[Mark Betts]

Do you prefer visiting clients to quote or do you always quote over the phone?

[Ian Gourlay]

Having reread some information supplied by a very kind person, If within 6 miles I am going to try to get in house qoutes even for small amounts to beat  a good cleaner who charges less than myself.

Might even increase order value.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

I usually quote over the phone and gear a lot of my advertising to this.

If I do quote it obviously has to big enough to be worth it and I also try to get a bit extra than I would over the phone to make me feel better.

If I get the impression its a multi quote smallish job I would definitely phone quote.

Cheers,

Doug

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Depends on how busy I am but quoted a big house for all the carpets but HAD to go to see it and sell my services she had no idea of sizes and it was well worth the trip.

Shaun

[David_Annable]

Mark

I quote over the phone for 95% of my work as I am prepared to cover a wide area.

I do believe however that a more professional approach
would be to give quotes in the house & sell your services. Leading to bigger job & more add ons.

Why dont I do that myself ? I shall have a think about that today.

Dave

[Mark Betts]

I will go and visit for the majority of quotes.
Unless its a minimum order price job.

Reason being if I go out and quote armed with my terry towel and bottle of spotter I get the job 99% of the time.

"Yes madam those stains and spills will come out no problem look!!"  As I am going round the house with the spotter lifting the stains before her very eyes.


And as Shaun says especially if it is a multiple room job as the customer has no idea of the sizes of the rooms.


Mark

[Mike Halliday]

I put my price guide on my leaflet so 50% of my carpet cleaning quotes is done on the phone, I never quote suites over the phone.

big jobs I tend to visit.

but as most of my jobs are within 4 miles of my home its no hassle.

Mike

[strakercleaning]

I prefer to visit and survey/quote.............sometimes not logistically possible due to waiting on keys or moving out at short notice. If i only quote on the phone then i do add that the price is subject to verification on arriving to carry out the work. I do give a full explanaition, on the phone, as to what will occur and what to expect with the work.............90%+ turn into jobs. I would say that i get 99% of jobs that i visit to quote............so there is a definate advantage to visiting ( even if you like like me )

[Ken Wainwright]

Never, ever ever quote over the phone. Estimate yes. Most of my work is estimated over the phone as it's mainly repeats. Some recommends/referals and cold enquiries are also estimated. A site visit is required for a quotation and survey.

Safe and happy cleaning:)
Ken

[strakercleaning]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOps
Got my quote/estimate wording wrong.........but that is basically what i meant by confirming price when arriving to carry out work

[Dynafoam]

Much the same as Ken - on more than 50% of phone calls price is not even mentioned by customer. I always offer an estimate at the end of the conversation, but this normally comes after the appointment has been made.

If I do go out to quote it is for larger commercial work.

I realise that I am in a somewhat prvilaged possition in that every phone call will either be from an existing client or a referal. Possibly 6 -10 enquiries per year fail to convert to bookings.

John.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I think there is confusion over estimates and quotes as most customers will give you the wrong sizes or guess sizes.

Shaun

[Shaun_Ashmore]

How affordable is it to go and quote a minimum charge job?

Cost to go out and time it takes, does the maths work out?

Well take this into consideration, you have a higher take up rate when visiting clients, specially if you a higher priced cleaner also the package sellers amongst you will already know the benefit of the upsell ( more money per sq ft ) or adding extra items to clean, you sometimes get asked while you are there to quote for another carpet etc.

What about the life time value of a client?

If you quote over the phone you can't see the client and can't see what they are like ie like things cleaned regularly or cleanish not minging or very light furniture.

The life time value of a client is the maths you work out to see if you can make good profit

Mrs spends £45 on a carpet cleaned every 12 months for 10 years

£45 x 1year x 10years = £450

Now is it worth going out to visit?

Only YOU know if it's worth it because at the end of the day if the phone keeps ringing you only can put yourself in 1 place at a time, but this will help for when you are quiet and are having a deep thought ( probably using Andrex )

Shaun

[Len Gribble]

I manly quote on the phone and ask a lot of question as I know my areas very well and most houses are the same extensions and all, this only relates too new customers, my existing know the price, commercial is another thing always scope.

Len

[Len Gribble]

Most calls one receives they want the prices over the phone so the can do a compassion against the others cc they have phoned, it may boil down to you personality that you get the job.

A recent example a woman selling her house was advised to get the lounge carpet cleaned she already had three quotes then phoned me I was fifteen pounds dearer than the highest competitor I turned it around by saying that’s just over a pound a week and got the job in all it took 20min but I was there 45min.

Len

[woodman]

Always try to quote in the home rather than over the phone simply because it's easier to convert and add more value.

The odd exception like today was for an urgent job to clean a 2 bed apartment, carpets, curtains and furniture that they want done wednesday, no time to visit so a guide price given on phone.

Trevor

[Ian Gourlay]

Did an hour of telephone canvassing  Two Home visits, 3 Qoutes over the phone, two jobs in the bag.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I have posted in the past that I do get alot of telephone traffic I mean customers calling, I try to give them prices over the phone because I cannot go and see every caller. Take today 12 calls yesterday was Monday a very good day for calls 17, Sunday 2, My record is 86 but knowbody has yet called on Xmas day. Take up rate depends on if I can match my schedule to theirs and that is why I fail to convert but usually 6 out of 10, going out would probably 9 out of 10 but try doing 86 quotes in a day!

Shaun