CONFIDENCE BUILDER WHEN TALKING TO CUSTOMERS

[ronald pantelas]

I had something happen to me that will change the way I talk to would be customers forever. I had lunch today at a fast food place. When leaving I see one of the largest carpet cleaning services nice looking truck in the first space. I see a fellow carpet cleaner in the front seat, so I stop and say hello. Well I wave to all cc's on the road, some are friendly, some could not be bothered. Well this guy was very cool. So after a few minutes, I ask him does he mind if I look in the van at his equipment. The company had a Butler in it. Well I was happy to see the largest company using a Butler unit. Since I run a Butler I was very happy to ask him about his machine. He did not have high heat or the larger vac like me. So he told me his limitations due to faulty maintenance, company unwilling to provide what they need to improve. His heat was 190. They looked like they have been cleaning this way since 1975. When I looked at his hose reel they were running 25 foot whip of 1.5 hose into the butler 1.5 wand. Yes that is the way you get it from Butler, why? I don't know. He was also using powder in the truckmount for extraction, when Butler says liquid only. So he was having chemical flow problems. I told him to loose the 1.5 whip and go 2 inch to the wand. Buy a 2 inch wand. He says his dry times are horrible 12 hours. And use only liquid as Butler says. Butler knows their chemical system. He also says he does not know how much longer he can push a wand. I told him to buy a glide. He was unaware about what a glide was. He seemed very happy to get the info I provided. He says most employees stick around for 3 months, they schedule to much work per day, techs have to work too fast to get to the next job. Sometimes making sub standard money. He found it amazing that they get so much work,providing the service they do. He is one of the senior employees for the company. This was very eye opening for me to hear and see this. I needed to share this with the owner operator. We provide a service that is worth twice what we are charging. No more will I even think for one minute the companies getting all the work are good. Its all Marketing. So lets strengthen are conversations with these customers to increase are market share and lift the industrys customer satisfaction. We are so much better informed, are equipment is better, and are techniques are better. But they get the work. Whats up with that? Well this old boy will be closing more customers in the future. When you hire one of us (owner/operator) you truely are giving the customer the best for their home or business. The value is there! I hope I helped someone with this post. I know it helped me tremendously. Ron

 

[Jimmy L]

Thank you for your support.

 

[alazo1]

Just comes to show you people are either too lazy or don't like change, specially in a service company. Like looking for a new mechanic. Sounds like they have a bunch of happy customers.

Albert

 

[B&BGaryC]

I posed this question to a customer once:

"I'm building a carpet cleaning company on limited advertising and word of mouth referrals. Why would I want to do anything other than make you a satisfied customer? I care more about you. Your satisfaction is more important to me than short term gain. I look at the big picture."

 

[Guest]

I thought you were to visualize them in their underwear...

 

[Mikey P]

Did you tell him about this place?

 

[keithk]

Those big guys spend all their $$$ and efforts on advertising. What do you think they spend more on, marketing or furthering their techs knowledge and better equipment?? I guarantee you all their $$$ goes into advertising. They are marketing companies who happen to also clean carpet. They are the Wal Mart of carpet cleaners, low price, ok service, ok results. But you are the specialist. If you wanted a really good steak for a special occasion you could go to wal mart and get an OK cut of meat or you could spend a few extra bucks and go down to your local butcher who specializes in meat and really get your moneys worth. You are the local butcher(specialist). Did that make sense??


Keith

 

[ronald pantelas]

Yes I agree with you. Anytime you break it down for me with food. I can understand. More then that though, they present much more successful then most owner / operators do. Most of their trucks are very good looking. They hire nice smiling faces, hand them a clipboard, teach them to sell, tell them how they can make more by upselling. This industry is sort of like car sales. Would you like rust proofing with the car, and of course this is our dealer prep we add on to each car. It seems like the tables are tilted. Average work in some cases lands you at the top as their marketing machine rolls along. As long as this continues the profession will always be not as highly respected as I would like it to be. I used to be a supervisor at Nabisco. Now I'm a Carpet Cleaner. You think there equal in respect from our public? They Should Be, But They Are Not. I do no advertising in my business, all word of mouth. Thanks, Ron

 

[XTREME1]

unfortunately the big company in my area does it right and has great equipment, titanium 2 inch wands w glides, same chems as me, I have an Apex they have apexs and everests. I just have to keep hoping that their techs suck.

 

[Kevin B]

I keep slight tabs on my competition, only to know what they are doing, so I know what my advantage is. I already know I am better than them, I just have to get their customers on the phone with me.