Phone call

[Brian R]

Swear to Got this happened yesterday.

Guy calls

"Yea I need you to do a Priority cleaning" Very clever :roll:

I said "ok, what can we do for you"

Him "I need to have my dads apt cleaned an not charge me $100.00"

Me "Well we have a minimum of $90.00 so it will be at least that"
I can tell by this time of course that he is a dirtbag priceshopper.

Him "oh, well...we used to have this guy from so-n-so carpet cleaning do it for $45.00 but he isn't around anymore"

Me "That's probably because he was charging too low of a price and couldn't stay in business"

Him "ok thank you"

It was really funny as hell. My Brother was standing next to me and we both laughed like hell because the phone conversation sounded so scripted.

I think the guy got the idea but I will bet Dollars to Donuts that he kept looking (and probably found) for a guy who would do it for next to nothing.

That guy will be out of a "job" in a few months too....unless he raises his prices.

I think most fall into that pitfall when starting out...it's the ones that raise their prices...even a little...that survive.

I think that's why so many guys come and go...they don't make money...and they find out it's not as "easy" as they thought.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yep years ago had the same discussion with an adjuster.

He wanted to know how much and said

"Wow that much? Ok I guess go ahead. By the way what ever happened to J& L? They use to do great work and were really cheap."

I told him the same, "I think they didn't charge enough to stay in business."

He said "Too bad they were good and cheap!" :roll:

He still didn't get it. Fortunately he is retired now.

 

[Brian R]

I just want to say to them


"Scott, you just don't get it do ya??....You don't"

 

[rick imby]

Swear to Got this happened yesterday.

.......

That guy will be out of a "job" in a few months too....unless he raises his prices.

I think most fall into that pitfall when starting out...it's the ones that raise their prices...even a little...that survive.

I think that's why so many guys come and go...they don't make money...and they find out it's not as "easy" as they thought.

Funny I think Mr Snow would have a tendency to disagree. My contention is they go out of business because they do not market their services well enough, not because they are not charging enough. Many people would gladly work hard for $40 an hour if they had steady work. $40 an hour for 3 hours a week will not keep a roof over most peoples heads.

The small business man needs to successfully wear several hats.


gettting customers, keeping customers, doing the work, keeping the equipment working, handling the finances, dealing with the IRS. Failure in any one aspect and you are toast. But it is worth it if you are competent at most and really good at a couple..

 

[Mikey P]

I couldn't believe you didn't recognize my monotone.

 

[Brian R]

Had another guy call up....he was crazy.
He was yelling at his wife while on the phone to me.
When I gave him prices for house cleaning he griped because he "didn't want to pay someone $65.00 per hour". Not sure where he came up with that price.
He said he could understand house cleaning being more than carpet cleaning. :shock:
Which it wasn't.
I told him the house cleaners don't have $30,000.00 worth of equipment in the front yard while working.
This guy just blew me away. I wish I would have recorded it.

He was saying that "if I'm going to pay a house cleaner $125.00 they better be there 4 hours"
I said "as long as the end result is the same, why would it matter how long they were there?"

Long story short...I scheduled the job...and by the end of the phone conversation I UN-scheduled the job because "I didn't feel comfortable doing the work for him" (that's what I told him)...given the fact that he was already complaining before we even started.

He acted surprised when I told him we wouldn't be doing it.

Unbelievable.

 

[Ken Snow]

Those are tough calls, but like said before it isn't necc the price that causes companies to go out of business. It is likely a combination of marketing, pricing, costs, percieved value and others. It helps to minimise those types of calls if your pricing is clear in advertising/marketing materials.