Are you Optimized ? -email price requests-

[Mikey P]

The Cermaks have me so pegged here that I'm getting Email price shoppers just about every day.


Kinda hard to ask the right questions and sell yourself/comapny via email.

Do any of you have a stock reply that you cut and paste them with that works?

 

[bob vawter]

Send them the picture of my Homeless Shelter hallway...!

 

[Mikey P]

For a guy who shows up to clean with diapers on and toting a oxygen tank, you have some nerve.

 

[KC OHanlon]

Mike, all of these email requests are coming to you via your website. I'd use the website to prescreen your customers. Let them know right up front that you are not the cheapest game in town. That helps to weed out the price shoppers before they even bother emailing you. Your website should be doing the selling. Your email estimate is just an estimate with an offer for a free in home written price quote.

 

[Greenie]

twice as expensive
twice as dry
twice as fast
twice as clean

 

[WISE]

John Braun did mine and I have gotten a few this week already...

I can see that I need a canned reply as writing an email each time ain't gonna cut it.

I have a few more tweaks on the site, but happy so far...and showing up real high on google with some of the test searches I have done.

I will post a canned reply later and see if we can get some input on it to tweak it a bit.

Or would love to see what others are doing and go from there

WISE

 

[Jack May]

I was making an enquiry about a contractor in another industry a couple of weeks ago.

I sent in an email asking details of the services and an indication of costing.

They had their email set up to send an immediate reply similar to out of office.

In this email, (a standard one that goes out to all first time addresses) they gavea full detail about their services, costings etc.

Then later in the day, they got to my email and responded to specifics that may not have been covered in the general email.

May be worth considering.

John

 

[Royal Man]

I have recieved 6 web quotes so far this week.

I call them back and close around 50%

 

[Guest]

. Do any of you have a stock reply that you cut and paste them with that works?

mrs. x:

we're in (insert town here) all the time and would be happy to help you.

approximate cost for your (insert service here) cleaning would be determined by a few primary variables:

1. total square footage being cleaned.
2. general level of soiling and degree of any specialty spot, stain, or odor removal necessary.
3. volume of furnishings which would need to be moved and replaced.
4. which of our options you choose (protector, this... that... blah, blah... other options... etc....).

if you'd like to provide me with as much info as you can regarding these variables, i can put together an approximate cost for you.

... or i'd be happy to come down at your convenience, meet with you, take a walk through the residence, answer any ?'s you may have, and write out an estimate for you subsequent to reviewing the scope of the job. just let me know what you'd prefer.

also... was there a particular time frame in which you were looking to have this work completed?

regards,

jim duff
bozo-kleen.




if she/he doesn't respond to something along these lines positively.... i let 'em slide... because they don't wanna play ball with the "high-priced" guys.

pete.

 

[Guest]

this is the template i use for price shoppers who have bitten... but not swallowed the hook....

their reply to my initial estimate goes something like this:

peter:
I did get your estimate - but it is was much more than the other quote that I received. The price I got was to clean all the carpets, deodorize, remove all stains, and "scotchguard" - and clean all the tile as needed. $425. this was nearly 60% less than the price you gave me. I appreciate all your effort.
regards,
Dickhead.

... so i reply something like this:

Dickhead:

hopefully you've made an "apples to apples" comparison between my service and whoever else looked at the job...

not all services are created equal... purchasing services is different from purchasing commodities: if you're buying a gallon of milk, or pumping your vehicle full of fuel, obviously you would want to go with the lowest price... however, this general rule of thumb does not hold true for the purchasing of services.

some things to consider Dickhead:

will the person doing the work be an owner/operator... or an hourly waged, stoned kid or illegal immigrant?

what is this person's level of experience and what kind of formal training do they have?

is this business properly insured?

is this business an IICRC certified firm? http://www.certifiedcleaners.org/

what kind of guarantees (in writing) do they offer with regard to the results they will produce?

what kind of equipment, cleaning agents, and methods do they use?

can they provide you with solid references?

etc, etc, etc...

good luck Dickhead... i'm sure i don't need to tell you: "you get what you pay for". thanks for considering our service and if we can potentially serve you in the future, please don't hesitate to contact me.

regards,

jim duff
bozo-kleen




i have closed many jobs with a this kind of response.... yes - i negotiate.... but end up getting paid cash upon completion... at close to my normal rate.

some people want to play ball... others will dick you around and around until you're blue in the face... use your instincts.

pete.