Interesting read.
I've walked on many jobs. Most of those were people that really didn't appreciate better service and only saw carpet cleaning as a commodity. These custies are the type that would agree a tech could clean 1000sf in an hour (from the time they arrived to the time they left) and still believe they've removed as much soil as possible. They think THEY know what clean is not the professional. Unfortunately, there are more than enough companies in every city that will accommodate them, promoting just the same "clean" but at half the price and half the time. And those companies do very well. They will always be there. And they provide some excellent clients to the better cleaners.
Now "any" tech can clean a clean carpet, speed wand it, move the soil around, and it looks hunky dory and the custy is satisfied. I've moved my wand faster and if I didn't GAS I wouldn't have realized I am moving it faster than what it was designed to move. Sure it makes it look better, but it could have looked/been better. But that's their busn model, that's their speed required to do 5+jobs /day, they are making their money, so all is good. Just doesn't really help the industry much. One company works ethically, another doesn't, both look and sound the same, and customers can't tell the difference.
The US recession has reached here, with help from our govt putting on higher taxes, people aren't calling, being more sticky with their money, not just in our industry but in many others too. I was not about to drop my price for the service I provide. As has been stated, it wouldn't be fair to those that paid that price. I just had to figure out how to say it since most people market their Bronze/silver/gold levels as all "cleaning" the same. The only way to fairly lower price, to offer that budget level cleaning, is to decrease service, which in turn decreases the cleaning ability. So, they get what they pay for. I do not sell my least level as "clean" but more that it will "look" as clean, which it will. And it will be a better job than the other prespray/rinse companies because I just don't work that fast.
I can do one or two jobs a day, take more time, make more per job, or I can do more budget level cleaning, meeting those people at their needs/budget, can work faster and make the same hourly rate, and do a few extra jobs in a day. At the end of the day, I would make the same, but I drove farther, ran the truck longer, used more solution.
I try not to turn anyone down because they are just people looking to have their carpets cleaned. (They have NO idea about carpet cleaning, whats involved etc, but it looks dirty and they want it clean. Then they start reading and calling and getting all sorts of mixed info. Thats the real shame) But I won't drop my price below my set rates JUST to get the job. There will always be a cleaner willing to undercut you. Took me years to be able to just let it go and I paid the price to learn the lesson. How many have heard the story, "I have more properties if you give me a good price", only to never hear from them again.
Joe Polish taught its not about your cleaning anyway, its about your marketing, to new clients and your existing clients. Keep the ones you already have and get more referrals.
As an O/O I'd rather do 2 jobs than 5, rather do a higher quality job than rush through, rather do it myself than worry about employees. There are pros and cons, and if I were a better "people manager", I'd probably hire the employees and deal with all that drama. And for those that say an O/O isn't in or doesn't have a busn, shame on them.
wrt per room pricing vs sf and in home quotes vs phone estimates, How many have gotten a call where they say, I've just got a couple of small rooms. When you get there, they ain't exactly "small" and they ain't exactly "clean"? I make the extra trip so I'm not surprised when I get there and in turn having to surprise them. I can give a rough guesstimate over the phone which usually gets rid of the price shoppers.