Price Shopper won over

[Brian R]

Not sure it was worth it.

Story,

Guy calls me...well spoken, seems like a good job.
We get to job and the lady says "you said whole house $99.00"
Uh, no maam I surely did not.
"oh what is the name of your company...yada yada yada"

I'll try to keep this short I told the guy probably around $200.00 for the whole house over the phone but we had to see it.
Upon inpection I told him I would stick to that price.

As they start himming and hawwing they ask for a card (I'm supposed to leave) and I told them that I really didn't drive out just to give an estimate.
Anyway, during the conversation I told them that the $99.00 was going to raise the price on them when he got there.
As we are leaving the drive way...the other cleaner is walking up....F'ing priceshoppers, ugh.
I knew what they were doing.
We got in the van and parked about 5 houses down and watched.
The other cleaner comes out and gets in his van as my cell phone starts ringing.
"can you come back".....this is where I made my mistake
"yes I am right outside"


When I get inside I asked how much he raised the price and they said
"you were right but he only raised the price $60.00 but we wanted you because of your honesty"

Irony

Oh, and BS on the $60.00 it was probably more like $150.00 or they would have went with that guy.

Anyway, all that trouble and true to form they became a pain in the ass customer who looked over every every square inch with complaints and I am expecting a call any minute for a BS Redo.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Every once in a while they get me again.
Should have left and never looked back.

 

[Hoody]

Atleast you stuck to your price and didn't let them talk you down.

 

[Brian R]

Yes, but I should have stuck to my policy of...

"Priceshoppers are problem causers"


You may make a little money now but you lose in the long run.

 

[Bob Foster]

The sad reality is many people would rather risk a poor job than risk paying too much. After all it's just carpet cleaning. How much difference can there be between the 99 dollar guy and the gucci guy that took a half an hour in our living room being a salesman?

There will always be price shoppers and there are more now than there ever have been. Good cleaners will eventually keep a staple of hire paying customers because of their investment in professionalism

But in my opinion there are very few multi truck operators that could survive on a premium pricing model. They tend to be median priced operations that do well based on tight operational and cost controls and margins gained from upsells.

The norm is the Ken Snow business model and not the Clean as a Whistle business model.

So Other-Fiddy-Percent, spend your money on marketing, drop your prices and don't blab as much in customer's homes and accurately target the larger more accessible masses and find tune your operations and cost sides of the business.

FFT

 

[Brian R]

My costs are simple
Pay the couple of ads, pay the tecnicians...some other stuff but you get the point.

I have my prices higher to be fair to the technicians and that of course helps me as well.
Not really that high...especially compared to the BS artists on this board.

I just couldn't see doing such a low price and sacrafice that quality.

What guys are doing....nothing new...is advertising the low price and then charging for "soil release" or some other crazy thing because they know they can't survive on that low price.

"Oh, you want it "clean"....well we have to charge for that"

I just can't bring myself to be that dishonest.

 

[Bob Foster]

No one said anything about the lowest price just a more market rationalized price.

I am sure some guru will dispute what I am about to say but if you asked the majority of people who sought out a carpet cleaning service 8 out of 10 would ask about the price first. It is the most important thing inspite of what some will tell you. Next is there other concerns.

So if when you get asked by 8 out of 10 inquiries about price and you blow your ass out of the water right there by having to argue up hill then maybe it might be that a different strategy might be needed to address 8 out of 10 inquiries.

Customer: How much would you charge for XXXX?

You: We are price competitively with the majority of our competitors. May I help you select the level of service that best meets your budget? Should you change your mind at time of service we would be more than willing to upgrade or down grade that package.



You will make more money at two bits to thirty cents per cleaning fully booked all day and every day than you will at fiddy percent because you will have a constant stream of customers (cash flow) and fully deployed equipment assets ((return on investment). To afford the visibility you need economy of scale to do serious marketing in media relative to your market including the stink yeller pages and other costs-a-bunch stuff besides web based marketing. That means lots of cash that does flow and you won't get it off of one truck.

Like someone here once said, clean for the masses and golf with the rest.

or

Charge like hell all the while doing top notch work and enjoy your time off knowing that you never expected to slave for 40 or more hours a week but it will take you 10 years of hard work, kissing butt, delivering donuts, blogging, spending your time off telling everybody how good you are to get to that point.

Now Billy is going to come along and explain things his way and he won't necessarily be wrong but this is the way I see things.

 

[Hoody]

Kiss Mike's ass more please, thanks. :roll: :mrgreen:

 

[Brian R]

They ask price because they don't know what else to ask.
Other first questions are;

1. Can you remove pet stains?
2. Can you fit me in today?
3. Can you fit me in this week?
4. What kind of cleaning do you do?
5. How are you different from?...name the franchise

I don't try the high prices like the gurus say...but I don't give that BS 99 dollar whole house either IE bate and switch.

Some custys get it...some don't and there are plenty of both.

 

[floorguy]

They ask price because they don't know what else to ask.
Other first questions are;

1. Can you remove pet stains?
2. Can you fit me in today?
3. Can you fit me in this week?
4. What kind of cleaning do you do?
5. How are you different from?...name the franchise

I don't try the high prices like the gurus say...but I don't give that BS 99 dollar whole house either IE bate and switch.

Some custys get it...some don't and there are plenty of both.

1.sure get rid of the pet and ill pull out the carpet and pad :mrgreen:
2.no but tomorrow...
3.refer to 2 and after 11-noonish (hey i work nights so stfu :mrgreen: )
4.good cleaning so quit bugging me
5.refer to 4, and i dont try to yank your chain with crap you dont need...

For me $25 a room/area up to a certain size then prorated..(no i dont have an exact size, i look and say "damn thats big its gonna be double." custy "ok sounds fair, do it")

And if i dont sit and BS with them i usually hit the $100 an hr mark (not counting drive there or back)

 

[frankiechocolate]

Hey bri, you story really got to me.

Mixed emotions on it.

Just like everyone else I want the best deal

as I get older I am becoming more compassionate.'


I used to slash and burn to get the bottom line but hated when people would do it to me.


I'm looking to have my truck rewrapped. my local guy will do a good job and charge me more money than I want to pay.

I'll explain what I 'm looking for and try to find a decent price but I will go with them cuz they deserve to make a buck too.


My sister in law who is wise told me not to get bent outta shape is someone was a snit, or mean. "It's just carpet cleaning, Move on with your life." good advice.

here in chicago things are slow. I could use more work but not a give away prices.

what's the point?


I really like to "Win" when it comes to the client. they get great work but I get my price and screw the rest.

sometimes someone makes me, but most of the time I do okay.


I'd say you got your price, screw it


maybe think about prices per s.f.


whole house for $200 bucks is too low dude.


visit my blog, "the carpet cleaner's crocodile."


your pal,

frankie Chocolate

 

[Brian R]

It was a small house but I agree...was probably too low.

I was ok with making the money it was just so funny how they "acted" like priceshoppers once we got going.

Just seemed like a good story to tell...I am never unhappy making money but sometimes a pain in the ass will get you thinking.

 

[Bob Foster]

Ask Ken Snow if he thinks his operation is bait and switch. We had this debate before.

 

[Brian R]

I'm sure he wouldn't be around with that size of an operation if he was bait and switch.
He makes his money in volume.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

It's kinda funny what happened today. I was up real late last night working and some lady called me this morning wanting a price. I was completley out of it when I answered the phone. After listening to her, I thought to myself man I have been getting a lot of price shoppers calling me from old advertisements and not closing any of them. Anyways I told her I had a special and could do the job for about 100 less than I would normally charge. After telling her that I thought man what have I just done. I did not want to do a 200 dollar job for 110, but oh well. When I got to the home I explained that she was getting a free room, steps, and hall for the price I was charging her. She ended up adding a couple large closets that made he cleaning 130 for about 1.5 hour job. I know I am not the only one to get suckered into quoting a price you regret as soon as you hang up the phone.

 

[royalkid]

ever get a "reservice" call from them??

 

[Brian R]

They still haven't called back so we must have done something right.

 

[CleanEvo]

The price shoppers are usually the most unreasonable customers. They get their carpets cleaned once every 5 years and expect it to look like new for $99.

I have been surpirsed sometimes, you think you're going to a PITA price shopping customer, but you end up winning them over by your professionalism and the fact that the carpets look great. There are a few that have become regular customers and have refered people... but most you never hear from again for at least 5 years, if ever.

 

[Brian R]

I have a lady who keeps calling me to tell me that we did here whole house for $65.00 last time. :shock: :shock:
Got to be kidding me.

I tell her to call sears.

Pretty sure she is mental.