[kinder clean]

Quoted a job recently and unusually for me - I priced over the telephone.

The job was to clean 2 treatment rooms, a small bathroom and the hallways in a natural therapy clinic.

The only reason I didn't go and look was the job came from someone I met at one of these breakfast club meets and she seemed an honest type.  :  she gave me measurements and told me light soiling. I figured about 2 hours tops. Anyway to cut a long story short, the job took me 5 hours (very very grubby) she left me with a key and it was almost midnight when I packed the van up.

I had quoted £120 and after finishing was wishing I'd been to look at the job and quote a higher price, even considered ringing her the next day and putting some extra on top, but I didn't want to mess up my chances of getting more work via this breakfast club.

However the icing on the cake is that today her sidekick called saying they had recieved my invoice for £120 and said I origionally quoted her £60 on the phone !!  I was put on the spot and told her I'd ring the owner tomorrow. so she's either trying it on, or she's thick as ****.

Anyhow I think in future, if I do telephone quotes I'll post out a quote (if time) or ask for a mobile number and text a confirmation of the price.

CUSTOMERS !!! Do we really need them ? 

Paul - Kinder Clean

[colin thomas]

i understand your frustration and it seems she has just tried it on, i would explain that she has mis-heard your quote or given you wrong sizes and you need to charge more, she should be more embarrased than you for being economical with the truth.
i always quote on the 'phone and every now and then you come a cropper but i find it is only a couple of times a year so i grin and bear it rather than go to every job to quote,

colin

[clinton]

Paul

You will get more experience to quote over the phone and i do most of mine over the phone and sometimes i might under sell it.Guess she is trying it on and dont these clubs want things doing for v little

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Some people will try it on but most don't listen to what you have to say, only advice I can offer is when going through the time and price is to at the end of the conversation is to say "well Mrs. I will be at your abode at 10am on Friday 12th and I will be cleaning XXXX at the price will be ££££" and make sure you sound like a robot, but at the end say"is that ok?"

Shaun

[derek west]

when you got there and saw it wasn't light soiling you should of told her and given her a new estimate, if she then declined you could of spent 5 hours in the pub making up for it.
derek

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I have this conversation with Ken every so often, I can see his and your point but also mine £120 is better than nothing when you starting off or have limited amount of work coming in, the prospect needs to know that you have done them a real favour though.

Shaun

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Paul

I have to agree with Derek - 5 hours work for £ 120, sod that.

I would have phoned her there and then and explained the scope of works and the revised price, or if she wasn't contactable then pull off site and deal with the questions in the morning.

You earnt your money that night !

[David_Annable]

Hi

Best one i've ever had, the job was £70 quoted over the phone.

When the job was done she offered me £14 for some bizzare reason.

I think she had spoke to a few & got confused.

Dave

PS Had one last week job quoted £135.

 I said to him just give me £120 as it hadn't taken long.

He had £100 in his hand and had to go through the jar full of change for the rest, ran out of steam at £117 though.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

David

I've had one like that as well.

I'm with Derek on this one. We may "quote" over the phone but it's always subject to assessing the job when we get there.

WHilst I will take the occasional rough with the smooth if you've set the situation up correctly on the phone then they will be expecting you to assess the job when you get there. If you're a million miles out then they can either expect to pay more or you ,the cc, will be booted out the door having wasted your time getting there.

Providing that only happens very occasionally then you're quids in.

[Ricky M]

I Dont go out to quote just yet but got whopped with this ages ago so now I quote 2 prices
say £100 -£150 but it depends on the level of soiling
then you cover yourself if its a chicken ZINGER !!
the client feels crap when look and say " OO its the worst this year "
 then hit em with " but rough with the smooth eh " and give a big smile
 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Without trying to offer bait and switch, if you give them a price between 100 and 150, the 150 may be the bit that scares them, I would say "I believe it could be as low as £100 but please take this as a phone quote as I haven't seen the items yet but I will confirm a total figure before I start any work"

Shaun

[sherco]

I always estimate, as you have only estimated and if its worse than you thought you can alter the price, With a quote you have to stick to that price.

[markpowell]

You should have explained that the level of soiling was not as she had explained and told her a new price prior to starting the work and if she didnt accept then get out of there. if you quoted £200 for a 3 bed house and you got there and it was a 6 bed house im sure you would have said something.
If the customer asks for a quote and you quote on that info and the info is incorrect then im sure you have a valid reason to raise the price.
Mark

[hotsteam]

I go out to quote on 95% of jobs cos I do'nt like nasty surprises .

I'm doing a job tomorrow where they have changed the job to less rooms to be cleaned that quoted,
I just altered the price by email which was confirmed by the customer,so we all know where we stand !
I like emails
Hotsteam 

[Paul Simpson]

I always try to insist on a survey especially bigger jobs but so many want a price straight away on the phone, even a "rough price".

I take the same approach as someone else mentioned after I know approx sizes, "The price will be between XXXX & XXXX, depending on the level on soiling, furniture movement, etc" although I try to keep it within a range of £20-40.

[clinton]

Sae here paul with the 20 or so pound range as it gives you a bit of flexabillity when you there.

Sometimes they just try it on and for us established cleaners we can just walk away as i have done.

Paul sounds like you did a lot of work the problem with working under false light is it shows dif levells of soil in the carpet i find :

[Neil Williams]

If I am 'forced' into giving a quote over the phone I always go above what I would probably quote on visit, and tell the customers that the price I am giving is a maximum price and it could be lower when I see the actual job.
A win win from my point of view.
But unless it's a regular customer who I know, I always try and get a site visit to see what I'm walking into.

[richy27]

i always quote on site as i believe you get a good ticket job then and you can determine the sort of job it is those who force you into quoting over the phone are just price shopping

[Derek_Walker]

I never quote commercial cleaning on the phone, but domestics I can normally get close to the right price regardless of condition, as long as they know roughly the sizes of the rooms.

[Joe H]

I do emphasise over the phone I am giving an ESTIMATE, and when I see the job it may go up or down. I do tend to estimate high - cause its easier going down then up in price, but I have had to go up on a couple of occassions.

Commercial - ALWAYS out to see it - then give a quote.