Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Matt,
I do a quarterly mailer to all of my customers. I usually offer 10% or $20 off. I still require a minimum.
One thing that I just started was I made up a half sheet of paper with three coupons on it. We staple these coupons to every sales receipt on every job we do. The coupons are all $20 off. One is for carpet cleaning, one is for upholstery cleaning and the third is a “Give a friend $20”. We have a 90 day expiration from the date of service on all of them and again, we require a minimum.Ron,
I really like your idea. I am going to implement that program into my operation as well.I have been seeing about the same amount of request but not booking as many as I was before the change. I call the customer immediately and have found they usually don’t answer or don’t return my call(message). I would like the optional contact method put back in. I think people who shop online do so, in part, because they don’t want to deal with a salesperson.
You got it Ron. I allow them to drop a royalty, or one area fee ($80) as I call it, off of their monthly payment.
I thought we we not able to give free gallons out to our operators anymore? I like that option best. I let my guys drop one $80 area fee for one months payment.
I would say don’t give the best time to call option. It’s all about getting back to them as quick as possible. I have noticed a lot of people will submit their work number or answer their personal phones at work.
Justin,
What about the disclaimer that tells the customer “You will be contacted by phone from one of our professional cleaning technicians shortly” or something along those lines? If I had to vote on the four choices you posted I would say #1. Eliminate the preferred contact method. At that point, the phone number should have to be a required field for the estimate request to go through. Servicemagic does it that way. Works well.Good point with the phone numbetr Justin. Also, don’t they build a website for you? If you stop using them does it go away too?
I don’t want to go round and round on this. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Email leads/estimate requests are effective for a lot of operators. It’s not going to go away. If you don’t want to use the service, stop accepting the emails. Just to clarify though, the online estimate request is a “free service” because corporate pays for the website that it is located on and DOES NOT CHARGE when they send someone a lead/estimate request from within their area. By the way Evan, buying a franchise or state or country has never been free.
I think in this day and age you have to have a phone with Internet connection if you want to stay on top of the competition, but that’s besides the point. With the current system Heaven’s Best has you can have a text message sent your phone when a customer submits an estimate request. It includes their name number and a few other details. That way you can get back to the customer immediately. Most people want instant results and don’t want to wait for a response.
So I get about 2-3 leads a week. I book 50% of the jobs. I too respect their wishes and don’t call if they request an email response. In my email I explain to them “in order to give you an accurate quote a phone call would be best.” Some call some don’t. If i don’t hear back from them I call the next day.
If you are landing 10% of the requests, you’re doing OK. It’s a free service. Why would you want to do away with it??? Email and Internet are the way of the future. If you have a landing page or a web-site you should have a button on there where people can click to request an estimate. I have one on mine and it lands them on the current estimate request form. Works great!
Justin-what about something like “I understand by submitting this information a cleaning technician will call me.” and post it just above the submit button.I called their phone authorization number and they transfered me to the right department. 800-528-2121.
Don’t worry D.B. your bills is in the mail. Correction and my apology on the magnetic signs comment. I agree there are many ways to look professional as well, personally though, I want to look the part too. Let’s hope one of the auto makers steps up and builds a hybrid full size van or at least more fuel efficient motors.
