Loren Egland
Member
An old customer called for an estimate. She bought new expensive carpet 4 years ago and has not had it cleaned. She was always worried about price.
My wife told her we had not increased our rate for 5 years, but she wanted an estimate. She said she was getting other estimates, so my wife told her we would be the highest, but we were the best as she should know. She still wanted the estimate, and after 4:30 on Tuesday.
I measure a family room, bedroom, large hall, traffic path in dining and a 3 foot edge cleaning in living room, plus 15 steps. I figured 500 sq ft. Price came to $285. I leave my brochure explaining why we are the best, a fact sheet on carpet cleaning, and two reports on pile reversal.
She calls back on Thursday evening and wants to talk about the price. She had received a bid for $210, and that included a room I did not bid on. Wanted to know what I could do about our price.
I told the lady that I asked my wife why I was going to give an estimate when she was getting other estimates, since if price was the concern, we were not going to get the job.
I asked her if she wanted me to match the other cleaner’s price. I understood that I didn’t have to go that low to get the job.
I said I don’t usually do this kind of thing, but told her I would do the job for $250 instead of $285, thinking I meet her in the middle. Of course then she mentioned the other bid included and extra room. She thought it was about 10x10, but my guess would have been about 12x12. I told her I would go with the original price of $285 but include the extra room at no charge.
She wanted it the cleaning done on Saturday, but I explained that I don’t work Saturdays. She wanted it then on an afternoon, which I understood to be after 4:30. I told her I don’t work evenings, that I rarely go past mid afternoon because I get pretty wore out by then at my age. I also said I can usually get in to clean a number of different ways during the weekday.
Back to price. She said I could have the job for $250 if I did the extra room included, so she was willing to spend $40 more for me to clean than the same area as the other guy, but this would mean about a $100 discount. But she was willing to get me into her house during a weekday.
I just couldn’t bring myself to accept the job, but I did thank her for giving me the opportunity to do so. She mentioned she didn’t know how busy I was. I tried to be of good humor with her, but she did not respond it kind.
I can see her being a problem even if I did the job, but I don’t like working under those conditions anyway. Had a good time with her though. Thought I would share this one with the list.
My wife told her we had not increased our rate for 5 years, but she wanted an estimate. She said she was getting other estimates, so my wife told her we would be the highest, but we were the best as she should know. She still wanted the estimate, and after 4:30 on Tuesday.
I measure a family room, bedroom, large hall, traffic path in dining and a 3 foot edge cleaning in living room, plus 15 steps. I figured 500 sq ft. Price came to $285. I leave my brochure explaining why we are the best, a fact sheet on carpet cleaning, and two reports on pile reversal.
She calls back on Thursday evening and wants to talk about the price. She had received a bid for $210, and that included a room I did not bid on. Wanted to know what I could do about our price.
I told the lady that I asked my wife why I was going to give an estimate when she was getting other estimates, since if price was the concern, we were not going to get the job.
I asked her if she wanted me to match the other cleaner’s price. I understood that I didn’t have to go that low to get the job.
I said I don’t usually do this kind of thing, but told her I would do the job for $250 instead of $285, thinking I meet her in the middle. Of course then she mentioned the other bid included and extra room. She thought it was about 10x10, but my guess would have been about 12x12. I told her I would go with the original price of $285 but include the extra room at no charge.
She wanted it the cleaning done on Saturday, but I explained that I don’t work Saturdays. She wanted it then on an afternoon, which I understood to be after 4:30. I told her I don’t work evenings, that I rarely go past mid afternoon because I get pretty wore out by then at my age. I also said I can usually get in to clean a number of different ways during the weekday.
Back to price. She said I could have the job for $250 if I did the extra room included, so she was willing to spend $40 more for me to clean than the same area as the other guy, but this would mean about a $100 discount. But she was willing to get me into her house during a weekday.
I just couldn’t bring myself to accept the job, but I did thank her for giving me the opportunity to do so. She mentioned she didn’t know how busy I was. I tried to be of good humor with her, but she did not respond it kind.
I can see her being a problem even if I did the job, but I don’t like working under those conditions anyway. Had a good time with her though. Thought I would share this one with the list.
I think you made the right decision.
