The one thing I haven’t read on here is a thread about [B]“OBJECTIONS”[/B]
I figured there maybe a couple of reasons for this
WC don’t get any [B]“objections”[/B] Hmmm If that where the case maybe your not charging enough for your services?
2)WC get [B]“objections”[/B] but don’t know what to say to the customer and either
A) lowers their price or
B) Walks away from the job and says to the customer here’s my estimate its good for a couple of weeks
So how about we talk about some of these [B]“Customer Objections”[/B] and see if we can’t work them out so next time a customer says to you “My that’s to expensive” you know how to have it covered
Every time you give a potential customer your estimate they say “OK when can you do it” Right?
Oh doesn’t that happen to you all the time? or do they say “Well I would really like to get them done but I would have to leave it till next week or month” Guess what that was an objection
“Let me think it over”
Or how about “Wow I can’t afford that”
And my all time favorite “That’s to much” or “That’s expensive”
NOW HERE IT IS I’M THROWING IT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION!!
Please make sure you take part in the poll as well
More often than not, the “That’s too much money” line is a result of their comparing it to what their usual wc charges. Some people use the same cleaning service for years and the prices aren’t properly raised over that time.
Well, when offering to give a quote for commercial storefront and industrial units. I get these statements to dismiss the need for a quote.
My employees/I clean the windows
The property manager does it
We had a window cleaner but he abandonned us - or he raised his prices too much - and now we bought our own equipment and do it ourselves.
We have a window cleaner (yet the windows may look filthy)
If people say my employees or I do the windows I say that’s great. But usually you can’t do as a good a job as a professional does, despite their/your best efforts you may leave lines, marks, and it will get dirty much faster.
If they say the property manager does it, and I know that the property manager only cleans the windows once a year or so. I say yes, but that’s only once a year, you need your windows done more often and that’s why I’m offering, bi-weekly, or monthly window cleaning, so that your windows stay clean. Your windows after all are the first thing your customers will see.
“We have a window cleaner but he charged too much” “he kept raising his prices”. One pizza restauraunt owner said that to me the other day. He said the guy raised his prices because of gas prices. I said that he should. His expenses went up he has to rasie his prices.
More often they get fed up with their window cleaner, and they buy their own stuff. I use that opportunity to sell myself, my reliability and such, but sometimes its too late.
Others say we have a window cleaner, and yet the windows are filthy. I may point out that the windows need attention. I will ask when they last saw the window cleaner. And I’ll offer a quote if I can.
You know, I rarely have a new customer that has EVER had their windows cleaned. So I have never really had a problem with “previous price”.
Which brings me to think about a lot of the ads my competitors run. “we will beat your current window cleaners price by X %” If they knew their market better they would realize that they are positioning themselves for a very, very small group of people. Coming from the weakest angle possible… lowest price.
I do run into problems when people are price shopping, that’s just business. Some people get a little freaked out on these forums when they get beat out by someone else. I [B]never[/B] think about it. I move on to the next batch of prospects.
I have to agree with that 2nd paragraph,we have a few of those out here that use the infamous line “we’ll beat any price” or we’ll beat any written quote!
One thing i learned long ago if…they come to you for price they’ll leave you for price too!
I too believe there really shooting themselves in the foot & doing a great disservice to this industry as a whole.Then again…it depends on there business structure in general are they a one man show or just 2 guys etc.?
Those that have lower overhead can no doubt get by with lower priced service and still make some profit however…things change drastically when employee’s are thrown into the mix.
As for gas prices lets face it everyone feels that pinch to a certain extent.
for storefront that " we do our own windows" i ask them how they like cleaning them in the winter…then explain how my service is year round, and reliable. Then since this is a small town often I name a few of my clients near them that already benefit form my reliable services.
When I quote a job, I give them a detailed quote along with a cover page, workers comp cert., property damage liability policy, janitorial service bond certificate. When I present the quote to them, I take the time to go over it with them so that they know exactly what is included in with their cleaning. I also tell them that we have coupons on our website if they go to the web address listed on my biz card or the cover sheet. No pressure at all. I guarantee pricing for up to 1 year from the quoted date. 75% of the time they will ask me how booked up I am. 25% of them will say they will get back with me. I just reply " If we can help you out in any way, just let us know" and thats it. I believe that in doing a quote in this way, folks are kind of caught off guard because I dont come across as some sort of a high pressure salesman that they have to get rid of. I truly believe that I create a " you need me more than I need you" type of atmosphere with them. Not arrogant at all. I think that they sense that I am the real deal and I am a busy man. I would have to say that my competition sends alot of work my way as well. Giving a quote on the back of a business card. That’s pathetic…
Im a big believer in that formula Karl. Ive heard a few versions of that formula 80/20 70/30 90/10
We are getting now in the spring about 95%… I chalk that up to supply and demand though. For the most part we are at least 50% higher than ALL competitors. Once July August hit well be closer to the 70/30 mark.
I have had some success in telling them that some price lower than us. But they tend to be unreliable, and disapear.
At this point the customer may agree.
I say that we charge more because we are reliable and we intend to clean your windows for as long as you are in business.
I’ve also said things like we are proud of our price. Because I am. I won’t usually lower my price. If I determine later on that my prices are too high I might make some slight adjustments, and if by chance I go back to that store they usually have forgotten me by then. But I’m happy with the prices I’m charging.
This way of doing things has changed some no’s to maybees and now I got to turn those into yeses.
After our company knocking thousands of doors, endless amounts of hours of telemarketing, the answer would have to be, “no thank you, I already have a Window Cleaner” we now have a great system in place where we work to our proven over time scenario of 1 in 10 will always say yes please and accept the quote and go ahead to become a regular customer.
