How do you guys tell them....

[Zee]

....That: no freaking way are we going to rearrange your furniture in your rooms.

This morning I personally have used a handful of Styrofoam blocks and 154 plastic tabs in a two bedroom living room/dining room house. After moving everything at least twice (for vacuuming and hwe after that) I was ready to snap and reveal to them that: sorry you're sol, I'm only putting things back where they were.. as it is already an excessive amount of furniture to move.


So what's your nicest English word combination to save yourself time and gtfo of there?

 

[Zee]

BTW, I'm not kidding about the plastic tab usage. I walked back in just to count the pieces that were moved.

 

[KevinD]

No problem Ma'am or Sir. I charge by the hour.

 

[Scott S.]

i always request that they pick up all the excess stuff, but we move the couch, recliner, end tables, ottoman, but the little stuff is theirs to move.

 

[PrimaDonna]

We cut this off at the head.

A good review of what is included and not in the price on the phone, as well as once the techs get there for the job. If it is outside the scope of work, and they are willing to pay extra, then we will accommodate if we can. Have a good moving company that you can refer them too or leave the moving company business card. Offer for the customer to place the furniture where they want, after you've moved it to clean.

Lots of work arounds/options for a win win, but it all starts with managing expectations to begin with.

At this point, there isn't much to say to them. Just be prepared for the next time with a solid plan and making sure they know what you will and won't do before you start any work.

 

[Zee]

I know, it's just hard to come up with anything in the "heat of the moment" as the wand screams on the ground while I move something and there is Mrs. Piff telling you: "well, since you are moving that already can you just put it over here and that piece over there..? "
Its hard to say THEN, that I charge by the hour.... How do you tell that the extra minute and a half is being charged separately from the agreed cleaning price?

Yes, it's usually not a big deal to put something in a different spot but we all know the extra minutes add up to a half hour or 45minutes - quickly.

I'm trying to come up with a quick witty comment that is not greedy sounding or mean at all, yet real firmly states (maybe in a funny way) that it's not ok to use us to rearrange furniture...I mean it's ok to use us but it will be an extra charge.

 

[Desk Jockey]

We will do what ever they want. We provide a service to please our clients.

Whatever it takes for as ever long as it takes. We will most all safely movable pieces.

We charge restoration rates for the time that is not carpet cleaning. Some pay it because they want it done, most pass but it is their choice. Its there for those that want or need it.

 

[bob vawter]

will "bite me" work?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Oh my!

 

[Able 1]

We move most everything, and generally it doesn't take any longer with a helper.. We will not move furniture from one room to another.

 

[Jim Nelson]

Price up front it will be $282.75 to clean the carpets. If you want me to move the furniture and clean under it , it will $395.85 . As you can see I very seldom move furniture anymore , and I like that. But when they pay me to move it it's no problem .

 

[Lyman]

I get this more in fall or spring. I carry extra sliders with me. I charge an extra 10-20 bucks and all is good. You are moving everything any way. Just clean and move to a different spot. Per room is only 5 more minutes. Unless you are not cleaning under furniture, then it is an pain(shame on you).

 

[ruff]

We will do what ever they want. We provide a service to please our clients.

Whatever it takes for as ever long as it takes. We will most all safely movable pieces.

We charge restoration rates for the time that is not carpet cleaning. Some pay it because they want it done, most pass but it is their choice. Its there for those that want or need it.

What Chavez is saying in a round about way is that:

"He's not in the business of saying NO. He'll just price it, so the client says no." and if the client says Yes, he'll make a nice profit.

Right, Doc?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yes you stated it much more eloquently than I.

Lets just say moving is "way Way" more than carpet cleaning.

 

[rhino1]

We automatically assume we will be moving the living room furniture, but I do make it clear on the phone that we will gladly move couches, chairs, and tables in the living room only, anything additional will be an added cost.

Even so, I still get someone from time to time who gets a little pissy, I politely tell them they don't owe me a thing, I can simply head to the next job, sorry for the inconvenience. I have never had anyone take me up on it.

We sometimes don't know or think about it, but many of our customers have called at least 2 or 3 other companies with different options, so they will get confused as to who does what and for how much. Some have cleaned their own carpet and moved absolutely everything because the bulky rented machine can't clean next to anything, they spent an entire day doing it, and think you should too. There are some that DO try to take advantage, but we try to think better of people we deal with.

Be polite, explain your policy, and be willing to walk away if you can't meet their needs.

 

[Zee]

Good comments..keep them coming.

 

[hogjowl]

Some days I'm pissy and refuse.

Other days I'm happy and do it.

It just depends on my mood.

 

[Zee]

I try to be as upfront about what gets moved etc, before the job.

What I have an issue with is the change of what they want moved and where to during the job.

I'm not afraid of walking off a job at all. As a matter of fact last week I walked off a job after two days that I planned to work at for four days. 60thousand sqft high end condo/apartment indoor hallways common areas. They complained that we're not getting in all the doorways and hit every single corner around all the woodwork and not picking up everyone's doormats, shoes, FedEx boxes, trash bags, etc etc....Long story short... I left it halfway done. They'll call me back anyways but it will be nearly double price then.

 

[Desk Jockey]

you liar. You're never happy. Less pissy I'd believe that, but happy? no fookin way!

 

[Wing It]

So important to get the scope over the phone. I find moving furniture adds not only time but demands two people. too much liability as well. However, if I got stuck in the home with a customer who assumed I was to move the furn without paying extra, I would be screwed. Maybe you should carry a neck and back brace on the truck so you can act as if you just had spinal surgery.

 

[ruff]

He didn't say Saiger happy.

For Marty, happiness is a more sutley kinda of thing. It may be expressed by:

• Lack of oral complaints.
• Not picking on any particular ethnic group.
• Not mentioning Big Bill Brude.
• A hot Zipper on a cold southern night.

 

[rhino1]

I try to be as upfront about what gets moved etc, before the job.

What I have an issue with is the change of what they want moved and where to during the job.

I'm not afraid of walking off a job at all. As a matter of fact last week I walked off a job after two days that I planned to work at for four days. 60thousand sqft high end condo/apartment indoor hallways common areas. They complained that we're not getting in all the doorways and hit every single corner around all the woodwork and not picking up everyone's doormats, shoes, FedEx boxes, trash bags, etc etc....Long story short... I left it halfway done. They'll call me back anyways but it will be nearly double price then.

WOW... you have to be pretty confident, busy, or pretty piss ed to bail on that one. I would have probably hired a cheap helper to deal with the b.s.

 

[Goomer]

As frustrating as it can be, I try to move most smaller items as needed, but will not move anything oversized or any electronics stating liability issues.

What really burns me up, is when I am expected to deal with all the shit that is uncovered and exposed when items like couches, sofas and bed frames are moved, as it becomes obviously that it is the first time in a long while it's been moved, and there has been zero consideration from the customer to prepare before hand, not to mention the additional time needed due to having to stop cleaning so the customer can get all their shit out of my way, of course leaving all the pennies, wrappers, q-tips, tissues, hair-pins, pens, crayons, candy, food-stuffs, etc. for ME to deal with..............Fookers.

 

[Zee]

WOW... you have to be pretty confident, busy, or pretty piss ed to bail on that one. I would have probably hired a cheap helper to deal with the b.s.

Lol. I am confident and busy and pissed.

 

[Jimmy L]

Me? move all that furniture? What do I look like.........a ............"Marty"?

 

[hogjowl]

Maybe, but without hair.

 

[Papa John]

Follow megs advice..
Tell them they should have communicated in The beginning so that you can add it to the bill.
When I've had a custy in my way who was slowing me down-- I would inform them the cleaning water is heated by the engine of my machine-- If I pause too long there is a chance the engine could over heat and self-distruct. So I need to keep moving with the wand.

 

[EDS]

No problem Ma'am or Sir. I charge by the hour.

But how do you say to them that you will work for 200-250 per hour? In Vancouver town houses are my most lucrative type of property to clean. Usually three bedrooms (max room size of 12x10) hallway and two sets of stairs. easy peesy $300. I can finish a townhouse in 45-60 minutes easily with pre vacuuming. Every now then I get a customer that says "300 an hour...I wish I made that." I explain to them that my service is not charged by the hour but rather per area cleaned.

I

 

[Desk Jockey]

Ed, its still $300.00 in an hour.

 

[hogjowl]

Ed, its still $300.00 in an hour.

Yeah, for real.