how far into a phone call....

[Mike Draper]

can you tell that they are wasting your time?
Having been at it a little over 9 years now I can tell most of the time in the first 10 seconds if they are a price shopper and wasting my time.
Sometimes I get tricked by folks who sound genuinely interested in my cleaning services only to realize about 2 minutes into the phone call that they are lonely people who just want to talk about every minor detail of your business and then call the next guy and do the same until they get to the cheapest guy.
I try to be quick efficient in my calls. I rarely if ever try to sell myself on the phone. If they are not interested I get off the phone as fast as I politely can.
Most of the time people are very polite and want the same.

 

[Able 1]

Having my wife answer the phone has been one of my best moves ever! For 9 years I listened to life stories I was not interested to listen to.. People in general can talk me out of money, I'm too nice.. My wife on the other hand, well she has been great!lol

I haven't answered a call I over a year.. LOVE IT!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Sometimes just seconds. The tone of voice, the volume level, the questions being asked tell you they are NOT your client.

 

[Nate The Great]

I tend to hang up when I hear dog/cat pee... They call back and I hang up again...

 

[Mikey P]

Miele where are these shoppers finding you?

 

[Scott S.]

had a lady call yesterday for fur cleaning, i asked her to repeat herself just to make sure i wasn't hearing her wrong. I told her that she should contact a dry cleaner for the fur, she snipped back and said " i thought you guys would know how" i replied "usually we don't get cleaning calls for Fur since we are a carpet cleaning company". gave her a suggestion for the local dry cleaner.

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

We get sent what ever the dry cleaner doesn't want to process. Generally delicate stuff that requires a lot of hand work.

 

[Brian H]

I have taken thousands and thousands of cleaning calls over the years and what I have found is that you never really know when someone is just price shopping and wasting your time.

Many a time I assumed that the person was just price checking as they ask the price for every little thing and ask a multitude of questions. Based on the way the conversation was going, I would KNOW it would be an waste of a call. And then at the end they say okay, let's book it!!

So, you never REALLY know!!!

 

[Desk Jockey]

So, you never REALLY know!!!

I agree but with some exceptions.

"HOW Much?"
"I just need someone to come over with a wet vac"
"You guarantee urine removal right?"
"You guarantee spot removal, right?"
"We rent and I need you to do a really good job so I can get my deposit back"

etc etc

 

[Ken692]

When I say no cant or won't do it, they cant believe it. Some people just waited to long and it's a mess.
I hate to pass on any job! Then I get the other guy said he was going to do the tile the carpet and hard wood and scotch guard it for $200
I'm like #%*^&@

 

[Ed Valentine]

Mike;

Very interesting reading your experience regarding inquiries. because at this end of the spectrum, its all the same!
A large majority ask a million and one questions asking another before we have answered the very last one. This is an indication that they are not listening and will ask that same question once again if they purchase in the first place.
For them, I think its similar to a FREE education of the facts and common sense approach/answers and they will hang on the phone because they have no one else to talk to. Unfortunately, for us, if we cut them off even if we are correct in doing so (after an hour on the phone!!!), they may go on these boards and cry-cry-cry like a baby.

It's a tough situation and one that is hard to deal with well beyond the "theories and recommendations".

best and good post;
Ed Valentine
cross-American corp.

 

[Zee]

I'm with Hanna, many times I get the "total price shopper" feel...only to have the customer realize, that it's better if I ask the questions not them. That way I can be more informative and quicker to the point of what they need.

Most people on the phone, don't know what else to ask but "how much" and "how long does it take to dry". I try to steer them away from that as quickly as I can. To be able to sell them on the benefit of why they should book with us. And why it shouldn't matter what they thought was the right price.

 

[Mike Draper]

Miele where are these shoppers finding you?

I do business with one local phonebook. I love the family who runs this small business and I can never tell them no. They advertise for all the cleaners, but they refer me to everybody. I havent turned a profit in 5 years on their phonebook. Anyhow, this is where the shoppers are coming from. I decided today that I am going to have to tell them I think they are wonderful people, but I just cannot advertise with them anymore. I lose money and even worse, lots of time with price shoppers. It is driving me crazy.

 

[Desk Jockey]

You have to tell them it's not personal, it's business. It just doesn't make good business sense to continue to do so and you can no longer afford to continue.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I'm with Hanna, many times I get the "total price shopper" feel...only to have the customer realize, that it's better if I ask the questions not them. That way I can be more informative and quicker to the point of what they need.

Most people on the phone, don't know what else to ask but "how much" and "how long does it take to dry". I try to steer them away from that as quickly as I can. To be able to sell them on the benefit of why they should book with us. And why it shouldn't matter what they thought was the right price.

I agree.....I get a sense pretty quick when I need to take over the conversation and answer their questions quickly and to the point without them having to ask. Every now and then I will get someone who really wants to talk and if I'm not busy I will let them talk....they always end up using me because the very fact that I was willing to listen and converse with them makes them feel good about letting us into their home. There are many curt, cold service people out there and some people want and need to feel a connection with the person they are going to hire. I also tell them that it will be me doing the work and that absolutely thrills them. They end up becoming very long term customers who refer us to everyone they know.

 

[Scott S.]

i swear some of the rich little old ladies i clean for, hire me to clean their clean carpet so i can come and visit with them.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

i swear some of the rich little old ladies i clean for, hire me to clean their clean carpet so i can come and visit with them.

We had a baby faced young guy working for our cleaning company in the early 70's. He broke stuff, lost stuff, was late half the time, but the ladies would always call and ask for that "sweet little boy" to come and clean their carpet. He always came back with cookies, slices of cake and pie, and tips.

We NEVER had a complaint on his work. Or if we did, we were told that someone had to come back and help him because we worked him too hard and anything that went wrong had to be our (management's) fault

 

[Scott S.]

aww the cookies, holidays are the best.

 

[Old Coastie]

Most customers simply don't know any other question. Can't blame 'em, but they do deserve to know what they'll get for the money before hearing the price.

People mostly want their money's worth. The cheapskates have already been burned by the $10/room guys and mostly don't want to repeat the experience.

More of a friendly chat than a sales pitch.