The black stains on many roofs across the Midwest are caused by an airborne algae known as roof algae. This algae is becoming increasingly problematic in this region of the country. Shingle manufacturers are trying to combat the problem by producing algae resistant shingles.
We have seen many cases of algae resistant shingles suffering from roof algae so obviously there is still some research and development to be done by the shingle manufacturers. Something else the shingle makers do to help with the roof algae problem is to recommend roof cleaners and roof cleaning methods. These guidelines are effective for restoring a roof's appearance without harming the shingles.
The method the recommend is a low pressure chemical application followed by a low pressure rinse. Care should be taken to protect shrubbery and landscaping. What is not recommended and is actually warned against is the use of a pressure washer to clean roof algae off of asphalt shingles. Excessive water pressure will remove the shingle granules which are there to protect the shingles. This will lessen the longevity of the roof.
Neglecting the roof algae will also result in premature failure of asphalt shingles. The roof algae will only get worse if it is not taken care of. Roof cleaning should be considered before a roof replacement. Roof cleaning usually costs about a tenth of the price of a total roof replacement and can completely restore your roof's appearance when it is done properly by a professional roof cleaning company.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Selling Decks and Cleaning Maintenance
One of the biggest mistakes a deck cleaning contractor can make is to sell on price. Selling deck restoration services on price not only fills your customer base with cheap, price oriented, picky customers but it also leaves a wake of other repercussions.
Decks are not cheap to build or maintain so remember that. Customers that are sold on price alone are not loyal customers (not loyal to you anyway) they are loyal to the price. This amounts to the next time they need service, you are obligated to work for cheap again or they will just go else where. Selling on price can also result in you not getting what you should for a particular project and can lead to cutting corners and poor quality. This can reduce the amount and quality of referrals you get. Referrals you may get will be family, friends, or neighbors that are anticipating the same low price. This is definitely a recipe for disaster!
As a deck cleaning and maintenance company, your long term goal should be to build up a loyal customer base. Doing so will allow you to lower your advertising costs because you won’t have to chase new customers. It will also increase your profit margins by doing lots of repeat and referral work. It has been proven that most of the time a customer will spend more money with you the second and third time around, also your closing rate on referral customers is normally pretty high if you do quality work.
The way to build this loyalty is easy. Don’t sell on price but rather sell benefits, sell value, give a high quality service, and always go above and beyond the call of duty on each job. By committing to this principle, you will be allowed to charge more for a quality service and you will build a loyal customer base that you can depend on for years to come.
Decks are not cheap to build or maintain so remember that. Customers that are sold on price alone are not loyal customers (not loyal to you anyway) they are loyal to the price. This amounts to the next time they need service, you are obligated to work for cheap again or they will just go else where. Selling on price can also result in you not getting what you should for a particular project and can lead to cutting corners and poor quality. This can reduce the amount and quality of referrals you get. Referrals you may get will be family, friends, or neighbors that are anticipating the same low price. This is definitely a recipe for disaster!
As a deck cleaning and maintenance company, your long term goal should be to build up a loyal customer base. Doing so will allow you to lower your advertising costs because you won’t have to chase new customers. It will also increase your profit margins by doing lots of repeat and referral work. It has been proven that most of the time a customer will spend more money with you the second and third time around, also your closing rate on referral customers is normally pretty high if you do quality work.
The way to build this loyalty is easy. Don’t sell on price but rather sell benefits, sell value, give a high quality service, and always go above and beyond the call of duty on each job. By committing to this principle, you will be allowed to charge more for a quality service and you will build a loyal customer base that you can depend on for years to come.
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