Ready to discover the secrets of a successful cleaning business? You're in the right place. On this episode, we sit down with Bill Berg from Berg's Custom Cleaning, a company that prides itself on being customer-focused and value-driven. Bill takes us on his business journey, from the conception of Berg's Custom Cleaning to its current status as a premier carpet and upholstery cleaner of southeast Michigan. We delve into the variety of services they offer, including tile and grout cleaning, and how they set themselves apart in the cleaning industry.
In the second part of our conversation, Bill shares fascinating details about the company's geographic reach, and introduces Berg's Bucks, a unique concept that rewards their clients. We also dig into the benefits of maintaining a regular cleaning regimen for carpet longevity. Bill surprises us with his company's commitment to their employees, showcasing how they value hard work and dedication through rewarding company trips. The Berg's Custom Cleaning story is one of dedication, perseverance, and a relentless commitment to customer satisfaction. So, if you're keen on learning more about this wonderful local business, you won't want to miss this episode.
Ready to discover the secrets of a successful cleaning business? You're in the right place. On this episode, we sit down with Bill Berg from Berg's Custom Cleaning, a company that prides itself on being customer-focused and value-driven. Bill takes us on his business journey, from the conception of Berg's Custom Cleaning to its current status as a premier carpet and upholstery cleaner of southeast Michigan. We delve into the variety of services they offer, including tile and grout cleaning, and how they set themselves apart in the cleaning industry.
In the second part of our conversation, Bill shares fascinating details about the company's geographic reach, and introduces Berg's Bucks, a unique concept that rewards their clients. We also dig into the benefits of maintaining a regular cleaning regimen for carpet longevity. Bill surprises us with his company's commitment to their employees, showcasing how they value hard work and dedication through rewarding company trips. The Berg's Custom Cleaning story is one of dedication, perseverance, and a relentless commitment to customer satisfaction. So, if you're keen on learning more about this wonderful local business, you won't want to miss this episode.
Speaker 1:
This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Lisa Swiftney.
Speaker 2:
Hi everyone and welcome to episode number 79 of the Good Neighbor podcast. Today we are broadcasting from Unwine Winery Breg Group, which is part of Connect McComb Chamber of Commerce, and today I have Good Neighbor Bill Berg with Berg's Custom Cleaning. How are you doing today, bill?
Speaker 3:
Real good Lisa.
Speaker 2:
Great. Thank you for being a guest today.
Speaker 3:
Thank you.
Speaker 2:
What do I set up? By telling our listeners about your business? What do?
Speaker 3:
you do. We establish Berg's Custom Cleaning back in 1988 and every day our staff goes out to prove to people that we're the premier carpet and upholstery cleaner of southeast Michigan. However, we do more than just carpet and upholstery. We offer leather, tile and grout, wood and luxury floor vinyl cleaning.
Speaker 2:
And I know I have personally used you for carpet cleaning and the tile and grout. You are amazing.
Speaker 3:
Awesome, thank you.
Speaker 2:
So tell our listeners about your journey. How or why did you get started? In this business.
Speaker 3:
Okay, well, in the early 1980s I was working at Mount Clomens General awarding the food for the kitchen, and while I was going to McComb Community College for Marketing and Business Management, I knew I was going to own a business, but I didn't know what kind yet. In the meantime, a friend of mine from junior high called me up and he'd bought a franchise in a cleaning business and wanted to know if I could get it off the ground with him. So I said, sure, I could use the extra money to supplement my income. So it turned out that I was a little more business savvy than he was. I landed accounts like service merchandise if you can remember them office max when I came, and all the offsite locations at Mount Clomens General made me a partner. But unfortunately he had a different business philosophy than I did. His was do as little as much as you can. I want my customers to feel they got value for their money. So I dissolved the partnership and created Burke's custom cleaning.
Speaker 2:
Oh, that is a great story. Thanks for sharing. Can you tell us any myths or misconceptions that you hear about in your industry?
Speaker 3:
Sure. I think the biggest misconception is that I feel people perceive companies in our industry to be like a commodity that we're all the same and unfortunately they will go with the cheapest price company, only to be disappointed. Many companies pay their people strictly commission and I'm sure their employees start off wanting to make sure that their customers are happy, but they learn over time that the more customers they get in, the more money they make. So they start cutting corners and eventually go to what we call in the industry the splash and dash mode, where they're in and out. Customers who've had this experience tell us that we're in their homes much longer than the other guys and how our people were so detailed, oriented and went the extra mile.
Speaker 2:
That's great. Tell us what areas do you service?
Speaker 3:
We're always looking to expand, but currently we serve us all from Macomb, oakland and St Clair counties.
Speaker 2:
That's a wide variety too. There's many homes and businesses in those three counties, so I hear you're known for taking your employees on company trips. Tell us about that.
Speaker 3:
Well, when my wife and I started the company, we didn't take a vacation for almost 18 years. We were young and inexperienced about surrounding ourselves with the right people. Eventually, we hired our first operations manager and took our kids to Disney and Universal and had a great time. I felt guilty that the people that made this happen for us didn't get a chance to go. After that, we established our trips, where we reward our employees for their hard work and dedication to our mission. They have had a chance to go to incredible places Las Vegas, chicago, key West, universal, disney and the list goes on. We have a couple philosophies too Work hard, play hard and family takes care of family, and I consider all my employees to be part of the Berg family.
Speaker 2:
And that is a wonderful philosophy. So what are Berg's bucks, and how can somebody get one?
Speaker 3:
The bird books are $10 vouchers that can be used towards any of our services. Usually, when we do a customer, we'll give them one for them and one to hand to a friend or a family member. I created it about 25 years ago because we found that the typical company was only using us every three to five years and manufacturers recommend every year. I wanted to close that gap. But it really took off and became not only a way for us to bring back customers sooner but attract potential customers.
Speaker 2:
Right and you talk about the manufacturers. So by having you come in and clean carpets once a year, it helps the consumer keep their carpet longer, so they're not changing their carpet or getting new carpet every couple years.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, I say that by having a maintenance program you can prolong the carpets life up to 50%.
Speaker 2:
Wow, that's good to know. So do you do both commercial and residential? Yeah?
Speaker 3:
We're about 50-50. During the day our people will do residential homes, in the evenings commercial establishments when the customers are gone for the day. Some of our well-known commercial accounts are senior facilities over 40 of them such as the American houses, the Pine Ridge, the Oakmonts, palmer Roy, north Point and Brookday, and the list goes on. Another well-known one is CJ Barry-Mars. We're proud to be trusted with so many of our so many, so many, and our employees deserve a lot of credit for retaining these customers by doing such a good job.
Speaker 2:
Can you tell us what are the advantages of using Berg's custom cleaning?
Speaker 3:
Every customer gets a specifically formulated regiment that our technicians put together after a walkthrough of the home or business. There's no cutting corners in our skilled technicians generally care about making our customer happy. They will use state-of-the-art equipment along with green products that are safe for both the family and your pets and, best of all, we guarantee our work.
Speaker 2:
And then, what is one thing that you wish our listeners knew about you and your business?
Speaker 3:
That we're quality-driven. Our reputation is built on our customer satisfaction and we safeguard that reputation at all costs and our staff understances, and are proud to maintain it.
Speaker 2:
Now you have our listeners intrigued. They want to learn more. How can they get in touch with you to get their carpets or grout or tile or wood floors clean?
Speaker 3:
They can go to our website at bergscustomcleaningcom or visit our Facebook page, which we're very proud of. It shows a lot of the types of customers we perform services for and a lot of before and afters that people are pretty amazed with.
Speaker 2:
And what's your phone number for them to call you?
Speaker 3:
586-739-3013. Perfect.
Speaker 2:
Well, Bill, thank you so much for being against today on our Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3:
Appreciate it, thank you.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast Rochester. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPRochestercom or call 248-988-9640.
