[Neil Grainger]

Hi All

I dont really do telephone quotes but am seeing more and more people want just that, so whats your Script on these.

Thanks in advance

Neil

[Mike Osbourne]

I'm in the same boat, it's very difficult when they are persistent not to blert out a price. But whenever I do, even a reasonable one or a broad range, they are as good a gone.

In the main I just ask back some questions like Do you know whether it has a wool content, has it been cleaned before, etc then pause.

Then say I really need to see it to give you and accurate quote, any Professional would want to see it first, you can understand that now can't you?

I've had a few agree then ring up and back out so maybe I'm wasting my time but I think  in the end you get more out of your responses.

[elliott cleaning]

Neil
I'm not very good when it comes to plumbing.
Last time I had a tap leaking, I reckoned it was purely a new washer required.  Phoned up a plumber and asked what he would charge to fix.  Wanted to know if it would be £50/£100/£150 if it was what I suspected.   I haven't got the time to take off from working to get him to come around to suck his pencil - tell me how professional he is & give me a quote.  I just want it done & know as near as dam it how much I am going to have to pay before

People have to little time for all these niceties.  To have their carpets cleaned is not an earth shattering event in their lives.  One day they just decide that one or more could do with a clean & they just want it done without being ripped off

[maxcarpets]

90% of my jobs are quoted over phone. I have three vans out ( 2 full time & 1 part time ) doing 2 to 4 jobs a day each, I'm in one of them so if I quoted every job I would never get time to do the work. Also view coimmercial though and anything above 4 bedroom house.

Cheers

Justin

[Straker Cleaning]

Try not to price over the phone but if squeezed, i just say it is £4 per metre for carpets and £30 a seat for upholstery. If they book the job, then i will take exact measurements and price exactly before starting......... this normally comes in at less than they worked out so they are saving money straight away.
Not into low quotes and bumping up on arrival 

[David_Annable]

Hi

In my experience the people that just want a price are timewasters, even if you get them this time, you wont see them again.

Just give them your normal price, they usually say thank you & thats the end of it.

Even if you insist on visiting them there a still tight buggers.

Save you time for proper customers that you will see year in year out who will give quality referalls.

Dave

[Straker Cleaning]

Luckily, i have found, the 'eco green' customers are not price shoppers as they are used to things costing more but are happily surprised that i am no dearer than most others 

Just checked and have supplied 17 qoutes this month (phone & survey) ....... 2 NOT CONVERTED YET 

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

The longer you talk to a customer the better chance you have of converting an enquiry into a job. The price is usually the last thing I come to. I make it clear that it is a ball park figure albeit usually a fairly accurate figure and will be subject to a formal quotation when I come round.

This helps me as well  as I find out if this falls in line with their expectations. If the price is more than they are expecting to pay then I won't be wasting my time by going to do a quote at their house.

Assuming that all has gone well so far then we agree upon a date and if they are happy with my survey, quote and me then I expect to do the job whilst I am there. I always give them the opportunity to send me away though as I would not wish to give the impression that I was pressurising them.

[jonken44]

Hi guys , its my first post on this forum ,l from Oz ,   you guys have a good range of topics to read from here .
As for quoting on the phone , its easier than running around looking at all the jobs burning fuel .
You win some you loose some as long as you win more than you loose guys .
You get to develop a extra sense after a while talking to customers on the phone asking them about their carpets and you can usually get it right .You can ask is the lounge as big as the master bed room , that will usually get a indcation of size.
As for lounge suites its amazing how many don't even know what color their lounge suite is when describing it , but you can work out by how many cushions their is and asking questions about the fibre and just getting them to talk about it .
Catch you guys

[FiberReviver]

Well guys mixed opinion i always insist i need to see the job if possible. If really pushed i will quote on the phone but i find that they are normally bottom end customers just ringing around for the cheapest price.
Most people who really are looking to have a good job done not based on price alone want you to look at their carpets or leather suite infact i think when it comes to leather you HAVE!!!! to go look.
ta fREDDIE

[Straker Cleaning]

I am more likely to convert over the phone ............ not likely to say yes if they see me first  :

[Tony Gill Carpet Smart]

HA! HA! HA! Nice one Chris I won't quote on the phone I think you need to see the job. I find it is just like the decorating if people really are interested in you giving them a price for a specific job they won't mind you going to look.

CHEERS TONY

[Straker Cleaning]

I never quote a price over the phone though ........ some people want a rough idea and i can tell them that 100 sq meters is £400 .......... i then add that if booked and i come along, i will exact measure and exact price before starting. This normally means a 100 meters job is likely to be 90 so they actually pay less than they prepared to pay.
When i arrive, that is when i can survey and qualify problems prior to starting ........ not that often but the scenario does occur when access is not possible before the date of the job.

[jonken44]

Sounds like some of you guys  must run around quoting every job , is that right .
l'd sooner take a punt on some of them.
If their is  a difference of what the customer is telling me and what l see when l get there, l will tell them and change the price accordingly.
l have found some will trick you but you only strike them rarely .
To go and quote a job cost time and thats money ,and that is what the game is about .

[Shaun_Ashmore]

If you get volumes of calls then you can afford to lose customers but if you don't and you aren't cheap then an onsite inspection will up your score. Getting into the home is the hardest bit not driving there.

I find anything over £199.99 and alot of new enquiries have put the phone down even if they are old customers you can sometimes lose them and leather with its mine fields is a must to see.

Shaun