Fun price discussion with old customer getting estimates

Bjorn

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most of my customers are too smart to spend the big bucks to have a cleaning savant vacuum for 5 hours
 

Bjorn

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"The more flesh you have, the more the worms will eat. Let the honor of your friend be as important to you as your own. Don’t get angry easily, and repent one day before you die"
 

ruff

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Odin said:
"The more flesh you have, the more the worms will eat. Let the honor of your friend be as important to you as your own. Don’t get angry easily, and repent one day before you die"
O.K. Terje,
I am heading for the hills.

If only I can hitch a ride on Ron's Vacuum cleaners bearings, with all that use , they must be the smoothest ride in town :p
 

Bjorn

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Never expose yourself unnecessarily to danger; a miracle may not save you...and if it does, it will be deducted from your share of luck or merit
 

Ron Werner

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Odin said:
most of my customers are too smart to spend the big bucks to have a cleaning savant vacuum for 5 hours
Ken Snow said:
Time does not necc equate to quality. It's all good.

Most jobs dont require 5hrs of vacuuming, in fact I've never vacuumed for that long, but IF it did require it I would be willing to put in the effort as it makes a huge difference in the finished job. Most times its not what you "have" to do but what you are "willing" to do. Most of your customers probably wouldn't be my clients, BUT, it would be interesting if I came and provided my service for some of them to see if they would pay for the extra work.

Going just from what my clients have told me, time DOES make a huge difference. You can't put the quality into a job if you're in such a rush to get through one job to get to the next.
 

Ken Snow

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Ron Werner said:
Odin said:
most of my customers are too smart to spend the big bucks to have a cleaning savant vacuum for 5 hours
[quote="Ken Snow":g0w28lnj]Time does not necc equate to quality. It's all good.

Most jobs dont require 5hrs of vacuuming, in fact I've never vacuumed for that long, but IF it did require it I would be willing to put in the effort as it makes a huge difference in the finished job. Most times its not what you "have" to do but what you are "willing" to do. Most of your customers probably wouldn't be my clients, BUT, it would be interesting if I came and provided my service for some of them to see if they would pay for the extra work.

Going just from what my clients have told me, time DOES make a huge difference. You can't put the quality into a job if you're in such a rush to get through one job to get to the next.[/quote:g0w28lnj]

Not sure where you are coming from with this statement.
 

Ron Werner

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I know. Thats what makes the difference between the O/O and multitech and the customers that choose each.

Let me rephrase, since not all O/O and multitech busns are the same. Understanding what I said makes the difference between ALL businesses and how they operate and which people will choose their busn.
 

steve r

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wow a lot going on here.

had a previous customer call. i dont remember the job it had been a couple years. he says whole house 8 rooms. we talk about price i say ok ill give you a deal, $225. a couple days later my friend calls and says im being priced shopped. i dont worry about, i get to the job and explain its a lot bigger than i expected but since i quoted him the $225 ill stand by that.but i let him know it would have been about $300 or more had i looked at it first.

its empty by the way. he mentioned he had cheaper prices quoted at one point also. i thought about telling him to let them do it lol.the guy was kind of an ass. so anyway i get done it took about 3 hours and he tells me hes giving me the $300. he said i earned it lol.

my friend quoted him $275 btw.

the job by the op i wouldve charged $150. but ive done that for about $125 too.
 

steve r

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it was only job on friday also. ill take what i can get too.

i do more for less with all the apartments i clean.
 

Ken Snow

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That is not what I meant- you implied that some (I assume you meant companies like mine) are rushing to get to the next job. That it was I didn't get where you are coming from with your supposition. Why would make generalized negative statements?
 
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This thread isn't about vacuuming. It is about knowing what it takes to do a quality job and make a profit. Loren you should have reduced your price just a tad to get the job. If the customer is asking you to drop your price by half, then walk away. In this economy though people will appreciate you working with them instead of having a I am the biggest and the best attitude. Yes T is right. You could have made tee time in the afternoon with 250 in your pocket. I for one think it is right to stick to your pricing, but there are times that warrant a discount or reduced price. You can always make the difference up on additonal work or even referrals. Some of my best customers to this day and ones that refer me regular were first time discount cleanings. In fact my minimum is 120, but I did a 60 dollar pet spot job a few weeks back. The lady called me the next week to pick up two rugs (400) and I am doing the tile in a few weeks. There really is no right answer to this. If you need and APPRECIATE the money, then do what it takes to get the job. If you have more money than you need, then why the heck are you cleaning carpets anyways. I wasn't referring to you specifically LOREN. Just making a point for everyone here.
 

Ron Werner

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Ken, if a cleaner is getting through more than 3 jobs a day they are rushing the work. Even with a V it still takes x amount of time for all the steps unless some steps are being left out. And if there are any upsells or unforeseen challenges, the job takes longer and they are getting behind in the "schedule".
I started with a company that wanted me to clean 3-5jobs a day, expecting me to get through 5 rms/hall/stairs in less than 2 hrs with a portable. There ain't no way its possible and still do quality work. When I went out on my own with a porty, what took me 2.5hrs took 3-4, that was before I was vacuuming. I was doing quality work and out performing guys with TMs.

Daniel, yes you are right about giving people a break. But when you did that job for $60 was it you that set the price or your customer? My min is $150 and I've done many jobs for less, just because "I" wanted to do something for them, not my customer saying, "well, it was only a small job, could you do it for $75?"

A contractor client of mine told me once, you can offer best price, best service, and best quality. But you can't offer ALL 3 at the same time.
Guess I should go through my Youtube vid comments and see just how many could do "the same job in half the time for half the price with the same results".
 
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I had to clean one spot out of a hallway. This customer was a referral and I have since been referred to three others. She referred me to the saltillo job last week. That customer owns a private bank which she works at. All I am saying is do the best you can while making a profit, but help your best customers out from time to time.
 

Loren Egland

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Mandingo mentioned shortcuts to bring the price in line with the service.

Ron mentioned reputation and how fleeting it can be.

I realized I could have done things differently and made $250. I could have come out just fine, but not if I was doing all I usually do.

My feeling at the time was if the service is really the same, then why is this woman still wanting me to clean for her instead of the other guy? And to even pay me as much as $40 more? She obviously believed my service was worth more, but she did not value it enough to bite, even at MY discounted price.

I weighed the money I could make against my reputation and written guarantee to be the best cleaner in town and that nobody will out clean us. Also, in this case, there were other factors suggesting that not doing this job was in my best long term interest. It was after all just one job, one so called customer.

Every cleaner charges what they are worth. No different than buying cars, homes, tools, etc. at different price points. You usually get what you pay for, whether you like it or not.
 

Bjorn

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the point of this whole thread is you bragging about not bending an inch to this customer

your ego as a high end cleaner

big fooking deal
 

Doug Cox

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The biggest problem I have about lowering my prices is that it will get around that I will do it, and I work in a small enough of an area that it will cause me problems. Some people call me just because I don't "Wheel and Deal".
 

Ron Werner

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It may only be MY opinion Ken, but it is BASED on my OBSERVATIONS and own Experience, not to mention heresay.
Maybe yours is the only multitech company it doesn't occur in and thats terrific. Glad to hear it.


BY the way, "Well said" referred to Doug's and Loren's comment. I give lots of breaks but its my choice not theirs and they appreciate it. If they "expect" it, they think I'm just the same as those guys that say they will come in and clean in 1/2 the time and price. If they balk at my price, I've no problems walking. If they doubt I can clean it, THEN I'm concerned.
 

Desk Jockey

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Ken and Ron are you both taking about the same scope of work?

Moving everything?
Moving just a select few pieces?
Moving nothing?



We probably couldn't do more than three large jobs if we are moving most of the furnishings.

but don't move anything and I'm sure we could sneak another job or two a day in there.
 

Ken Snow

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I don't know if we are or frankly really care- I just don't care for suppositions or opinions shrouded in "fact". No one knows what others do or how they do it except by heresay or lumping together. To judge is human to state an opinion as fact seems arrogant & closed minded. We can all learn lots from eachother if we are open minded.
 

joe harper

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Ken Snow said:
I don't know if we are or frankly really care- I just don't care for suppositions or opinions shrouded in "fact". No one knows what others do or how they do it except by heresay or lumping together. To judge is human to state an opinion as fact seems arrogant & closed minded. We can all learn lots from eachother if we are open minded.

I have NEVER seen you soooo...sEnSaTivE.....Kenneth... :shock:

"WHAT GIVES"... :?:

"cRaMpS"... :p :lol: :mrgreen:
 

Ken Snow

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Thanks Joe- I needed that :lol:

Every once in a while my panties get all in a wad and I say what I really think instead of being bb politically correct. This has been one of those times.
 

Desk Jockey

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Ken
You're the obvious target because you're here and willing to respond, but don't let it bother you.

It's just "carpet cleaners being carpet cleaners", we all think we are all the best and only we know the best ,method, tools, techniques and chems.......and our customers can't live without us. :roll:

Reality is there is not that much difference between us, and if our phones didn't work for a week our customers would find someone else they would be just happy with.

Maybe not in Ron's case, no one will ever vacuum like he does, but I would guess even Ron's customers will find someone else when Ron retires or sells out that cleans nearly as good as he does but just doesn't vacuum like him.
 
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McDonald's Mocha Frappe is just as good as Starbucks, and a bit less expensive.

How do they do it? I don't care, I just buy them because I can.
 

joe harper

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Doc Holliday said:
Ken
You're the obvious target because you're here and willing to respond, but don't let it bother you.

It's just "carpet cleaners being carpet cleaners", we all think we are all the best and only we know the best ,method, tools, techniques and chems.......and our customers can't live without us. :roll:

Reality is there is not that much difference between us, and if our phones didn't work for a week our customers would find someone else they would be just happy with.

Maybe not in Ron's case, no one will ever vacuum like he does, but I would guess even Ron's customers will find someone else when Ron retires or sells out that cleans nearly as good as he does but just doesn't vacuum like him.

TrU-DaT... :!:
 

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