How Do You Do Price Estimates, Ken?

February 2024 Update:

We no longer clean residential. However, our strategy for in-person estimates is the same. The purpose of the in-person estimate is for the customer to meet our C3 sales rep and understand our core values of Ownership, Excellence, and Safety. We want to take our time to walk around your building and listen. What has been troubling you concerning the cleaning you have now? What would you like done and why? What do we recommend for your building? These are the types of questions we want our prospective customers to feel at peace with. Our Mission is 1,000 smiling faces in the professional, financial, and medical office spaces that we clean in the Indian Valley. We want to make everyone smile on the in-person estimate.

After the in-person estimate, we make a promise to deliver our professional Agreement via email within 1 week containing our company information, endorsements, price quotes, cleaning checklists, and Agreement.

Original Article (Jan 2021):
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This is a question I love answering! Many families assume that they can't afford my cleaning services, but that's not true. In this article, I will share my entire sales process for housecleaning.

1. Searching Stage: Carfagno Cleaning operates heavily on word of mouth through excellent service and recommendations. My Google profile currently houses 25 5-star reviews, along with before & after pictures, and helpful articles on cleaning. This allows homeowners to search "housecleaning" and find my company. My Facebook business profile matches my Google profile and serves a similar purpose. These online profiles will direct you to my hub, which is my Carfagno Cleaning Website.
2. Learning Stage: Once you find my website, I encourage you to watch my business intro video. It guides you through the learning stage on everything from cleaning in general to hiring a cleaning service to detailed information on my company. Take as much time as you need to learn! When you're ready, send an inquiry to me through my contact page to request an estimate. We will set up a short phone call first.
3. Filtering Stage: Your time is critical and neither of us want to waste it! This quick phone call will answer the key questions you still have about my company. (Side note: Most of the questions you may have are being added to my website's FAQ section on a monthly basis. Make sure to check there first and read, read, read!) The goal of this phone call is for you to "feel me out" as a potential cleaner for your home. You will know within 15 minutes if you'd prefer to call another company or invite me over for an in-person estimate.
4. Estimate Stage: This is where we get to meet in person for the first time. Do we connect? Do you feel we could work together in this mutual cleaning partnership? My in-person estimates last between 15 minutes and 45 minutes, depending on the size of your home and the number of questions you have. I will answer every one of them. My goal is to listen and write down several things in my Evernote for your family. I write down your preferences for when you'd like cleaning started, how often, what time of the day, pet peeves with your home or past cleaners, and other miscellaneous preferences you have. I write down your priorities and zone your home. I have found in over 16 years of cleaning houses that people like options! I have a unique system of helping you break down your home into 3 zones: Priority 1 areas MUST be cleaned every visit. Priority 2 areas SHOULD get cleaned every couple of visits. Priority 3 areas ONLY get cleaned upon request. This simple priority-based system allows me to offer a high-quality service across multiple price options. My customers love this! It's like getting a menu and choosing what you want compared to what you can afford. Before I leave your home, I will promise to send you a formal proposal by a certain time.
5. Decision Stage: I work up the price options based upon my estimate notes and email you a highly-detailed House Cleaning Proposal. This is the first step of your decision stage. If you find an option that works for you, respond via email or phone. At this point, I always encourage questions. You can call or email with follow-ups or request additional options. Many ask about the initial cleaning, which I offer as a 1-time service, or the much more popular 3-visit initial cleaning at the regular price. This is detailed in the proposal you'll receive.
6. Hiring Stage: You found an option that works for your family and would like to hire me! Thank you for selecting my cleaning company! I currently have a waiting list for all new clients. What does that mean? Since I operate as a solo cleaner, I can only handle so many clients at a given time. My goal is to get clients off the waiting list within 30 days, but sometimes it takes longer. The waiting list is a tool I've used over the years to maintain excellence to all of my clients as I add new ones. But have no fear... I'll get you on the schedule!
7. Serving Stage: I have cleared a space for your family and we can begin our partnership to maintain the cleaning of your home.