Starting and Building a Business

anything else????

There are plenty of services people don't need but are pressued or duped by salesmen into buying them anyway. Scotchguard is a perfect example. I've had customers tell me the last carpet cleaner tryed to pressure sell them Scotchguard on a new carpet. Those are the kind of things I'm refering to.

There is nothing wrong with selling a service....IF THEY NEED IT. But selling a service to a customer who doesn't need it is wrong. At that point your doing it to line your pockets and not bcause the customer really needs the service. I'm not picking on you Steamer...I'm just saying in general. Selling a service to someone who you know doesn't need it (just to increase the bottom line) is like selling an engine to an old lady when all she needed a new air filter. You see what I'm saying?

LOL duckcountry....

I'm not being defensive.... I use to feel like you do, but I've come to learn that, sell good service isn't wrong.

sorry I sound so angry... I've been posting in the doug section for a long time

what is honest.....

I think you two are missing the point....

what is wrong with selling if you are giving the customer their money's worth???

I have dropped 5 grand every month on advertising, Listen buddy I have to sell. No bait and switch just straight up.

selling helps the bottom line

What we are trying to do is be honest and give the customer a fair price. We don't up sell or have a flyer that says a low, low price and hands the customer a bill that is larger than some third world Gross Natinal Product. We set one price and that is all they pay. We want people to see that all carpet cleaning companies aren't the seedy underbelly of the business world right along with those no-name moving companies that will hire anyone who can go a day without a drink.

Sorry...sort of went out there for a bit.   

My prices are just fine. In fact I've found that since my latest marketing campaign quite a few of the "other guys" have come down on the price of their normal room charge. However.....cleverly hidden in their ad (barely big enough to read with a magnifying glass) are the hidden charges. $10 extra per room to prespray.....$10 extra per room to vacume....that kinda stuff. They are ripping customers off as fast as they can. Take the money and run should be their motto. Stanley "Reamer" is probably the worst for this.....charging by the area and considering a very small L-shaped room 2 areas. That's just plain robbery. The only thing missing is the gun. I do offer add on services such as protectant but don't high pressure sell them for it. One of the biggest complaints I hear from customers bsides the feeling of being ripped off is they felt they were being pressured into buying something they didn't want to start with. This kind of practice may work the first time but you lose repeat business from that customer. I'm not saying that all cleaners are like that around here. There are some decent cleaners who do a good job at a fair price....what I'm saying is that the Stanley "Reamers" and the "Chemdryyourwalletout's" of this world generally follow this type of shady business practice.