Price is fine.....UNTIL...

PrimaDonna

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...They calculate your "hourly rate".

Ever had this happen to you?

synol.jpg


We always quote the scope of work ahead of time and get customer approval. After all they are paying for the service to be provided and for the result of clean carpet. If they didn't think it was a reasonable/fair price for the job/results, the objection usually comes up then.

The are delighted as you leave....and then after your gone they (or the spouse) figure out how much you "made and hour". Suddenly the price they paid for the service and results they wanted and was fine at the time, is too high (see comment above "even though you did a great job"...um isn't that what the price was for...for us to do the job and do it great?).

We've gotten....You make more than I do an hour....you make more than my lawyer charges per hour.....or my doctor....and you're only a "carpet cleaner" (probably didn't even go to college....).

I often want to say, "So what i"m hearing is that you would be okay with it if you paid the same amount and it took us all day to do your carpets and get the same results?" Or remind them that the price was fine for the "job" when we quoted it. You agreed it was a fair price for the "job" and that is what you paid for, "the job"....it shouldn't matter how long it took us if it was done and done "great" as you say..... But I don't, I bite my tongue.

Do you follow up with customers like this or just let it go? Do you follow up and take the time educate them that because of your knowledge, over 25 years of experience, (very expensive) truck mount, fine tuned systems and highly trained/skilled two man crew you are so efficient that is why you could do the job so quickly?

Or, ask, if a single guy with a portable, did the exact same "good job" but it took him all day to do it, why would they be comfortable with that hourly rate, yet it's a black mark against us cause we did it in two hours instead of 6 or 8?

I don't feel the need to justify, yet I do want to address the customer concern so they aren't left feeling like they were ripped off. Sometimes pointing it out in a tactful way helps them to see the value....but I suppose it could back fire too.

How have you dealt with this?....(and if you never have, then you're not charging enough.....LOL)
 
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Desk Jockey

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yes unfortunately we get a couple a year like that.

We just let it go unless it appears there was some miscommunication on our part. Otherwise we don't actually have a good resolution to the problem.

They wanted the service.
We performed the service to their satisfaction.
They have no issue with workmanship.
They knew what the price was prior to the work being processed.
Just nothing we can do to save this client. : (
 

PrimaDonna

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What did get cleaned?

What does that matter? Not trying to be flip, but seriously, why is that a factor. The price was fine for the scope of work when we quoted her....but then when it didn't take as long as they "thought" it should, to get the job done, it suddenly is too expensive.

But since you asked...here's the work order. (4 rooms, hall, stairs, scotchgard and bottle of spot cleaner).

upload_2015-10-2_22-10-57.png


Frankly from my perspective, with two guys on the job, they should have been there LESS than 2 hours to bang out this scope of work. So, I checked the production log.

  • Arrival at house 11:02.
  • Job start 11:43 (so it took 40 minutes for the walk though, data entry in to SM and all the hand holding/education - this was a first time client).
  • Job ended at 12:57
  • Departure time 1:05
  • Truck mount hours 2766.3-2767.5

Imagine her horror if she realized she paid that much for only an hour of actual "cleaning time".
 
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D Luke

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Meh. Don't take it personally.

Myself though, I wouldn't be happy with a $700 bill and the statement on my bill that wicking will be present in all of my traffic lanes. For $700 you better flush that junk out and speed dry it so I won't have any issues.

That's just me, good job on getting top dollar.
 

PrimaDonna

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My question is, will you put their comment on your website

Actually, I would.

I think it's important to show people that you are real....and sometimes people aren't happy. It's all in how you handle it that makes the difference. Likely this will go on our facebook page as a way to educate people or part of a poll....and use it as an "exhibit" when starting a discussion on the FB page about time vs. quality and doing the job right.

Reminds me of a story I used to use as part of one of my presentations in my previous job... called the boiler maker story:

There is an old story of a boilermaker who was hired to fix a huge steamship boiler system that was not working well.

After listening to the engineer’s description of the problems and asking a few questions, he went to the boiler room. He looked at the maze of twisting pipes, listened to the thump of the boiler and the hiss of the escaping steam for a few minutes, and felt some pipes with his hands. Then he hummed softly to himself, reached into his overalls and took out a small hammer, and tapped a bright red valve one time. Immediately, the entire system began working perfectly, and the boilermaker went home.

When the steamship owner received a bill for one thousand dollars, he became outraged and complained that the boilermaker had only been in the engine room for fifteen minutes and requested an itemized bill. So the boilermaker sent him a bill that reads as follows:
For tapping the valve: $.50
For knowing where to tap: $999.50
TOTAL: $1,000.00”

At the end of the day, education will most likely help you to find-a-job, while education combined with {insight x creativity} will enable you to define your future.

Point-to-remember: Lots of folks can & do “tap the valve” – very few know precisely where to tap & why. Be that tapper.
 

jcooper

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Don't let it bother ya, what are you going to do ? Tell them to slow down?!.....


You do have to admit.. That's a shat ton of dough for two hours of easy work. I'd frame the darn card!:rockon:
 
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PrimaDonna

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That's a shat ton of dough for two hours of easy work.

$350 per hour..... isn't too shabby, I think our best "average" was close to $800 per hour for carpet cleaning. Actually it may be more.

Keep in mind we get $2.00 sq. ft (residential) for tile and grout. 1000 sq. ft job (kitchen, foyer, mud/laundry room and powder room) easily done in 2 hours with one guy..so $2000, plus $1.25 per sq. ft for sealer adds on another $1250 total for $3250. Even if that took 4 hours to do with sealing, that's $812.50 per hour. So it's easy for us to get that much per hour for T&G.

Running a two man crew, we could do 2-3 jobs like that a day...we COULD, doesn't mean that IS what we do every day.
 

ruff

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The price is fine and it was qualified ahead.
Many people though bulk at the hourly, once they realize what it is. Can't make everybody happy. They either get over it or move on to another cleaner.

The $15.00 for the spotter feels cheap. At your prices you can more than afford to give it as a gift.
It's a simple principle of marketing. You get money and you give something back (beside the cleaning). It changes the feel of the transaction and does not give them the feeling that they are being milked.
 

PrimaDonna

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i doubt she's worth that rate, but after the job is too late to complain.

It amazes me everyday what people are willing to pay with out a second thought, when you are tapped in to the right demographic. I didn't grow up like that, so its quite an adjustment. I'm used to it now though. But every once in a while I pinch myself.

You may not think we are worth it (Marty)...but people do, and then keep using us.

Honestly, only we get a card/call like this a few times a year. I'll take if that's all we get out of all the jobs we complete a year. The proof is in the referral and repeat business we generate. That wouldn't happen if people didn't think we were "worth" it.
 
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WillS

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Those prices are nuts, at least for our area. Good job for getting that type of $$. I thought it was ridiculous when the guy repairing my refrigerator wanted $620 for an 45 minutes worth of work. I guess that's why you master in a certain trade to make that.

When I tell someone $135 for 3 rooms, sometimes I hear... that is to high. I explain that we clean with HOST, the best product that leaves no residue. That is why we are a bit more expensive than others. :)

F...
 

ruff

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What's the cost of a small McMansion in Vegas?
$125,000.00? And that is after the recovery from the real estate bubble.

Which will not buy you a garage in the Bay Area or any large metropolitan area.
Do not judge the price in another part of the country by the prices at yours. And if they get it and stay busy, that is a sure sign (the best sign) that their clients think that they are getting value in return.

They wouldn't come back otherwise.
 
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WillS

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What's the cost of a small McMansion in Vegas?
$125,000.00? And that is after the recovery from the real estate bubble.

Which will not buy you a garage in the Bay Area or any large metropolitan area.
Do not judge the price in another part of the country by the prices at yours. And if they get it and stay busy, that is a sure sign (the best sign) that their clients think that they are getting value in return.

I'm not judging the price, I'm just saying those are nut$$. I read the avg invoice size that SM estimates by state and understand pricing is different all over.

It does depend on how busy you stay. Not everyone can afford $700 for 5 areas to be cleaned, including hallway. How many houses are you servicing weekly Meg?

Protectant obviously helps add to those ticket price$
 

Dmreed4311

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Those prices are nuts, at least for our area. Good job for getting that type of $$. I thought it was ridiculous when the guy repairing my refrigerator wanted $620 for an 45 minutes worth of work. I guess that's why you master in a certain trade to make that.

When I tell someone $135 for 3 rooms, sometimes I hear... that is to high. I explain that we clean with HOST, the best product that leaves no residue. That is why we are a bit more expensive than others. :)

F...
But Host is far from" the best" might be close to the worst.
 
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Jimmy L

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I had that same thought about when my mechanic took an hour to fix my car and charged me $180.
But being the mature wise man that I am I understood his overhead and his expertise was worth it.

But Meg we've all gone thru these types of customers as well as you have. There is no winning the argument with them.
And you should have come to your own conclusions a long time ago. Typically when I meet people carpet cleaners or not and they put out how much money they make I pause..........and then..............think.........they are.............bragging.
 

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