Don't You Hate That

[Willy P]

I guess I better bump up my prices. Yesterday, I did 55 office chairs, just fabric on the seat and inside back. The controller was there and asked me how much. Now I was there just a little over 3 and a half hours from set up to finish. "10 dollars each" was my reply, after all 3.5 hours, $550 seemed like I might get some grief and I was getting my mental ducks ready, she said - " Is that all?". :|

Friday I did a quote for a group home. A little over 2000 sf, I quoted $560 for cleaning, $230 for deodorizing .Same reply AGAIN- "Is that all".

 

[The Preacher]

is that Joey Pee or Howads dad???

 

[FB7777]

sounds like you made some good money there Willy


Bring this over to ICS if yu really want to feel like you ACE'D yourself over giving them such a low-ball price :mrgreen:

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Steinmetz has some great advice and his seminars are worth looking into.

He focuses more on supply businesses than he does service businesses, and some of his answers are simplistic and not always applicable in all cases.

Nevertheless, I recommend anyone who can take one of his courses or buy his program.

Two of my favorite positions that he takes that apply very well to the cleaning and restoration industry are:

1. Most companies who attempt to justify higher prices based on quality are put in the difficult position of selling/justifying quality, as few people have cheap competitors who say that they AREN'T a "quality company" or don't sell a "quality product". Instead he recommends that you sell service. Service (in our case the things we do, showing up on time, answering the phone, etc) are more easily measurable by the client.

2. His diatribe on why the price customer is the most "expensive customer you can have" fits the cleaner/restorer's world perfectly. I can't say it like him, but here are some of his reasons he says to be careful catering to price customers:

They require the most sales time and effort
Not wishing to pay much, the expect more than the average customer once you convince them to pay more
They often complain the most afterward
They waste the time of management, sales, and service with negotiations and complaints
They pay the latest
They do not respect business relationships
They are the most likely to write a bad check


These are generalizations of course, but most ring true for the cleaner/restorer.

 

[joe harper]

SEE mARtY....

That is why JIm won't SELL anything to YOU..... :wink:


He THINKS...... that you are "#TWO"..... :shock:


THAT 'StinKs"...

 

[Willy P]

Jim, a pearl from the esteemed Lee Pemberton that was passed on to me from Ron Curtis- "Yes, you can charge that much" comes to mind frequently. Getting over your own pricing objections is a key point.

 

[Willy P]

The point on Steinmetz was intended to show there's good points to be taken all over for reasonable prices with lots of places to pick up freebies (below). My local college will team you up with a marketing student for free. I talked to a local guy that spent many thousands on industry specific "training" and I don't see that it accomplished much more than I could dig up on my computer and the local library.

http://sandlerrules.com/downloads/sandl ... apters.pdf

This helpful post was brought to you by Willy Polidge. :wink:

 

[-JB-]

1. Most companies who attempt to justify higher prices based on quality are put in the difficult position of selling/justifying quality, as few people have cheap competitors who say that they AREN'T a "quality company" or don't sell a "quality product". Instead he recommends that you sell service. Service (in our case the things we do, showing up on time, answering the phone, etc) are more easily measurable by the client.

I've always said, the cleaning/quality part of our "J.O.B." is the easiest part, customers expectations are really not that high when it comes to the technical end of cleaning, and w/a minimal bit of training and good support even a non-English speaking Mexican immigrant can adequately please even a "high-end" clientele, to aid in the development of a multi-million dollar, multi-truck operation. Just ask Howard.

The service is what will distinguish you from your competitors, plain and simple.

 

[Jimmy L]

Jim that was excellent advice and the same advice I've been telling a young local cleaner .


Price shoppers are NOT loyal long term customers.

Build the relationships and the referrals will come.

 

[Hoody]

This is another one of my "theories" as Fred Boyle would say. But as long as you provide a good experience, the cleaning could be average and they will keep calling you back.