[Jamie Lindsay]

would like to ask the question how yous guys make sure when you go into a house the customer will ring YOU back next time and not another cc... the obv is do a gd job lol but still how do you make sure your number is going to be at hand for the next time they need a cc??

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

I give all my customers a fridge magnet with my number on AND a bottle of spotter with my contact details on as well. So they have no excuse!

[gwrightson]

 
I Had some small stickers made up, simply put on the custy vaccum, every time they see it it will remind them, just dont place on handle were it will get worn, oh and i always ask first, never beenrefused
geoff

[Jamie Lindsay]

think that would defo work but how many feel like they cant say no and then when you leave it gets peeled off... do you ever see them when you go back ?

[Jamie Lindsay]

and again how many fridge magnets do you see still there the next time ?

[gwrightson]

 well a simple answer to your original question, you can not guarrantee, all i was doing was giving you an option, in what i do .
you want a guaranttee, you wont get one simple
geoff

[Jamie Lindsay]

haha hasty hasty... think its a good idea just surprised that they would let you put it on the vacuum

[Helen]

haha hasty hasty... think its a good idea just surprised that they would let you put it on the vacuum

why? Most washing machine (etc) repairers do the sticker thing!
You can never make sure that a customer will come back to you, but you can reduce the chances of them going elsewhere, by keeping in contact.
When quoting, give written quote (with your details on)& business card
When cleaning give invoice (with your details on) & business card.
Send out a follow up letter thanking them for their custom (headed paper)
Regular newsletters
mailshots
phone calls
e-mails
reminders
the list is endless really of how to keep in contact.

[clinton]

The above post said it spot on .

It takes a good few years to at least build up a bsae to work on and then its up to you to keep them or try and keep them.

Some clients are loyal to you and some loyal to the pound.

I just leave a few business cards nowadays.

I used to leave a booklet i made up many years ago and i called it an imformation pack.

[Jamie Lindsay]

think theres a diffrence between keeping in contact and being annoying tho... just like the business card magnet idea on another post think its important to never leave the house hold... as alot of people will just look for a cc not you

[Carpet Dawg]

It goes without saying that you should ATLEAST leave several business cards with each customer after each jobbie!

With all the will in the world on your part, i.e. branding, follow up letters, doing a great job etc but your still going to loss a % of jobs through your "its only carpet cleaning" business to other carpet cleaners  Thats why guys on here who have been doing this for years still put out flyers constantly year in year out.

One way of retaining punters is to be a cheapo! You'll defo get alot of regulars and refferals being a cheap cleaner. Another way is to clean naked, the novelty will entertain your clients while your cleaning.

[Steve. Taylor]

Clean naked no thanks already got 2 long lengths of hose to trip over

[Jamie Lindsay]

bit of a character you tony 

[Helen]

think theres a diffrence between keeping in contact and being annoying tho... just like the business card magnet idea on another post think its important to never leave the house hold... as alot of people will just look for a cc not you

Jamie,
Are you a "half full" or "half empty" person? Seems like you can come up with negative comments although you asked the initial question? Make a new year resolution of becoming a  half full person, then you will stop thinking about whether "regular contact is annoying"whether people take the "stickers of their hoovers" and "magnets off their fridges" and you will start thinking, "the carpet is dirty they will look at their fridge magnet and so on

[Jamie Lindsay]

its only because im learning the ropes... its ok being positive and motivated but you have to have the right ideas were to put your money or else its a waste of time... carpet cleaning is small time which means every pound you put in you have to get something back not like other large businesses that can afford to through money at building a brand without even thing if there are getting any return on what they are putting out 

[Helen]

I completely understand what you are saying and you are right to want a "return" on every £1 spent. Of course we would all like that, but that is not real life, what works for one carpet cleaner, doesn't always work for another. We all started somewhere and we all had to come up with our own ideas, which some have been listed on this thread, which works for the people concerned. They may or may not work for you. You won't know until you try. Business life whether small or large changes daily and you have to change with it, so what may work one month, won't necessarily work the next and so on.
Your question was "what can I do to make sure that each new customer calls me the next time they need their carpets cleaned"
Ok what do you think you should do? Make it unique to you (or believe it is) Try it and see if it works, remember this isn't going to be an overnight success and it could be years before you see a return.

[Jamie Lindsay]

totally get where you are coming from but think its important to learn about something before getting motivated and positive about it or else you could get hurt... thanks for the advice

[Helen]

totally get where you are coming from but think its important to learn about something before getting motivated and positive about it or else you could get hurt... thanks for the advice

Ok I give up :
He who ventures and all that................... or
he who sits and talks himself out of doing anything just because.......
 

[julianb]

If in twelve months time somebody was going to kill you if you did not make x amount you would not have time to worry about side issues.

[Helen]

If in twelve months time somebody was going to kill you if you did not make x amount you would not have time to worry about side issues.