Aggravated!

[Royal Man]

The trouble with price shoppers is they are most apt to be loyal the the next low price guy to come along.

Low Ballers may die. But, there is always another or two that takes it's place.

Whenever i bend a price it bites me in the butt by being the pickiest, dirtiest, pain in the ass clients.

When the client that pays 2-3 times the rate has relatively clean carpet and they love you to death. (Not in the Daniel way.)and they recommend you to their friends that are just like them.

 

[joe harper]

d day..... :!:

My post was specifically addressed to "BILLY"..... :roll:

I happen to LIKE Billy...and have spoken to him on the phone...!

I was JUST pointing out that what works for ONE..doesn't work for ALL...!

IF...you were familiar with Billy's equipment "VORTEX"..."HE cannot CRANK IT.."

And go do $89.00 JOBS.. :!: His COST are TOO high.... !gotcha!

It has NOTHING to do with "self -esteem"...THE #'s ...will NOT work... :!: :!: :!:






ps...I would have LOVED to be a Doctor or a Lawyer.... 8)
But.... "MY LIFESTYLE"...could NOT afford the "PAY CUT"... :shock: :mrgreen:

It is much more FUN...to "Play one"...on the MB.... !gotcha!
Much in the way you "Play a CC GuRu"..... :roll:


From your profile...look's like you have 1 truck...? and you do NOT do water damage...?
25 years in the BIZ..."somewhere"...in the usa...? Where do you get your INFO....?
Did you recently...."STAY IN A HoliDaYiNN eXpRess"...??????

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I can't help myself.

I do very good, but I could do better if I converted more calls into booked jobs.

Harper knows my plan.

I will have my unmarked plain truck taking care of all the price shoppers for cash come the first of the year under a different company name. I will not be present on one job EVER.

I had a lady call wanting three rooms done the other day. I told her we do free estimates but the price would be around 125 for cleaning. She says I found someone that would do the job for 85. Of course she did. Hell 85 is high for a price shopper.

This is what will happen next. Well mam our price is 125, but I can refer you to another company (my second company) that can do the job for around 70 dollars. You know what will happen next.

No more loosing jobs because my price is 40 dollars higher. If the customer wants a cheap hacked out job bonnet cleaning five rooms in thity minutes for 75 dollars, fine by me. Just bring me the cash. If they want tm cleaning, they can have that done as well, but they will pay more. And yes those jobs will be upsold. I don't care about referrals or repeats. Just bring me the cash.

Most cleaners that operate off coupons will never have a referral business with decent pricing. If you are a good cleaner that works off referrals and cares about your customers, you already have done the hard part. You have built a real business. Now do the easy part and get that money from those price shoppers.

 

[Royal Man]

????????????????
I can't do it for $125 But, I'll do it for $70???

You don't care about referral or repeats???

That's the easy money!!!

Who cares about price shoppers. I don't

With the right marketing Clients will seek you out based on all the things you offer more important than price.

Anyway, If you are not present at the jobs how will you fantasize about your sexcapades with your clients?

 

[Brian R]

I'm to the point where I don't want to lose the job...I don't appear desperate but I will work with a workable customer.

They will in fact get what they pay for...as will someone priceshopping a plumber or a doctor.

That's just marketing life.

You can be THAT company that keeps it all one price

Or you can do what Daniel does...and others...and figure out a way to make money from every person that calls you.

THAT is good business.

Harper....pride bud...one of the 7 deadlies. !gotcha!

And don't tell me you couldn't service a lower paying customer by cutting your bells and whistles down.
Your other customers might get mad but you just tell them the same thing....you get what you pay for.

Even Walmart has different prices on TVs etc.

 

[joe harper]

Here is a LITTLE nugget... :idea:

NEVER FEAR the low-ball..B&S..operator.... :roll:

If ANYTHING..."promote them".... :shock:

When you have a "price shopper"...REFER them to the WORST scum-bag cleaner you know..!

Just tell the client ...that your expenses will NOT allow you to compete with those PRICES..

EXPLAIN that you have VERY GOOD "long term" employees and they need to make a
decent living...!

DO NOT BAD-MOUTH the company... :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

ALWAYS let them know ....that if they are NOT satisfied with the company's work... :?:

That your company will be MORE THAN HAPPY...to offer them a FREE estimate... thathurts

ps WE all KNOW...I have a NEW company in MY area...
WE LOVE...promoting their company.... :mrgreen:


Most of these companies .....have a HisToRy of complaints and poor service.... :idea:
IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE "BAD" NEWS......"To traVeL".... :idea:

 

[joe harper]

I'm to the point where I don't want to lose the job...I don't appear desperate but I will work with a workable customer.

They will in fact get what they pay for...as will someone price shopping a plumber or a doctor.

That's just marketing life.

You can be THAT company that keeps it all one price

Or you can do what Daniel does...and others...and figure out a way to make money from every person that calls you.

THAT is good business.

Harper....pride bud...one of the 7 deadlies. !gotcha!

And don't tell me you couldn't service a lower paying customer by cutting your bells and whistles down.
Your other customers might get mad but you just tell them the same thing....you get what you pay for.

Even Walmart has different prices on TVs etc.

GO TO YOUR ROOM ...dOuCHbAG... :roll:

This has NOTHING to do with MaRkEtinG... :x

This has to DO with a BUSINESS MODLE....AND SETTING POLICY..... :!:

These are REAL business decisions.....SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE.... :roll:

WHEN YOU POST THE "TRUTH"..on your website...That you ONLY use SUBCONTRACTOR'S
@ "SLAVE WAGES"......

You can OFFER your Opinion... :idea:

Until then your SCAM is a PHRAUD on the consumer.... blowme

"Sorry if that hUrTs...BERNIE.... thathurts

You going to move this thread to your DeaD rOOm....Tooooo... :roll:



PS....the SIN is VANITY.... not "pride"....:roll:
You are NEVER right...

 

[Ron Werner]

From what I read, two women found cheaper cleaners and because they bailed on you, you were able to land a better job. Happens to me all the time. One person will cancel only to open the time slot to be filled with a better client.

You'll never be able to "be the cleaner" for all people. While you can have your premium cleaning system, don't cheapen it by dropping your price. Its one part I agree with Dday, which I learned from other cleaners, you decrease the level of service and therefore the price in order to meet their budget. At a certain point you have to be willing to walk. Its one of the hardest things I've had to learn. Let the price shoppers go. You'll never build a solid busn on price shoppers.

Reminds me of a funny quote Ken Snow made: We don't get price shoppers! :roll:

You also need some way to distinguish yourself from other cleaners. When someone calls and says they can get "the same cleaning for $79 that you quoted $150" you have to be able to say; "Yes maam, you can get your cleaning for $79 but it is not the same cleaning" and tell her why. While some guys will come in at 79, even if they upsell to 200, the custy is only going to get a $79 value cleaning. A good owner operator would quote $150 and not upsell the extra 50 but they will get a $150 value job.


Good point Harper.

Now what was it that dday said? There, found it:

1) The level of skill required to be a competent carpet cleaner is no where near that required for the trades mentioned above. We are not doctors or surgeons, lawyers or accountants, electricians or plumbers. So what? No one "price shops" for a neurosurgeon. But carpet cleaning is not brain surgery, now is it? There is no shame in being a carpet cleaner, so do not let yourself fall into the "self-esteem" trap that causes many o/o's to pass over dollars for no sound business reason but only that of pride.

Now a carpet cleaner isn't a brain surgeon, but there in lies one of the biggest challenges in the industry. Any idiot can become a carpet cleaner.... and often does. These are the guys you want to distance yourself from. There may not be the learning curve an electrician needs but you do need some level of competence.

So hang in there Billy. Enjoy the better job and ask for referrals from that client. Don't lose any sleep over the other two, they'll get exactly what they paid for.

 

[ruff]

David,
Ken Snow's position comes out of a multi van operation with water damage and rug cleaning departments.

Schedules can be planned very tight, short driving distances and a service can be a loss leader for other streams of profit. The greater good of the company etc. It can not be compared to an owner operator, a completely different animal.

I am sure Ken provides great value for the price. However, if his employees rely on added sales to make a better living, whether he admits it or not, there is going to be some overt and non overt pressure on the client for up sells. It is human nature. And it makes the whole relationship with the client a different one. May be very profitable, but, different.

No matter what are the words you dress it with, if you are willing to take your price down substantially, the word is going to get around that your prices are negotiable. Clients that paid full price will be furious with you if they find out and they will.

The client in the original post did not want to reduce the price to the lower service package. They wanted to lower the price below the cheapest level, so your analogy does not seem relevant. What would you have provided her with? The garden hose washing?

Now, I would not have had a truck charge. Also, I would have voluntarily given a discount for doing next door neighbors, since there is no travel time and less set up time. When it costs me less I pass the savings to the client.

Yes, money in the pocket is better than none. And when you need to compromise you do. However, consequences of choices made, can be long lasting.
Make sure that they are the right ones.
Because you are going to live with them for a long time.

 

[joeynbgky]

This isnt an isolated incident.. I raised my prices last month in a monthly coupon book... December.. comes out the first.. For the last 3 years this is what i got from it......... 1st year 42 calls 2nd year 44 3rd year 45... All at 3 n hall for 79.. This year I raided my prices for this book.. I did the big mike style one story and 2 story for 135 and 189...... Guess how many calls I got off of it this year?


NONE I am very upset. its hard to beat these cheap guys... Billy I feel you! I am having the same problem in Bowling Green!
But the nashville market responds better to high prices than low for some reason.

 

[joe harper]

NEWS FLASH........ :!: :!: :!: :!:

IF YOU ADVERTISE "PRICE"......YOU ARE A "PRICE SHOPPER" MagNeT..... :roll:


@ 79.00......you are begging for the "price shopper"....SMALLER jobs & lower income client...

@ 139.00....You just "LOST"...your targeted client..."for your TYPE of CHEAP advertising"


EDUCATED...and middle to upper INCOME...clients..."RUN" from these LOWER prices... !gotcha!

If you choose to ADVERTISE in these types of MEDIUM's....DO NOT PUT ANY PRICE... :shock:

AT LEAST....They will CALL...!!!

WHEN you advertise OUT of their "PRICE RANGE"....YOU HAVE ELIMINATED 95% of the book.!!

ps..Have you "EVER"...seen a BMW dealer advertise in a "VAL PAC".... :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[BLewis]

Well, I'm up and ready to leave for my BNI meeting in a few. To be honest I was really more aggravated when I went to bed than I was yesterday morning when I came back to the office from the two cancelled jobs. You would think the $220 church spot job and the fact that I know I made the connection with the lady that will allow me to land the bigger job in late spring.

Harp, I really enjoyed your post this morning and to be frank it put me at ease that I had done the correct thing for me at the moment. As to the Vortex, well it's not that it really increases my cost of doing business so much because it is paid for. However, I know that I will eventually have to get another either it being an add on or replacement and that unit will be costing me monthly.

Most of my aggravation did not come from losing the price shopper (new customer) that lived in a 400k home it was that it appeard as if I had lost my repeat customer that had given me such a testimonial when I arrived and did her job the first time, how she had called her husband and was so tickled that a respectible, clean shaven, well dressed and groomed carpet cleaner had shown up to do their work today and had done a very good job as well. I left her a message about my concerns that we had done something wrong to lose her business, and the fact that we had dropped the truck fee since the last time I had serviced her. I also told her that I look forward to servicing her in the future should the need arise. I really feel that she was put in a situation from her neighbor/friend. She had referred us to her neighbor and hince this was partly what left be baffled and aggravated.

It will be interesting to see if this customer calls back in the spring and schedules us again. For some reason I think that she will.

I must say that this has been a very interesting post, I did not think that so many valuable insights would be shared for my "Aggravated" post. Heck, I might decide to post more often when something is bothering me. I'm not one to lower my level of service for a lower price because I have a very hard time doing anything half arse. However, there have been times when I pre-scrubbed in certain situations and only charge $25 more and sometimes no more if it was for a referral from a another client. I have tried to stay away from the ICS rules of pricing to build our business in the early years, and I have also tried to stay above the lower priced companies. I know that I am missing the worst and best situations but I like and feel comfortable with the clients that we get currently.

We are up 58% this year YTD and for a company entering it's 3rd year I really don't know where that is compared to where it should be. Our profit margin has had a big increase of over 100% YTD and that is just from me learning the ropes and applying those strategies that I used to coach when it the restaurant business.

The biggest point that d day made that struck me right between the eyes was it would have been better to have made the $158 than to be posting on MB about my aggravation and that lesson has been learned. Harper I enjoyed our couple of conversations on the phone and you really helped me in making up my mind on some business decisions and I thank you for that. I also think you learned alot about me on things unsaid instead of things said.

These are the types of responses that really helps newbies and not quite so newbys learn about this business. In 34 years in the restaurant business I rarely came across anything that had not crossed my patch before, and often I can draw from those experiencs in this business but I swear I learn every single day and thrown new challenges every day and that's what I love about it.

 

[Royal Man]

NEWS FLASH........ :!: :!: :!: :!:

IF YOU ADVERTISE "PRICE"......YOU ARE A "PRICE SHOPPER" MagNeT..... :roll:


@ 79.00......you are begging for the "price shopper"....SMALLER jobs & lower income client...

@ 139.00....You just "LOST"...your targeted client..."for your TYPE of CHEAP advertising"


EDUCATED...and middle to upper INCOME...clients..."RUN" from these LOWER prices... !gotcha!

If you choose to ADVERTISE in these types of MEDIUM's....DO NOT PUT ANY PRICE... :shock:

AT LEAST....They will CALL...!!!

WHEN you advertise OUT of their "PRICE RANGE"....YOU HAVE ELIMINATED 95% of the book.!!

ps..Have you "EVER"...seen a BMW dealer advertise in a "VAL PAC".... :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

PLEASE NOTE: This was said by the guy that just said "This post has nothing to do about marketing."

Now back to the thread,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Dolly Llama]

I wish I could say that I am as rich and well-to-do as your typical bulletin board carpet cleaner

sure you can.....in the land of mAke beliEve...all things are possible...... :mrgreen:


some observations and thoughts ...

first, my "sixth sense" (which is uncanny and exceptionally reliable... 8) ) tells me Billy is genuinely a "good dude" ..perhaps a "bit" naive to slick salesmen's spin/hype, but a good man ...the kind you'd love to have as a neighbor and/or friend.
I, and many others I'm sure want to him realize his goals

The electrician and plumber analogy often used is apples and oranges .
"most" homeowners can't install a hot water heater, cut roots out of a drain line in the yard or replace a broken toilet flange.
nor can most fish wires thru a wall to add a plug or box for ceiling fan , or upgrade their old 60 amp box to 100 or 200 amp service .


However "any" homeowner can go to the local grocery store to rent a rUg dOctor and buy a gallon of soap.
THAT, my friend Harpo, is why we'll never be seen in the same light as the skilled trades.
(Similar for painters and lawn care outfits )

cause even prices for the "skilled" contractors are all up a down the board too
and there's just as many "hacks" in those trades as top tier quality outfits...and everything in between


Know your cost of doing biz and price according to that.
You only know YOUR costs of doing biz (or should anyway) ...not the other guy's


It's not always a bad thing for a custy to try "the other outfit".
Cause then they have something to compare ...

If they call you back the following year, you'll likely have that custy for life and they'll never use anyone else .
if they don't call you back.... examine why.
Some things you'll have control over...like efficiency/productivity gains to be more competitive in a tight market
and somethings you can't control...like he just had a better personality


truth is, all things being equal....the mediocre CC'er with a great personality will do better than the worlds greatest wand slinger with the personality of a stump


..L.T.A.

 

[joe harper]

Dave,

I am trying to be more civil in my post to you....

Let me .."AGAIN"..acknowledge that marketing is necessary piece of the pie...!!!

HOWEVER..."If you have been in this business more than 5 years." and are spending
a large amount of your profit's in marketing ..."You probably have a MUCH MORE SERIOUS
problem in your business structure...!"

If you are a O/O...or a 2 truck operation...YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO RETAIN YOUR CLIENT'S...!

LEES than 1% of this board are "multi-truck"...operations...&...less than 5% have those
ambition's.. :idea: There are many more PROCEDURES and FACETS of this business than
marketing..!

Sooo...every thread will have a certain amount of "marketing" information contained with-in..!

The BEEF...I have with you and MARY...IS....YOU GUYS ONLY POST suggested Solution's
that are "cookie-cutter" marketing IdeaS...!

In "theory"....you should only have to BUY the client ONCE... :!: "Then your customer
service & quality of work...SHOULD RETAIN THEM...." :roll:

I also realize that many on this board ...truly believe in Internet marketing.... 8)

I do NOT...we are a more conventional company...! We are skilled in targeting our
client's..."SIMPLY through LOCAL NAME RECOGNITION...! It works for US...!!!!

IMO...Many will never overcome the un-nessary fees to pay to be #1 on GOOGLE,
pay per clicks,SEO Fees,Service Monster,and Full Circle... :roll:

UNLESS...they are producing a $200 K single truck operation...YOU are wasting your money..
Use that capital to re-tool, buy uniforms, educate techs, Offer more services....IMAGE...IMAGE...IMAGE...! SERVICE...SERVICE...SERVICE...!

STEP-UP THEIR IMAGE.... :!: :!: :!: AND CHARGE MORE MONEY..... :!: :!: :!:

 

[Steve Toburen]

Dave,

I am trying to be more civil in my post to you....
In "theory"....you should only have to BUY the client ONCE... :!: "Then your customer
service & quality of work...SHOULD RETAIN THEM...."

Agreed. It is interesting that "the more things change the more they remain the same". I feel Harper's frustration with this new industry wide love affair with the Internet is his well-founded concern that people may be forgetting the basics of our business. I built my business on the same concepts that Harper has and is running his right now. Remember ...

You can have the highest ranking web site in your area but if you can't consistently create Cheerleaders or at the very least retain your customers as long term clients then your business model is going to be a long, tough slog.

Steve Toburen
www.SFS.JonDon.com

PS On the other hand, I also understand where Dave and Brian are coming from. The Internet is such an incredible marketing opportunity to "jump start" a young business it would silly to ignore the opportunity. (I'm not talking about a well-entrenched operation like yours, Harper.) Over the last 14 years I've worked with close to 3,000 carpet cleaners in the SFS program. Everyone loves the concept of "Making the Cheerleader" (which is what I think Harper's 'rant" above is about) and many have built their business around this worthy goal.

BUT I've had many frustrated newbys come up to me at the end of the class and say, "Great, Steve! I buy in! BUT right here, right now- how do I get my phone to ring! I have to have my first clients before I can create Cheerleaders and then it sometimes takes years for those referrals to roll in. Meanwhile I have a wife and kids to feed!" So there is a definite place for the strategies that Dave and Brian are sharing too. "Can't we all just get along?"

 

[joe harper]

Steve,

While ..I respect yours and Jon Don's effort to educate...! "Great Program"

Do SFS...ever just look at the NEWBIE...that just left you with that :?:

And say..."You know what KID.." Here is your $1000.00 back..!!! Go get a JOB..!!!

You are NOT going to make it in this BIZ...

Or to you feel that .....You have provided them with the BEST info to succeed... :?:

I WOULD BE WILLING to BET....That after 5 minutes..."That you can pick out who
does NOT have a chance to succeed...." "JUST BY THEIR PHSYICAL APPERANCE"


ps.."It just reminds me of the documentaries....Of the Host...Filming a poor African child
DiEinG of starvation....with flies all over their face...as the crew film's their pitiful death. :x

CAN'T SOMEONE JUST GIVE THE POOR CHILD A SANDWICH..... :roll:

 

[BLewis]

Steve
PS I recently wrote a three part ICS series on "Dealing with the Value Client' which basically means how to negotiate with a price haggling, high end customer and still keep your dignity and your profit margin. Matt is installing MS Office 2010 on my computer so i can't access them. I'll try to post some of the high points tomorrow.


Just a reminder, I have a nice collection of your series however I searched and do not have this particular one. "Dealing with the Value Client"

And I promise to make it to SFS sometime this year if I can find an availability somewhat close to me. I'll even do enough $158 jobs that it will be the same as FREE!

 

[Steve Toburen]

Steve
PS I recently wrote a three part ICS series on "Dealing with the Value Client' which basically means how to negotiate with a price haggling, high end customer and still keep your dignity and your profit margin. Matt is installing MS Office 2010 on my computer so i can't access them. I'll try to post some of the high points tomorrow.


Just a reminder, I have a nice collection of your series however I searched and do not have this particular one. "Dealing with the Value Client"

And I promise to make it to SFS sometime this year if I can find an availability somewhat close to me. I'll even do enough $158 jobs that it will be the same as FREE!

Sorry, Billy, I haven't morphed that series into one of my much-abused-on-here free Special Reports. However, I cut and pasted part of it into a different thread and here it is again.

Also my geography isn't real good on Kentucky but my guess is Atlanta will be the closest to you- February 21-25. (Oh, and by the way, all ya gotta do is buy your juice from Jon-Don or 5K of anything else and you can attend SFS free.)

Steve Toburen
http://www.SFS.JonDon.com

Here is some of my "How to Haggle and Still Keep Your Dignity/Profit Margin Intact" copy:

Here is the good news- when a client asks you for a better (lower) price they in fact are saying, “Yes! I want to buy from you! All we have to do now is negotiate a bit.” (If your prospect doesn’t want to do business with you they will dump you and the conversation very quickly.) By following this seven step “negotiating script” you will move your prospect from haggling to buying. So what DOES the customer want from you?

1. Empathize- Remember that “value shopping” is a new concept for your clients too. So many people are tentative, even embarrassed, when asking you for a better deal. So immediately reach out to the customer with a “common ground” response, “I understand, Mrs. Jones. We’re all trying to get the most ‘bang for the buck’ today. (smile) So let’s review the proposal …” At this point you are going to …

2. Morph into a consultant- Your customer thought they were asking you to drop your prices. You on the other hand are going to “deliberately misunderstand the client” and start analyzing how to change the job specs to justify giving them a lower price. The philosophy you want to convey here is “my prices are fixed but let’s see how we can achieve ‘the clean you need at a price you can afford’.” (Heck, that isn’t a bad Selling Statement to remember!) You will start the process when you give the prospect the …

3. “Illusion of Control”- The home owner doesn’t want to be in full control of their carpet cleaning. (If they did, they would have been down at the local Ace Hardware store renting a Rug Doctor!) However, your prospective customer wants to feel in control, both in the job scope and the pricing. By you consulting with and then building an “affordable job” around what the customer shares with you they will feel validated and in control which will lead to them booking the job with you! The home owner receives this all-important Illusion of Control when you …

4. Interview the client- So many times a carpet cleaner will emotionally “draw a line in the sand” on the job price by adopting a defensive, even hostile posture when the customer just wants to feel “listened to” and in control. Give your customer control by interviewing them using “Valid Business Questions” (VBQ’s) such as, “What areas are the biggest priorities for you?” or “Where do you have the most traffic?” or “What (or where) are the worst spots and stains in your home?” The longer you can keep the home owner actively involved in answering these VBQ’s the better because you want to …

5. Benefit from the ROI principle- Basic business psychology tells us that the longer you keep the customer involved in the sales process using “VBQ’s” the more likely it is that they will want a “return on their time invested”. And what is the ONLY WAY they can get a good return? Bingo! By having you do the job! (This ROI principle of selling is used extensively by car dealers and real estate agents.) After you have thoroughly interviewed the home owner (and in the process built a professional relationship) you must now …

6. Present their alternatives- This “consultant selling” is based on the old sales concepts of you get to choose one of three flavors, “me, me or me”. In other words you take the information and priorities you received in the Cleaning Interview and massage it into three different price points that give the customer the best appearance possible for her budgeted amount while still giving you the profit percentage you need. After reviewing their options you must now …

7. “Ask for the order”- Due to the dreaded “fear of rejection” we will keep talking in circles instead of “popping the question”! This is a far too common way of losing the sale. Remember that IF you have followed the six steps above and IF the customer has agreed with and/or given their input on every point they really have been giving a steady stream of yes’s all along the way! So you have nothing to fear by using my Three Question Closing the Sale technique,
1. “So of these three options, Mrs. Jones, which one best meets your needs? SHUT UP and wait for her response.
2. “Great! Now are we working with any deadlines on getting this work done?” SHUT UP and wait for her response. If the answer is “No, any day works” you have yourself a YES! On the other hand, if she says, “Well, I’d like it done before my party next Friday …” even better! But if her answer is sort of vague then just move to my third Closing Question …
3. “Is there a day of the week that is better or worse for you?” Once again, SHUT UP and wait for her response. If she replies, “Tuesdays are really full around here” you have yourself a YES! If she says, “No any day works this week” it is another YES!

NOTE: I’ve focused the Seven Steps above on the residential market. But this same Value Shopper system works great in the price conscious contract commercial and janitorial market too. In fact, I have a Commercial Carpet Analysis Form free for the downloading.
http://sfs.jondon.com/1972/resources/pa ... t-analysis

 

[Mike Draper]

Well said by all. Know your costs, know what your market is and adjust as you feel you are able.

Ken
Ps We never need to lower our price to the 6.95 price point prospects, we advertise our pricing so they already are calling someone else. We get who we target, which is middle to upper middle class primarily with a healthy dose of upper class, esp in our rug care spa.

I agree with Ken. Our marketing is pointed towards middle to upper class. We write specific words in our advertising that make the price shoppers glaze over us and go to the next guy to price shop. I do get price shoppers, however, the majority of people I get calls from set up an appointment with us without asking many questions other than, "when can you get us in". Out of those who schedule with us, about 60% never ask about price. I do track how many of my clients and prospects ask about price so I know how my advertising is doing. when I show up at their house, I measure the house out and then give them the price options.

 

[Brian R]

Tons of really good info in this thread...I won't move it unless the initial poster wants me to.

Harper, it amazes me how you can be so right in one sentence and so wrong in another.

Sending people to a known company that will surely give them bad service is just irresponsible.

I don't think you really do that...but saying it is bad enough.

I think you are right about advertising lower prices....I've been testing that and I've come to the same conclusions.

I believe if you are spending more on marketing then you are either trying to grow OR yes, you are doing something wrong.

Dave and I have the same ideas somewhat. Try to get as much "free" marketing as possible...this includes the repeat customer and referrals etc and also the internet.

I don't think we are too far off from you claim to do in the customer service department...you just don't like somethings about us so you attack most things about us.

And yes, it is your pride.

 

[joe harper]

Why are you so concerned about moving threads..????????????????????????

Do you think as a MOD. That you are here to move GOOD threads to YouR rOOM... :roll:


The only REASON you have your BUTTON....Is to move the threads that have PILED-UP
sinse FOSTER left... :idea:

After you get THOSE cleaned -up...MikE will BOOT YOUR ASS TO THE CURB...."got it"

You got a TiTlE & a ToiLeT bRusH......Soooo GET TO WORK... :mrgreen:

ps.."How do you like working for FREE....!" Maybe you will learn a little bit about being a sUb..!




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BTW.....unless you "bump" a 6 month old thread...It looks like you are ALL ALONE
in your room.... You MigHt....consider a NEW .....mArkEtinG PlaN... :idea:

 

[Brian R]

I'm only supposed to move the marketing threads you moron. :roll:

I'm here to help, get help and have some fun...calm down Jr.

 

[joe harper]

I'm only supposed to move the marketing threads you moron. :roll:

I'm here to help, get help and have some fun...calm down Jr.

GOOD....

so...Pm...me before you move ANYTHING.... :mrgreen:

 

[Brian R]

Yeah I'll get right on that. !gotcha!

Remember to hold your breath

 

[ruff]

Steve,
As usual, you have some great advise.
What is not included is: When is it right, or actually good to let a client go.

All these tactics are valid and very helpful.

However, just as valid for a business owner is when to say no, or better yet: let the client say no.

Not every client can be converted. Not every carpet cleaner is an 'evangelist' (can convert every price shopper to a good client.)

You make an effort and you try hard and sometime, you are better off letting some clients go.

Trust me on that one!

 

[Ken Snow]

"sure you can.....in the land of mAke beliEve...all things are possible...... "

Good one larry!

 

[Steve Toburen]

Not every client can be converted. Not every carpet cleaner is an 'evangelist' (can convert every price shopper to a good client.)

You are "preaching to the crowd", Ofer!

Yes, I DID occasionally fire a client. My point is the need for this is few and far between and many (if not most) of these "Value Shoppers" CAN be "converted". As my mother always used to say, "It doesn't cost anything to TRY".

Steve Toburen
www.SFS.JonDon.com

PS Too often we forget a key business principle: "Run your business on the emotions of your customers but never make business decisions emotionally."

 

[ruff]

Not every client can be converted. Not every carpet cleaner is an 'evangelist' (can convert every price shopper to a good client.)

You are "preaching to the crowd", Ofer!

Yes, I DID occasionally fire a client. My point is the need for this is few and far between and many (if not most) of these "Value Shoppers" CAN be "converted". As my mother always used to say, "It doesn't cost anything to TRY".

Steve Toburen
http://www.SFS.JonDon.com

PS Too often we forget a key business principle: "Run your business on the emotions of your customers but never make business decisions emotionally."

How many in the crowd Steve?
P.S. I never, ever fired a client.
I am not in the business of 'Firing' a client.
The rare ones that I really did not want, I gave them an 'offer they could refuse' (usually a very very high price) as to encourage them not to employ me.

2nd P.S. I definitely don't make decisions emotionally, however I don't run it on my clients emotions either.
Yes, Yes, I know what you mean. (No links please )

But some of them clients emotions are pretty down right certified wacky.
I Just try to stay on an even keel with all due clients' necessary emotional confirmation and re affirmation !gotcha!

 

[Steve Toburen]

I Just try to stay on an even keel with all due clients' necessary emotional confirmation and re affirmation !gotcha!

Agreed.

Steve Toburen
www.SFS.JonDon.com

PS I gotta go get my rest now. Tomorrow is clear liquids only (non-alcoholic) and then the gut clearing out bombs at 4:00 and 7:00 PM for an early morning colonoscopy Thursday morning. I'll be posting a link for the full video of "The Voyage to the Center of the Earth" on the SFS site shortly after.