Keeping it small

[Brian R]

Not that, Gary :roll:


When giving prices over the phone (which I don't give firm ones, if I do) I keep it small.
This is a sales tactic, I know, but it isn't always a bad thing.

One might say that I am deceiving the customer or trying to hide something. Not the case at all.
If I say to a customer "a house that size will usually be about $300.00" what happens? Sticker shock.

It's not that the price is too high, it's just that is a lot of money for one expense...I don't care who you are.
AND, they are not receiving a product such as a new car or pair of shoes or whatever...it's just cleaning. This is their mind ....not ours...we should know better.

Anyway, it is a service to do this so that they still get a great clean at a good or better value and they should be happy in the end if you do a good job.

As you add up the ticket, explain every section while working up to the bottom line.
Such as "ok maam, this area is about this much and the stairs are this much. the family room is probably your biggest room but also the most used so really you are increasing the value.

Once everything is explained, they will feel better about paying the price because they will understand what it took to get there.

You can't just say "hundred dollars" as soon as you answer the phone but they will definitely say "how much?" As soon as you pick it up.

A good example, but not the best of giving an idea over the phone would be to say.

"We charge 30 cents per square foot. If we are only doing traffic areas, we only measure the traffic areas. An average room with furniture will be about $25.00 but can vary because of size of areas to be cleaned."

That works if you really HAVE to give them a price over the phone because of their "priceshopperness".

Keeps it small yet real...no stickershock and keeps expectations right where they should be....in "reality".

 

[Desk Jockey]

I understand your thought process (Translation: I can see the hampster running full speed) but I personally would rather them know the full amount so we don't have any issues when the rubber actually hits the road.

Now I'm sure we miss our share of work this way but we have fewer complaints about price this way. I'd rather not do the work, than do it and have a payment issue. :wink:

 

[Josh Adler]

I agree with Richard...Better to let them know up front then to be sent home for being too high in price

 

[Ron Werner]

Have to watch the really big homes though. Someone tells me they have a 4000sf house, I'm not going to tell them over the phone that at 55/sf its going to be $2200 to clean their carpet!!
I tell them that for a house that size its best if I come and take a look at what they want done, what they want moved, so I can give them an exact price quote. Its worth the drive and time. The rule of thumb I've been told is to take the whole house sf and 50-60% will be carpet. So that 4000sf house may only have 2000sf of carpet by the time you eliminate walls, baths, kitchen, etc. So what would have been a $2200 "estimate" over the phone may actually be $800-$1500 including protectant.

 

[Desk Jockey]

You're right Ron I don't purposely try to chase anyone off. It's just that a lot of consumers see cleaning as a commodity, they see us as all being the same service and at the same rate.

I wouldn't want it in their mind that they are spending Stanley rates when we are actually 2-3 times as much.

 

[Ron Werner]

exactly
I agree, when you get into the home, you can now become the "professional".

 

[Brian R]

It's basically not to scare them off.

A smaller house that we wouldn't normally estimate anyway can be given a ballpark of the total house and it won't be so bad to hear it on their end.

A larger house needs to be slowly gotten into as far as pricing and value. Estimate if you can, try to keep it small over the phone if you can't.

Once you are out to a larger house and explain (if you are any good at it) price and all that goes with it, anyone who cares about their carpet (some don't) will pay a little more for the quality.

We all know that...but some home owners don't know that until you tell them.

 

[FB7777]

I understand what you are saying Brian, but I'm more in agreement with Richard


I prefer to weed out the pricers and would rather come in higher on the phone than give them the illusion of getting their whole place done cheap.

You can always come down ( traffic lanes only ) but rarely go up without some resentment .

I think my approach works best for established companies where 90 % of the people calling are repeat or referral tho

 

[Brian R]

I can usually tell a price shopper as soon as I hear breathing on the other end of the phone.
I am sure most of you guys can tell.
For some reason, we just know it.

Once you realize who you are talking to, you can go from there.

I don't want to go out to a priceshoppers house either...although there ARE different levels of price shoppers I guess, but you know who I am talking about.

Every situation is unique but there are different classes that each unique situation will fall under.
Such as:

1. Great
2. Good
3. ok
4. Crappy
5. Run like hell and never look back

 

[XTREME1]

I give them an almost exact quote based on the information they provide. I tell them they can write the check before I even arrive but it may be less than I quoted because I tack on an extra $20 to 30 just in case because I don't want them suprised when I give them the bill.

 

[Sticky]

I try not to give out phone quotes. I tell them I will stop by and do a 21 point indoor air and carpet survey and leave them with a "firm quote." At the bottom of the inspection is the different recommendations to help improve there indoor carpet and air quality. I am a really good sales person and often book jobs for several different services. (carpet, tile and air ducts) I often schedule different services for future times beacuase of the survey(people keep them). People really seem to like having a professional look at there carpet and air ducts(especially moms with kids that have allergies). They seem to like having something in writing. It helps upsell like crazy.(so far I only started a few months ago)

good topic brian....