What's you secret...

[Ron K]

Whats your secret way of telling the "truth" about the competition without sounding desperate or whiny?
I usually emphasize we HAVE insurance, we ARE licensed, we DON'T wash rugs in our daughters bedroom while she's off to college, WE actually clean your carpets NOT your vacuum cleaner.
Or should I just not bother and tell them good luck and if they're still wet or dirty the next day to call me!

 

[dealtimeman]

We just talk about how awesome we really are.

 

[ruff]

Here's how one famous American handled it:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoPu1UIBkBc

 

[Ron K]

We just talk about how awesome we really are.

How's that working for you??? No wait let me guess awesome!

No seriously Michael I know there are reputable cleaners. Dal-Worth ect. It just seems like we are inundated with a bunch of non truth tellers.

 

[Ron K]

Here's how one famous American handled it:
/QUOTE]

So just keep on takin it in the gipper? That's the solution?

 

[Royal Man]

If they are talking to you already. then why is there a need to talk about a competitor? Just close the sale and make the topic of your completion irrelevant.

 

[TomKing]

I move to here is the advantage of using us.....

If they ask about a reputable competitor I say you know they are a good company Here is the advantages of using us....

I will also add we send our guys to the same certification classes buy from the same distributor in Chicago. Here is what you get from us.

Most people go ahead and schedule a service call

Never talk bad just tell them what you do well.

When we are compared to the #1 company in the city I say this "we get compared to them all the time and customers often complement us that we are as good as blank".

I then say that is a great complement to us. They have been in business 20 years and have 10 trucks running, we have been in business 4 years and are running 4 trucks. Here is what you get from us.

 

[jcooper]

If they are talking to you already. then why is there a need to talk about a competitor? Just close the sale and make the topic of your completion irrelevant.

I agree w/Dave.

Just try to convey trust.

 

[Shane Deubell]

I would never actually say anything about a competitor ever.

Think you should say it through your actions, how you answer the phone, van, appearance, body language, uniform, marketing material, etc.
If you follow all those steps few prospects will ever ask...

In the few cases they do usually give them i am in the service industry speech and focused on them, completely stay away.

 

[Papa John]

If its a bottom feeder competitor, or Groupon "below cost offer" we might just say something like: "Well good luck with that" or "He is cheaper because HE Knows what is work is worth." The point is we
really don't care if they hire the competition-- we just ask the prospect that IF they have a negative experience with the other cleaner-- do not judge US by their actions. And If the custy gets Lucky and is happy with the competition--then congratulations to the both of you.

Beside-- I NEED my competition to be in business-- I can't serve everyone in San Francisco and I'd like to Avoid some of the crazy ones.

What we are using is one of the BEST sales techniques in Sales, and IT Especially works well with women,--- We are "taking IT away" from them and approaching the issue with confidence but NOT ARROGANCE. People are turned off DESPERATE people. In the night clubs, women can sense if you are desperate and will run the other way. If you act like you don't care-- they will come to you if you look interesting or fun.

 

[lust1kiddo]

I tell them that I am not in the business of talking bad about other people...and that I can send them an email with some reviews of my work. Most times I educate them enough about the types of fabrics/carpets they have and why the stains are there etc...and in almost all cases, I never have to even talk about anyone. Educating the customer is the highest selling point there is..do that first and then when you hit them with the price, they know what they are paying for and wont ask questions.

 

[dealtimeman]

I know it was vague and short, but we try to just talk about LCS LCS LCS. Nothing needs to be said about other companies in a negative light as it could trigger a negative response for any reason. Stay informative on your company and if you can't reply positively to a question about your competitor just say you don't know, because most of the time, that is the truth you don't know.

A lot of poeple say negative things about Stanleay steeper but in some parts or areas of the country they are loved and very respected as they are doing a great job of cleaning. It is just sad that there are a few out there that don't care about quality and make the rest look bad.

Focus on you and what you do we'll, and as you are doing this use it to improve your company in things that set you apart from your competition and raise your level of service to the next level, thus instilling more confidence in your services and the will show thru to your customers.

 

[The Great Oz]

If the customer is calling you before Brand X does any cleaning, it may be because they feel they're being conned.

As others have already stated, steer the conversation toward what you do and why.

If a caller says they heard that Z*&%o#z cleans without using toxic waste like we do, I'll tell them I don't know what Brand X does, but we're pretty careful about the solutions and procedures we use.We're looking for the safest way to very effectively clean, and have a lot of ways to clean depending on what's best for a particular job. That usually leads to them describing the job and I'll tell them how we would typically handle it.

If a caller says Brand X says your procedures do a lot of damage, I'll say that Brand X might be great people that want to do a good job, but:
-Everyone tries to sell what they have and make things they don't have seem evil.
-We certainly wouldn't have been in business for 75 years if we ruined things.
-We prefer to use solutions and procedures that provide the most thorough cleaning possible while also being safe for kids, pets and our own employees.
Any one of these calls Brand X's assertions into question without taking a wild slap at them.



PS: If I know the other cleaner has posted on an internet bulletin board about ruining rugs and laughing about it, I might send them the link.