[Russ Chadd]

I followed up a telephone enquiry with a home visit to give a customer an accurate price on a job, he mentioned that he had already received several phone prices and my price was £40 over the cheapest.
I explained exactly what the job would involve and then he decided to book me (this was 6.00 last night) as my price reflected the time it would take to clean the carpets to an acceptable level.

So why is it that some people will book you and THEN continue to shop around to see if your price can be beaten?

He cancelled this morning...

What i should of done is taken a deposit when making the booking!! 

[Ian Gourlay]

He would still have the right to Cancel

[Russ Chadd]

He would still have the right to Cancel

That is true Ian, however if i had charged £10 or £15 as a deposit would he of still cancelled? probably not seeing as he would of lost his deposit... if someone re schedules then that's slightly different.

[The Great One]

Hi

Sign of the times, people want it cleaned and many as cheap as possible.

We are all fighting the £20 per room brigade.

Just found out there are even down here in Brighton

Martin

[Adam Fearnley]

Whats wrong with £20 a room if you have a minimum of say £40? :

[The Carpet Cleaning Pro]

2 carpet cleaners each clean a carpet for different people of the same size and soiling level. Carpet cleaner 1 charges £25 and carpet cleaner 2 charges £50. Which one will make more money that year?

[clinton]

Russ there was nothing you could have done mate..

You will always get poeple like that..Everyone wants to save money so they will shop around thinking they have got a better deal.

Clients like that arnt worth having i m o.

[Colin Day]

Don't let it bother you, Russ. I gave an estimate for an EOT job of £140 the other day and she said "Oh, we've had a quote of £75 and we've booked him in...!"

I still explained that we were fully insured yadda yadda powerful van mounted system yadda. Not once did I slate the other guy either, there's no reason why he won't do a better job than me... I said that should she change her mind for whatever reason, I'll be happy to carry the work out for her.

You win some you lose some some...

[wayne zabel]

Its happened to me 4 times this month,jobs booked in only get get the call a day before doing the job to cancel.

Hospital appointments seem to be the excuse these days.

[Jim_77]

2 carpet cleaners each clean a carpet for different people of the same size and soiling level. Carpet cleaner 1 charges £25 and carpet cleaner 2 charges £50. Which one will make more money that year?

Me, I'd charge £75

[Jim_77]

Russ, you just learn to sniff out the price shoppers after a while... avoid the quote visit, give them your price on the phone and wait for the immortal words "I'll get back to you"

[Mike Halliday]

how do you know he kept shopping around? he could have just changed his mind

when i sold double glazing we used to see a lot of what we called  'buyers blues' its when a buyer commits to buy something then spend the evening worried that he might have not made the right decision so cancels the next morning.

it usually happened when we cut corners in the sales pitch and didn't address the real reason for the buying decision,  in your case you could have left him with a lingering doubt in his mind than boiled to the surface when you left

[Jamie Pearson]

2 carpet cleaners each clean a carpet for different people of the same size and soiling level. Carpet cleaner 1 charges £25 and carpet cleaner 2 charges £50. Which one will make more money that year?

Assuming both do the same number of jobs that year it could be the same as a larger company will have greater overhead than an owner operator working from home.

[Craigp]

2 carpet cleaners each clean a carpet for different people of the same size and soiling level. Carpet cleaner 1 charges £25 and carpet cleaner 2 charges £50. Which one will make more money that year?

Lets say the £25 Is not a nice person there's just that something you don't like about him, but the £50 one gives off friendly, trustworthy, competent all round nice man.

Then I'd go for the £50

Don't leave personality out of the equation

Don't forget your dealing with people. Plus I would not let £25 pocket change stop me using the prefered man.

[Dennis]

Next week Russ, you may get someone saying "Is that all?" to your price.
You win some, you lose some.

[garyfindlay]

Next week Russ, you may get someone saying "Is that all?" to your price.
You win some, you lose some.

now that is worse

[Russ Chadd]

Haha thanks guys! its really encouraging to hear that im not the only one here!, i guess if someone commits to a price then they shouldn't batter an eye lid to stump up a small deposit and to be fair its my fault as i should of asked for one.

Yes it is a sign of the times, and yes everyone wants a bargain or at least they want to feel like they received value for money.
I find my approach to actually visit the client and take the time to show them my portfolio works well and 9/10 times i can turn an enquiry into a job.

Only 25 minutes ago i was in the filthiest council flat scratching my head and looking at three of the dirtiest carpets i have seen in years... dirty clothes all over the place, empty beer cans and loads of clutter! looked more like a squat.
The guy had been quoted less than £90 inc VAT over the phone for the living room, double bedroom and landing, the sort of job you really don't want at all!

Good luck to the poor buggers who will honour that price on arrival!!! 

[John Kelly]

Don't think it is a sign of the times, its always been like this.

[Paul H]

one persons muck is another is anothers persons brass..and it's all about making brass

[Paul Moss]

Don't think it is a sign of the times, its always been like this.

Spot on.

Its how you sell yourself / your business that will make the big bucks