This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hacks.

[daniel@procarpet]

I have a few local competitors that are always promoting the fact that they will clean someones carpet for a low price regardless to the condition and they have never seen the carpet. They are always promoting NO HIDDEN FEES or no UPSELLING and yes they use nice equipment (butlers and EVEREST machines).

Well I have decided to add a page to my site to address this issue.

I am going to title the page something like "We blow the competition away" and list a few things I do different.

This is what I have so far. I am going to work on it for a while until I get it the way I want it.

This is why we blow the competition away.

One price one method NO HIDDEN CHARGE CLEANERS: Remember you get what you pay for.

We are professionals first and foremost. Our job is to give each and every customer the best possible job. A customer that vacuums occasionally and has not had professional cleaning for several years is going to need more work done to their carpet than someone that vacuums daily and has professional cleaning done every 6-12 months. That is a fact.

We see carpet cleaning companies all the time advertise a flat rate with no hidden charges without ever seeing the carpet. How can they do this? Easy, they use the same method and process regardless to how dirty or soiled the carpet is. We call them spray and suck cleaners. The results may be better than before but not the best job by any means. Do they take the time to vacuum properly (this alone could take over an hour), rotary shampoo BEFORE steam cleaning, post pad buff the carpet, speed dry the carpet, or do they just drag their hose in spray the carpet and suck the dirt leaving more dirt behind than they pull out? You guessed right because their price is so low and they promise to do the job for a flat rate that they ARE ACTUALLY DOING AN INFERIOR JOB.

At Mid-South Carpet and Tile Cleaning we have the skills and training to provide the best service possible. We are not SPRAY AND SUCK ONE METHOD CLEANERS. We will go above and beyond what other companies do to get you the best results possible. You will pay a little more, but the job will be far superior and that is GUARANTEED.

 

[prestige cleaner]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

I think by informing your customers, by educating them promotes you to set your self apart from the competition. I agree with your plan Daniel, we need to inform our clients to chose our service not just based on price, but the quality of service we provide and the value they reiceve.

 

[joeynbgky]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

We do have 3 rooms and a hall special for $99.00 and some coupons out for $85.00.. Its is up to 500 sg feet though.. We advertise no hidden charges, and spot and stain removal included, (except red stain). We do upsell deodorizer and protector. But our advertising is not false it is true............. In the KY area we do alot of volume.. 5-6 houses a day per truck plus some apartments.. It may be different in your area......... So I think putting that on your website is a good thing.

 

[floorguy]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Well i do it for the 1 price thingy there....and i am rather offended...Much like the IICRC Bullshit we seen on that video a few ago..

Just cuz i do it, doesnt mean i am a spray and suck hack....

Do i vac?? (plug your ears ron) no, in fact most times i ask them to...and if not, and its bad then i will

I prespray and it gets 95% of stains out...i have a handful of other "spotters" and if those dont work...well then sorry mam (you do realize some STAINS dont come out??)

I have started to borrow, a buddies 360, and when i get the cash i do believe i will buy 1...no i dont tote my 75lb 20" rotary in, nor the 100+ lb cimex (some commercial yes) oh and dont some mfg say the rotary VOIDS warrenty??

No i dont post bonnet nor post blow dry...most are dry by that evening and the custy is just fine

I have plenty of return customers, and plenty more that keep coming down the pipe (most amazed by the job i do, AND ARE HAPPY WITH A FAIR AND FIXED PRICE)

Do i make what i would like to on RES?? no i am off a bit, but it fills in the gaps when my commercial is down..

So if YOU happen to have a client base that is worried about it..then all means do it...

to me when i see people blah blah blah, about stuff like that, it makes me think of "I'm to good for you, dont call unless you got a gold card"

So in the end I dont like it and say KMA....but if it works for you and floats your boat...then have at it...

BTW only carpets that are THAT bad, as far as not seeing them ahead...are rentals...the avg joe who owns his/her house 9 outa 10 times doesnt let the carpet get that nasty

 

[FB7777]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

well said Doug, I totally agree


I'm not a fan of dogging the competition in my ad copy or website... ( I realize Joe Polish made a fortune in this industry selling the concept ) but to me it seems desperate. Let your work and your customers do the talking

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

My work speaks for itself, but the customer needs to know their options before deciding who they use. A cleaner that advertises 3 rooms for 75 dollars regardless to how dirty etc is simply not going to vac, prescrub, or do anything other than spray and suck. I am not a spray and suck hack. I do the best job I can and if spray and suck is all that is needed then that is what I will do. If the carpet needs extra work, I will offer to do that and not bow down because I advertise no extra charges ever.

That is why I am the best in the Mid-South. Because I know how to do the job right and give the customer value for their money.

Some get it and others don't.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Dan, no offense ..but I'd suggest you hire a professional to write your ad copy
Personally, i don't see any virtue in dogging the comp.
list your steps and tell them that's why your service is "worth" more, but don't label every "flat rate" pricer as doing poor work.
Cause plain and simple...you don't "know" that

how can they do this? [flat rate pricing] Easy, they use the same method and process regardless to how dirty or soiled the carpet is.

and you know that, how??
You "suspect" that, you don't "know" that

. A customer that vacuums occasionally and has not had professional cleaning for several years is going to need more work done to their carpet than someone that vacuums daily and has professional cleaning done every 6-12 months.

I'm no marketing gUroo..matter of fact i suck at it.
But I think you need help with that one.
Not that it's not true...but
i do know a little about people .
do you know what you just said to Mrs Phiff?


"if you're a lazy pig, I'm charging you more than I charge your neighbor.
But I have to come over and personally evaluate just how big a scumbag you are before I'll quote you a price"




now, lets get on to the "chaps your azz" part

What is it "exactly" that causes your diaper rash dilemma with "flat price" cleaners ?


..L.T.A.

 

[FB7777]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

your example, '3 rooms for $75 ' is much more specific than your original generalization

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Larry it needs some work but my message is going to be we do the best job period. The wording can and will change. That is why I posted it here. I need some good constructive criticism.

I just don't see how a cleaner can do 3 rooms for 75 or 5 for 125 with tm equipment and do a great job unless they are a spray and suck cleaners. Oh I forgot about Crowley. Shit. Well I need more than that.

Either the customer wants a great job or a cheap job. They can't get both.

I am not one of these dog and pony show cleaners either but I vacuum every job, use fans, post pad berbers etc and that is what separates me from the pack.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

I can see a cleaner doing whatever it took to get the best results at a reasonable price (we all know what is reasonable) or even someone like Ron W at 50 cents but not 20 bucks a room. That is misleading to the customer. The customer will think why should I call this company that is double or tripple the price when this company will clean my carpet for a set price regardless to how dirty it is. Yes they will do that but it will be an inferior job because their price is too low.

Mrs. Piff your carpets haven't been cleaned in 5 years and there is ten pounds of dry soil but don't worry our super tm and awesome prespray will have your carpet back in shape for 75 dollars. Yea right.

 

[FB7777]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

so your issue is more with the bait and switch upselling type of cleaner ... correct?


Originally, it sounded like anyone that had a set price is a hack


I quote on the phone quite frequently and some carpet is dirtier than others... good detergents, agitation and proper dwell time typically will equalize the dirt load imbalances from job to job

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

No my problem is cleaners that charge a lot less than me and do not charge more for a better job. I am not talking about bait and switch cleaners but ones that charge 20 bucks a room, do not prevac, never prescrub, or do anything other than spray and suck. Will the carpet look better? Yes. Can the customer spend a little more and get a better job? Absolutely.

Just because a cleaner has a set price does not mean they are a hack by any means if they do a good job.

If a cleaners message is call me because I am honest and will never charge more than my advertised super low price, but they spray and suck every carpet may not be what the customer acutally wants. They might want to actually pay a little more for a better job.

Keep the constructive criticism coming.

This is a good debate.

 

[TimP]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Larry it needs some work but my message is going to be we do the best job period. The wording can and will change. That is why I posted it here. I need some good constructive criticism.

I just don't see how a cleaner can do 3 rooms for 75 or 5 for 125 with tm equipment and do a great job unless they are a spray and suck cleaners. Oh I forgot about Crowley. Shit. Well I need more than that.

Either the customer wants a great job or a cheap job. They can't get both.

I am not one of these dog and pony show cleaners either but I vacuum every job, use fans, post pad berbers etc and that is what separates me from the pack.

I can tell you right now you're wrong. 25 a room is very doable. No you probably aren't gonna see a 175 rpm scrubber but it can be done with a rotovac or an RX-20. I have no problem cleaning for 20-25 a room as long as I'm not moving anything or vacuuming. And yes I can do a good job for the price. There is plenty of profit at that price point to stay in business. You probably have 3-4 (probably a high guess) bucks in variable cost cleaning a room that takes about 15 minutes. No you aren't going to get rich at the price but it's enough to keep in business and make a modest income. It's all in your business model and you can do a great job not doing all the extra steps. Reality is that it don't cost 10-12 cents a foot to clean carpet HWE method. I know because I have cleaned for 11 cents and made good profit.

Like stated before your quality of work should keep you going and get you referrals. Don't put down the competition and presume to know what they do or be upset because they do a good job for less money. This is a capitalistic society and everyone in our industry can set their own pay. Some are at the level of Mikey some are at the level of Crowley. Both make good money and do a good job, Mikey probably does better but he charges more and spends more time. Is the difference in price worth it? NO not in my opinion, but Mikeys customers believe it is worth it, so that's all that matters. You can also look at it like buying audio equipment or cars. You can get a good surround sound amplifier for 3-400 bucks, you can get the best for 5,000+ and at 5,000 bucks you're probably getting 10% better sound.... A cheap car will get you from point a-b and cost 13,000 new. A BMW, lexus etc can cost in excess of 50,000. Are you getting 3 times the car? No and they both do the same and get you from a-b, do you need the things that come on the 50,000 car?? NOPE

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

There you said it Tim. As long as I am not moving anything or vacuuming.

Tim I provide a better service than that and all I am trying to do is let the customer know there is a difference between Mr Honesty 75 dollar regardless to the conditions cleaner and me.

Aren't you the one always talking about how you can never afford nicer equipment and that you are going back to school to make more money? A cleaner can get the job done for a cheap price for sure. I didn't want this to be a cheap versus high price thread. Price is irrelevant.

Will I vac, move furntiure, and clean a filthy carpet for 75 dollars? Hell no.

My problem is people that talk about how trustworthy and honest they are but they do a crappy job.

 

[rhino1]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

How do you know these guys you are claiming are "hacks" don't do just as well or even a better job than you do on most carpets thru better equipment, chemistry, or personal service? Loudly proclaiming yourself to be the best is what alot of people do, look in the phone book.


Aren't you the same guy that charges people for duct cleaning when all you have is some POS rotobrush?

 

[Able 1]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

How do you know these guys you are claiming are "hacks" don't do just as well or even a better job than you do on most carpets thru better equipment, chemistry, or personal service? Loudly proclaiming yourself to be the best is what alot of people do, look in the phone book.


Aren't you the same guy that charges people for duct cleaning when all you have is some POS rotobrush?

SNAP!! :shock:

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Never cleaned one air duct.

 

[rhino1]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

my apologies.... the rest holds true. There isn't anything original or special about claiming to be the best just because you charge a little more. I find it funny that I get alot of calls from people who have heard the same line from one of my competitors, then when it actually comes down to it, the difference between me and the high-price bullshitter is 20 or 30 bucks, and he has to go out, measure the job, do his little dance, and still not close as many as I do simply by answering the phone and being able to give the customer a solid quote.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

And there is a lot more cost than 3 dollars a room in cost. It is called business insurance, taxes, maintenance, marketing costs, supplies, fuel etc. I am sure there are more.

Shit another price thread when all I wanted to do was get some input on how to separate myself from the hordes of spray and suck hacks.

Yes Chris but you actually do a fantastic job. I saw your video remember.

 

[joe harper]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Daniel..."Its called COMPETION...No one said it was EASY"...or ...FAIR... :shock:

BESIDES......You are NOT tall enough to charge those "HIGH" prices.... :mrgreen:

Here is one of my Yellow Page ads.. :!: Blow it -up & read the "UNPRECEDENTED GUARANTEE"

WE will let the CUSTOMER decide.... :idea:

 

[Ryan]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Love it Harper!!

How many times have you competed side by side with the competition?

 

[TimP]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Aren't you the one always talking about how you can never afford nicer equipment and that you are going back to school to make more money? A cleaner can get the job done for a cheap price for sure. I didn't want this to be a cheap versus high price thread. Price is irrelevant.

My problem pertains to location and population. And I'm not too stubborn to realize what can and can't be done. Sure I'd love to be making 100,000 dollars a year cleaning. But it's not going to happen here. I know what I do clean and know my area pretty well. The money just isn't there. If I charged like Mikey does I'd probably be doing in the neighborhood of 150,000 a year but nobody is going to pay Mikey rates when a super nice house costs 150,000 and a starter is like 80,000 or less. That's the truth of the matter.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Chris I quote prices as well and charge what I think I need to do a great job as you do. You are also not a spray and suck cleaner. I disagree with the high price cleaners that make half of what I do. They have been brainwashed.

Just for the record I get 220 to clean 5 and a hall. I can do most jobs for that price and do a great job, but not for 125. I would go out of business UNLESS I DID A QUICK SPRAY AND SUCK JOB. This isn't that complicated.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Tim I wish you a lot of success and prosperity for sure.

I understand some areas are harder to work in.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Good I think I will use that UNPRECEDENTED GUARANTEE when I raise my prices even more and start working out of a nice shiny new SPRINTER.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

Edit:

I am going to put that guarantee on everything.

I love it as well.

 

[bob vawter]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

and don sound so desperate...
jus sayin'

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

I guess I need to step back and think about this from the customers perspective.

 

[joeynbgky]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

That was me! I am lookign into new equipment for air duct cleaning!! I have been using abatement instead lately


Aren't you the same guy that charges people for duct cleaning when all you have is some POS rotobrush?[/quote]

 

[Ron Werner]

Re: This really chaps my ass. One price spray and suck hack

If I might take a stab at this, an good example would be my turtle cleaning vid. I've never counted the number of guys that said they could do the SAME job in 1/2 the time for 1/2 the price. I've no doubt they could go over it and make it LOOK clean but there ain't no way they're going to do the SAME job. If they want to charge less, that's their prerogative, but as we've discussed pricing several times, it comes down to one's individual costs and what they need to make.

I separate myself from the majority of the cleaners simply by talking about what I do and what I've seen. For some its not worth it to know that extra soil is removed. For others, its everything. In fact I have many clients that hire me BECAUSE I'm slower and vacuum. They've had cleaners in that just presprayed and rinsed and just weren't that happy. By reasoning alone, prespray-rinse even with a Rotovac is not going to get the SAME results as prevac, prespray, agitate, rinse.

I'm not so much worried about the prespray-rinse cleaners, esp those that do as good as they can and give the customer enough value for their $, its the bait and switch and the fraudulent cleaners that bug me more. Guys like this:
http://gethappy.ca/unethical_cleaners.htm

I like to know the good prespray-rinse guys, I refer them a lot when my price is too high.