Carpet Cleaners Expect 2008 To Be Good Year – Even If Economy Heads South

A recent survey finds that most carpet cleaning technicians – 59 per cent – believe 2008 will be a good year economically for them. However, 64 per cent believe the U.S. economy is “getting worse” or at best, staying the same.

The survey was conducted online the first week of January 2008, by U.S. Products, a manufacturer of professional floor, carpet and restoration cleaning equipment and accessories.

More than 100 carpet cleaners completed the survey, which has a confidence rating of 95 per cent. This indicates that even if more people responded, the results would still be about the same, plus or minus five percentage points.

As to some of the other results

  •  Seventy per cent of the carpet cleaning technicians said 2007 was a better year for them than 2006.
  •  Thirty-eight per cent expect more of their business in 2008 to come from commercial clients, while 36 per cent say it will come from residential customers.
  •  Regarding the current “credit crunch” affecting the housing industry, 32 per cent indicate it will not hurt their carpet cleaning businesses, but almost as many, 30 per cent, say it will have a negative impact.
  •  Although they see more growth ahead, more than 30 per cent say it will be harder to find workers in 2008; 28 per cent report it will be easier, while more than 25 per cent say they are not sure.

Although most of the carpet cleaners responding believe 2008 will be a good year, it is not necessarily translating into larger business equipment spending plans. Thirty-eight per cent report they plan to spend more for carpet cleaning equipment their year; 34 per cent say they plan to spend less, with the remaining 28 per cent say they plan to spend about the same as in 2007.

As to what they will be purchasing, 56 per cent say they plan to buy new portable extractors; 31 per cent say their main purchases will be “wands, tools and equipment accessories.” Only nine per cent say they plan to purchase a new business vehicle, with still fewer – three per cent – saying they see a new truck-mount extractor in their future.

“Overall, the survey paints a picture of carpet cleaners that are optimistic but cautious about 2008,” said Nick Wiebe, marketing manager for U.S. Products. “They feel their businesses will do well and grow but they want to be careful where and how much money they plan to spend this year.”