I have a demo this week. I had a long talk with the facility manager this week about carpet cleaning and methods of cleaning. This company has gone through 9 cleaners in the past 5 years and finally decided to do the cleaning thelmselves. We spoke in length about Hwe cleaning and how it is not the best choice for large facilites. This company invested in HOST. I need to convince him that encap is better than host. (Which we all know it is). Do you guys have any suggestions on what you would do?? I will probably have to put on the dog and pony show...I know what questions he is going to ask..Where did you get that machine(Cimex)??? This facility has 10 blds 800,000
sq ft yikes. I am going to clean an area that his Host system didn't work.


Ralph

Remove all decals tags, etc from your machine. I would even try to cover up the Cimex on the tank with painters tape or something. (if it doesn't look to bad). Take your Releasit in a different container no name. When they ask
talk about your training etc and when they preesure you tell them the machine is from England and quite expensive and just don't go into more detail.
Let them know you put the system together and your not giving your methods away. If they don't like it and don't give you the job so be it as long as your as nice as possible they will call you back when the realize you are the only person who can clean their carpet.

Ditto to that. Also when you demo, that beautiful picture will be stuck in their mind for good. They may try to dicker the price with you or put you off but they will not forget the difference you make in their carpet.
Also I read on here a while back that one of the guys put a tool bag of some sort from Home Depot on the tank of the Cimex to cover it up. Good luck.

Pick the dirtiest spot in the hallway to clean. Clean only a 10 x 10 area so it will stand out. Then whomever he picks to clean will have to deal with your clean spot and that makes them look bad next to your clean patch. He'll come back to you just to make the carpet evenly clean. You don't need to answer all of those dumb questions about your equipment or solutions. Just show him this is what I can do for you and here is the final answer $56,000 !

Yep, get a Husky brand nail apron from Home Depot, it's a real nice one, black w/ red trim...perfect size to wrap around the tank to cover the big "Cimex" molded on it...remove the labels from the rest of the machine (NOT the one w/ the serial # though!) I went as far as making up some vinyl graphics from a sign shop and putting them on my machine...I also pour DS into an unlabeled gal jug and wrote "DS" on it...

Trust me, Do it! Already had one guy grab a jug of labeled DS I left in the hallway and proceeded to write down all the contact info while I was working (right in front of me, I might add - no tact!!) Never saw them again, probably bought a Cimex LOL!

I hope Rick at least got a sale from it! LOL

Joe

When talking to the facilities manager I do not go over methods because in reality it is not the method but the operator. I can clean just about any carpet and have it come out great using HWE or VLM. What makes the difference it in the knowledge of the operator

I would stress your training and experience in the field, that you have the ability to fix troubled areas or unforeseen circumstances that a in house staff would not be able to do.

Lastly since it seems they may want to stay in house and for that large of a facility I cannot blame him. I would offer a comprehensive training program for their staff.
This can include equipment that your sell them or not.

We have put equipment in and trained in house staffs in carpet and floor care for a while now, If you cannot get them in the front door take the side door.

I would also not show them what is in side the magic bottle so to speak.
We have taken using bottle with a large label that has our company logo

I've never run into that problem of people wanting to do it themselves but my feeling is that if they are already thinking that way why waste your time? There's lots of other buildings out there where they're not interested in doing anything themselves. Lots of janitorial comapanies are not interested in or have the manpower to do the carpet cleaning themselves.

At the end of the day, if someone wants to buy a Cimex and Releasit and do it themselves, there's no a lot you can do about it. Sell them on the service and quality of your work.

Ralph, you posted "encap is better than Host" You need to get a little more educated on encap and yhe many products that are out there for encapping. Host is one of the original encap products and has been around for close to 50 years, and is sold world wide. It is does an excellent job but like Releasit, it is not the answer for all carpet problems. If they recently switched over to Host,(and spent alot of money on equipment and products) you may have offended them. If you understand both products and how they work you could have explained that the Host system is slower and far more expensive to use. You could offer your services to be a back up if they need alot cleaned in a hurry and don't have the time or manpower. This kind of account will take some courtesy and willingness to help them if they get in a bind. I have been on both sides of the fence and you need to use some tack if your ever going to land any part of the carpet cleaning at this facality. I wish you the best.

Thanks for all the input. I guess I wasn't clear on my question??

I have a meeting this week with this gentlemen. I have set up a Demo. He has never heard about Encapsulation. Even though he is using one. My question is Why would he want to use my services over his in house now??

Ray, I know what host is, and that it is the first encapsulation product. I agree with you that maybe on this one he could bring me in for certain situations. But, why not try to get the whole account??? He has some really trashed carpet that host could not touch. This is where my Demo is. I know all about hiding the cimex and solution. I never hide the cimex I explain to the customers it's not the machine it's the product I use.

Punch.. EncapDs vs. Host this is the question I need answered for my Demo??

Thanks for all the input,

Ralph

Ralph,
I think you answered your own question. He has had 9 cleaners in recent histor. He is using the Host system. However, he still has trashed carpet. He is looking for a better result. Do the demo, you may wind up being the 10th and last cleaner! Even if he adopts our system, you have the expertise to make it work.