Low priced competitor, what to do???

[Trevor Truitt]

I got a referral through a house keeper. Lady wanted two sectionals done, one black, used to be white, overstuffed micro; and an old regular synthetic loaded with pet hair.

I sez $400 and she nearly threw me out.

Last guy was only $85 and he did the stairs too. Two sectionals and a set of stairs for $85. Husband and wife were there cleaning for three hours. That's $12 per man hour, yikes!

Why didn't you call him back? He won't return my calls she sez.

I checked the new phone book and he is still in there.

Here's the question:

Burn his house down
Call and offer him a cup of coffee or
Sign him up for ics and cleanfax and hope he figures it out on his own?

Any of you ever called up a clueless competitor and actually had one listen to you?

Thanks,

Trevor

PS I live in a market of about 50,000 and have been cleaning since '99. This is the first time I've heard of any competitors charging stupid-cheap prices.

 

[XTREME1]

subcontract him

 

[Trevor Truitt]

Heh, I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Kevin B]

I'd call him up, and go have coffee with him.

 

[Trevor Truitt]

Kevin,

You remember any lowballers when you were down here?

Thanks,

Trevor

 

[hogjowl]

My suggestion is for you to keep him around any way you can.

1) It will keep you impressed with your pricing.

2) It will constantly provide you with posting material of BB quality.

 

[Art Kelley]

Don't even worry about it. The poor bastard made a mistake, probably priced the job on the phone based on her telling him she wanted two sofas done without mentioning that they were sectionals. He did the job that one time. Notice he won't touch her with a ten foot pole now. If she gets lucky she'll find another poor schnook to make the same mistake. Chances are you will have no further dealings with her. Not exactly a great loss.

 

[Scott Hayward]

$12.00 per hour. Wow!

I'll consider a chair for $85.00.

He must have been working quick to get two sectionals and some stairs done in three hours. That is about as much square footage as an aircraft carrier.

I say...send him a lottery ticket and the subscription to one of the magazines you mentioned.

Scott

 

[Desk Jockey]

"Stupid is as Stupid does"
Brian "Gump" Luddy

 

[Kevin B]

Kevin,

You remember any lowballers when you were down here?

Thanks,

Trevor

ROFL, I didn't even know you were in my old HOOD! Oh, there were a few mom and pop's running around. Heck, it was the only way they could get work with Kingsley in business.

Your name sounds familiar, have I met you?

 

[TimP]

Hell my TM cost me 5 bucks an hour. At 12 per hour it would be like paying them to clean.

 

[Ken Snow]

good one marty

 

[floorguy]

yeah one i talked about earlier...$.05 a ft to clean is "what he would go down to" :shock:


I mean huge areas cimexing I might THINK about it...shoot the theater we just did on halls long open areas..(no gum worries) and i charged .12...


they just aggrevate me, that schmuck was still running 15' 1.5 whip hose, single jet wand that had the jet 6" off the carpet...oh yeah no glide either...

 

[Dolly]

Yea, Marty does come up with them doesn't he ken.........


That is why we need to keep him around here
:wink:

 

[Ron Werner]

I talked to a guy once, $50 bachelor, $40 minimum. Those are his current prices!

He didn't really give me a chance to talk about how I cleaned. He was very happy cleaning his way.

I refer a lot of work his way. A lot of moveouts! Pg 107 in the YPs.

 

[TimP]

Don't worry it wont take long before they run themselves out of business. Some people have no clue what it takes to run their business. So many people have such a hard time doing simple math. If you can't do math you definitely don't need to run your own business, it makes a recipe for financial ruin. You know I would really like to bump my prices up a good bit but I don't know if I want to be the highest person around being a rookie. I keep my price inline with the other cleaner in my area who I know cleans properly.

 

[steve r]

why worry about what others do?

 

[hogjowl]

Because the adrenaline rush that comes from the allusion of grandeur is addictive.

 

[Dolly]

How true that can be, but sometimes it is more than that Marty.......

 

[rhyde]

i won't leave the shop for less than 200.

 

[Guest]

Yea, Marty does come up with them doesn't he ken.........

That is why we need to keep him around here
:wink:

Marty and dolly sitting in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G :shock:

 

[Jtuseo]

May be he charged her more and she is just lieing to you.She thinks if she tells you he did it for $85 you will to. Call him and ask him how much for a sectional and a staircase. See what he says. For all you know he could have a day job and after work he whores himself out for $85. The truth is if he did a good job she would call him back for the $85

 

[B&BGaryC]

About 6 or 7 times a year I would have to catch a customer lying to me. (At "Elite" Cleaning Co.) I would just call the secretary, have them pull up the old file, and tell them that the sofa and love seat cleaning they received for $55.00 with fabric protection actually cost them $240.00.

People are usually embarrassed enough when they get caught in a lie that they no longer have it in them to argue the price.

"And because of rising fuel costs that is going to be $280.00 this year..."

 

[Numero Uno]

Dude,you need to do nothing.Sounds like the twit is doing it to himself...Imploding...

 

[Kevin B]

About 6 or 7 times a year I would have to catch a customer lying to me. (At "Elite" Cleaning Co.) I would just call the secretary, have them pull up the old file, and tell them that the sofa and love seat cleaning they received for $55.00 with fabric protection actually cost them $240.00.

People are usually embarrassed enough when they get caught in a lie that they no longer have it in them to argue the price.

"And because of rising fuel costs that is going to be $280.00 this year..."

I have actually spoke to people on the phone who say stuff like "guy quoted me 40 bucks for these two rooms" ...>EH? Umm, maam, that was me on the phone, and since our M/C is 65.00 and would probably not cover these two rooms, I don't understand how that is possible.

 

[B&BGaryC]

I love it. I cleaned for a lady one year, and she lied to my face and said the bid included moving of all furniture. (Piano, loaded entertainment center, loaded bookshelves and china hutches etc.)

Also told me she was promised a senior discount.

I didn't budge. In fact, I dropped the invoice on the ground at her feet and walked out. Ended up doing the job though.

I got her again next year. She didn't recognize me because of my new facial hair and hairstyle. She told me the last guy gave her a senior discount and moved everything and it was only $100 bucks or something. (which it wasn't)

Memory is getting foggy on all the details, other than the old bat was a liar! (And a mormon)