask if I would bring the orange vacuum. This
machine more than paid for itself many times over.
This orange machine has evolved over the years and the stability
issue they originally had has been resolved. Many new brands
have been introduced to the commercial industry.
Upright Versus Canister
As a professional house cleaner, you must have two vacuums. You'll
need the canister for bare flooring and a good upright for carpets.
You can invest in the back pack canister that you don't have to
pull around, purchase used light weight floor canisters or even
invest in one of the newer, super small hand held canisters that
have the suction of the larger models.
In maintaining carpet quality and also keeping your repair bills
down, you should consider a new, commercial brand upright with the
tools. Why a commercial over any store-brands?
Commercial Versus Store-Brands
We're all familiar with the store-brands, but look at what you get
with a commercial upright:
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The unit lays flat to vacuum under beds and tables