Pricing your services is a precise business. On one hand, you want to maximise your profits, but on the other hand, you don't want to price out potential customers. The benefits of competitive pricing include increased sales, customer loyalty and brand awareness. Read on to find out how to get your prices just right.
Market research is crucial to competitive pricing. Take a look at other carpet cleaning businesses and what they charge for similar services:
It is not just about undercutting their prices to be the cheapest option. Sometimes, slightly higher pricing can indicate better quality or more expertise, while lower pricing can attract a wider audience.
Breaking down the running costs of your business is an important part of calculating your prices. There is no point setting your prices so low that you lose money, as you would go out of business quite quickly! Tally up how much you spend on fuel, wages, chemicals, and anything else you use.
Also, consider any investments you have made into your business – owning your own equipment means you don't have to pay for it every trip, but it is still a relevant cost.
Training courses in Business Management can help you understand the different costs involved. They’re often offered by banks or local chambers of commerce.
If you are working in a highly competitive area, you may want to match or beat your competitors’ prices. So long as your prices cover your costs, you may choose to sacrifice some profits in order to attract customers – which may make you more profits in the long run.
However, if you have a unique selling point or specialist service, your pricing can reflect this. While this may put off some customers who are looking for a budget-friendly clean, you’ll typically make up for this with a higher profit margin per job.
Another option is to use a mixture of the two methods – essentially having two tiers of services.
A value tier may even contain some loss leaders (services that don't cover your costs) if you are certain that customers will purchase other services alongside it that have higher profits. Your premium tier can then contain added extras at a higher cost.
Remember to monitor the market – prices change all the time, so it is important to keep up with trends. You might find that you need to tweak your prices now and then as costs rise or demand increases.
For expert advice on pricing and so much more, join the National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA). Our members gain access to courses, along with consulting and mediation services. Through networking events, you can also meet other carpet cleaners and form business relationships. Become an NCCA member today and start reaping the rewards.
Allergies can be difficult to pin down. If you or your family are experiencing sniffles, headaches, rashes, or even more serious symptoms like chest problems or sickness, you might be looking around for a cause.
The short answer is that you could be allergic to carpet, but it's probably not that simple. While it's possible that your allergy is caused by the materials your carpet is made of, it's highly unlikely. It's more common for people to be allergic to allergens that have found their way into their carpets.
Many substances that come into contact with your carpet will leave a small trace. Think of when you spill crumbs on your carpet – they get lost amongst the fibres. This is the case with any allergen, but on a microscopic level.
Whenever someone walks across your carpet, these particles are disturbed and thrown around your room, potentially towards people with allergies. Here are some common allergens that may make you feel like you are allergic to carpet:
Dust can be found in any house – you'd have to be constantly cleaning to entirely eliminate it! Some people react to dust itself, while many are actually allergic to the droppings of tiny mites that flock around dust.
Hayfever is a common allergy that causes problems, especially in warmer months. When your windows are open, pollen can fly inside and burrow deep into the carpet. It can also travel in on people’s shoes.
Once mould spores find their way into your carpet, it can be very tricky to remove them. As soon as any moisture lands on your carpet, they will grow into patches of mould. Many people are allergic to mould, but it can also impact the health of people without a mould allergy.
As much as we love our furry friends, they don't agree with everyone's immune system. Pet dander in your carpet can trigger allergy symptoms for those who suffer. Paws, claws and fur also collect allergens outside, bringing them indoors and releasing them into the house.
Households with allergen-prone members should vacuum more often. Increasing the frequency that you vacuum can keep the levels of allergens in your home low.
Taking your shoes off when you enter your home reduces the amount of allergens you bring in with you, keeping them outdoors and away from your family.
Longer carpet fibres collect more allergens. By choosing a low-pile carpet, you can reduce the amount of allergens that get stuck in your carpet.
Protect your family's health by hiring a professional carpet cleaner. Regular professional carpet cleaning prevents allergens from building up in your carpet, keeping allergies at bay.
For the best results, every cleaner in the National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) directory is fully trained in how to keep your carpet healthy. Browse our directory today.
Cleaning carpet stains can be a tricky task. Muddy footprints, spilt drinks and ink stains are all parts of a busy household, and it's important to treat your carpet with care. Here are our key pointers for spot cleaning carpet successfully.
Spillages are much more likely to do permanent damage if they are left. To prevent discolouration through bleaching or dyeing, treat stains as soon as you can. The fresher the mess, the easier the clean!
When faced with a stubborn stain, your instinct might be to scrub your carpet. It's important that you ignore this instinct – it can damage your carpet and actually make the stain harder to clean. You might even find that scrubbing spreads the stain, giving you a tougher job later.
Blotting is the best method to spot clean carpet. By gently dabbing the area in circular motions, you begin to rub away the stain without driving it further into the carpet. You are also less likely to flatten the fibres of your carpet.
While water is helpful to the carpet cleaning process, it should be used in moderation. A saturated carpet takes a long time to dry, which can open the door to mould. Instead, apply any water gradually and ventilate the room as much as possible. If your carpet can be hung up outside, as with a rug, that gives it the best chance of drying.
A substance that works well on one carpet may ruin another. Carrying out a patch test on a hidden area of carpet is the best way to avoid damage. While it may take a bit longer, it can save you from causing accidental harm when spot cleaning carpet.
Hiring a steam cleaner (also known as a wet extraction cleaner) yourself is often recommended as a cheap way to handle a dirty carpet. However, it's difficult to properly dry your carpet afterwards without the right equipment and techniques. This can lead to damp carpet, mould and nasty smells.
Regardless of the cleaning method you choose, it's always worth trying to manually remove as much as possible. Solid substances like wax, dry nail polish and many foods can be scraped away with a blunt tool like a spoon or spatula. However, ensure that you act gently to avoid damaging your carpet fibres.
Bleach is a very strong cleaning chemical, and can tackle most stains. However, it also leaves permanent stains of its own. Spot cleaning carpet with bleach is not advised – it's best to leave harsh chemicals to the professionals.
Carpet cleaners are experts at spot cleaning carpets, so they're the best people to call for carpet stains. The National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) directory is full of experienced cleaners all over the UK.
To find one, all you need to do is enter your postcode and we'll show you carpet cleaners in your area. Each carpet cleaner is accredited and insured for the best possible customer experience.
Find local carpet cleaners today.
Vomit is one of the worst substances that can make its way onto your carpet. Whether it's a sickness bug, a young child, or a party that got out of hand, sick on your carpet is the last thing you want. Here are our top tips for how to get vomit out of carpet.
If you're ill, cleaning is probably low on your list of priorities. However, it's much easier to clean vomit out of carpet while it's still fresh. When dealing with bodily fluids, ensure that you wear gloves to protect you from bacteria.
Any solids should be scraped up. Blunt tools like spatulas and spoons are best for this, but make sure that you disinfect them afterwards. If you don't have something like this to hand, you can use a paper towel to collect any fragments.
Next, it's time to treat the liquid. Combine equal parts white vinegar and water and apply it to the stain. If you have a spray bottle, you can use this to apply the mixture. Otherwise, you can soak some into a paper towel and blot the area with it.
However you apply the solution, you will need a towel for the next step. Gently blot the area, working towards the middle of the stain to avoid spreading it. As tempting as it is, you should never scrub carpet as this can damage it or drive the vomit further into the fibres.
Keep repeating steps two and three until the stain has lifted. If this does not work, it's worth contacting a professional cleaner about how to get vomit out of carpet.
There are all sorts of reasons why you might not be able to clean vomit right away. While it's not ideal, it doesn't have to be a death sentence for your carpet.
Just like fresh vomit, dried vomit is likely to contain chunks. Use a blunt tool or a paper towel to collect any solids. If they have dried into the carpet, continue to step two.
Dried vomit is so difficult to clean because it's dry. To fix this, use a small amount of warm water to dampen the area. Be warned that this will reactivate the smell, so ventilate the room as much as possible!
You can then treat the vomit as if it were fresh, using steps two and three of the above method.
If you have a stubborn vomit stain on your carpet, the best action is to call a professional carpet cleaner. The National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) makes this easier with a network of accredited, experienced carpet cleaning contractors.
Use our directory to find a cleaner who knows how to get vomit out of carpet while protecting your carpet.
Chocolate is a favourite treat for adults and children alike. Its rich texture makes for an excellent snack, but a difficult stain on the carpet! Luckily, we can help you with how to get chocolate out of carpet in three steps.
You should always work as quickly as possible to have a high chance of success.
If the chocolate on your carpet is melted, you can put a handful of ice cubes in a bag and hold them against the area for a few minutes, allowing it to harden for easier cleaning.
However, don't put ice directly on your carpet, as you could drench it, making the mess worse.
Getting chocolate out of carpet should start with manually removing as much as possible. Grab a spatula or a butter knife and scrape the chocolate away from the carpet. Be careful not to be too rough, or you could damage your carpet. You can then pick up or vacuum all the pieces that you break off.
If you're lucky, this may be all that you need to do. However, if there is residue left behind or even some ingrained chocolate, you should try the next step.
After you have removed the scraped fragments, you should try applying a small amount of cold water to the stain. It's important to use cold water as too much heat could melt the chocolate further into the carpet or bind it to your carpet fibres.
Next, add a dash of dish soap or laundry detergent, blotting it in circular motions towards the centre of the stain. Make sure that you don't get your carpet too wet, as it could take a long time to dry. You should also try a patch test on an unseen area of carpet, just in case the product you use discolours your carpet. Keep the dish soap to a minimum as too much will result in the carpet re-soiling.
If there is still some stubborn chocolate on your carpet, you can try mixing one part white vinegar with four parts cold water. Gently apply this solution with a cloth or towel, leaving it to work for five minutes. Remember to carry out a patch test first to prevent damage.
Once the vinegar has had time to break down the stain, blot it away with a towel. Work in gentle, circular motions to avoid driving the chocolate in further.
If you're struggling to get chocolate out of carpet, the best option is always to call in a professional.
With the National Carpet Cleaning Association, you don’t have to worry about an unsavoury cleaning service when removing sweet stains from your carpet. All our members are fully trained, rigorously vetted and highly experienced, so you can simply select one that’s close to you.
Find a local NCCA carpet cleaner to get chocolate out of your carpet with ease.
Christmas is a great time to give your house a thorough clean. If you’re hosting, you’ll want your home looking at its best for your guests. But even if you’re not having everyone round in one go, you can expect plenty of friends and family popping by over the festive period.
However, with so much to think about, most people don’t know where to start when it comes to Christmas cleaning. Below, you’ll find the ultimate Christmas cleaning checklist to make things easier. It’s even broken down into a few smaller checklists, so nobody goes into panic mode!
It's a good idea to start cleaning before you decorate – it's much harder to clean around decorations! If your decorations have been up in the attic for eleven months, it's likely that they will also need a clean before you can put them up.
Even with our handy checklist, Christmas cleaning is a considerable undertaking. Fortunately, you can take some of the weight off your shoulders by hiring a professional carpet cleaner using the NCCA’s directory of accredited cleaners.
Simply enter your postcode to find a cleaning company near you that’s been vetted and approved by the National Carpet Cleaning Association. Then enjoy fresh, clean carpets for Christmas and long into the new year.