“We have met the enemy … and he is us.” Pogo
Truer words were never spoken when it comes to the sad state in general of carpet cleaners. As an industry we are trapped in a low price vicious cycle. The simple fact of the matter is most carpet cleaners come from a lower-middle class background financially. I include myself in this and I’m proud of it. I never want to forget my roots … except when I set my prices!
It is essential to recognize that we (you and I) are not our desired customer! (And it is even more important to help your techs realize they are not your typical customer either!)
Even today, would I pay $300.00 to $500.00 to have a superb service organization come into my home to make it sparkling clean? Maybe not. But I am not my customer. There are millions of people out there who will cheerfully pay you more! But they won’t do it unless you ask! SFS is all about giving you the courage to ask for more AND the tools to help your customers justify hiring the “highest priced cleaner in town” and be happy they did so.
Steve
PS You’ll never know how much you can charge unless you TRY (test) raising your prices. Listen carefully here: The vast majority of your customers can’t even remember what they paid you last time you cleaned for them. Let me close this mini-rant with one last quote: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”