Stanley Steemer.

**Rob Allen** · 08-13-2008, 09:59 AM

Stanley Steemer. Love them or hate them. They are the undisputed largest carpet cleaning company in the world. What do you think is the key to there success? How have they accomplished what they have done? And last but not least, do you think ANYONE can dethrone the King of carpet cleaners???

Rob.

**Jim Martin** · 08-13-2008, 10:06 AM

SS is living proof of how branding your company works....

They have spent thousands on marketing and burned there name into every household in America...Between there adds ..commercials..and that neurotic song...all anyone has to to is mention carpet cleaning and SS is always the first thing that comes to mind......

No one will ever beat that....

**johntalley** · 08-13-2008, 12:07 PM

So True !! .. But next week I'm adding $99 spec to my vans .. I'll try and play of them

**AllCleanExtreme** · 08-13-2008, 12:28 PM

just looked at the website i calculated 5 rooms at 138.00 according to them, how can they do that when i did not even put in a sq footage.... is this the perverbial bait and switch..... and how can stanley be the biggest and still have customers when they do a bait and switch?????

**Scott W** · 08-13-2008, 01:24 PM

The real question is "Does anyone want to top the king?"

Being the biggest, being the best, being the most profitable are all very different results. Personally, what I wanted was to make a good living in the least amount of hours. Never wanted to be as big as Stanley Steemer.

Scott Warrington

**AllCleanExtreme** · 08-13-2008, 01:37 PM

i hear ya Scott, I agree, don't need to be the biggest......

**TheEyeball** · 08-13-2008, 01:41 PM

If you want a good meal, you go to Ruth's Chris, not McDonalds. Stanley Steemer is the McDonalds of carpet cleaning. Is McDonalds edible? Yes. Can Stanley Steemer clean carpet? Yes. But that doesn't mean they are the best, just because they are the biggest.

Fact: average employee tenure at Stanley Steemer, 6 months

**Rob Allen** · 08-13-2008, 04:50 PM

Ya'll make some good points but I see SS in many a nice areas. I rarely see them in low class neighborhoods. Also I'm not saying I want to be the largest but there success cannot be disputed. Just curious to how they we're able to reach such a dominant state. They must be doing something right!
Rob.

**TheEyeball** · 08-13-2008, 06:24 PM

Branding and marketing. Plus, I think they got their foot in the door a long time ago. Just like Pepsi will never outsell Coke and Wendy's will never outsell McDonalds, I don't think anyone will ever knock the Steemer off.

**Aaron Richards** · 08-13-2008, 10:12 PM

Marketing and branding. I agree that they are the McDonalds of carpet cleaning. I don't think anyone will ever knock the Steemer off, either, but I knocked them out of cleaning Motor Coaches at Michigan International Speedway! They weren't prespraying and were just hacking the carpets out, and our quality work nosed them right out of the gate. I've been cleaning out there for 2 years now and haven't seen them out there since my first trip. We were out there today and cleaned carpets in Motorcoaches for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Brian Vickers, Scott Riggs, Jeff Burton, Michael Waltrip, and even a few owned by nascar. Pretty impressive coaches, to say the least. Haven't met any drivers, just the guys that drive the coaches, but they are all good ol' boys. Couldn't ask for a nicer bunch of guys, and even came away with a few freebies.

**locko-fabara** · 08-13-2008, 11:30 PM

Hey guys,

I have a copy of stanley steamer's bill (year 2007)for a residential job for over $2200, and I also have a copy of the bill from other guy (same job) it was a little bit over $1000 (this bill was from last month), SS were charging for cleaning, deodorize, protecting, area rug, landings, I do not even remember what else, but they were trying to get money from everything, and that is why I think If they can take advantage of you, they will do it.

Sometimes I am tempted to show the clients the SS's bill to show them that I can do same job but for a lot less.

BTW, Sears is almost same thing. One room 14x16, the bill was $170, they pre sprayed, extracted with a portable, 20 minutes (total time) and bye. The person who told me this also told me they did a terrible job.

Locko-Fabara

**Busy Bee** · 08-13-2008, 11:30 PM

they make us small business owners look great in carpet cleaning. What kinda pisses me off about them now is that they're cleaning tile and even worse, color sealing grout. What's next? Probably airduct cleaning. Bill Busy Bee Carpet, Tile/Grout & Natural Stone Restoration :: Sacramento Area Natural Stone Care Specialists

**TheEyeball** · 08-14-2008, 12:13 AM

My brother-in-law worked for Sears carpet cleaning. He asked how in the world I can get red stains out. I said "Red Relief".

He's like "Yeah, we use it all the time and it NEVER works, it's crap." I asked if they read the instructions and apply heat. He says "Yeah, we put heat on it. I mix the Red Relief, spray it on, then pick up the wand and spray hot water on it. Never works. It's crap."

Sheesh. How do they stay in business when they don't even know the basics, and won't follow instructions on the freaking bottle?!

**locko-fabara** · 08-14-2008, 03:51 AM

This make think How big the market is. They don't care if they lost the biz because htye kno there are 2 more waiting for them.

Locko-Fabara

**locko-fabara** · 08-14-2008, 03:52 AM

This make think How big the market is. They don't care if they lost the biz because they know there are 2 more waiting for them.

Locko-Fabara

**lance hollister** · 08-14-2008, 03:56 AM

I would say its about repitition in advertising. Though they dont clean with steam and useing steam on carpets isnt good. They might seem to be the carpet cleaning king but i would rather do water restoration all day like service master with much higher job average amounts.

**Bobby** · 08-14-2008, 10:05 AM

I clean the carpet for a large church in my town. They tried using another co. a while back, to save money he was $200 cheaper than me.Then they called me back cause they weren't happy with the other guys' work. The guy who hired me came in and was watching me work and when I was prespraying he asked what I was doing I explained what it was and it's purpose he said the other guy didn't do that. The other guy is a former SS tech who went into business for himself.

Bobby Hales

**johntalley** · 08-14-2008, 06:13 PM

any one know what you get for there 99 tile clean ? thats there new add on TV

**Rob Allen** · 08-14-2008, 06:56 PM

That is a good question John. I know what there 99 carpet special is. It's 2 rooms for
99. So I would really love to know the 99 tile special.

**Steve Toburen** · 08-14-2008, 08:27 PM

"The real question is "Does anyone want to top the king?" Being the biggest, being the best, being the most profitable are all very different results. Personally, what I wanted was to make a good living in the least amount of hours. Never wanted to be as big as Stanley Steemer."

I just hate it when Scotty W not only beats me to the punch but also says what I wanted to say and would have written just that way IF I was smarter.

Steve Toburen
Director of Training
Jon-Don's Strategies for Success

PS My partner in crime, Big Billy Yeadon, sums up SS pretty well: "Stanley Steemer is a marketing company that just happens to clean (more or less) carpet." Love 'em or hate 'em you can still learn from Stanley Steemer. Or not. Whatever floats your boat.