[Jimmywidge]

Quoted for a carpet cleaning job in sussex today.  Living Room and small hallway.   £50.00 customer thought this was too expensive - just how cheap do people think you can get the job done for !

[Joe H]

I just say "I cant match their low prices, neither can they match my high quality".

[Mike Halliday]

as soon as they said that you should have looked at her said 1 word.....

"Expensive?"

then shut your gob and waited, any time anyone gives you an objection you should pick out the key word and put it back to them.

EG; I'm not going to sleep with you because you are too ugly

your reply "ugly?"


EG; I'm not eating that it stinks

your reply "stinks?"

this is a powerful sales technique that will make the person answer their own objection.

try it on your wife it really works..... until they realise that you are manipulating the conversation

[1wayno]

hope your not on about ur wife wen ur tlkin about,expensive,ugly and stinks! lol 

[daz1977]

the problem you have got is this so called recession,  people  think that every company is sat around doing nothing, because there is no work so you should be prepared to do jobs for £20 and be greatful for the work, to be honest i would rather sit at home and do nothing

i had a plumbing business in liverpool at the start of the recession, and use to cut prices to keep lads in work and to be honest half the time it ended up costing me money,  as you would end up competeing to get jobs againest blokes on the dole prepared to fit a bathroom for £80  usually a mim of £240, these people had no insurance no waste licence etc

[fitz2kleen]

We have in the past found clients [[ customers ]] deem our price as expensive.
I for one will never argue with a potential customer over my price, If they can get it done cheaper by all means go get it done by them and when they faff it up do call me and i'll be happy to charge double to attempt to rectify.
I dont say it but I am not a charity and I do give exceptional service, we stain remove to a certain extent but charge for exceptionally badly stained carpets which when u take into account time and products is only fair.
so yep let em take the cheap option and call you when it goes pear shaped
Regards Marc

[Anna 140]

That is not an expensive quote, even for up north,
I am a new start up business, I recently did a quote for someone for a full clean, and fallen for the "we are looking for a permanent maintenance clean too" so I undercut myself by a lot, just covering minimum wage, did the clean, they gave a small tip and lets just say I have  heard nothing from them again.
my advice is give a competitive quote but stick to a wage what you could take a profit on, after all you have outgoings to cover!

[lesterM]

Oh dear . Don't you think you should treat yourself to something expensive once in a while ? Go on you deserve it?


Many people say something is expensive   because they would like to pay less and spend the rest of the money on something which is very stupid and selfish, but gives them a small pleasure in some way. They can't help it. Lack of brain power, social conditioning and upbringing have all played a part in creating their outlook.
Treat  them nicely and be gentle with them , they have just realised that they are trying to get something they cannot easily afford and their self image has taken a battering, because they dont feel equal to the rest of your custsomers.
Often  they dont not understand the amount of pleasure they are creating for themselves in the use of your services. This is what you must overcome.

[Londoner]

Thats not the problem, the problem comes when the customer says "Wow! that really cheap, I was expecting it to be a lot more than that"

You are in business to make money, nothing else. You will always get some rejections on price. Don't start cutting your prices to get less rejections.

Any fool can sell their services cheaper than the next cleaner. Its just a lack of self confidence

[JandS]

I usually get 2 types of question asked.
" I want my carpets cleaned how much would it be for etc"
or
"I am looking for a quote for carpets cleaned how much for etc"
The first question I ask in reply to both statements is where do
you live, that gives me an idea of the type of customer I am
dealing with.
To the second question I also ask them what sort of budget
they have in mind.
I then  know whether I'll get the job or not.

John

[Billy Russell]

I just say "I cant match their low prices, neither can they match my high quality".

That is spot on joe!!! I did a quote last week and used the same words! the job was mine! Booked in for this monday morning! 

[Mary Watson]

I just say "I cant match their low prices, neither can they match my high quality".

A professional response. 

[Joe H]

Did an estimate over the phone today. Very large house, hallway is like a miniture Dallas with wrap around landing, but not all quoted for.
I estimated £298. Shock reaction from the householder.
She said my current cleaner doesnt charge anything near that, but he didnt turn up on Saturday to do the clean and now when I ring the lines dead, "I wonder if hes gone bust".

I asked how much had he quoted - £120 was the reply.
Maybe he has gone bust at that price - you just cant do it.
Hes always charged that, for the last 5 years, she says.
Probably has gone bust, says I, you just cant do those prices and keep a business going.

Shes having a think.  :

[Matt Seymour]

I find that it depends on the kind of customer.

I was recently told that £10 to clean a little box bedroom was expensive. She then went on to tell me all about how you can hire a certain Rug Doctor for £20 and do your whole house etc. I explained the staggering difference between a slug doctor and a professional machine and she then said there was nothing wrong with them and that "a bad workman always blames his tools"

Some people really do beggar belief at times.

[Joe H]

Matt
I wonder why she called you in the first place.

and a good workman always knows what tools work the best.

I have had some comments recently from custys that have tried the RD route - never again they say.

I have no doubt a pro c/cleaner could get a half decent result with a RD cause we would use it within its limitations, and I for one would not be using RD detergents (I reckon thats where the money is made). I would be on Nemesis/M-Power every time.

[Matt Seymour]

Joe,

My limited experience tells me that, whilst plenty of people do use the Rug Doctor, they only tend to use it once!

In many ways I am grateful for Rug Doctor as I am happy to take on all those jobs where a carpet has gone black within weeks of being given the Rug Doctor treatment.

You're right, I've no idea why a person who turns their nose up at £10 for a small bedroom would contact a professional carpet cleaner in the first place. I can only assume that she would expect me to clean her entire house for less than it costs to hire a Rug Doctor!

[Colin Day]

I was talking to a lady behind the counter at B&Q a while ago, it worked out to be quite expensive to hire a RD after buying all the chemicals... More than my minimum price in fact

She said that they have so many complaints and she said herself "I wouldn't flippin use one!"

Says it all really...

[garybristow]

  >:(work out your minimum charge then stick to it!i always ask if they have more to do or perhaps a rug that i will do under the min charge.They get more done and they see you as an honest operator who s offering good value. Gary Bristowclean

[Peter White]

people don't realise that cheap doesn't always = bargain!!! 

[paul D long]

Just been asked to price 120sqmt of carpet that has got wet due to bursed pipe, not sure what to price any ideas? Please have worked for company before they have asked for a budget price.