what would you do??

[kevinj61]

had a new customer call me on Saturday, wanted his carpets cleaned next day which is Sunday and a holiday weekend 4th of July>
location of his home 35 min drive each way so 1hr and 10 min drive time for me. He knew my per room, hallway and stair charge before he called, gave him the price over the phone and added $35 to it due to drive time, short notice, a Sunday and holiday weekend--he said well i think thats too much, said he'd call me back. took him an hour to call back and i assume he tried to call other cleaners, when he called back he said i'll pay you but not the extra $35 because it's not my problem to pay you to drive around.
explained to him reason for extra charge, said sorry that's my price, you don't have to use me and are more than welcome to call someone else--So what would you have done??

 

[spotman123]

Just what you did. People have to realize the world doesn't revolve around them. Especially with it being a holiday weekend. What a dumbass.

 

[TimM]

If I have to drive a longer than normal distance, I will be up front and tell the customer that it will cost X dollars to clean because of my travel time and fuel. If it is a big enough job I will just charge my regular prices, but it has to be cost effective for me to drive the on hour and clean and still make my profit.

 

[kevinj61]

I was up front with him, he just did not want to pay

 

[cusman]

I'd do just as he wanted, and why not through in fifty bucks rebate to him NOT!!!!!!

 

[johntalley]

You are 100% on track !!!! ....


Most of the time other than my long time customers and com accounts ..

Its simple ..

For sat 150.00 min
Sun 200.00 Min

Most cleaner will not work weekends and if they do add 50.00 or a 100.00 ..

So why would you want to do it for less ?

 

[James]

Never thought of raising my min for weekend work. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Gary Getman]

I charge regular rate for Saturday jobs booked before 12 noon. After that, and on Sundays, I add. I'm with spotman123. We all have the occasional dumbass!

 

[RDCCARPET]

I had a similar situation last night. Our minimum during a weekday is $99.95 the guy called last night at 6pm. He wanted me out there last night for $99.95 I told him I was in the car with my wife and for me to get a tech out on a holiday weekend it would be $200 he was upset with me. So I said I had no plans fist thing Monday morning the 4th I would come out myself for the regular rate and still was not good enough for him and he hung up on me. Screw customers who think that we do not deserve to be paid for our time.

 

[Decker]

Well, I'm still building the base of my business. I've only been pushing it for about a month now. I would have taken the job and busted butt.

In a year, if - no when - we are booking a full week, I'm sure my answer will be different!

 

[D.j. Hill]

I second that Decker, times are rough right now. I've had a few clients force me to take jobs that weren't ideal for me. I figure that the first couple of years, I'm going to have to do stuff like that just to get my name out and it will pay off.

 

[TheEyeball]

I tell those people I am by appointment only, and here are my next available slots. Emergency service is for emergencies: flood, puke, blood everywhere etc. Waiting until the last minute is not an emergency. I'll still do it, but they have to pay emergency rates which are based directly on how bad a mood I'm in at the time. No favors. I charge my grandma.

 

[Frank DiGi]

I agree pay more for not normal hours...

 

[essieclean]

Client emailed us 10:00 Saturday evening wanted to have house cleaned before 8:00 am Sunday meaning today No way , don't allow people to dictate to you how to run your business , you are in control. I agree with eyeball , appointment only and the next available appointment will be ......
New business shouldn't matter.

 

[shane deubell]

I would have told them to go jump off a bridge.

 

[CoastalCleaning]

Our minimum for Saturday is 150, Sunday is 400. For a holiday its 600. I always offer these weekend jobs an option.

We can come Sunday for 400 and you can get some extra work done like furniture, vehicle, mattresses or maybe have your carpet deodorized or protected...we'll get you your monies worth or you can schedule a basic cleaning for the 4 or 5 areas you originally wanted done for Monday or Tuesday at (originally quoted price).

This way they can see that I'm willing to do the work at a price without stipulations and I'm not just trying to price jab them at the last minute. It shifts the choice to them and off of us.

 

[Harry Mullett]

Established office hours. I am all for having regular established office hours to answer phones and schedule appointments. I know that any time I have happened to answer the phone on Saturday or at irregular times it has not been good. The people are demanding, unreasonable and a royal pain in the [email protected]#. You can not establish a thriving business with good longivity with these types of people. They will just find the next person to jump through hoops for them. I think having regular scheduled office hours helps qualify you as a real professional business. Then on the company voice mail have a message for those calling after hours stating your hours of operation and asking them to leave a message which will be returned.

If you do emergency work obviously there would be a different system in place. I would probably utilize an answering service and have them qualify if it was a genuine emergency then forward the call to the person on call at the time.

As small business owners our business can run us instead of us run the business. Life is to short to chase after every nickel. I can replace money but I can not replace time with family, friends, or doing hobbies I enjoy just to rush after some dim wit.

 

[LFC]

for when it absolutely,positively has to be cleaned in a hurry we are re-assuringly expensive.

 

[Tile Professional]

I think you did the right thing.
I don't look at it like I am privileged to have them as my customer I look at it like they are privileged to have me as their cleaner and if they don't like it then I turn into the soup Nazi and
NO SOUP FOR YOU

 

[njhusker71]

unless you offer 24/7 flood work, .i wouldnt even answer the phone on weekends, holidays or even after hours..im sorry but even being a one man/one truck show i still kept weekends and holidays clear for family time. when you let your customers tell you what they what and when they want it, they will run your biz and they will expect it forever. but thats just me.