[Shaun_Ashmore]

For those who do use and sell 'scotchguard' etc what % of jobs do you sell protector on?

Shaun

[Craigp]

Hi Shaun,

Something like 5% this year. (only when requested)

I just don't push it anymore.

When I was a few years ago maybe 15 to 20% (guessing here)

Craig

[Shaun_Ashmore]

That's very simular to me Craig, I was hoping Allan Simmons would give us an honest answer.

Shaun

[Steve Chapman]

For us about 30% of carpet & upholstery jobs, but I mention when they book and when the guys go to clean. So they get offered twice, and it's amazing the amount of people who say no but then go on to have it when asked on the day .

Can't see why you wouldn't, while your there it's money for old rope 

Steve

[Simon Gerrard]

It might be money for old rope, but only a very small percentage of carpets actually need protector, which calls into question the morality of selling it willy nilly to anyone daft enough to say yes to it, IMO, that is.

Simon

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Plain pale coloured wool carpets I offer it near enough to 100%. Take up is about 50%

Pattened wool carpets take up is about 20%

I don't tend to offer it on PP/Synthetic although there is always a small % who want it if for no other reaason than it makes it easier for the client to remove a stain.

Rog

[Steve Chapman]

From my own experience and trials I have found even synthetic carpets benefit from
Protector, not as much as wool carpets but nonetheless it does afford some extra protection,

This is what I tell the customers, so it's their choice at the end of the day.

I'm completely happy to offer it to all as I know I've informed them.


Steve


 

[Craigp]

The only truly worth while protector is on a new carpet and using solvent based protector.

What I mean is, a just cleaned carpet is not clean like a new carpet, so to an extent your just locking in any un-removed soil. Add that to the fact that if it's just cleaned your be using water based protector which is not as good by a long way as solvent based protector.

I'm merly stating facts, not judging.

[clinton]

Dont offer it much here either.

If a client does ask for it then i will apply and sell it..

[Simon Gerrard]

The real issue for me is protectors don't stop the kind of stains that people think they do and that leads to disappointment and resentment towards the person who sold it to them. While we were in Scotchcare we had big problems with customers ringing up complaining that there carpet had got dirty again  or that there were stains on the carpet. We hadn't oversold it, never have, but it is what people are lead to believe about these products that causes the problem. We now only sell it if the customer asks and if they actually need it, which imo most don't. We lost a lot of good customers to Scotchgard and learned a big lesson because of it.
Trouble is, people don't tell you why they don't come back, they just don't come back, not good when you're trying to build a business.
Simon

[wynne jones]

Simon is spot on. I have picked up clients from good carpet cleaners all because they didn't hammer home exactly what their expectations should be.

I even have a repeat customer who ditched a carpet cleaner who protected her carpet because 12 months later it was dirty. 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

We are in a trade that is based on results that's why expectations have to be managed well obviously the other cleaner didn't do that very well, I used protector on my carpets and it has saved me loads as my daughter has a tic like Jack Douglas when she is carrying anything as we carpet cleaners percieve to be as dangerous.

Shaun

[wayne zabel]

Ive got 2 CCers near me who advertise FREE STAINGUARD on all jobs.

I doubt very much that they are putting it down,really pees me off as its a bad gimmick in my opinion.

Am I right in thinking that for it to work the carpet is unusable for about 6 hours whilst the stainguard cures?

I bet they dont tell that to their clients.

[Robert Watson]

Depends on how much your charging in the first place.

[Paul Moss]

  Shaun gets paid for starting these posts 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I don't get paid at all something I'll have bring up at the secret moderators ball 

When I first started water based protectors were very much the same price as they are sold for now they get cheaper and cheaper not sure if they get better though, the best protectors or should I say the easiest to apply and demonstrate were the solvent or silicone ones.

Wayne most protectors take 24 cure.

Shaun

[Ian Gourlay]

Shaun

You slipped up there when negotiating your contract

On Protectors although I am learning South Yorkshire i could not make out if you are for or against.

And how do you manage expectations people only hear what they want to hear and twist it anyway if something happens.

I think in future I will leave a written sheet.

[Paul Clapham]

Why would you not offer Protector on every domestic job , explain the product and its advantages how long it will last etc etc and "upsell" it to your customers,  it they don't buy from you at least you have tried, at the end of the day you are in business to make money,  profit and upselling are not a dirty words !!!!!!

I brought a pair of shoes yesterday, and the sales assistant ask me if I would like to purchase a tin a protector, when you go out for a meal , they always ask if you would like to see the sweet menu , these are both upselling  techniques.



 

[Simon Gerrard]

'up selling' is a dirty word when you sell someone they don't need, or will benefit from.

The vast majority of carpets clean up like new and that's after possibly years of abuse, so if they manage to survive that onslaught and clean up like new, why would the carpet, or the customer benefit from a protector? Surely logic says that those carpets are stain repellant int here own right, otherwise they wouldn't clean up like new.

Unlike the shoe shop scenario, we are trying to develop an ongoing relationship with our customers and hopefully that relationship will stretch many years into the future and that relationship has to be based upon one thing - trust. If you recommend a product, it has to be to the benefit of the customer and not just a grab for extra money. If you sell protector and it doesn't work, or do what the customer thinks, or believes it will do, they'll blame you and that vital bond of trust will be broken.

One way to get people to trust you is if they ask you about protector to say, 'no, your carpet doesn't need it.'That doesn't mean we don't sell protector, but we only sell it to customers who actually need it and they are very few.

Simon

[Steve Chapman]

Simon,

You seemed to have a lot of bad experiences with selling protector and that seems to make you hold back from offering it.

My experience has been the opposite, I have lots of customers who have the scotchgard every time they have the carpets cleaned, both on wool & synthetics and are happy with it. I'm pretty sure on the Staingard we use it says it can be used on synthetics with some benefit to the carpet.

My point is surely its the customer who decides if they want it after getting the right information rather than us deciding for them.

Otherwise we're just forcing our opinion on them.  I have several customers who have their carpets cleaned when they don't look dirty, but I don't refuse to do them as its upto them.

I also have some who expect their carpets not to get dirty after being cleaned but I still go and clean them. it's about giving them the choice and letting them decide.

As long as they have the correct info then it's better in my opinion to offer the services, because only they know if it's a benefit to them or not.


Regards
Steve