[angela stone]

Hi Ian,

I just wanted to say thanks for your sound advice you gave me the other week.  Today I had my first quote to do which was courtesy of a business network meeting I went to on Monday night.

The office was very small (650sq ft) but is a 20 mile round trip for me - so quoting it was going to be quite difficult.

I got on very well with the lady who I was talking to as currently we both work in IT.  Anyway we went through the cleaning spec which she required and at the end she put me on the spot.  I went a bit nervous and she said "try me with the price, and if I don't like it then I will tell you" So I thought Ok go in a bit higher than you would have done then we have some room to barter.  I told her the price and she said "right we will go with that then".  Couldn't believe it!!

We are not talking massive amounts of money but then came the good bit...

She said if I did a good job she would like me to consider doing her house on a weekly basis.

Also she is in a converted mill and there are loads of units in there.  Therefore, I have given her a deal which is if she can recommend us to anyone who takes our services on then them and her will get 1/2 price for a month.  At the price I quoted I won't be losing and she thinks its great.

So thanks again you gave me the confidence to go in there and quote a job  which has potential to give me more contracts.

You dont want any commission though do you

Ange

[ianharper]

Angela

Well done.

just think how long you have been limiting yourself. keep pushing the price up until your numbers start to suffer.

if you get every quote your to cheap you should be look at about 3 to 4 out off 5

this will tell you that you are working at the top end of the market where the nice clients are with clean homes. let the other cleaners do the dirty old cheapskates.

one little thing think twice before doing one off they are normally really dirty and prospects expectations are ALLWAYS high. most times they need painting but they think that a good old clean will bring it back to new. if you do get the spec in writing and tell them what to expect before the clean that way when its not what they think you can say i told you so, and it will not sound like you are making excuses.

if you do go down the job and finish road with your weekly try and get customers that will be out at work as, the one in will clock up even when you have told them about working to a spec (job and finish)
when they on hols and at home just take at little longer.

men are the worst for moaning about time as they thunk its the wife's job to do the housework and why should he have to pay for a cleaner? so they try and find as many reasons to moan so they can say to the wife "you will bet er doing yourself love".

keep reminding your customers that its not done on time but by spec, as they will forget over time what you told them. this is one reason we leave check lists every week. we used to sign them but we found that customer would clock how was cleaning and when they where off they would go out there way to check the work. so we stopped that as you will find you will get let down loads when you start taking on staff.

at one point we had one spare cleaner come in just to cover every day as you can bet someone will let you down. another reason not to over work your staff so that you can share out a round if you get let down big time. plus reminding your staff that they could work on any round and with other staff as and when you feel you want to change as they will think they own the customers they normally do.

if and when you take on staff make sure you are not on the tools as you will need to be spot checking as staff will take the Micky.

as i said before getting yourself into a position where you pick the people that you work for will make your life much easier. we have one slot at the moment that we are look to fill. got a call on sat women that is having a baby and cant keep up with the house work. booked her in for interview but then she said two things that made me think twice about cleaning for her. she mention two items that we don't do on any of our two weekly specs. one was blinds and inside fridge. plus she will be at home when we clean and not having had a cleaner before she will be looking for time to be spent. so i am going to have to cancel the meet. i will just say that we have filled the only slot we had the day before we meet.

seeing these problems before they happen will save lots of disappointed people, as they just have this image in their minds and if we don't fit we are to blame. that's why you have to paint your image for them. and keep reminding them about how you work.

we had problems in the past when the customer has said you cant possably clean my house in that time, it takes me x amount. when you ask what was wrong with the clean they never can put it into words, because they forget we are pro's and do it every day. and we are working to a spec. most time we clean bigger home in the time it would take them to clean their home which is half the size.

you will learn to work which prospects will be a pain and which ones are nice. and when you do its fun when you just walk away from them. in a respectful way. turning the tables and saying i have to check with the office i'll get back to you. heard that one before? normally " I'll have to check with my husband"

one idea that puts you in control at the quote is by having a list of questions. this way you ask a question they answer it. the idea is for you to say in control by getting them to talk twice as much as you. this way you don't over sell yourself and they don't have a chance to make any quick opinions of you. because as you chat away they will not be listening, they will be thinking about how you look and sound.

it not a case of selling yourself as they already want your service because you are quoting. it not what you say but how in control you are. this makes them confidant about you being able to cope with their work.

the bottom line is that prospect that need a maid service need a GOOD service more that you need them as there are more prospects looking for a GOOD service than you can cope with. plenty of cleaners out there but not many good ones.

let the bad cleaners work for the pain customers.

Respect

Ian Harper

[colin thomas]

i'll tell you what ian, for someone who cannot spell for toffee, i think you talk more sense than anyone else on this forum!!!!  keep it coming!!!!
colin
ps i don't want anything to do with house cleans but a lot of what you say goes over to all work done in customers houses.   

[*paul_moss]

Ian just goes that fast on his typing that he miss spells.
He is  a real nice guy ive met him a couple of times,only down side is the lengh of his posts,I fall asleep before the end of reading them

[colin thomas]

install free google toolbar and hit the 'check' button, spells it for you. even on forum replies.

colin

[ianharper]

thanks cbt i downloaded it