[stevegunn]

Following on from Mike's post what are your customers perception of value for money.If we are charging what we do what makes our customers return time after time.Job well done,cost,etc etc

[Mike Halliday]

is value for money the deciding factor for a customer choosing us? I offer a lot more than value for money.

plus the goalpost can be easily moved from what the customer perceives as value for money and what we deliver. eg; "I'll clean your living room for £100 ( little perceived V/F/M) "then I'll apply our advanced stainguard to protect your carpet from future spills",

for £8 of protector V/F/M is achieved.

Mike

[Buster Ingram]

And that Folks is how Michael gets his £100 an hr, 
Or am I missing something 

[will_turton]

 get with the program dave

[Buster Ingram]

What program you watching Bill, Your not on redtube are ya

[Mike Halliday]

Dave that was just an example

 You can spend 5hrs vacuuming to give a perceived V/F/M, you can clean using Allergstop to give perceived V/F/M.

but the key is, everything has zero value unless the customer knows about it. so to build perceived V/F/M you must tell the customer about it, if all you do is clean the carpet, then your're not worth £100 an hour

[Buster Ingram]

I Know Mike, I was just pulling your leg mate.  Everyone perceives value differently,  some on price others on service whatever  you offer is not always what the customer expects. That’s  what makes this industry different from any other.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Is value for money when upon wheeling your porty into the house the lady comments "that's a big one"?

[Straker Cleaning]

VFM is when a customer gives you a cheque, gives you a cuppa, gives your number to a relative, gives you a call one year later ............... that means the customer knows VFM and the customer is always right 

[Ian Rochester]

Chris,

Spot on.

It's all relative to the views of the customer, and each customer is different.

[carpet guy]

What Chris has said is PROOF of VFM being delivered andis precisely what should happen............that is, the referral and if it's not volunteered.............ASK FOR IT............but only if both you and your client agree that, you have achieved a great result and provided VFM.

[turneylogan]

Although in the embryonic stages of building up my CCing business and not quite in the £100 per league yet I am finding that, apart from doing a great job, the most important part of VFM is just talking to the customer.

From the first telephone call, to the quote in person, and onto the job, you keep reinforcing what you are going to do for them, advise of any potential problems (to disassociate yourself from cowboys), and then show them you have delivered what you said you would within the limits you set out at the beginning.

I find that talking allows you to show your expertise and become their friend for the day - something which I am sure all you experts do anyway.

I've seen many customers who initially winced at the cost, going ahead simply because the other quotes didn't bother to tell them what they were going to do, and, in the end paid a tip.

Talking and doing a great job is all that matters for me - I don't care how short a time it takes.

[Straker Cleaning]

Some customers ask me to hurry up so they can go out ............... i offer the choice of 'fast' or 'properly' ......... amazing how many then calm down