Chris Scoles is our Operations Manager/Account Executive here at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs, and to say that he is a busy guy is an understatement. Just tracking him down for this conversation meant he had to sit still for a couple minutes! We’re excited to introduce you to Chris, an integral cog in the Sams machine. Now, without any further ado, join us for our get-to-know-you conversation with Chris!
Q: How long have you been at Sams and how did you get your start at Sams?
A: I used to drive by the Sams building everyday on my way to work and had a friend who worked there as a technician. I told him if they were ever hiring to let me know because I was looking for a change. In July of 2001 he gave me a call that they were hiring and the rest is history!
Q: 16 years later, what exactly do you do at Sams?
A: I started as a field technician, I spent several months training and cleaning customer’s carpets, flooring and air ducts. Over time, I moved up, started learning other parts of the job and became a team leader. Fast forward a couple more years and I am now the Operations Manager!
Q: What exactly does an Operations Manager position entail?
A: I’m in charge of the team, I get them ready to go each day and prep them on the jobs assigned. I take care of the everyday tasks, training new employees, maintenance on the machines and vehicles. I’m also the Account Executive for several of our larger apartments and I’m constantly out in the field giving estimates. I’m constantly moving around and if you’re looking for me, it changes from day to day where you’ll find me!
Q: Why did you choose Sams?
A: Sams treats their employees very well. There is a mutual respect between the bosses and the employees and we have built a great core of technicians. If anyone has a question, you know you can turn to another employee who has been there for many years who would have the answer. Our customer service is awesome and we really care for our customers. I also love the freedom I have here, I get to travel around the city and I’m constantly busy, which I love.
Q: What’s the Sams difference?
A: I would have to say our training program. We would never send a new employee out in the field until they are fully trained and ready, it might be 6-8months before they’re in a house cleaning. We train our technicians about the SCIENCE behind carpet cleaning and repair and we ensure every technician masters the skills before sending them out. We also use high quality machines and equipment that are only available at Sams.
Q: Do you have any memorable experiences at Sams, maybe celebrity run ins or encounters?
A: I have cleaned several Rams players houses including Adam Timmerman, Orlando Pace and of course like Dennis mentioned, we cleaned Nelly’s house in Lake St. Louis on several occasions. We also regularly clean Nelly’s producer’s house, which it’s nice to see big talent in St. Louis!
Q: When you’re not at work, where can we find you?
A: That’s easy, on the golf course. I’m an avid golfer and if I can find the time, you will certainly find me at one of the golf courses in town.
Q: What is your proudest accomplishment over your many years at Sams?
A: That’s hard for me to say, I don’t want to sound like I’m tooting my own horn. Mainly I think it’s overseeing the training of our technicians and ensuring that they are on top of their game. I know our technicians have the skills and training that far exceeds others. Our technicians are talented, supportive and have years of experience that is beyond valuable. I’m proud of these guys and know they’re out in the field doing the best work possible.
So there you have it, now you know our beloved Operations Manager, Chris! A big thank you to Chris for taking a few minutes out of his always hectic day for this conversation! Be sure to check back next month for our NEXT Employee Spotlight!
Fall is OFFICIALLY upon us, and that means many things: pumpkin spice everything, leaves falling, cooler temperatures and of course, preparations for holiday parties! That’s right, it’s never too soon! There are countless events, holidays and get togethers this time of year and we want to help you stay on top of them and feel prepared!
Halloween is right around the corner, and if you’re someone who likes to throw a haunted house party, there’s nothing scarier than dirty carpets. Thanksgiving is all about being thankful, and this year you can be thankful for stain-free carpets. Christmas is all about family, and the last thing you need is your Aunt Mary calling you out on your dinghy floors. The holidays aren’t meant for embarrassing dirty floors but gathering with family and friends celebrating togetherness!
Now, let’s get into the fun part of the holidays… decorating! We know everyone loves to decorate their home for the holidays (raise your hand if you have a holiday decor closet/self in your house) and of course you want your carpets and floors looking clean and refreshed as well as clean air in your home to be that final touch. Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs is right there with you. So lets work together to make your home fresh and clean for the holidays that enhances your holiday decor. From carpet cleaning, carpet repairs, tile and grout cleaning, upholstery cleaning, air duct cleaning to many more services to assist to making your home beautiful for the holidays. Check out our full list of services HERE.
The feeling of stress and anxiety when it comes to the holiday season is not what we want to feel with the preparations, the food, the where to seat the in-laws question, the cleaning… it’s overwhelming! Let us take something off your plate and help ease the stress. Don’t wait to schedule because you might get that last minute phone call that your family is coming in and staying with you for the holidays (we’ve experienced it, trust us, it’s not fun).
You don’t often hear about siblings working together, and we have a feeling if you know of any, it might not be the friendliest of relationships or very long lasting. That’s not the case with our favorite brothers at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs, Phil and Nik Carrino. These brothers have worked together for over 11 years at Sams and they still like each other!
To celebrate family, we decided for this month’s employee spotlight to highlight Phil and Nik and learn what it’s like for siblings to work together for so many years.
Q: How did you guys end up at Sams, how long have you been here and what are your job title/roles?
Nik: I’ve been here for 14 years, I saw a Sams Van in my apartment buildings parking lot all the time and knew that they did good work. I reached out to them to see if they were hiring and lucky for me, they were! I am the Water Restoration Manager and I often work with the Insurance Companies to help families quickly get their homes back into shape. If you ever have water damage or flooding, I’m your guy!
Phil: I’ve worked here for 11 years. I saw how happy my brother was working here so when I found out they were hiring, I jumped on it. I started out as a Technician, but I am now the Training Manager and Technician Specialist.
Q: Why Sams? What is about Sams that makes us different and special?
Nik: It really does feel like a family, and I’m not just saying that because I work with my brother every day. We look out for each other, we have the support of the other employees and we care for our customers as though they were family. For customers, I believe they really feel that difference and know they can trust us. Customer satisfaction is huge, we go above and beyond to make sure each customer is happy and taken care of to the best of our capabilities.
Phil: It’s not a big, faceless organization. Jeff and Susan get to know all of the employees on a personal level, which I think is pretty unusual. They even attended my wedding last year, and it was wonderful to have them there to celebrate with us!
Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Sams?
Phil: Definitely the people. It’s a fun work environment, relaxed and culture is huge. I also love the Sams commitment to the community and organizations that are important to employees.
Nik: I agree 100%, Jeff and Susan sponsor me at Bike MS each year and I’m extremely grateful for their support. We have fun coming to work every day and it feels laid back and comfortable, we can be ourselves and know that we have the support of everyone we work with. We enjoy coming to work, which is something we know not everyone outside of Sams can say about their jobs.
Q: Any favorite or memorable client stories?
Nik: There’s too many over the years. I love getting to know our customers, some of them have been using Sams for years and have known my brother and I since we started. We’ve even had several ladies make us cakes and snacks when we come out to their house because they’re happy to see us and that we came out to help.
Phil: It’s always my favorite when I see a homeowner’s reaction when they see their freshly cleaned carpet that they thought was beyond repair. Knowing that we helped them and possibly saved them the headache and giant bill of getting new carpet is amazing.
Q: So, the ultimate question. What’s it like working together as brothers?
Nik: Well, it’s certainly had its ups and downs. We used to live together AND work together, and we got tired of each other pretty quick. Once we moved out and lived separately, it was awesome! We get to hang out and catch up every day in small doses, which is the perfect amount.
Phil: I have to look at his face everyday… that can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. But really, it’s pretty cool to work with your brother and know you have his support.
So there you have it, a closer look at our favorite brothers. Thank you to Phil and Nik for taking the time to talk to us and give us an inside look their lives at Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs. Stay tuned for our next employee spotlight!
It’s always nice having your kids home for the summer, being able to spend more time together as a family, going on vacations and little road trips and having some help around the house. However… kids in the house for several months straight can mean that your house has become a disaster zone! Think about all the dirty shoes and feed tromping through the house, the snacks eaten in front of the TV and the number of times they’ve rolled around on the carpet playing with the dog. Yeah, after a summer of children in the house, there’s no better time to do a deep cleaning!
Now’s the time to treat yourself. You’ve survived the summer without any major melt downs, and that’s an accomplishment. You’ve entertained children, planned fun activities and been the mediator between sibling arguments. Buy yourself a nice pair of shoes, go to a movie you want to watch and sit back and let the professionals clean your carpets and floors. You’ve done enough this summer, let us take this task off your list!
So why is clean carpet so important? When kids go back to school, they typically get a nice, fresh haircut, a new backpack, some new shoes and clothes and are looking fresh and ready for the new school year. Why not get your house in that same, tip-top, back to school shape? Not only will your carpet look great, smell fresh and feel brand new, but you’re also protecting it and helping it last longer. Who wouldn’t want that?
As your back to school reward, give us a call today to schedule your cleaning. We look forward to helping you celebrate the new school year!
We’ve always known that our fearless leaders, Jeff and Susan Sams, were a great couple, but we think Streetscape Magazine got it right when they named them a Dynamic Duo! Jeff and Susan are featured in the Fall issue of Streetscape Magazine where they discuss their experience as married business owners. It’s not always a walk in the park, but Jeff and Susan lean on each other’s strengths to help balance them out and create a strong, successful team.
In this article, you get an inside, behind the scenes look at how Sams Carpet Cleaning got its start, how Jeff and Susan met, and important lessons they’ve learned over their 30+ years in business. And of course, they discuss the importance of being involved in the community and the Sams Family involvement in St. Charles County.
We love our St. Charles community and we feel incredibly blessed to be included in Streetscape magazine this month along with other wonderful local St. Charles businesses. You can read the full article in the latest issue, now available! You can pick up a copy at any of THESE locations or check it out online HERE.
A big thank you to Amy Armour and Streetscape Magazine for this featured article on Jeff, Susan and Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repairs! Be sure to pick up a copy for yourself today!
Dennis Mierkowski has been a part of the Sams Carpet Cleaning Family for 30 years. That’s right, you read that correctly. He has been with us from the beginning, when Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repairs started out of Jeff Sams parent’s home, and has been with us every step of the way. He shows passion, integrity, exceptional work ethic and dedication with everything he does, and we feel honored to have him as a part of our team. Having an employee like Dennis is truly a blessing. Every day he walks into work with a smile on his face and a greeting for everyone around him. To celebrate his 30th anniversary with the company, we wanted to highlight Dennis and hear his experience and memories with Sams over the years.
Dennis is a carpet technician who has known Jeff and his family most of his life, and when he saw Jeff starting Sams and needing employees, he stepped up to help. 30 years ago when he started at Sams, he became hooked. Here’s a little Q&A we had with Dennis to learn more about his years with Sams and some of his favorite stories.
Q: Why Sams? What makes Sams different and special?
A: To be happy you have to like what you do, and I LOVE what I do at Sams. I love the people I work with, I love working with Jeff and seeing his passion and dedication to customer satisfaction, which is something that is important to me. I can’t explain to you that amazing feeling when a customer recommends a friend or family member to us. It takes a lot of trust and confidence to allow someone into your home, and that trust is something I want to build with each and every customer. When I leave a home, I know I am leaving behind a clean environment, and that is something I can be proud of. It’s important to me for a customer to be happy and to call back for future service.
Q: What is something you are most proud of from your years with Sams?
A: There have been many times we’ve been called and the customer said they thought it was time to replace their carpet, but first they wanted to try cleaning them to see if that would help. After cleaning the carpet, the customers are thrilled and said that it’ll save them from replacing the carpet! That’s our goal, to provide quality service and help customers with whatever they might need.
Q: Any funny stories?
A: I don’t know about funny, but something I think is the longevity of many of my clients. Some of my long standing client’s children are now calling me to come clean their homes! It’s always fun to hear, “I remember you cleaning my parent’s floors when I was a child and now I need mine cleaned!”
Q: Do you have any memorable experiences with Sams?
A: Probably 15 years ago or more, we received a phone call from Nelly. He had just purchased a house in Lake St. Louis and he wanted to get his carpets and floors cleaned before MTV Cribs came out to film. I knew who Nelly was, but didn’t really know him. I went out to his house and talked to him for awhile, but didn’t realize he was Nelly until after he left and I was talking to his mom! It was a pretty crazy experience to sit with my friends watching his episode of MTV Cribs and say, “that’s my work, I cleaned that, that’s also my work!”
Thank you to Dennis not only for his YEARS of service and amazing attitude, but for taking the time to be interviewed for our first employee spotlight! Stay tuned for future blogs highlighting our wonderful employees.
*We’re exciting to announce that we are growing! We are looking to add new members to our Sams Carpet Cleaning and Repair family. If you are interested, check out our careers page HERE.*
It’s officially Spring, and with Easter right around the corner, this is a time to spiritually reflect on families gathering and spiritual awareness in our lives during the Easter season. For us, it’s a time to gather with our families and remember the meaning of Easter. At Sams, we clean for many churches, including all religious denominations and affiliations, but we recently cleaned for Grace Church in Maryland Heights, which is always a wonderful experience, with the nicest staff.
A church the size of Grace Church has thousands of visitors each week between their Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday services, worship groups and prayer meetings, bible studies and activities, which means that their floors need some attention. That’s where we come in! We cleaned the church, office space and guest house to ensure the carpets and tiles were clean, shining bright and healthy.
Grace Church is all about the community. Their congregation is made up of countless small groups that meet with different agendas but one mission, to build each other up. It is our mission to provide a service for these people and to help them to enjoy their space and maintain its pristine condition.
If your church, worship space, office or building is in need of a cleaning (from carpets to tiles to air ducts to water restoration, stain removal and more), we would be happy to help! Give us a call today to schedule your appointment or to learn more about our services.
If you haven’t seen our Discover St. Charles video, grab a cup of coffee or a bowl of popcorn, and get to know us! We had a wonderful time with Discover St. Charles and we appreciate the opportunity to highlight our business.
Now, we know it’s a long video and not everyone has 23 minutes to spare, so we decided to highlight some of the key topics discussed in the video. Here are the areas: Our Start, Services, Water Restoration, Oriental Rugs, Air Quality, Story Time and the St. Charles and St. Louis Community. Let’s dive in!
The Making of Sams:
First of all, a questions we are often asked: how did you get your start?
It all started in 1985, a year after Jeff got out of school. He saw a need for the carpet cleaning business and took it upon himself to make it happen! He rented a machine and started cleaning the houses of friends, family and neighbors. He saw a big difference and the happiness and joy he saw on the faces of customers, that’s when he was hooked. Jeff became interested in learning more about carpets and the carpet cleaning business. He went out and got certified, became an expert on cleaning carpets and the construction of carpets. After a couple years, Jeff was able to purchase a truck mounted system.
In the beginning, it was just Jeff, his mom and dad! You can definitely say it has always been, and will always be, a family business. At that point, he started hiring great employees who helped him to build the company and continue to grow.
Jeff and Susan met in 1985 and got married in 1990. When they first met, Susan was going to school to get her bachelor’s degree and was gaining experience in the corporate world. As the family business continued to grow, Susan and Jeff decided to take a risk and for Susan to join the Sams team, full time. She was able to bring her knowledge and skills to the company through marketing and the management side of the business. Susan loves networking and going out into the community, talking to customers, speaking at events, etc., and was a major asset to the team.
“When Susan joined the business, she began networking and made a massive improvement in the company. She was out there every day promoting, and is still out in the community promoting Sams Carpet! She has assisted with marketing and growing the company. Thanks to her, we have grown our business to the next level,” said Jeff.
We are now up to 32 employees with different roles, ranging from carpet repairs, carpet cleaning, office managers, operations managers, and more. Without them, we wouldn’t be as strong, and we feel incredibly lucky to work with such a talented group.
Over the years, the needs and wants of the St. Charles and St. Louis community have changed, and it was important to us as a business to grow and meet those needs. We have added services over the years to best serve our clients and we will continue to grow in order to provide the best for the community.
Our Services:
We service throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, and we treat our customers so that they can be part of our family as well. After all, it means a lot to us that you opened up your doors and homes to us and we want to treat you like family. We are open 24/7, 365 days a year. We are here when they customer needs us. They don’t need us a month from now, they need us yesterday and that’s why we built this company to provide those services when an emergency or situation comes up.
This is one of our services that many people don’t know we offer! In case of water damage, we should be your first call. So what does the process look like?
After giving us a call, we send a technician out, within minutes, to your house or business. The technician will get inside, assess the severity of the situation and get a crew out to begin work.
The sooner we get the carpet and furniture dry, the better chance we have of saving your belongings. We will set up drying equipment to help dry out the space and then we will run testing, including moisture readings, to find out exactly how much moisture is in the air and in the walls so we know where the place the equipment and how much equipment is needed. Once we set everything up, we come back on a daily basis to monitor the equipment and ensure we get everything dry.
Once everything is completely dry, we put back the carpets, the furniture, replace the drywall, re-stretch the carpets, clean the carpets, etc. The quicker we get everything dried out, the best chance you have of no mold or serious damage.
Water restoration is something you hope to never deal with, but in case a disaster occurs, now you know who to call!
Air Quality:
Not only do we want to take care of your carpets, but we also want to take care of the entire living environment inside your home or business. We often receive phone calls from people with allergies who are looking to improve their air quality. We come in and not only clean the air ducts, returns and vents, but clean the entire system, which will greatly improve the air quality. At Sams, we have a great, high quality brush system that runs through our truck and goes through your system to extract everything. It brings it outside so that we are not generation anymore dust or allergens inside your home.
After doing construction or remodeling your home, you should consider having your air ducts cleaned out. All that dust and building material has found a way into the system and will build up, causing problems. Even for new build houses, this is an important step to improve the air quality.
Fine Rug and Area Rug Cleaning:
French Town Rug Cleaning Company is a division of Sams Carpet Cleaning & Repair that focuses on the proper care and maintenance of your fine rugs. We know that your rugs are exposed to wear and tear, and over time, spot cleaning and vacuuming is just not enough. That’s where we come in!
FrenchTown Rug Cleaning is one of the few fine and area rug cleaning companies certified as a Master Rug Cleaner, which is the gold standard in training and certification for rug cleaning professionals. We have a rug cleaning plant here, in house, so we will treat each and every rug by hand, with care. From $200-$20,000+ rugs, we clean them all!
So what’s the process to cleaning a fine rug? First, we determine what kind of rug it is so we can determine the best course of action for cleaning it. Depending on the type of fibers and how well it’s put together, we will determine the best cleaning method. It’s a process, each and every rug is hand cleaned, which takes longer because of the care behind cleaning them.
After cleaning, we send them to our drying room, then wrap them up and deliver them back to our customers. We offer pickup and delivery of the rugs, or you can drop them off to our store, whatever works best for you! We have a 10-15 day turnaround on rug cleanings.
Not only are these rugs usually expensive, but they can also be antiques, handed down from generation from generation. We’ve had rugs that people have told us the family history. “I’ve had this rug my entire life, and I’m going to now pass it on to my son. We want to wrap it up and send it to New York.” The history and story behind each piece is truly amazing!
Storytime:
Speaking of stories and history, over our 30 years in business, we have heard many funny, and horrible stories. We often receive the panicked phone call when a bottle of wine has been spilled on the carpet, when a can of paint falls down the stairs or a dog tearing up the house.
One of the phone calls we receive the most often is from kids who call us to clean up the carpets before their parents come home from out of town. Looks like they hosted a real wild party and are looking to cover their tracks!
Restoration stories always stick out to us. We once received a call from someone who came home from being out of town, and when they pulled into their driveway, they could see water pouring out from under the front door. The washing machine on their second floor broke, and water was rushing throughout the house. When we get those phone calls, the panicked, emergency situations, our first goal is to calm the customer and reassure them that they will be taken care of.
St. Charles and St. Louis Community:
We LOVE our community! It has been amazing over the years to see the support the community has given to us as a small, local business, and we look to help other local businesses to grow. Susan is a member of the Greater St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, and was previously the Chairman of the Board. As our business continues to grow, we want to help our community. Participating and volunteering our time is important to not only us, but also to many of our employees.
Business relationships are important to us. We have built a great relationship over the years with local businesses like Lindenwood University, the Peabody Opera House, Scottrade Center, and more.
We hope you enjoyed getting to know us on a more personal level and allow us the opportunity to dive deeper into a few of our service areas. Interested in learning more or scheduling an appointment? Give us a call! And don’t forget to check out our current specials.
While you’re staring at the ripped seams and the stains that won’t remove themselves, you should be contemplating the carpet cleaning or repair company that will be best to contact. If you don’t take anything else from Sams, remember this remedy – utilizing a good, professional carpet repair service company is the care and commitment your carpet needs. There are a few reputable recommendations that you should look for when determining what carpet service to use. At Sams, we give you assurance that you’ll be fully satisfied with a job well done. We are committed to technical excellence and friendly professionalism. Very often, it’s difficult for a homeowner to determine if a professional has the ability to do a proper job. For this reason, Sams recommends only hiring trained technicians to ensure satisfactory service. To further assist in the selection process, Sams has put together a list to aid you through your home’s restoration period.
Choose a Company That Fights Health Hazards
Don’t just pick up the phone when your kids decide to drop their popsicles on the floor, but schedule routine visits with your cleaning service to prevent airborne pollutants from becoming a problem. Good carpet cleaning doesn’t just do away with stains, but good cleaning rids your carpet of contaminants to help with your breathing and overall home health. Sams understands that sometimes it’s the things you can’t see that causes problems in your home. More dirt than you can imagine builds up and interferes with your air circulation. Look for a company that employs experienced technicians that cater to the importance of designation and how to attain it.
Consider the Carpet Cleaning Process
As a homeowner, you have several options when choosing the type of carpet cleaning method you feel is suitable for your space. Some cleaning companies utilize particular cleaning patterns, such as steam cleaning treatments, that call for a drying time. Other companies may use a dry treatment that allows you to walk on the carpet when the process is done. At Sams, we apply the latest technology to make sure that your carpet is pre-treated for stains or smells. We perform a water rinse to remove residue to ensure that your carpet stays cleaner longer. Before our team leaves, we will groom the carpet pile to assist in the drying process. Choose a company that accommodates your family during the process.
Hire Certified, Trained and Skilled Technicians to Treat Your Home
Your home is a significant investment and you want to hire a company with a qualified trained team to make sure your warranties and life of your flooring is good for many years to come. But you also want convenience that you can count on, and that’s exactly what you’ll receive when you call Sams. We only ask for one thing when you contact us: allow us to take the responsibility and stress off your shoulders. The company you use should supply you with a skilled team to get the job done and get it done right! At Sams, we are committed to excellence and professionalism with every visit that is scheduled. Not only are we equipped with the best equipment and techniques, but we are covered. We are Insured and Bonded, and a Certificate of Insurance is available upon request. Call around and get quotes from several companies, and inquire about whether they’re insured or not.
Now that your search is over, we encourage you to give us a call. Sams can ensure you ease when using our services. We don’t just care about your carpet, we care about our people and your home. We take invitations to our customers’ homes or businesses seriously, because we understand home is where the heart is.
You might notice on our website that it says that we are “insured and bonded, and a Certificate of Insurance is available upon request.” Sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo, right? Wrong. It’s important, even though it might just sound like some fancy, legal fluff. Here’s why.
You are inviting people into your home or business. You want to protect yourself, correct? You have car insurance in case you’re in an accident, you have home owner’s insurance in case of a fire or break in, and you have health insurance in case of medical emergencies. It’s all about protecting yourself, your family and what’s most important to you. So naturally, why wouldn’t you want to hire someone who is insured?
When hiring a company to come into your home or business, be sure to ask them if they are insured and if they can provide a Certificate of Insurance. Not only will a reputable company be happy to provide the Certificate, but they will also feel good knowing you’ve done your research and know what to look for in a good company. All parties can feel a sense of relief knowing they are protected.
Whether you’re looking to have the carpets cleaned at your house, carpet repairs at your office, pet damage cleanup or water damage cleanup/repair, rest assured that we have your back and will take care of you. We love cleaning and repairing carpet, fine rugs, tile and grout, air ducts and more, but most of all, we love doing it well. You’ll feel the pride in our work and the joy we find in serving you.
Give us a call to learn more or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you, and serving you!
FrenchTown Rug Cleaning Co. recognizes different fibers, constructions, and types of rugs. We apply custom cleaning techniques and procedures that minimize concerned areas in all types of specialty rugs, while returning them to a clean and refresh condition.
