[clinton]

Hi guys

Had more price shoppers than ever the last week or so :

All seem keen to book in with the question have you got ie friday morning free for you to do my carpets etc just seem to be ready to book and then dont get back to me :

Any one else noticed the increase in price shoppers

[Joe H]

Yes Clinton, last couple of weeks more so.

Glad I have the regulars

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

Yeah had more than average over the last week or two...shows you how a lot more people are being careful with their money!

[derek west]

first thing i ask is "are you price shopping or do you want a proper job"
gets em thinking.
derek

[russell james]

I just dont give prices over the phone!!

[Shaun_Ashmore]

They do tend to stand out like a sore thumb but I've even had old customers trying it on at the moment, I just say "same quality and price as last year"

I won't even pretend that I get everyone to come back some people just want a change or want it cheaper next time or heavens forbid just don't want me!!

That's life.

Shaun

[mark_roberts]

You get to a point in this business that no matter how busy or not you are you just dont care any more about price shoppers. 

Of course we all price shop or just shop without buying now and again.  i think a lot of people ring for a quote to justify buying a new carpet.

It is interesting though that no matter what you charge every level of the market gets price shoppers/time wasters.

Mark

[clinton]

Just seems to be different this year and a shaun says some of my  regulars are asking prices too  :

[JandS]

Surely you can quote over phone for a 3 piece!!

John

[derek west]

john
not when your charging £120+
you have to sell it at that price
derek

[Joe H]

done many at that price over the phone and got them, also been to view many too.

[Mike Osbourne]

john
not when your charging £120+
you have to sell it at that price
derek

Derek

I don't know how you have the 'Brass Neck' to be charging that kind of money. You need to be a 'grafter' for 20 years on peanuts before you can charge over £45!

[dave123]

Derek how do you price for upholstery ? Do you price the whole lot or add on for cushions ?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

All of mine are over the phone at the moment £135-£140 and I get 4 out of 5 infact been known to get 8 out of 10.

Shaun

[russell james]

i dont quote over the phone for any job unless i know it & have done it before, in general, if people want a price on the phone, they want a cheap job, if they are prepared to give me the time to go see them and thier furniture then thats normally  a guaranteed sale!

[derek west]

i go round, (with my polished brass neck) and sell my service, standard price for a 3 piece is £120, less for fixed cushions, more for reversable all over cushions and big corner units, plus soilage is a factor.  tonight i priced 2x 2 seaters and quoted £100, he was happy she wasn't. told her "i'm sure theres someone out there who'll do it for £50, but it probably won't be dry til a week on wednesday. and will probably make you itch after that, plus theres a good chance it'll be dirty in 3 months from them not rinsing it properly, you might get lucky but i won't do it any cheaper when you need it doing again so soon" all said with a cheeky smile of couse. doing it wednesday morning, pretty sure i couldn't do that on the phone, maybe when i get as good and as well known in my area as shaun then i probably will start quotiung over the phone, but untill then, its out to quote.
most so far is £200 quid with a large living room carpet thrown in,
kerrrrrrching
derek

[Mike Osbourne]

Good for you Derek, keep testing higher prices until you find it's less profitable.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Spot on Derek, the best thing you can do Derek is keep doing your own thing because obviously you can charm the birds down from the trees.

Shaun

PS what did you do before carpet cleaning?

[suffolkclean]

Hi Clinton I'm so glad you added this post, it's driving me mad at the moment people expecting you to give them a 'rough idea'!!
Friday was asked to quote for a 3 bed bungalow - large kitchen diner (20 year old flotex carpet), 3 beds, 2 bathrooms, lounge so big thats why shes moving out including 1 1/2 hr round trip travelling.
I said it was very difficult to give an exact cost as I didn't even know room sizes or state of carpets.
Said price would be around £230 (that would of been our min.)
Called her back today - oh sorry I never called you back we won't be going ahead, I said -are you going to do it yourself? No we're getting someone else to do it!!
I think I might start refusing to quote over the phone but this one was 45min drive to go and quote for someone who wants to pay peanuts!! ahhhhhhhh

[JandS]

I'm afraid if I quoted one of the many OAP's whose suites I've cleaned a price of £120 I'd be getting a bung from the local undertakers.
They just can't afford that. In fact most of them don't know what a 3 figure sum is.
I wouldn't pay that myself.

John