[Shaun_Ashmore]

I'm not convinced about a long term customer but impulsive customers will (if they like you) will try you out cheaply and then based on what and who they see will be impulsive to have more done, customers who buy for price only may be different.

Shaun

[JandS]

Whereabouts on the site do you sign up
for what Jason is doing?
I'm logged in but can't find a link.

John

[jasonl]

Email me and ill send you the details for the rep   I am dealing with.

[AshWhite]

I for one hope it works brilliantly -what a great shortcut to marketing success if it works out!

Good luck Jason

Ashley

[davep]

I couldn't work a 65% discount and then hand over 40% of the rest.

[garyj]

I couldn't work a 65% discount and then hand over 40% of the rest.

Don't do it then!

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

You're all looking at this the wrong way. Forget about discounts and what you normally charge.

How long would it take you to clean 2 rooms ? An hour ?

So that's £17 for an hours work - not a fortune granted - but more importantly it's cost you nothing to get that client and from Jason's point of view a new client costs £40 to obtain.

Plus the money is guaranteed.

If you are any good at selling, then once you are in the clients home you can discuss additional work, maybe to be done at a later date. Maybe you could tempt them with a further discounted deal for future work, obviously not as much as the original deal. If these are the type of clients that want a deal then give them what they want. It doesn't automatically follow that because they want a deal, they will have minging carpets.

Plus it doesn't matter how good the offer is, the Groupon client is only going to book it if they happen to need their carpets cleaned at that particular time.

The biggest risk with this type of deal is not being able to cope with a massive influx of work to be done within a limited time frame.

[cozy]

That's how Groupon want you to see it Steve. There is an advantage to this sort of thing. I've heard it described as "Busy fool" syndrome.

I'm in business to make as much as possible with the minimum amount of outlay and work. Being busy is great, as long as the price justifies the amount of work needed to earn it.

I don't see how it costs 40 quid to get a client. But 17 quid hourly rate is disgusting.

[Neil Williams]

Oh how times have changed
Not so long ago it was written by those on here who knew their stuff to 'charge high work less.'
Now there seems to be a growing clan of charge low work looooong.

There's 3 parties involved in this scheme......Groupon, customer, service provider and only 2 of them are going to win.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Not at all Neil, personally Groupon is not for me - I want my £50 per hour and I have the client base that provides that.

But Jason has a particular need (new clients) at a particular time (now) and he has identified that this form of marketing will suit his needs.

I was simply stating that people are focusing too much on the discount rather than the ready-made clients.

How long would it take you to get 100 new orders ?

Jason could get that in one day !

[Ian Rochester]

As some of you may know we also run a cycle hire business in Northumberland, one of our competitors (well actually he's become a good mate and we pass work back and forward to each other) did a Groupon offer last year for bike hires.

He ran it as a half price offer, £8 for a day hire instead of £16 and got a really good response, however he only received £4 per booking, groupon took the other 50% and he's not had one person come back to rebook at normal prices.

He has had people coming to him asking when he's going to do another Groupon deal as they are looking for a cheap hire again.

All this succeeds in doing is devaluing the market for carpet cleaners, it's like when you go into the Supermarket and only buy things when they are on offer or BOGOF.

[cozy]

Not at all Neil, personally Groupon is not for me - I want my £50 per hour and I have the client base that provides that.

But Jason has a particular need (new clients) at a particular time (now) and he has identified that this form of marketing will suit his needs.

I was simply stating that people are focusing too much on the discount rather than the ready-made clients.

How long would it take you to get 100 new orders ?

Jason could get that in one day !

About 2 hours at stupid prices. What a great days work, 10 jobs at 17 quid a job, travel between jobs, kit and chem costs etc etc to take off the amazing turnover of 170 quid.

Steve, Groupon is designed for burger outlets and fish & chip shops, not services like CC.

[cozy]

As some of you may know we also run a cycle hire business in Northumberland, one of our competitors (well actually he's become a good mate and we pass work back and forward to each other) did a Groupon offer last year for bike hires.

He ran it as a half price offer, £8 for a day hire instead of £16 and got a really good response, however he only received £4 per booking, groupon took the other 50% and he's not had one person come back to rebook at normal prices.

He has had people coming to him asking when he's going to do another Groupon deal as they are looking for a cheap hire again.

All this succeeds in doing is devaluing the market for carpet cleaners, it's like when you go into the Supermarket and only buy things when they are on offer or BOGOF.

Well explained, what part of that didn't get the point across that Groupon WIN and the customers WIN, and you LOSE?

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I can see I'm flogging a dead horse here.....

Jason's opening post said "I have relocated so I have little work anyway"

We are not talking about how it would affect you or me Cozy, as I said it's not for me and I agree it's better suited to restaurants or hotels that want to fill tables or rooms that would have otherwise been empty.

But this could solve Jason's immediate problem - and who said he would have to complete those hypothetical 100 jobs in 10 days (10 a day) ?

Anyway, I can see I'm in a minority here so I'm off to watch Law and Order 

[jasonl]

All I can say is  Ill let you know how it goes .

[cozy]

Steve, you wasted enough time typing that other post when you should've been watching Top Gear!

Jason, can't wait to hear. I've no reason to wish to see you crash and burn. I'm just glad it's someone else and not me 

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Steve, you wasted enough time typing that other post when you should've been watching Top Gear!

Jason, can't wait to hear. I've no reason to wish to see you crash and burn. I'm just glad it's someone else and not me  

I had to wash up while Top Gear was on, but the jokes on her coz I taped it  

[The Great One]

There is only one way to know for sure and that's to do it.

Jason, best of luck mate, I for one hope it works for you.

Martin

[David_Annable]

Good luck with it.

Dave

[Shaun_Ashmore]

You have got to look at Jason's financial needs, between insurance work he cleans carpets the need to get a full on data base isn't a must like it is for me, ideally if this works e can switch it on and off to suit.

Shaun