hOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THIS?

[BRSUMMERVILLE]

A price shopper called and want to know how much to clean carpet or upholstery. You asked the caller if they would answer some questions about what they want clean. They refused to answer any questions. They just want a price.

I've tried different scripts, by Howard P. and from SFS, including my own. It seems that a large percentage of callers don't want to answer any questions. Just want to know price.

Would you give them a price, not knowing any facts. or refused to give them a price. Until you get some facts about the cleaning and give the caller info. about your cleaning procedures to justified your price.

Some of the industry experts has stated not to give price till you explained
your USP (Unique Selling Point).

Bob Rock

 

[Royal Man]

I like to at least qualify the fabric. It separates you from the
"'one price cleans all" low quality cleaners.

I start with "What color is`the fabric?" To get them started.

Never rely on the tags!! Give them a ballpark price and let them know they will get a reasonable complete price before any work is started.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I usually tell them I can't justly give them a price until I see the job. I explain that price quotes on the phone are not fair to either myself or them. They usually understand from there.

 

[The Cleaning Artist]

No price given over the phone. $75 minimum charge, 30 cents per foot for clean only. With fuel prices @ $3 per gallon, we quit giving free estimates for residential jobs. Sorry if they don't like it. My time is worth more than driving around giving estimates for $75 to $150 jobs.

 

[Rex Tyus]

It sounds like you got a price shopper. Simple question to be for sure;
" What is you number 1 concern, Price or Quality?" They will give you your answer. This is the easy part. Dillard's don't market to the trailer park for a reason. Whether we like it or not there are more people that shop price than quality. They really want value but they don't know the difference. Some are open to new information some are not. Identify which one you have on the phone.

The short answer to your question is I would give them my general price structure for whatever they are asking and say "and up".

Chances are it is a new competitor trying to figure out where to start. I get those a couple of times a year as well.

 

[Mike Brummett]

What Terje said.

Hey, you want to make certain that YOU are covered right?

Actually, when I am pretty well convinced that they are just looking for the absolute cheapest, I try to have some fun with them.

CALLER:"I'm looking for a price on having a sofa cleaned"

CLEANER: "No problem, our minimum is $500.

OR

CALLER:"I'm looking for a price on having a sofa cleaned"

CLEANER: "Sure, I can do it for 5 bucks.

CALLER:"That's great, how soon can you do it?"

CLEANER: "Hmmm...let me look at my schedule...is morning or afternoon better for you?"

CALLER: "I'd prefer morning."

CLEANER: "No problem. My first available morning is at 9:00 AM on March 8th, 2008, - may I get your address information please?"

MIKE

 

[Dolly Llama]

if she wouldn't answer any questions, I tell her it will be impossible to give any kind of close estimate.
Then I'd ramble on a bit about different fabrics, pillow backs, standard sofa or sectional, yada, yada, yada.

Id she still wanted a price without answering a few basic questions, I tell her the price could be any where from $_ to $_
(you fill the blank that suits your particular pricing)


..L.T.A.

 

[-JB-]

"If you have to ask you probably can't afford it!"

 

[Al]

Sometimes you gotta let em go.

 

[Fon Johnson]

"Are you looking for a quality job that is a good value, or are you just searching for the lowest price? If you are searching for the lowest price, we are not the company for you. We are not the highest price around, but we pride ourselves on doing top quality work at reasonable rates." They will either bite on quality and reasonable rates, or they will admit they are calling around looking for the lowest price. If they are looking for the latter, politely end the call promptly.

 

[Johnnyone]

You said they wouldn't answer any questions just a price.
I would agree with meat

 

[CarpetQueen]

I use a variety of techniques stated by everyone above, depending on the situation. But, if they are adamant about only wanting a price and not receptive to a discussion of their needs or answering my questions, I state "I can't give you an accurate price quote on something I can't see. My minimum charge is $150 and it goes up from there depending on the soiling condition, type of carpet, square footage and other determinant factors." This type of caller usually hangs up at this point. Half the population in the closest town here is college students and this is the type of call I usually get from them. Most of them thrash their carpet, then want miracles for free when it is time to move out. I am very happy to have them move on to the low price high volume guys. I don't really want their business.

 

[Johnnyone]

Now, I agree with carpet Queen

$150 minimum

 

[Fon Johnson]

This may be a little presumptious, but if they won't answer this question "Are you looking for a quality job that is a good value, or are you just searching for the lowest price?", you are being shopped. You are either being shopped by a "price shopper" or another carpet cleaning company. If they tell you up front they want the cheapest, telling them you will do a burn test, adjust pH, use 300 degree water, use a rotovac, and mop the kitchen floor won't make any difference. You will waste a minute of your life, and several breaths trying to sell a price shopper.. LOL

 

[Tile Nerd]

I would tell them that they can get some information from my website and maybe give them some minimums charges.

In the future I would just start asking the questions instead of asking them if you can ask them questions.

We don't spend a lot of time with price shoppers because they don't want to pay our rates and our marketing is designed to eliminate there calls.

Here's one of things we say in our marketing pieces: "If you are looking for the cheapest cleaner, or a cleaner who leaves you carpet dry when they walk out the door, then I respectfully ask you to call someone else." This couple with some other market strategies works very well. We almost never get price hunter that waste our time on the phone.

 

[John Buxton]

Sometimes you just dont feel like spending the time to explain to some of these people.

The cheapskates are usually the ones that will bitch the most after the job.

 

[rhino1]

I would give them a price and state that was the minimum the charge would be and W/O looking at the job that would be a close estimate to what they would pay

I have found that you will get the best, most reasonable customers by being honest and reasonable yourself, and you can always find a way to help them save money by letting them pre-vac or move furniture themselves

That being said, some people want something for nothing, better let them go and be glad they're gone. I ran a Free Trial Room special and had people call me from 50 miles away wanting me to come clean 1 Room of carpet and say MAYBE I could do something for them later - if I was good!

Another reason I love my commercial carpet!

 

[The Great Oz]

A price shopper called and want to know how much to clean carpet or upholstery. You asked the caller if they would answer some questions about what they want clean. They refused to answer any questions. They just want a price.

Answer: That depends. Our minimum price is X and covers approximately Y amount of cleaning. The total price will depend on the scope of the work, but we can give you an exact price once we look at the job.

Let them know that anyone that would give them a price without any information would have to lie.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Here's one of things we say in our marketing pieces: "If you are looking for the cheapest cleaner, or a cleaner who leaves you carpet dry when they walk out the door, then I respectfully ask you to call someone else."

Why would it be bad to leave the carpet dry when you leave? I can't quite do it, but I've tried...

 

[Jeremy]

BECUASE HE'S A RAGING ASSHOLE.