Ok Steve and Scott, how would you have handled this phone call

[Brian_g]

So I want to know how you expert sales people would have handled a call like this. This is approximately how the conversation went:

Caller: I'd like to know your price on cleaning a bed room and a living room.

Me: Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions.

Caller: sure.

Me: Where are you located?

Caller: Elkhart

Me: What kinds of problems are you having with your carpet?

Caller: none, we just need it cleaned because we're moving out.

Me: when is the last time you've had it cleaned?

Caller: never.

Me: Do you have any pets?

Caller: No, the house will be empty.

Me: I mean did you have any pets living there.

Caller: No pets. I really just need a quote.

Me: How soon do you need it done.

Caller: Thurs or Friday next week.

Me: Based on what your telling me. I think I need to come out and take a look before I can give a firm price.

Caller: Thank you for your time, I going to call some one else.

Me: Thank you, call me back if you need anything.



So what should I have done better? She kinda had a tone of annoyance like, why would I be asking her all these questions. This is an example of the type of call where the person seems want a quote for cleaning, but not the actual cleaning. Why would a person who's never had her carpets cleaned find it annoying that I'm asking about the condition of her carpet?

 

[Prosteam-sonomacounty]

Caller lost my interest @ 2 room move-out....

 

[rob allen]

Number one you can't win them all. Number two if I sensed that type of client I probably would have shot them a price earlier. I would have said my basic package price and wait on her reaction to reply further.

Move outs are frustrating at times because price is a big issue. So I like to add this;

Ma'am along with my cleaning comes a "light" deodorizer. We have been in business for 30 years and deal with a lot of real estate agents. We know how to make property managers happy so you can get your deposit back!


If she allows me to talk further I'd add that some shop price and a lot of low price cleaners can ruin a carpet fast costing you your whole deposit. Seen it before.

I'm not Steve or Scott but hope this helps some.

 

[Pat Carroll]

These types of customers are just looking for the lowest price. From what it sounds like, all she wanted you to say was, "$17/room" and that is all she wanted to hear. Not worth the time on the phone.

 

[Prosteam-sonomacounty]

Number one you can't win them all. Number two if I sensed that type of client I probably would have shot them a price earlier. I would have said my basic package price and wait on her reaction to reply further.

Move outs are frustrating at times because price is a big issue. So I like to add this;

Ma'am along with my cleaning comes a "light" deodorizer. We have been in business for 30 years and deal with a lot of real estate agents. We know how to make property managers happy so you can get your deposit back!


If she allows me to talk further I'd add that some shop price and a lot of low price cleaners can ruin a carpet fast costing you your whole deposit. Seen it before.

I'm not Steve or Scott but hope this helps some.

I'd like to add one thing that I tell those move-outs who seem intelligent. I pass my cleaning gaurantee of thoroughness onto the landlord. If the landlord has any issue with quality or retuning spots ill sort them out also.

 

[Brian_g]

I'd like to add one thing that I tell those move-outs who seem intelligent. I pass my cleaning gaurantee of thoroughness onto the landlord. If the landlord has any issue with quality or retuning spots ill sort them out also.

How do you put that into practice? Suppose you have a dozen spots that require special treatment (paint, nail polish, koolaide, candle wax, etc) and the tenant says they don't want to pay extra, just give them the basic cleaning. Then the landlord calls you because he's unsatisfied.

 

[Tron]

Brian, what I've learned most lately is this.

They view you as a commodity. Like bottled water or gasoline.

So you have to ask yourself. Where did she get your contact info? And at that place of contact, what did she see? The same old thing every other carpet cleaner says?

Or did you break her out of the mindset that your the same as the next guy who will give her a quote over the phone for 9.99 a room?

I could go on all day on this. I have been sitting there wondering the exact same things as this so many times.
And I'm now starting to really find the answers.

When you did that ride along with us. We didnt have much if any of this stuff worked out yet.
I hope this helped.

 

[jbc71]

It looks to me like your customer just wanted a price. Instead of telling him you had to see it before you gave him a price I would have shot him my 2 room min. I would've explained that this is for average Traffic soiling. Any out of the ordinary stains would be extra.

Why would you use so much energy to go and give a two room price. Instead of just telling the cust before you went. At least they have a ball park price.

 

[Prosteam-sonomacounty]

How do you put that into practice? Suppose you have a dozen spots that require special treatment (paint, nail polish, koolaide, candle wax, etc) and the tenant says they don't want to pay extra, just give them the basic cleaning. Then the landlord calls you because he's unsatisfied.

I like to explain to prospects that the only thing we as CC'rs really sell you, from one cleaner to the next is our time. When price is the selling point, the client is purchasing a very small amount of time and cleaning quality and thoroughness will of course suffer. I charge 40-60 cents on vacants just like owner-occupied so I can afford to spend ample time on all. Most vacants choose someone else (thank Budda) but when they do choose me I go to war.

 

[Brian_g]

Brian, what I've learned most lately is this.

They view you as a commodity. Like bottled water or gasoline.

So you have to ask yourself. Where did she get your contact info? And at that place of contact, what did she see? The same old thing every other carpet cleaner says?

Or did you break her out of the mindset that your the same as the next guy who will give her a quote over the phone for 9.99 a room?

I could go on all day on this. I have been sitting there wondering the exact same things as this so many times.
And I'm now starting to really find the answers.

When you did that ride along with us. We didnt have much if any of this stuff worked out yet.
I hope this helped.

I think your 100% right. I've known about this problem for awhile now. I just don't know the solution. How do we get people to stop thinking of us as providing a commodity?

 

[Brian_g]

It looks to me like your customer just wanted a price. Instead of telling him you had to see it before you gave him a price I would have shot him my 2 room min. I would've explained that this is for average Traffic soiling. Any out of the ordinary stains would be extra.

I kinda doubt telling her my minimum would have gotten me the job.

 

[Prosteam-sonomacounty]

I think your 100% right. I've known about this problem for awhile now. I just don't know the solution. How do we get people to stop thinking of us as providing a commodity?

Can't change people's mind set but hopefully you can convert those who are looking for value.

 

[jbc71]

I didn't see him low balling a price anywhere in the initial conversation. Did I miss it ?? He told you that there was no staining , no pets and room empty just needed it cleaned for move out. Pretty standard stuff and easily quoted over phone.

 

[Tron]

Can't change people's mind set but hopefully you can convert those who are looking for value.

You can change some of them.

 

[Jpais]

I didn't see him low balling a price anywhere in the initial conversation. Did I miss it ?? He told you that there was no staining , no pets and room empty just needed it cleaned for move out. Pretty standard stuff and easily quoted over phone.

Except for the fact that most customers omit and lie through their teeth to get a lower price quote.

 

[Brian_g]

I didn't see him low balling a price anywhere in the initial conversation. Did I miss it ?? He told you that there was no staining , no pets and room empty just needed it cleaned for move out. Pretty standard stuff and easily quoted over phone.

I found that people don't always have a good sense of how bad their carpet is. The fact that she's never had it cleaned, makes me wonder. But even still, if she had come back and asked for a ballpark figure, I probably would have told her my minimum, but at that point she was already set on calling someone else.

 

[Spiz85]

Easy...

Caller: Thank you for your time, I going to call some one else.

Me: I apologise, my give a f**k is broken, but my go f**k yourself is fully functional.

 

[Mojo Rising]

When I started my company I started from the customer service point of view and then built my company around that.

As a consumer myself I too would be a little irritated if I went through all that Q & A to only find out that you still need to see it before you quote a price. Why even ask all that if you still won't give a price???? I would be a little more subtle on information collecting and not make it such a interrogation so they can enjoy the experience with your company. Many companies fail(some on here) to meet the consumer on an emotional level, which we buy on an emotional level.. so they go to someone else that will give them that comfort. Its complex but a simple thing to do.

In a situation like that sometimes giving them a ballpark of $100-$150 to clean as an example. But if you don't build your company from the customer experience point of view then you will lose a lot of work and that is just a fact.

It also doesn't matter if it was a minimum job, the customer should always be treated as if they just spent a $1000 with your company. If you don't believe that then go reread what I wrote above..

 

[Brian_g]

When I started my company I started from the customer service point of view and then built my company around that.

As a consumer myself I too would be a little irritated if I went through all that Q & A to only find out that you still need to see it before you quote a price. Why even ask all that if you still won't give a price???? I would be a little more subtle on information collecting and not make it such a interrogation so they can enjoy the experience with your company. Many companies fail(some on here) to meet the consumer on an emotional level, which we buy on an emotional level.. so they go to someone else that will give them that comfort. Its complex but a simple thing to do.

In a situation like that sometimes giving them a ballpark of $100-$150 to clean as an example. But if you don't build your company from the customer experience point of view then you will lose a lot of work and that is just a fact.

It also doesn't matter if it was a minimum job, the customer should always be treated as if they just spent a $1000 with your company. If you don't believe that then go reread what I wrote above..

Just for some background. In the past, I was pretty quick to give a price on the phone. And I've found that a lot of those who were only interested in price, didn't end up booking. So I asked for help, and the gurus talked about the importance of doing a in home estimate.

 

[Joey J.]

I can understand if you feel you need to give in home quotes but two thoughts on that. 1. If you're only will to give an in home quote then no need for 20 questions over the phone. You would simply explain up front that every job is different blah blah blah so you need to see the job in order to give a firm quote and the best price possible. 2. IMO, there is no way a very small job like that can possibly be worth it for you to make two trips so you should quote your minimum and let them know what they get for that minimum and you'll confirm the price when you arrive.

Unlike some of the other posters I love cleaning move outs and find them to be much faster to clean than occupied so I try to land them and am willing to offer a small discount to pass on the savings to the customer, although I don't normally need to because they are calling me based on a referral or based on my Google reviews.

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