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CCPC

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Posts posted by CCPC

  5. Posted · Report reply

    DON'T GET ME WRONG I love my pressure washers...but if I don't need them to come off the trailer for a job...oh well! We all know that the box stores sell watered down chems . It is the simple cherry w/ f-13 that is on my payroll! best worker for a house wash IMO

    Pressure washers shouldn't come off the trailer anyways, only the hose and gun/wand should.

  6. Posted · Report reply

    If it was a realtime image I'd sign up for it for some of the services we offer. I agree with everyone though, decks would have to be done in person. We measure and photograph all of our clients properties though so we only have to go out once, unless they add on to their deck.

    I like that idea of taking photos of every property that is cleaned. I've never thought about the benefit of that before, but I may start doing it now.

  11. Posted · Report reply

    I don't necessary include screened in porches. I ask whether or not the homeowner would like it to be cleaned and price the house as a whole taking the screened in porch into consideration.

    Sometimes they don't want the interior done, but I tell them that they should at least let me wash the screen, and exterior trim around the screen room.

    I ask them to move the furniture and other items back away from the screen about 5' or so, and I use one of my patented cleaning techniques where I apply my mix to the screen at a sharp angle so the cleaning solution soaks the screen, but doesn't go through the screen getting on everything inside the enclosure.

    I then will clean the trim above, and lastly, I will go into the screen room and rinse the screen off from the inside out, and then do a quick perimeter sweep-wash of the floor around the edges. Done deal. Clean screen, without having to remove all the items from the porch.

    I still prefer, and reccommend that they go ahead a let me clean the whole interior, but sometimes they just don't want to bother with it.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Lots of times when we replace siding we clean the aluminum fascia, soffit, gutter, etc. We usually use glass cleaner but I was wondering if you guys had found anything that works better for cleaning like that. clap.gif I have found that using something that you don't have to rinse is best in order to save time. We hand clean it since we are set up to replace siding and that seems the best way to do it.

    Thank you for your ideas!

    Thanks,

    Dave

    We prefer to soft pressure wash vinyl Fascia and soffits. It makes the job go much faster than cleaning them by hand.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Hi everyone. I haven’t posted much but have been reading for over two years. My son and I have been in business for almost three years. To take the business to the next level we have decided to make our presence known on the internet. In doing so, we decided to change our name to something catchy that people can remember. The website will be finished soon but I just wanted anyone who had seen our name know our new name.

    I appreciate all of the valuable info from the many great contributors. We wouldn’t be as far along as we are without the bbs’s.

    Thanks

    Nice to have you here Darl. I like the name, it rather catchy.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    OH yeah, one last thing. The other thing that I use as a tool, or a guide is that I have pre-printed sheets of information that I use to sell my customers over the phone. Basically kind of cheat sheet of information so I can stay on point when listing out the benefits of my services and what not.

    You can't do that when your standing right in front of them. ;)

  16. Posted · Report reply

    If this is indeed what you are doing - then I can understand where you are coming from. Now are you closing the deal before you hang up? Or do you give them a number - and they call you back once they have gotten all their estimates in? I found it hard to communicate a number over the phone and have them be receptive if they got considerably lower quotes. I just find the whole differentiation part hard to do over the phone? Differentiating yourself from your competitors in person seems to be possible - but over the phone - I can't imagine how that works?

    I could see it perhaps working if you have a history in your area over the years - and have built up an incredible reputation - and the new homeowner has like 3 friends that have so far used you - then selling I think is possible. But just any inquiry - I guess I just don't understand?

    I would say it's about 50/50 on closing the deal on the first phone call. As for differentiating my service from others, I've stated an earlier posts that most of my new customers are coming by way of my website. Although I don't have the nicest looking website or anything, it is loaded with information. Far more information than any of my competitors. My web presence and website sells most customers for me.

    Look at this way; If a person wants to search for my services, and they choose to go about that via the Internet, they will find my website because in my area of searches you can't miss it.

    They look around on it, and their is pages of information about my methods, services, blah, blah, blah. Then lets say they decide to check out another website in my area. Well, there isn't any that rank high that come anywhere close to mine in the way of information. Many are just one cheesy page with a list of services and a phone number. So I'm one 10 steps ahead of the competition before I even talk to them.

    Another example would be its like someone going to the phone book to look for a pressure washing service and they find 15 companies listed. All of them have little in column ads that give little information about their company, but there's one company out the 15 that has a four page, full color ad full of information. Who do you think most people would call first?

    The other reason, like I stated earlier, that I think I have good success at selling customers over the phone is by simply being a good salesman. I present my self with confidence, not arrogance, and I don't sound overly eager, or standoffish. Sometimes it seems like the more I act like I'm not concerned about losing their business, the more they want to hire me to do it.

    I had a guy the other day who wanted his house and driveways washed. He found me on the Internet. I talked to him for a bit and gave him my price, but he said he liked what I had to offer, but wanted to look at a few more companies.

    He had two other companies come out on-site to give him estimates, both were almost half of what I was charging, but he called me back and asked if I could come down some. I told him that I can't, and won't and gave him the reasons why. He said he would have to think about it. He called me back the next day and told me that he wanted me to do it. He said the other guys were a lot cheaper, but he felt more comfortable with me, because he said I seemed much more knowledgeable, and he had more confidence that I would give him the workmanship that he was looking for.

    This happens pretty frequently. Also, keep in mind I was the only one that never even went on site to meet with the guy. I sold him over the phone.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    I also wanted to touch on a few things in your last post. You were talking about wasting our time. I don't get what you point is. The hole reason for of selling work over the phone is to save you, the contractor time from having to spend countless hours driving around doing estimates when you can accomplish in the same thing right at your desk.

    Also, I think we may be talking about two different things here. I agree that the hole mailbox estimate thing is riduclous because now you've waste the time going on site for the estimate, but weren't even able to take advantage of meeting the customer face to face. Therefor, your service is nothing more than a price.

    What I'm talking about is something complete different. I'm talking about selling the customer over the phone. I take detailed information of what they are looking for, explain my services, processes, etc. look at picture of the property via email. This is selling, believe me it's just done in a more efficient manor which benefits me, and the customer both. The technology is available, and it's stupid not to take advantage of it in my opinion. Successful businesses are the ones that learn to adapt, and use every resource to it's fullest, and that's what I'm doing.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Waste their valuable free time? What about our valueable 'free' time, Lance? Isn't our time worth something? This is what I don't understand - if people don't want to commit to meeting me - then aren't I just part of the problem of folks getting multiple estimates for a few hundred bucks house wash???? Guys who give free estimates without commiting the homeowner to a meeting - that's the origin of the whole problem of lowballers. Not to mention - if they are too busy to meet - then that must mean they aren't very concerned with what service they are getting - that anyone can perform the service - therefore it's a 'commodity' service - therefore, the cheaper the better.

    I disagree - I am selling a service - I can understand if some of my customers are too busy to meet with me, but in the case where they don't want to meet - then I think I will be charging a fee for my estimates. It will be deductible from the estimate if they choose to go with my proposal. But I have wasted far too much energy and time competing with every other hack under the sun that submits a 'mailbox' estimate. I might as well be the cheapest guy if I start that back up.

    You obviously failed to understand what I wrote. Basically, your wrong in your assumption that because someone doesn't care whether they meet you face to face that they are looking for the cheapest. I explained that in my post. How do I know this? Because I've done it both ways, and have noticed no difference in being able to sell them my service even though I'm higher priced than most of the companies in my area.

    You can sugar coat your service all you want to make it seem like more than it is, but the reality is that the Doctor who's house that you clean doesn't care about anything else except that you will provide a quality service at a price that he feels has value. End of story.

    That can be accomplished just as easy on the phone as it can in person.

    Maybe I'm just the exception to the rule. Maybe I just possess superior salesmanship skills. I don't know, but the one thing I do know is that the only thing that a person is to gain by insisting to go on site for every estimate is wasted time, and wasted money. If someone is looking for cheap lowballers, That is likely not going to change just because you meet with them in person. Sorry.

    Customers will realize your worth after you do work for them the first time. You can tell them how Superior your service is all you want face to face, but it doesn't mean anything until you prove it to them with quality workmanship and quality service.

  19. Posted · Report reply

    I used to have that same frame of thought about wanting to meet every customer face to face, but now I realized a few things. Not every customer wants to meet you face to face, and not just because they are cheap, unloyal customers that don't respect your craft, or just because they are looking for multiple bids to pick out the cheapest. They simply have busy lives, and don't want to spend 1/2 their evening, or most of a Saturday morning meeting and dealing with the company that's going to clean their house.

    I have many very well to do customers that just simply don't have the time, nor the desire to do the meet and great thing. They find my by way of Internet, trust our abilities based on what they read, I sell them on the phone, and it's a done deal. Since I started doing many of my estimates over the phone, the response has been very positive. Most seem relieved at the idea that I can quote the job without having to go on site, meet with them, and waste their valuable free time. ,They feel that they have already saved themselves a few hours of time and aggravation right off the bat.

    Of course I still have the customers that want to meet face to face, and I'm happy to oblige them as well, but if I can, I will always quote jobs of site. I'm saving myself a fortune in time, gas, vehicle ware and tare, etc.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    I do most mo my estimates for standard house washes and roof cleaning off site. Fortunately I don't have to many guys posing as home owners just to get an idea of what to charge.

    I have a theory that most of the these jack legs that you all are hearing from are finding your numbers via yellow pages. I don't advertise in the yellow pages anymore, and ever since I stopped; I don't get hardly any of those calls anymore. Most of my new customers find my by way of the Internet, and I'll tell you, the quality of the customers and jobs I'm getting from that avenue are top rate.

    I hate the yellow pages. Cheap, Cheap, fishing, cheap.

    When I do get calls like that, and I of course I usually know it's someone fishing for information, I will either call them out, or I'll give them a hugely inflated price on the job in question. I figure if they want to know what they should charge to TRY and do what we do, I might as well give them some lofty goals to meet.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    I know I've heard people say that adding a little borax to your house wash mix can work as an insect repellent, but I also know that you have to be careful using it because it can easily damage plants if you use it to strong.

    Or you can call a pest control company to come out and regularly spray the properties.

  23. Posted · Edited by CCPC · Report reply

    I've had the doorbell thing happen two times on the same house. Pressure washed it the first time, and the door bell shorted out because of the moisture, and started ringed countinusly. Had to remove the doorbell and disconnect the wire.

    Came back a year later for a rewash and covered the doorbell thoroughly this time, remembering what happened the last time, but it did it again. Came back a third time for a rewash, and they had installed a new door bell. No problems that time.;)

    Here's my procedure for covering things:

    outdoor receptacles:

    Tape over, unless they have a plastic weather cover on them already.

    Outdoor lighting:

    Always ask customers before starting to make sure all outdoor lights and fans are turned off (even ones on sensor)

    I will cover some lights, if I think it is necessary

    Outdoor fans:

    I've pretty much gotten in the habit of always covering ceiling fans with plastic before cleaning. If you don't cover, you can run the risk of damaging them, or at the very least, they will usually start to rust if don't cover them. You'll know this when you come back the next year and the fan is rusting and pealing. Yeah, you did that.

    Windows:

    I always look for open windows before I start cleaning a house. I know this one is common sense, but it is easy to miss one here and there until you really get in the habit of looking out for it.

    Cars:

    I always evaluate which way the wind is blowing when I arrive on a job, and then see what cars my be in the path of my over spray. If I see one that is a problem, I will alert the neighbor, and ask that they move their vehicle for its protection. They usually appreciate that.

    Anyone ever get a homeowner that doesn't seem to realize it's not a good idea to walk out through a door that you are cleaning right around it?

    "Uh Mame, that's bleach that's falling all over you, I hope those are old clothes your waring."

  25. Posted · Report reply

    Yeah, Lance, I basically came to this realization a month ago, I did a quick look at some population statistics and realized my area wasn't as nearly densely populated as I thought. I now advertize for over 10+ surrounding towns - so we'll see if my 'service' area can bring in decent numbers.

    Sounds like you have to focus your internet marketing efforts and SEO on multiple cities and townships. I do the same thing, but my main focus is geared towards Jacksonville because it is obviously the biggest market for me, and it yields the biggest ROI of my time.

    I have other smaller areas that I hit pretty hard because of the wealth in those areas, like Ponte Vedra Beach (home of TPC at Sawgrass) Very rich area with the most concetrated wealth in North Florida.

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