[Prestige1]

I am interested to know your opinions as to the benefits of quoting over the phone? I would say if I quote I get about 20-30 % over the phone, where as if I go and estimate it’s around 70-80% success rate. But I do understand customers would like an idea of costs to proceed with a visit. What are your thoughts?

[House Angels]

Hi

I offer quotes by email and phone and estimate a 30% take up.
However when I weigh that up against time and expense of going to quote personally, I think I am saving money.

This does leave you open to getting to a job and finding it absolutely rotten but I work on fixed prices per size of property anyway, so I look at it as some you win some you lose, but it all works out equal in the end!

At the end of the day I think it whatever suits you the best

Good luck

Terry

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

no matter what sort of cleaning job it is i for one would not quote over the phone cos you are bound to get it wrong, it's always best to see the job first hand before quoting

[Mike_Boxall]

If you quote over the phone you are encouraging price led jobs. It's harder to sell 'added value' over the phone and I would certainly expect on-site quotes to be better paying and have a higher conversion rate.

Besides, once you're there it's easier to show things like customer testamonials, health and safety policies, etc etc.

I guess it also depends on the type of customer as well. If it's an Estate Agent you've never had an enquiry from before then you'll want to build some kind of relationship with them by meeting them. If, on the other hand, it's a student property you can be pretty sure they're probably only after the cheapest and then it may be a waste of your time by doing a survey.

Assuming you are offering a long term service not just a one-off,  I'd suggest avoiding quoting over the phone altogether.

Regards

Mike

Regards

Mike

[The Great One]

Hi

It is only a bad thing if you do not get the job, otherwise it's great.

REGARDS

Martin

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys,

I quote almost all my domestic over the phone as I  just do not have the time to visit.

Commercial I always try to visit.

Cheers,

Doug

[Prestige1]

Sound advise Mike

[Tim Downer]

You cant beat the personal face to face contact.....whether commercial cleaning, domestic, carpet cleaning etc etc

People who ring around for prices are looking for the cheapest price normally, and will call around till they get it.

Genuine people will welcome you to come to their homes / places of work etc and you will be able to charge accordingly, as you will have turned up smartly dressed and dealing in a professional manner.

Why be happy with a 20 - 30% success rate??

I wouldnt, as it is a waste of time for me. The individual face to face approach generally brought in for me a 90 - 95% success rate....you work out the maths compared to 20 - 30%??

Phone calls always have their place as a start of contact, but would never give prices out on the phone.....as Mike said on his comment above, that personal contact should give you a higher conversion rate and to be better paying, plus you will see exactly what needs to be cleaned, plus you will see potential problem areas.....which you can utilise to make more money for you.....If you think you are a good enough cleaner that is.....

Regards

Tim

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

totaly agree with you on that i tim, 50% of phone quotes are a waste of time where as on site quotes are nearly all sucessful

[triumph cleaning]

I NEVER quote over the phone and I tend to qualify that by telling the customer if they only want a quick surface clean (cheap) then they have called the wrong person.  It might sound arrogant but I promise you it works!

[Jan K]

I charge a standard hourly rate and quote over the phone, but always visit if customer is defo interested!

[Paul Forster]

I Run a pressure washing business and a grounds maintenace busines. Good customers will always want to meet me before aranging work (except recomendations).

If I ever get asked for a price over the phone or an hourly rate I always tell them that i price by the job. If they push further for a price over the phone my standard response is to extract more details before informing them that  I would have to come and look.Those who were  wanting a quote over the phone are almost always   looking for something on the cheap or just being  plain difficult - boths the sort of customer best avoided.

Paul

[Villy Scott]

It really depends. If it is regular domestic cleaning or a one off of a few hours a phone quote is fine. If it is a big job it is better to visit site to be able to give a proper quote.
Cleaners Wimbledon

[Jettaway]

Someones trawling back in the archives!!

What is the point in reopening a thread that is nearly a decade old?!?!? 

[Great Outdoors]

It really depends. If it is regular domestic cleaning or a one off of a few hours a phone quote is fine. If it is a big job it is better to visit site to be able to give a proper quote.
Cleaners Wimbledon

talking of tits 

[Kev Martin]

[/quote]talking of tits 
[/quote]

Mike

That's what I like about you always "Beating around the bush"  You should come straight to the point

Kev

[Mike Halliday]

He's  trying to use CIU as a link provider, he just post any crap and the puts a link underneath, pity someone keeps edditing his post and altering the text so they don't work

[Great Outdoors]

talking of tits 
[/quote]

Mike

That's what I like about you always "Beating around the bush"  You should come straight to the point

Kev
[/quote]
Thanks Kev, any news when the Hard Floor section is going to be changed to the Pressure Washing section 

[Kev Martin]

talking of tits 

Mike

That's what I like about you always "Beating around the bush"  You should come straight to the point

Kev
[/quote]
Thanks Kev, any news when the Hard Floor section is going to be changed to the Pressure Washing section 
[/quote]

Don't know mate you can turn the hard floor section into anything you want most people just e mail me direct now rather than asking questions on there and everytime you ask Rob Hall puts it all over his samich forum because it delights him no end since he got booted off here!