My dog had an accident. Do you do small jobs?

[Papa John]

I get asked this often. Due to operating costs and labor laws, I cant do small jobs for too much less than our minimum.

customer thinks its just a quick easy job but fails to see the travel time and expenses to and from their home as well as the set-up and pack-up time.

I bought two EDIC bravos in the hopes of solving this problem. but it just too much time all things considered.

Has anyone considered, or is doing, a portable rental service for these people with small jobs?

whats your two-cents?

 

[Nomad74]

Yup, I hate it when the customer tries to make it sound more enticing by saying "It's just a small area".

Like I want to drive out there and set up my crap just to get that spot in you upper bedroom walk-in closet. Maybe you can make sure you also have the driveway filled with cars and you forgot about the appointment when I show up.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

You have reached maturity in business, and within yourself, when you become comfortable in the saying of “no”.

Two letters...

A single syllable...

A wonderful sense of empowerment,peace, and the letting go of resentment...

Or...the beginning phases of becoming a cranky old man

 

[BIG WOOD]

"Yes I'll be glad to clean up your dog's mess"

"I'll have to charge my minimum of $150 to cover the cost to come out there, but I want to deliver the value of my services, so If you have any other areas that cleaned or some furniture that could use freshening up, I'll be glad to clean it while we're over there."

Never turn down an opportunity. If you only charge them $25 to get just a spot up, that problem of theirs is now yours because you're pissed you wasted your time for $25, lol

 

[Mikey P]

Spot Cleaning Guide – The Connoisseur Carpet Cleaning blog.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Spot Cleaning Guide – The Connoisseur Carpet Cleaning blog.

Screw that. I have a payroll to meet now. I'll send the new guy out there before I turn down any work.

If you're just an owner/op, sure, send out the help article and go get a beer. But as soon as I get 2 trucks on the road later this spring, I'll take in any jobs that will pull up

 

[Mikey P]

Screw that. I have a payroll to meet now. I'll send the new guy out there before I turn down any work.

If you're just an owner/op, sure, send out the help article and go get a beer. But as soon as I get 2 trucks on the road later this spring, I'll take in any jobs that will pull up

Will you be offering topical coatings on plastic floors and counter tops anytime soon?

 

[BIG WOOD]

Will you be offering topical coatings on plastic floors and counter tops anytime soon?

hell no

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Will you be offering topical coatings on plastic floors and counter tops anytime soon?

Is this your new shibboleth Mike?

 

[Mikey P]

I can't think of a more despicable upsell in the history of our industry, so yes.

 

[Nomad74]

Screw that. I have a payroll to meet now. I'll send the new guy out there before I turn down any work.

If you're just an owner/op, sure, send out the help article and go get a beer. But as soon as I get 2 trucks on the road later this spring, I'll take in any jobs that will pull up

Soon you'll be offering the Roger Lloyd coloring book.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Screw that. I have a payroll to meet now. I'll send the new guy out there before I turn down any work.

If you're just an owner/op, sure, send out the help article and go get a beer. But as soon as I get 2 trucks on the road later this spring, I'll take in any jobs that will pull up

But soon you’ll find that to be the tricky part. You’ll probably discover your minimum will have to increase to make it reasonable or profitable.. Diana and I killed it for years on small strip wax jobs for the obvious. But once I finally drove her in the ground, and hired other techs, all that changed

 

[Nomad74]

See Matt. Thats the difference between us, and don’t get me wrong here. I think your way and attitude are better. I’m just at the point where I don’t care or need to grow my business anymore.

You use your $150 minimum as a vehicle to get more work. I use my $200 minimum as a deterrent against cheap customers or minimum type jobs.

 

[The Great Oz]

"I'll have to charge my minimum of $150 to cover the cost to come out there, but I want to deliver the value of my services, so If you have any other areas that cleaned or some furniture that could use freshening up, I'll be glad to clean it while we're over there."

There's a winner.

You can only justify doing unprofitable work as a marketing cost. You'll have to make some decisions on each job and have a plan:

- Do the job when you have another job nearby to cut the loss.
- Take the job if in an area you want to "own" > (the best way to a profitable business is to be the go-to in profitable neighborhoods).
- Hand the customer a coupon for an amount off a larger job in the future. (Dollars work better than percentages)
- Follow-up.
_ and of course, treat them like royalty instead of a nuisance.

You can always cut off your sub-minimum charge for people that only call for spot work.

 

[Cleanworks]

I get asked this often. Due to operating costs and labor laws, I cant do small jobs for too much less than our minimum.

customer thinks its just a quick easy job but fails to see the travel time and expenses to and from their home as well as the set-up and pack-up time.

I bought two EDIC bravos in the hopes of solving this problem. but it just too much time all things considered.

Has anyone considered, or is doing, a portable rental service for these people with small jobs?

whats your two-cents?

My minimum locally is $150, outside my main service area, $200. No matter how small. Did 1 room today for $150, took 20 minutes.

 

[Papa John]

"Yes I'll be glad to clean up your dog's mess"

"I'll have to charge my minimum of $150 to cover the cost to come out there, but I want to deliver the value of my services, so If you have any other areas that cleaned or some furniture that could use freshening up, I'll be glad to clean it while we're over there."

Never turn down an opportunity. If you only charge them $25 to get just a spot up, that problem of theirs is now yours because you're pissed you wasted your time for $25, lol

That's my response as well.
The client's underlying questions was-- "will you do a small job for less than the Minimum." Which I have. But things changes. Operating costs are higher.

 

[Cleanworks]

That's my response as well.
The client's underlying questions was-- "will you do a small job for less than the Minimum." Which I have. But things changes. Operating costs are higher.

I never lower my minimum charge. It's just not worth it. Especially for urine or a specific type of stain. Let them call around. Who else is going to do it cheaper and actually produce acceptable results.

 

[KevinL]

Yup, I hate it when the customer tries to make it sound more enticing by saying "It's just a small area".

Like I want to drive out there and set up my crap just to get that spot in you upper bedroom walk-in closet. Maybe you can make sure you also have the driveway filled with cars and you forgot about the appointment when I show up.

And the painters are there painting that room.

 

[Papa John]

And the painters are there painting that room.

A multi-tasking lesbian hired us to clean her carpets on the same day as the Movers and Painters.
We were the 1st to leave to come back for another day.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

A multi-tasking lesbian hired us to clean her carpets on the same day as the Movers and Painters.
We were the 1st to leave to come back for another day.

Happens to us fairly often. Females love that multi-tasking crap.
We reschedule or maybe not.

 

[Ever-Fresh]

I had one of those calls two weeks ago. An area where a cat repeatedly pissed on the carpet over months, and it has become unbearable to live with it!

I painted a grim outlook no matter who she called and recommended pulling and replacing the carpet, which she did. Yet, the sound of "Do you do small jobs?" is code for cheap! She had no concept of the time, set up, and chemistry that would be required to deal with her "small problem."

Funny, it is a "small job" in her eyes, and yet it is a big enough "problem" to hire someone to fix it! Cheaply of course! You only need water and a truckmount to go over it once to fix it! Right?

 

[Ever-Fresh]

I never lower my minimum charge. It's just not worth it. Especially for urine or a specific type of stain. Let them call around. Who else is going to do it cheaper and actually produce acceptable results.

They suffer from the idea that all things are equal. Renting a rug doctor would bring the same results, but why would you spend $60.00 for a rental and chemicals when an actual carpet cleaner can do it cheaper? Right?

Carpet cleaning is not Coca-Cola, where you pay 80 cents for a can at the store, $1.60 at a convenience store, $2.00-$2.50 at a restaurant, and $5.00 at a theater... all for the same Coca-Cola! Not all cleaners are equal! One can have the best system and chemistry in the world, but if a hack uses it instead of a technician, you will not get the same results as someone that understands how to clean and is dedicated to get a carpet the absolute cleanest before moving on. There are skills, knowledge and effort to accomplish stellar cleaning. People want skilled professional results at an amateur price... because they believe that all carpet cleaning is the same, no matter what price you pay.

 

[Ever-Fresh]

That's my response as well.
The client's underlying questions was-- "will you do a small job for less than the Minimum." Which I have. But things changes. Operating costs are higher.

Some people call around for prices. Those that do that are not calling around for Carpet Cleaning. They think that Carpet Cleaners are like Coca-Cola, where you pay .80 cents at the store or $5.00 at the theater. We are all the same to them, we all offer the same quality, and it is just a matter of who will do it the cheapest!

"Do you price match?" I get this question a few times a year, and they are always offended when I say, "Absolutely not!" Then they say the equivalent of, "The Mexicans with a portable in the back of a pickup truck will do it for $19.99 a room, why won't you?" I tell them, "They know what the quality of their cleaning and service is worth, you should call them!" Of course, they get angry and can't believe that I do not want to clean their carpets!