Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: John Mart on May 02, 2018, 08:24:57 am
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Does anyone else find that less email enquiries convert to customers than phone enquiries? Any thoughts as to why?
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Because you can’t do the sales pitch via email.
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Perople who’re serious about a regular service are more likely to call then email. They want to speak to someone. They have questions they need answers to.
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Human contact
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Agreed.
They would more thank likely send an email to more than one company, so less chance to interact.
Which is why I still think canvassing yields a better customer than leafleting. However to get the quantity I can see why leaflets works.
I seem to convert quite a few email enquiries via the website for large one-off jobs, gutters, pressure cleaning etc.
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i find i get a lot of text enquiries that often turn into regular jobs and the odd phone call....
younger people are more likely to text than phone.....
email enquiries very rare......
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Perople who’re serious about a regular service are more likely to call then email. They want to speak to someone. They have questions they need answers to.
I think that’s part of it. I seem to get pictures of conservatories and the instant you give the price they go quiet. ;D
I think their enquiries are more tentative. As though they think they probably can’t afford the service and don’t want the embarrassment of saying so.
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Phone enquiries? What about texts.
I've picked up three local window cleaning customers in the last few days, one website contact form, one via Gumtree and one text.
I prefer email or text as I can spell it out to them and they then have time to mull it over rather than saying OK on the spot but then canceling with some excuse that leaves you hanging.
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I find the majority of my enquirys are from email & my contact form.
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I get lots of email enquiries (via website contact form). I don't answer my phone unless I know the number- if they leave a messsge they are serious is how I see it and I get the chance to evaluate any info within the message. The reason I don't answer the phone is because I can't be arsed trying to decipher whether I want them or not in a live situation- I only take on about 1 in every 10 enquiries. For me to take the time to go and quote a job I have to be sure that I want it from the outset.
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Its funny. I went to go and see Lee Pryor a little while back to buy a gas heater, and have a bit of a nose about and a chat. Anyway, lol he was like, dude...answer your phone, how do you expect to gain customers if you don't answer the phone. I explained always leave it on voicemail, and in the past if someone called me for a quote, they'd leave a message on the voicemail. He's like mate, if you want to grow, you need to have those phones manned.
Fair enough i thought, so i took Lees advice, and put the phone on live for a week. It drove the missus mad, sales calls from database sellers, and web site development calls, there were two inquires she took that week for window cleaning which surprised me, when i called them back one didn't return my call anyway, and then after two attempts went dead, and the other one wanted a quote, so did the quote £45 job, "oh my current window cleaner only charges £20" can you match that?- Nope love.....so a complete waste of time. I think if you have someone sitting there taking esquires for you, and someone to follow them up for you its great otherwise you can end up wasting a lot of time and energy on time wasters.
So phone has gone back onto VM for now, and i since received an inquiry on the VM and landed two jobs from it.
Weird innt?
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I answer every call I hear. I rarely get anything other than genuine enquiries and 9 out of 10 I sign up over the phone there and then. I rarely go out to quote.
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Don't get much at all via email or phone.
The vast majority of my work now comes from Facebook ads
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Don't get much at all via email or phone.
The vast majority of my work now comes from Facebook ads
I get the same with Facebook. Quoted £80 (perfectly fair price) for a conservatory and was told "I'll definitely leave it". I have picked up a few now with Facebook ads, but you do get a lot of cheapskates still.
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I have picked up a few from email, but I do find these enquiries just dissapear with no reply...
I also find that they specify how many windows doors etc in their enquiry.
I often wonder if its a competitor trying to find out what I charge ?
I know it sounds silly , but when I get emails that are like that , my gut instinct is 90% right as I have been in this game a while .
as has been mentioned , I do find younger people text. I get most of these.
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I get some phone calls asking me my average price. This one in particular, guy rang asked what I’d charge - I said where do you live ?
His reply - in the next town , I said sorry I don’t cover there but I can get you the number of someone who does?
After stuttering he said , so what would you charge me for x amount of windows?
I said sorry but I don’t have a price for you and I already told you I don’t cover your area.
He said - great & bye 👋
Me - wtf ???
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Unknown numbers I call back at my leisure a couple of hours later - claim I was driving so couldn't answer - for some reason when answering and announcing who I am they seem to give me more information.
Weird but true.
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I get about 50 /50 calls & emails. I have to admit, i like emails better. Id be on the phone all the time taking info and chit chatting when i could be working.
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Does anyone else find that less email enquiries convert to customers than phone enquiries? Any thoughts as to why?
Generaly email enquiries are a first point of contact we then phone the potential customer and go and quote our conversion rate into work is the same as phone enquiries
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Its funny. I went to go and see Lee Pryor a little while back to buy a gas heater, and have a bit of a nose about and a chat. Anyway, lol he was like, dude...answer your phone, how do you expect to gain customers if you don't answer the phone. I explained always leave it on voicemail, and in the past if someone called me for a quote, they'd leave a message on the voicemail. He's like mate, if you want to grow, you need to have those phones manned.
Fair enough i thought, so i took Lees advice, and put the phone on live for a week. It drove the missus mad, sales calls from database sellers, and web site development calls, there were two inquires she took that week for window cleaning which surprised me, when i called them back one didn't return my call anyway, and then after two attempts went dead, and the other one wanted a quote, so did the quote £45 job, "oh my current window cleaner only charges £20" can you match that?- Nope love.....so a complete waste of time. I think if you have someone sitting there taking esquires for you, and someone to follow them up for you its great otherwise you can end up wasting a lot of time and energy on time wasters.
So phone has gone back onto VM for now, and i since received an inquiry on the VM and landed two jobs from it.
Weird innt?
I used to have my landline forwarding to my mobile. I was receiving loads of sales call - did my head in. I was even receiving two from the same companies on the same day as they were trying landline AND mobile.
And I was paying for the calls at landline to mobile rates.
So I stopped the call forwarding service. Not only did I have reduced phone bills, but my work day was no longer persistently interrupted.It would be different though had I the resources to employ someone to answer the landline.