What do you say to this guy?

[jcooper]

Guy is a referral from client we just worked for.

He just cleaned his own carpets(selling home) and says it's 90% better, he would like me to come out(& waste my time, lol) and tell him if us cleaning will make it any better. He also said he has red spots and would like to know if they will come out or he's not going to clean and just get new carpet.

My question: What do you guy say when someone calls up asking for you to come out and tell them if it's worth cleaning? Or if all the stains are going to come out?

My general response is, well of course - it's clean. However, I have no idea if the stain is going to come out til I try. Even then, it still might not.

 

[Shawn Abbey]

If it were me, I'd take the few minutes to clean a "Magic Square" to show him the difference, and take out one of the stains. Who knows? He might have you clean the whole thing. Not a waste of time, in my opinion.

Shawn "$$$"Abbey

 

[GreenTechAgain]

In his opinion they are 90% better.

Of course your professional cleaning will make it much better.

Charge your normal price for red removal, under promise and over deliver.

I would ask him a few questions about what he thinks the spot is and more important how long it has been there.

I never promise to remove a stain.

 

[SMRBAP]

Don't take offense, but if we can't get it better than our custy's, we are in trouble -you are probably safe on that side.

99.9% - those that clean themselves attempt stain correction themselves - with whatever is under the sink x2.

When our customers admit to attempting stain work - our guarantee ends. We let them know the attempt is still charged for.

If it is nylon, we always have the ability to strip and dye, $100-150 / hr depending on qty.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Jerry it all depends if you're want to pursue the lead or if you're just looking to dump them.

DUMPING:I would say since he has already cleaned it you can hit the main traffic areas only for half of what the whole job would have normally cost. No need to look at since you know from experience that your professional equipment and solutions can out clean anything available for rent. The stains depending size give him a flat rate, with no gurantee of removal.

IF YOU WANT THE WORK: Go look at it, when its convenient in you schedule. If you think you can make a difference off a demo in a traffic lane don't clean more 10ft for free. Offer a reasonable discount since some of the work has been done and it should go faster. As for the red spots test an area they price per results and time needed. Don't hold back, if will only respond part of the way tell him so he can make an informed decision. Most of the time any improvement will due.

After all if this joker really had the bucks to replace the carpet, don't you think he would have paid a professional to do the cleaning to begin with.

 

[jcooper]

It's a referral, I have to go look at it(and most likely help him).

It's just frustrating, "can you come over and look at my red stain I screwed with and tell me if it will come out"? Yea, if I was god! How the heck would I know? Some do come out some don't, just they way it is.

After all if this joker really had the bucks to replace the carpet, don't you think he would have paid a professional to do the cleaning to begin with.

Exactly! I can see it now, just clean over here a little over there and a little in our bedroom upstairs. AND get rid of these red spots... LOOOL!

 

[jcooper]

Holy crap, Richard!

I was going to (click)thank you, til I saw you have 232!
Wonder if that's the most?

 

[Mikey P]

I get those calls for urine issues often enough that I now ask for a $100 consultation fee. Fully refundable if we can help them.


The inspection and urine speech along with the driving always takes more than an hour. Most of the time if the carpet is bad enough for them to ask for an opinion, it needs replacing.

 

[Mardie]

Holy crap, Richard!

I was going to (click)thank you, til I saw you have 232!
Wonder if that's the most?

#1 nut licker

 

[Desk Jockey]

My own.

Don't get too excited Mardie I'm NOT into some doofus from Canuhduh!

 

[KP]

PITA type customer.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Holy crap, Richard!

I was going to (click)thank you, til I saw you have 232!
Wonder if that's the most?

I don't pay attention to that stuff, too ghey for me.
"Not that there's anything wrong with it"

 

[Ken Snow]

Do what Mike says and make the amount appropriate for your area. It is a win win- he gets a professional to look at it and advise him for only $50-$100 and if he has you actually clean or remove the stains then that amount is applied to the total charges. Almost any reasonable person would feel hat is a good value and if he does not then he may bot be a client you would want.

Just because we think we are gods gift to carpet cleaning doesn't mean that anyone with a good attitude and hard work can't clean their carpet just as well with a rental. It will just take them a few times longer.

 

[SamIam]

Lol

 

[SamIam]

I mean I hate people like that. My property management co. Sends me to touch up for said DIY guy and its got spots that are easily cleaned out, and always brightens the carpet up.

Ps they are usually streaked be whatever they tried.

 

[Ken Snow]

If you can convert them Sam, couldn't they result in being super customers?

 

[ruff]

Just because we think we are gods gift to carpet cleaning doesn't mean that anyone with a good attitude and hard work can't clean their carpet just as well with a rental. It will just take them a few times longer.

Don't know from which world you're coming from Ken, but most self cleaned carpets are usually much harder to clean. Mostly because they were over saturated and now the dirt is much deeper in the carpet. Sometime the client also have saturated the glue layer and the pad. Far from doing even half a mediocre job.

And I'd like to address your all too frequent "joke" about 'cleaners thinking of themselves as god's gift to carpet cleaning'.
That "joke" though humble sounding, may come from self interest, Ken. Not that most of us think that we are. However, say I owned a very large company with about a zillion operators. Wouldn't I want all potential clients to think that everybody is just the same? After all, don't they just squirt and suck? Therefore, why not use the cheapest company, after all there is no difference, right?

I'd say that a good owner operator, that took the time and many years to educate himself, may not be God's gift to humanity. However, he or she should be able to kick most of the large company's gazillion operators collective butt.
If not, he should have his head checked.

If you can convert them Sam, couldn't they result in being super customers?

That client may be converted. More likely, from Cooper's description, he will be a difficult one. He still needs to go, more so out of respect to the referring client. If it turns out to be good new client- power to Cooper.
And yes, as Mike suggests charge for the consulting. And no, do not offer a discount as Richard suggests. You are a professional (not like some large companies God's Un-gift to humanity) therefore you should charge for your time and expertise.

 

[Ken Snow]

I rest my case ofer- you made my points exactly :-)

Your experiences differ form mine/ours- I have never seen those things happen from do it yourselfers, just from bad "professional" cleaners.

What exactly about cooper's description leads you to believe he will b a difficult client? I didn't get that at all.

I believe any dedicated person can out clean a non-dedicated person, regardless of system, method or ownership status.

 

[ruff]

It will rest in peace

 

[Mardie]

Do what Mike says and make the amount appropriate for your area. It is a win win- he gets a professional to look at it and advise him for only $50-$100 and if he has you actually clean or remove the stains then that amount is applied to the total charges. Almost any reasonable person would feel hat is a good value and if he does not then he may bot be a client you would want.

Just because we think we are gods gift to carpet cleaning doesn't mean that anyone with a good attitude and hard work can't clean their carpet just as well with a rental. It will just take them a few times longer.

I spent almost 20 years hiring carpet cleaners and car detailors.I never hired the same company twice ,always looking for a better result. I even had one company tell me that if i think i can do it better myself then why didnt you do it yourself. The last time i hired a so called pro the white carpet looked like a zebra after it dried ,so they sent another guy to do it and it looked all even and consistant in color.My wife was so diapointed and said that that is not the white carpet we bought. So i went and rented a rug doctor to redue it and the carpet looked great. Now i know what they did (drag and blend the dirt)sound familiar anyone? You should see what this one high end auto detailor did to the head liner in my new mazda and every time i got my carpets cleaned in my car the rotton carpet smell was horendous.

But hey what did i know i was just an uneducated consumer hiring a pro to do the work for me.

 

[Johnny]

If he cleaned it himself, he probably left a lot of detergent in the carpet because home machines don't have enough vacuum to pull it out, and most amateurs use too much soap. Explain the detrimental effects, such as premature resoiling and wear.

 

[John Olson]

Guy is a referral from client we just worked for.

He just cleaned his own carpets(selling home) and says it's 90% better, he would like me to come out(& waste my time, lol) and tell him if us cleaning will make it any better. He also said he has red spots and would like to know if they will come out or he's not going to clean and just get new carpet.

My question: What do you guy say when someone calls up asking for you to come out and tell them if it's worth cleaning? Or if all the stains are going to come out?

My general response is, well of course - it's clean. However, I have no idea if the stain is going to come out til I try. Even then, it still might not.

I can guarantee that I can remove every single stain..I own a knife..... serious though i can get them all out and you should be able to too especially if you own a knife...will look better if you have a koolglide as well... if you don't have a knife and a koolglide or don't know how to use them donate $20 to the leukemia and lymphoma society and pay the shipping and I'll send you a free DVD by Barry Costa and using the koolglide...

 

[Willy P]

My own.

Don't get too excited Mardie I'm NOT into some doofus from Canuhduh!

Geez that hurts, Especially coming from Kansass. Toto.

 

[Mardie]

My own.

Don't get too excited Mardie I'm NOT into some doofus from Canuhduh!

Sure am glad you edited this post. What made you decide to add the word "NOT' and how long was it before you added that word.The first time i read it i was sure you and Willy had a PM realationship going on or somthing like that.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Geez that hurts, Especially coming from Kansass. Toto.

Collateral damage, sorry!

Yes, Willy and I have a relationship and while he may deny it he makes monthly visits to Kansas just to cuddle. Bite me Mardie!


P.S. It took me a day and when I read what I wrote I nearly chit me pants.

 

[jcooper]

How about an update...

Get to mister goofballs today, walking up to door. He pops out onto his fancy balcony and asks who I am. Well, I'm the guy you scheduled an appt. with to look at your carpet. We have an appt at 10:30, I'm a few minutes early.

He says, "I decided to just get new carpet".

Looool, you have a flipping phone ya tool?! Thanks for the call. Waste of time on a -5 day. wtf!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Oh man that sucks! However the doofus wasn't without a little grief, he cleaned with a grocery store rental, then still had to buy new carpet.

I'd have told him "I'm sorry I you didn't allow me to try, I think I could have saved you replacement cost. We've done it for others and it probably would have came out."

 

[jcooper]

Oh man that sucks! However the doofus wasn't without a little grief, he cleaned with a grocery store rental, then still had to buy new carpet.

Lol!

I'd have told him "I'm sorry I you didn't allow me to try, I think I could have saved you replacement cost. We've done it for others and it probably would have came out."

Ohhh man, that's good! Real good!

 

[Desk Jockey]

I know, I can be a real ass when I want to. LOL

 

[Connor]

I know, I can be a real ass when I want to. LOL

??? You meant there are times that you're not?