how many customers are like this?

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

A customers daughter wants her condo done. Not very big. I just cleaned the mothers house about 2-3 months ago. Since then we have raised our prices about 8-10 cents b/c of gas and what not. The mother gives me some measurements over the phone for her daughters place (she measured her own house and we gave her a quote over the phone and she booked...measurements were right on). I tell her to clean would be 161-181 bucks. She said wow that's expensive....my house didn't cost that much. I went on to tell her that our prices have gone up. She said ok. I said the 30x14 room size for a condo (I am familiar with the size of her condo) seems large if its smaller it could be less. Meanwhile in the background I hear her daughter saying that the cleaning couldn't be more than 100 bucks. I get there today measure and sure enough I was right on with the amount 161. We are 3/4 done with the job and she is amazed. The carpet is original 25 year old nylon (I love that NYLON) and she must have said it looked new about a half dozen times....and how I was real thorough. Well I said I am glad you like it. Then she said are you looking for more work/new customers....I said absolutely. She said I am going to send out an e-mail to all of my contacts....she said she had somewhere around 60 contacts and tell that what a great job and how fair we are. As we I was checking her out on top of the check is a 10 spot for the "extra great job"...she said wait do you want more....I said mam that is your discretion...we do not work for tips. We just want you as happy as possible. So the guys on Mikey's Board...raise your prices.....just try it...this customer spent $71 dollars (61 cleaning 10 in tip) more than she ever thought her carpets would cost to clean(the right way). That is 44% more than she said in the background over the phone. People will pay for exceptional work. Getting your foot in the door is half the battle and I realize this. But her mother was as happy as can be....she tipped us too $5 bucks each after doing her house. So I was pretty sure she wasn't taking her biz elsewhere. RAISE YOUR PRICES...QUALITY MATTERS.

 

[John Watson]

Paragraphs would be appreciated now that you are making more money!!

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

John,

I am aspiring to be a good carpet cleaner...not English major. LOL.

 

[Mikey P]

Right on brother.

 

[John Watson]

I ain't callen u no flippen Major, Just a dumb shit block writer!!!!The nerve

Ain't it fun to learn new stuff, new ways after we been doing it wrong for so many years???

 

[Greenie]

Here, here raise em'

Since you mentioned that old Generation I Nylon, I have to totally agree with you, that stuff was awesome, yet....every Mill geek will tell you the new stuff is better....straight liars. Bring back the good stuff.

 

[diamond brian]

Referrals are solid platinum in this respect.

A "cold" prospect would be more likely to thank you for your phone time and call another (cheaper) company.

To quote the great Kenny Rogers: "You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.

 

[DRScrivner]

John,

I am aspiring to be a good carpet cleaner...not English major. LOL.

Even carpet cleaners can hit the ENTER key.

 

[Becker]

08- .10 cents because of gas?

How much has gas gone up for you?

I figure if I raise prices .02 cents I will cover my gas costs completely.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

DEL,.....which key is the enter key...lol just kidding....alright alright...I messed up with the paragraphs. When using quotes your supposed to paragraph every time a new quote begins. I figured it would appear too long....even longer than it was with all the spacing.

Becker,

Gas is not the only thing that has gone up. Employee pay...to compensate for their gas to get to and from work. All the chems we use have gone up, the cost of shipping up, the cost of new equipment up, van prices up.

We have 3 trucks with amongst 4 guys. Most of the time we run 2 vans with 2 guys per truck. Anyway with 4 guys (techs) and the 3 trucks its costs 400-600 a day (sometimes more) but never less just to go out for 8-10 hrs.

The 8-10 cents increase is our first price raise in over 2 yrs...our fault for letting go that long. So 4-5 cents increase for over a couple of years is not highway robbery if that's what you think we are doing. Plus we do alot of apt. complexes which we have raised prices too 5- 10 bucks an apt.(not 8-10 cents due running the risk of losing to low ball competitors). The profit margin on apts. is no were near cleaning houses as well all know.

At the pump last year it would cost roughly $90-100 (last summer I do not recall many if any $100 fill ups) bucks to fill up a van from empty. This year 120-140 bucks to fill 'er up. So 20 to 50 bucks more a fill up times 2.5 trucks, 3-4 times a week (6-7 day work week this time of year)=150 minimum to 500 maximum a week extra going out the door just so Exxon Mobil can declare record profits (more so I might add than an other publicly traded company in the history of any company ever in the whole stock market). That is like doing 5-7 apts a week (almost a full days work) for free.

 

[Becker]

.08-.10 ok... got it..