Honest Answers to Real Questions: Traditional Ceiling Cleaning Business Uncovered!
Hi John;
I’m still very interested in your ceiling cleaning business. I am trying to make a decision to go with you or with Ceiling Pro. I have an appointment with Ceiling Pro next week. I would like to hear your thoughts on your service vs theirs before I go.
Thank you, Dale Force
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Hi Dale:
As discussed in the information kit you received, I sell a ceiling cleaning business opportunity based on my experience doing things the traditional way, and I offer it at a mere fraction of the cost they charge.
I do that because I want to promote satisfying the same commercial customer base, by doing things in a more cost effective way with greatly reduced risk to you. I want to offer a ceiling cleaning business to all at a very low price because it doesn’t need to cost so much to earn a great income.
Having said that, the service that I have been providing for many years offers the fastest return on investment relative to any ceiling cleaning business out there.
That includes CPI, Ceiltec, Ceiling Doctor, and all the other traditional concept ceiling cleaning companies.
In fact, if any of them boast a 3 month return on investment I can tell you for sure that it be more like a year or more for the average person, and you would have to be extremely aggressive with good sales skills to achieve the kind of fast return on your investment they are suggesting.
It’s quite possible that with my business you will recover your cost after your very first job.
How do I know so much about these companies and how their methods?
Because I spent 10 years in the traditional ceiling cleaning business, and started by forking over $50,000.00 to get started.
Every job you go after using that process involves an exaggerated sales pitch and convincing a decision maker you can do the job with good results and protect his space and surroundings from collateral damage.
You will be asked about insurance in the event of damage, whether you are bonded, and whether your workers are covered by workman’s compensation.
Believe me, it’s not an easy sales pitch to make to earn trust and get the commercial work. If you do get the work, there is significant risk to surrounding areas that you really can’t share with the prospect or you will be turned away.
After 10 years doing things their way, I recognized how I could make improvements at the least risk and still make an outstanding income. I have spent many years since proving just how effective my service is.
My service is simple and the expected result is accurate.
Because of that there is no big sales pitch, or charging the customer more than necessary, nor putting his space at unnecessary risk.
My business can return your investment in 1 job, or 1 week … not 3 months, 6 months, or one year.
I can be conservative with my projections and can still differentiate myself from the best-case, and lofty promises these other companies make.
As an example, I did one overhead dust removal job that earned me 1266.50 and took me 3 hours to complete.
It was an overhead area in a fast food restaurant that had no ceiling, but overhead pipes, ductwork, light fixtures etc. that had years of settled dust.
My cost to perform this service was 18.00 for the rental of a 12 ft. step ladder.
The average supermarket alone can pay you triple that amount and can be completed in a couple of 6 hour evenings using my system.
And you won’t be spraying anything into the air, hence you will NOT spend hours and the labor involved in covering 100,000 square feet of product and merchandise, nor have the worry that something will be damaged, contaminated, or broken.
Nor will you have to worry that walls will be streaked from chemical overspray, that lighting systems may short out and more.
And with my system you will not need employees and all the associated costs and concerns.
I do not operate the way these traditional ceiling cleaning companies do on any front. I do not endorse their methods of operation, nor their methods to attract franchisees / distributors of their service.
When you meet one of their reps, you will be given a slick sales presentation and promising commentary about how successful you will be and all the support and leads they will give you … and how safe their method and their products are.
It is the sales reps job to sign you on.
I was fooled by them once, and as mentioned, I spent 50,000.00 on a business that scared me from the start.
I will not try to sell you into my system with lofty promises at an inflated price.
I am just a guy who cleaned ceilings their way for many years and came to the conclusion that there was a better, safer, and more effective way to serve the same customer base, and make the customer happier.
And the money is great!
Now, I follow the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning tiles, and a huge part of my business is overhead dust removal from anywhere it settles overhead … far removed from ceilings alone.
But I provide many other add-on services that make great money as well. All of these services are covered in my manuals.
So my business is not like CPI or the rest.
It is a different concept, a different philosophy, different result, less risky, higher level of customer satisfaction … and offers many more revenue streams than ceiling cleaning alone.
If you are interested in spraying a high pressure atomized mist of bleaching and detergent products overhead in an office space as the above groups do, then my business is not for you.
I just refuse to do it that way in someone’s office or retail space. I suggest you hear them out and see what kind of value they are offering for the money.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any further questions Dale.
Have a great day.
John
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Subject: Business Opportunity
Hello John,
I came across your business today while investigating low cost part time business ideas.
Question: I wondered how your cleaning procedure compares to Ceiltech which apparently uses hydrogen peroxide and a detergent in a spray.
I watched a buddy work with a Ceiltech owner about a month ago. The procedure was effective but seemed a bit messy. Also a crew of about 4 guys were helping scrubbing, wiping etc as the owner sprayed solution.
In a commercial kitchen the overspray and dripping down walls would be no problem, but in an office or other settings I would worry about the hydrogen peroxide discoloring furniture or carpet or walls?
I was impressed with your experience and ability to think outside the box as you describe the business, but would like more details:
what type of cleaning solutions do you use?
will I need to buy supplies from you or a general
janitorial supply? Are the cleaning agents safe to breathe?
What makes your system truly better?
Do you work alone generally, or with a crew?
Thank you for your consideration.
Lance Hering
Answer: Hi Lance, thank you for your interest in my business.
Ceiltech and all the rest are using the same methods that have been the standard in the ceiling cleaning business since its inception in the late 70’s. I spent many years doing things this way.
Overspray, dripping is always a problem…in any setting.
4 guys means serious wages, management, (and babysitting) and all the risks, responsibilities and liabilities associated with employees…risks to you and the customer.
Employees will also ‘remove’ items on occasion from your customers place of business.
Scrubbing and wiping is a major amount of energy expended…its messy, very labor intensive, results are inconsistent, areas that aren’t wiped properly can result in damage to the clients capital investment in ceiling systems.
And by no stretch of the imagination is this work fun!
Spraying bleaching and industrial grade detergent agents under pressure in atomized form puts all client space at risk…from ceiling to floor and all furnishings in between.
It can damage electrical systems, trigger alarm systems, and blow out entire lighting systems.
Overspray and odor in commercial kitchens can compromise food integrity and damage or streak wall and other surfaces as well as damage or destroy product and equipment.
Blown pressure hoses, leaky pump seals, reactions with previous cleaning chemicals or reaction with byproduct air composition related to the process of the particular space can create dangerous and damaging situations and results.
Worker and client health are potentially at risk, and there is also a short term and long term residual risk to property and health after you leave the jobsite.
I speak about these scenarios and experiences and cover all of the above and much more in my training manuals.
I do so as an education for you to share with your prospects so you can be an informed and trusted consultant when called upon with respect to ceiling and overhead maintenance concerns.
Information that you will find invaluable in the event that you are competing with one of these traditional ceiling cleaning companies for the privilege of earning a customer in your business community.
Armed with this knowledge you will soon see that this group is NOT your competition, and that your job (I teach you how) will be to distance yourself from that service group and encourage the prospect to see the advantage and value in your unique service.
I have spent over 25 years in this industry and I still actively participate in the work.
The idea to share my expertise and offer my business package came about to ween myself off the physical part of the business and teach others to profit handsomely in their local business communities as I have.
I will address your questions separately;
What type of cleaning solutions do you use?
I do not use traditional ceiling cleaning solutions. I avoid spraying in spaces such as offices, supermarkets, banks, department stores, etc., at all costs due to the inherent and serious risks in utilizing these products and the risk of collateral damage in settings worth tens of thousands of dollars or more.
I clean ceilings as per the manufacturer’s recommendation and use methods and common household products and proprietary techniques I have discovered, accumulated, and developed over the years.
Will I need to buy supplies from you or a general janitorial supply?
I offer all the information to run your business, find the jobs, and do the work. You will receive a list of items you need which can all be purchased locally. Some items you may already have. There is nothing further to purchase from me. With my training manuals, and the items needed, you will be in business for less than $500.
Are the cleaning agents safe to breathe?
No cleaning agent is safe to breath. That is why the traditional ceiling companies recommend you wear protective breathing apparatus after you have bought your business from them. I DO NOT do things their way.
Using their (traditional spray cleaning) method, cleaning chemicals are pressurized and expelled through a nozzle spray tip into an extremely fine mist which makes them even more dangerous with respect to finding passage into your lungs, eyes and coating exposed skin, hair, and clothing.
Again, that explains why the proponents of this spray clean method recommend breathing protection, safety eyewear, and other protective equipment.
What they NEVER tell you is that there may also be a residual effect that can be harmful to the worker, client, and the client’s employees, as well as the client’s workspace.
I do not subject myself, my client, or his staff / premises to any such risk.
Do you work alone generally, or with a crew?
I work alone. I used to take on larger jobs and would have my brother come along to help, but that was only for about 5% of the time…if that.
What makes your system truly better?
For starters, my way of doing things follows the ceiling tile manufacturer’s recommendations. This is the ONLY method they endorse. In fact this is the only method they recommend.
Furthermore, it makes the most sense…for you with respect to your desire to own a simple, low cost, high net return business with solid future growth potential, and for the customer who is looking for simple, cost effective solutions to his or her overhead maintenance concerns.
My methods were developed as an improvement spawned from doing it the traditional way for several years and learning from customer feedback, complaints and experiences…good and bad.
I have seen it all, done it all, and experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly in the field of specialty cleaning and maintenance.
I have made many mistakes and subsequently have learned the right and the wrong ways to service overhead space.
This knowledge gets passed along to you in my business manuals so you hit the ground running with a complete blueprint to success as your guide.
My experiences in the field and with the customer have allowed me to implement a system to meet and surpass customer expectations, and nurture the potential lifetime value each and every customer represents to your business.
The method I employ consistently meets those discriminating expectations and provides the best value by far, with no risk to the clients space or risk to worker or client health.
Referrals and good word of mouth are outstanding.
No fancy sales pitches are required, and the prospect gets honest, easy to understand, and clear representation of the service he is considering.
I can do the work alone in all instances and net up to $400.00 hourly with $250.00 hourly being my minimum fee.
The pay is outstanding in light of the minimal energy and less than minimal skill and physical ability required to earn it.
No special education or sale experience is required.
The work is easy, setup and packing up is quick, and everything I use fits in a car with nothing heavy or cumbersome to travel and / or work with.
The work is stress free and gives fantastic results each and every time. You won’t be afraid to answer your business phone the next day. Customers are happy!
Everything you need to know comes in two easy to follow manuals that cover sales and marketing as well as everything you need to know about operations and performing the work.
I have also included sales letters that have proven to get me work over and over throughout the years.
As a bonus, I have included details on how you can upsell the customer on every job, with other related services I have provided for many years.
Lucrative services that can stand alone as a business all by themselves.
All this, and all equipment and accessories necessary to make outstanding profits arrives at your door.
You can go out and make money the same evening.
There is nothing further to purchase to be successful in this business.
The best part is that I am on your side.
I am long gone from the inner workings of the franchise system and their philosophy of doing business and running yours.
After the initial purchase you are in complete control of how you run your business. I am here for guidance but I will not interfere or tell you how to do things.
No traditional ceiling cleaning firm can make such claims.
I share with you all of the tips and tricks I have accumulated through the process of cleaning and beautifying several million square feet of overhead space since 1989.
The net returns are 90% and the income level is as high or higher than franchises charging 10 to 100 times more.
You can enjoy this business in your spare time or make it a full time venture.
I hope I have answered your questions to your satisfaction.
Please don’t hesitate to write back with further questions or to offer your feedback.
Your comments and your interest is important to me Lance, and much appreciated.
Thank you.
John Easy Ceiling Solutions
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More Questions…
Question: John, I got your business kit and found it very informative and interesting. I have a few questions about it and may have more later.
Are most of the jobs that you get new or repeat customers? It seems that if you are always having to get new customers then most of your time is marketing.
I find that once I do a location that is part of a chain, whether fast food, or business service, I am asked for a card to pass to another location or given a direct referral to someone else in that chain. i.e. I sent mailouts to 2 different Wendy’s Restaurants this past week and got referrals and quoted 4 locations. Once you get a few jobs under your belt you will get referrals. Ongoing, regular maintenance and repeat business is very much a part of this business. Restaurant settings annually, office settings more like every 2 years. Obtaining new business is ongoing of course, but I include several sales letters that have proven to provoke calls and get jobs without ever having to cold call.
As an example, I’ve mailed out 50 sales pieces offering my services at a fair price and obtained 1000.00 worth of business. My cost was 50 stamps. I’ve mailed out 50 sales pieces and earned $5000.00 worth of work. It depends on who you target, the timing, and your good fortune.
Between letters that work, referrals, repeat business, and yellow page presence, your need to regularly cold call for new business is minimal depending of course on how much you wish to earn.
Question: How do you recruit customers if you have no experience with this business?
Study the Training Manuals. It’s all there, along with sales letters that have proven to be successful for me. Without this information, I would suggest asking for the business when you see the need, or offer to do a test spot. A picture is worth a thousand words. Once you have a few jobs under your belt, its easy to walk your talk.
Question: Hey John, thanks for the quick response. Have you ever heard of CPI (Ceiling Pro International)? They do use spray but say it’s not bleach. I spoke with one of their distributors and he said you do have to be careful to cover or wipe down immediately. He does mostly kitchens in restaurants. How does your system get dirt build up off tiles? How do you remove grease? I read over your website and I would definitely would like to speak with you. How long have you been doing this type of ceiling maintenance? What type of income are you bringing in? I am trying to do all my homework before investing. Do you guarantee refund if method does not bring in capital? Thanks again, I look forward to speaking with you. Janice
Answer…I have heard of CPI, and have read their information.
The problem with their method is common with all companies that promote the 30 year old tradition of cleaning ceilings by applying an atomized mist of chemicals to ceiling surfaces.
Results are too inconsistent, often fall short of customer expectations, and present too much risk for damage to ceiling and grid systems, furnishings, furniture, desks, carpets, walls, computers, and everything else you can find in the commercial work space.
These companies spray bleaching and detergent chemical solutions on ceilings to facilitate a color change and remove soiling. No matter what these companies call it, bleach or not, it is a bleaching agent. Otherwise there is no way you can turn a nicotined yellow, or ceilings yellowed from cooking byproducts, white again.
Results using this method are impossible to predict, and the worst thing is that the entire look is often inconsistent. In other words, you could have streaks, or left over soiling where the whitening effect did not take place, where coverage of the sprayed solution was not thorough, or where extra soiled areas do not respond to this treatment. Most bleaching products are also corrosive to metal grids, diffusers, and components.
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SIDEBAR: There is actually one prominent company claiming:
“Over 97% of suspended ceilings yield near-perfect results with our treatment.”
After 10 years in the field using the techniques developed by the then world leader in the field, using proprietary solutions, and being one of the best at what I did, this claim is irresponsible and meant to mislead the customer!
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What goes up, must come down
The industry wide standard cleaning solutions are a corrosive bleaching agent that corrodes or tarnish metal grid systems, diffusers, stereo speaker covers, sprinkler heads, streak walls from overspray, remove wax from floors, stain wooden desks, bleach fabric found in chairs, furniture, carpets, draperies etc. from the fallout of the spray.
This is what the honest (good for him) CPI representative was getting at when you were told the solution had to be removed quickly.
Using this method, covering is critical…this alone will take almost an hour at the start of the job…to make things safe.
If you overspray on a wall (almost impossible not to) the covering will not help. You will put huge streaks in the customers walls due to the bleaching and detergent component of the product.
I got out of cleaning ceilings the traditional way because of all the stress that came with it. I do not recommend this process to anyone. I spent 10 years doing it that way and when I look back I don’t know how I handled all the problems I encountered.
Talk to anyone who has been cleaning ceilings this way for years, and if they are honest, they will have troubling stories to share.
That I can guarantee!
Put it this way. After doing a perfect covering job, ensuring that your spray tip is new and the chance for overspray is minimal (never zero), what do you think happens when your hose develops a pin hole leak? (this is what happens when they start to go)
Since this fluid is under pressure, you get a needle sharp stream of bleaching agent shooting across a room landing on uncovered furniture, carpets, drapes, computers, and you name it. You probably will not see this until it is too late.
You do not cover carpets and floors because you would be tripping over the drop sheeting. Even if your pressure hose is perfect, you still have to worry about your pump unit leaking all over the floor beneath. The carpet or floor will be ruined.
This happened to me on a couple of occasions. I had to replace 1600.00 worth of carpet one time ( on a 400.00 job ) and pay a janitorial firm to strip hardwood floors and redo them the other time.
Of course when this happens, you don’t get paid!
Some more examples of the inherent risks involved in the traditional ceiling cleaning method
The traditional atomized chemical spray method, can discolor, streak, or ruin ceiling tiles (I once turned a white acoustic tile ceiling pink in a winery), corrode metal grid systems, diffusers, and other metal overhead components, bleach carpets, remove wax from floor surfaces, bleach and streak furniture, remove wood finishes, tarnish and corrode metal finishes, streak walls, etch glass and more.
This method can also short circuit lighting systems, set off fire alarms, and all sorts of other scary, expensive and embarrassing things.
The traditional ceiling cleaning process presents great potential for damage, and gives marginal, and often unpredictable results.
I speak from experience…I stopped doing it this way a long time ago!
My former colleagues will not be happy with my revelations, so I will leave it at that.
I speak honestly and from years of experience. Anyone cleaning ceilings using the traditional atomized spray clean method knows of all the problems I speak of
The memories are old but still vivid. That is why I do not recommend spray cleaning as offered by these proponents of the traditional ceiling cleaning methods.
Most ceilings can benefit from my non intrusive service. Not all of them can. The rest are probably better off being replaced.
My service is the least intrusive and produces results that were promised to the customer.
Traditional spray cleaning ceiling firms cannot give you that
Vacuuming by itself does not remove grease. I do perform a side service to handle greasy kitchen and bakery ceilings. This is a different technique. I offer this information to you as a bonus when you purchase my Training Manuals. There is an extra piece of inexpensive equipment to purchase. You do not have to purchase from me, and I will tell you where to get it local to you.
My service offers the most cost effective, least expensive alternative to replacement, and can improve any ceiling surface.
For the past year I have focused my attention towards promoting my business opportunity. It is difficult to give a money back guarantee because I cannot control whether you do anything with the knowledge my Training Manuals offer. Some people are just lazy and will do nothing with the material I offer. So, I have priced this low enough to lessen the risk and make your decision easier.
Like any business opportunity, you have to weigh the risks, the evidence, and evaluate the person you are dealing with and make a decision.
All I can guarantee is that my business works, and can earn you a generous income working in your spare time. I would not have stuck with this field for all these years otherwise.
Compared to the other ceiling cleaning opportunities out there, in my opinion, mine represents the best value by far, at a fraction of the cost of all others.
I am a one person company with extensive knowledge and experience in a profitable business that I am willing to share with you. A business that will work for you as it has for me if you can follow instructions and take action. In addition, I will teach you and show you many other add-on services that can be extremely profitable in their own right as a stand alone business.
With my package, the business is yours to keep, with no interference from me, nothing else to buy, no chemicals involved, no percentages to pay me.
Compare that to other ceiling cleaning opportunities
This is why I feel my offering is the best value in a ceiling or overhead, or specialty cleaning business. A business that costs very little, is problem free, and offers huge rewards.
If you can find one office or fast food restaurant with a dirty ceiling you will pay back the cost of this business in one evening.
Look around Janice, do your due diligence, compare other opportunities, and weigh the financial risk.
I am certain you will agree that this is an opportunity to earn a significant income working in your spare time. At the very least, I think you will agree there is no business out there that pays back your investment after day one on the job.
Question: If you start part time, how long would it take to develop this business full time?
Again, that all depends on you. It is a matter of effort. If you are willing to take the steps outlined in the operations and marketing manual, and devote a couple of hours each week to marketing, on top of doing the work, I would say within a year you will see outstanding income at an average rate of $250 per hour. As mentioned above, I did nothing but send out about 50 letters which resulted in $1000.00 worth of work. If you were to do a similar mailing each week, with similar success, you are looking at $50,000 worth of business annually with the mailouts and the referrals that will come. You can price your work lower to possibly get more work.
Even at 120.00 an hour, you only need to work 8 hours per week to achieve $50,000 annually. That’s about the time it takes to complete two restaurant kitchen ceiling cleanings a week.
Question: What type customers and businesses are most receptive and satisfied with this system?
All types, but I would have to say that the quickest to respond are those with the greatest need…such as food establishments, fast food chains, restaurants, supermarkets…anywhere where cleanliness is paramount. But then again, cleanliness and image is important to businesses too. Banks are good, medical offices, offices that greet clients. I have worked for every market sector you could imagine in the business world over many years. All customers are satisfied with this service, some want it done immediately, some call down the road..
Question: Does your vacuum method get off grease and smoke stains? Is the equipment heavy?
Answer…I do not accept the jobs with grease or smoke and nicotine stains on paper based tiles. I will clean greasy, yellowed, vinyl covered tiles commonly found in kitchens and bakeries as they are vinyl covered and meant to be wiped clean.
This is a different technique, and one that I offer as bonus information if you purchase my Training Manuals.
Greasy, smoke stained paper based ceiling tiles are often tackled by traditional ceiling cleaning companies. I did this work for over a decade.
Results are marginal and the risks involved in spraying bleaching chemicals at high pressure in a professional office, or retail setting make the whole process a recipe for disaster.
Too many things can go wrong.
If you want to run a business that allows you to leave the jobsite feeling good about yourself, and good about the service you provided for the customer, this business gives you that and more
You make a higher hourly wage, never break a sweat, and deliver what you promise. I could not do that with any consistency doing it the other way.
The equipment fits in the back seat of a car or truck and is light enough for a kid to handle.
I offer a simple way to make money. You will be providing a much needed service that does not put adjacent furnishings at risk, and you will get repeat business and referrals.
Purchase my Training Manuals, follow the instructions and see for yourself.
Question: How do you compare to your competitors in the ceiling cleaning business?
Answer: I really have no competition in this field. I can do this work by myself where the traditional companies need at least one other person, often 2 to wipe down grid systems that were just sprayed, and to do extensive covering to prevent collateral damage.
This is the field I left to concentrate on what I am promoting.
Their way leaves too much margin for error, poor to average results, too much work for the income involved and more unpleasantries.
This translates into dissatisfied customers, no repeat business and no referrals.
This means continually cold calling to stay alive and working under pressure when you perform the service
I pick the jobs I am suitable to handle with 100% satisfaction for the customer. I pick the jobs that are easy for me, and provide me a huge hourly wage.
No spraying, no setup time, no cleanup, no stress, and an easy way to make money.
I continually get repeat business and referrals. I always deliver what I promise and no ceiling cleaning company out there can do that
I know that because I spent way too many years doing it their way!