[woodman]

Having viewed the posts on obtaining new customers it would be interesting to know the tactics used by cleaners on here in keeping existing customers.

After all it is much cheaper to keep your customers than it is to obtain new so the upmost importance has to be attached to keeping them loyal.

I bet there is a whole myriad of tactics used it would be good if we could share them on here with our fellow cleaners.

Apart from the obvious, do a great job, what would be your number 1.
Mine are keep your data base up to date and re-call every six months on a rota with a simple card
letting them know that cleaning may be due.
News letters are another,doesn't have to be much just whats going on in the industry, free b's are another ,free spot cleaner ask them to ring when a re-fill is required they nearly always ask for a carpet to be cleaned aswell.
Special offers, one room free, limited period only etc
and so on.

What is your secret in keeping you customers loyal.
You know you can share it with us.

[Mike Halliday]

the reason most carpet cleaners lose customers is not because they did a bad job but because the customers forgets thier name.

the key to keeping customers is to constantly expose them to your name, this starts from the very first moment they come into contact with your company.

My company is called Henry Halliday & Son. from the first initial contact on the phone to me cleaning thier carpet they will have heard & read my name 7 times (this does'nt include the 50 times they will read it on my embriodered shirt )

Even years later all my customer never forget I'm called Henry.

I also send out reminder cards every 3 months and   'book early for Xmas cards'

if anyones reading this post who is thinking of starting a carpet cleaning company do yourselve a favour, call the company after yourself not eg;  'supaclean, ultraclean,kleen'n'brite, fresh 'n' clene.

And the worst using initials, A & G Services or  P & P  Cleaners. no one remembers these sorts of names

Mike

[PeterH]

I've been sending out a newsletter for the past 3 years or so.  I send them out 3 or 4 times a year.

I keep accurate records so I know that my repeat/recommendation business has doubled over this time.  I don't do anything fancy, just one side of A4 black and white ( so they can be photocopied cheaply ).

I get my topics from mags, customers, and BBs!  I always put in 2/3 ( clean ) jokes.

Each month I also send out post cards to people I haven't seen for 18 months.

This is fairly simple to do in Word 2000 - apart from the usual fields of name, address1, address2 etc, you have a final field called last clean date.  You can then print labels for any particular month.

Hope this makes sense, Peter.

[Derek]

Hi Peter

Have you ever asked your customers whether they wish to have this material sent to them?

This is in no way a criticism just an enquiry on how it/they are received.
We all get repeatedly bombarded with junk mail on a daily basis and I was wondering if this method of promoting your business would be seen by the customer in the same way and perhaps be offputting to some?

Regards
Derek

[PeterH]

Good point Derek, and one that I have thought about.

Junk mail is getting a bit out of hand now, and yet I'm a prime offender with my regular leaflet drops.

Regarding the newsletter, I've only had one request not to send it but that was from a lady who'd moved out of the area.

I try to make my newsletter interesting and useful - I don't include so called special offers etc.  I always include cleaning tips like using vinegar or baking soda, or how to clean the computer etc.  This month I'm covering carpet moths, carpet shading and cleaning cushions.

Sometimes I tell customers that I'll be sending them a newsletter, so far nobody has objected but that may just be my charming personality!

Peter

[woodman]

Hi Peter

You can easily get round sending unwanted mail to your customers just put a tick box on the bottom which simply asks them to tick it and send it back if they no longer wish to receive mail.

You can then send them only the re-call cards when the time is due.

[woodman]

Sorry Mike don't agree

The reason most cleaners will lose customers is if they carry out shoddy work.
I have no doubt that you would have seen all the info on customer loyalty, they are 5 times more likely to tell friends of shoddy work than good and if you go by your name then every one in your town will know John Smith is a bodger.
I can't see anything wrong in using your own name or using a descriptive name ie cleane & shine or whatever,

although if your name is ,Constantine  Theodopolopolis Carpet Cleaners,  you might have a problem with cheques and you'd need a long van

[Mike Halliday]

Woodman, I was talking about 'professional' carpet cleaners who would'nt dream of doing shoddy work.

In this case then customers forgetting your name will be No1

But I stand by using your name. which of these names  says  refinement,  long established & trustworthy

Henry Halliday & Son or Klene & Brite

Mike

[Big_Fish]

Hello,

Forgive me for digging out this old post but it's really interesting. I also completely agree with Mike. A company name with a personal identity says family business, reliable, honest etc. A company that isn't says, in my opinion one of 2 things: Big and unable to fit around the customer, leaving the customer to take it or leave it. Secondly less personal, maybe making it easier to forget the name.

It comes down to personal choice but our customers know us by name from the initial phone call. Referrals & recommendations come through with an actual name to ask for. It certainly works well for our company but there again we've not had it any other way so only have gut reaction.
But...
How many times have you phoned British Gas, BT, your bank and completely forgotten the persons name as soon as you put down the phone?

BFN

[SMP]

I agree with Mike on this, a proportion just forget your name.  I've picked up work from many of the big franchises who's customers were happy with the work they did , but when it came to rebook time they couldn't find them in the YP - there were so many advertising under that name!!!

Cheers
Steve

[conallon]

i agree with woodman
                                    qaulity work is very important, put yourself in the situation of a customer, shes just had her three piece suite ( cracking job ) down comes sister,inlaw,auntie or friend from two doors away, they are all curious to see this suite, has she had told them she was having it cleaned, in they walk one after another, what do they say? looks like brand new, she says what a polite chap he was aswell ect ect ect, guess what when i leave ? i give her a card, better still it has got my company name and my name on it  

[John_Flynn]

The Sweetest Words in the World are you own Name!!!.

When people call you by the wrong name or spell it wrong, what do you do???

Think about it!!

How you doing Henry er Mike er Mr Halliday??