Yep, I would say the same thing, the number of companies has probably doubled around here in the last five or six years as well. Good point about the fire supression companies, hence my post a month or two ago about getting the training I need to become certified. I am meeting with the local fire marshall in three weeks to take my tests and convince him that I can do the work so he will give me my license.
Hood cleaning and fire supression are a hand in hand service and I know, its harder to control quality when you expand your services but to me this is a must!. I have some really good crews that I trust for the hood cleaning so, providing everything runs smoothly (it never does) I will be able to oversee our new fire supression division directly.
So whose fault was it that the Burger King was a month over do? I had an account that caught fire about five years ago and the fire supression system never activated. Fire supression company tried to blame it on me saying it wasn't cleaned properly. Brought in my photos and reports of our once-a-month cleaning (very high volume) and the pictures showed the system in PERFECT condition. Turns out the ANSUL service was two months late to have their links and nozzles changed. They saw my work from the photos and didn't even argue after that. Cost them 40k in damages and Friday nights lost sales. Cover your butt!
They ONLY thing that makes sense about the national companies is the lower price= lower quality of service. If that is what the customer is looking for than so be it. But, lower quality service WILL cost you accounts. I just grabbed about 20 accounts from Fresno to Sacramento because I took some pictures of Facilicraps work. I even took a 2 foot long strip of grease about 1 inch thick, (system was cleaned two weeks prior by facilicrap) wrapped it in some suran wrap and showed it to the area manager the next day and said here is what you are paying for. He was apalled! (sp!)
The only part of what you said that I disagree with is your very last comment "there is no way to compete with that." There is ALWAYS a way to compete, it is just a mattter of what you are willing to do. In todays business world I would say that means adaptation. Here is a goofy example. Look a Toys-R-Us. When I took my four year old there a few weeks ago it looked exactly the same as it did thirty years ago when I was a child. They haven't changed there style, image, nothing... And now they are bankrupt. In the seventy and eightties they were a powerhouse but along came walmart, target, etc. and Toy-R-Us did nothing to keep up or adapt to the changing times. Their stupid sign out front is the same one that was there thirty years ago.
Its the same with us. First of all EVERYTHING cycles so companies will come and go but more importantly I think if you want to stick around you have to change or adapt your business to the supply and demand of todays standards. I certainly don't run my business the same way I did 5 years and I won't be running it the same way 5 years from now, the way I do today. Hopefully the hood celaning industry does not get so competitive that it drives the median price down to nickels. If any of you believe that is going to happen than you better start praying now for LEGITIMATE certification. (Not all you goofy "certifiers" out there that will certify a toad for ten bucks but state licensed certification) My guess is that is where we are headed though that is many years away!
Geesh, I just re-read the last couple of paragraphs and I should quit the hood cleaning business and write a book!
In the meantime bring on the competition you big company bastards! You can't keep up. I saw big companies fail when I started this business and I will see big companies fail again. They have a "business formula" that allows them to operate but it is in my opinion a temporary clock they are running on. When your that big or you sub out that much work you can't cover the details that can cost you an account.
However, when an account asks me in northern cali if I cover southern cali I will say "HELL YES". And then I will call you Mbryan and say I have got some work to give you. (You may have to put some different letterhead on your invoices though!
