How Much Does It Cost For My Carpets To Be Cleaned? Compare Apples with Apples, Not Oranges (Part 2)

“I have 3 rooms of carpet to be cleaned? How much will it cost?”  I am asked this question on a daily basis.  When I give the answer, the response is often, “Oh.  I got a cheaper quote from someone else.  Thank you for your time.”  

Every carpet cleaning company is different.  The varying options on how a carpet cleaner operates his/her business will influence the amount you pay for your carpets to be cleaned and the results you will get.  Last month we explored the area to be cleaned and the type of fabric the carpet is made of can affect the price and result of a clean.  And over the next few posts, I will continue to explore some other so you can compare Apples with Apples not with oranges, make an informed choice and get the best value for your money.  

Today we are going to be exploring:

·         the companies guarantee

·         qualifications of the technicians

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GUARANTEE

Does your carpet cleaner guarantee to get the stains out of the carpet?  Will the carpet cleaner return and re-clean the carpet if you are not happy with the result?  Will he refund your money if you are still not happy?

A few months ago, I had a lady ring our office, asking if we could come and clean her carpets and remove some stains. When we told her how much she said, “Great.  When can you come?”  We booked a time and upon further conversation she told me that she had already had a carpet cleaner at her home.  And had paid him for his services.  However, a stain was not removed.   She rung the carpet cleaner and asked him to come back to fix it.  He said he would come only if she paid him another $100 as the original price did not include stain removal.  She was surprised that the stain removal was not included and the workmanship was not guaranteed. She refused to pay him another cent.

A guarantee for workmanship can often mean a higher price for the clean.  But at least you will get a detailed clean and won’t be surprised when stains returned and you are asked to pay more to get it out.  And you will also have the assurance that if you are still unhappy with the clean, you can get your money back. 

QUALIFICATIONS

The qualifications of a technician/ carpet cleaning company can influence the price of a clean as well as affect the result.  A basic 4 day carpet cleaning course can cost up to $1800 to attend.  Add on to that travel costs (the courses are only held in capital cities), accommodation and other associated costs and the total can be up to $3500 per technician per course. 

In addition to the cost, technicians learn that a basic 2 step cleaning process does not meet the Australian standards of cleaning. Therefore they do more steps in the cleaning process, spend more time cleaning and do a more detailed clean giving you a better result on your clean.   

Next time, we will explore how the number of steps in a cleaning process can affect the price of a clean in more detail.  

How Much Does It Cost To Get My Carpets Cleaned? (Part 1)

“I have 3 rooms of carpet to be cleaned? How much will it cost?”  I am asked this question on a daily basis.  When I give the answer, the response is often, “Oh.  I got a cheaper quote from someone else.  Thank you for your time.” 

Now I understand that money is tight. We all have better things to spend our money on than carpet cleaning.  But I also know we want the best value for our money.  We can buy something for $5 at the dollar store knowing it may break within a week or two or pay $50 for a similar product at another store knowing the quality is much higher and the product will last a long time.  The same goes for carpet cleaning.   The amount you pay will depend on the quality of the clean and service provided.

Every carpet cleaning company is different.  They offer different levels of service.  Some are certified.  Others are not.  Some charge by the room.  Others by the square metre.  Some technicians have received formal training, sat exams and received certification.  Other have not.  Some use cheap or incorrect chemicals that can do harm to your carpet.  Others use more expensive and correct chemicals.  Some do a 2 step cleaning process.  Some do 3-5 and others do 9+.  Some include stain and odour removal.  Some do not.  Some offer optional extras such as furniture moving & protection.  Others do not.  Some use more sophisticated equipment.  Others less sophisticated.  Some guarantee their work.  Others do not. 

The varying options on how a carpet cleaner operates his/her business will influence the amount you pay for your carpets to be cleaned and the results you will get.  Over the next few posts, I am going to explore how each of these factors influence the price you pay and the results you can expect for your carpets so you can compare Apples with Apples not with oranges, make an informed choice and get the best value for your money. 

Today we are going to be exploring:

·         The area to be cleaned

·         The type of carpet carpet

The Size of area to be cleaned

Some carpet cleaners charge per room.  However, this type of pricing is open to interpretation and can cause misunderstandings between client and company.  We have a client, Di, who prior to using Diamond Carpet Cleaning called a carpet cleaner and said she had 3 bedrooms and a lounge room to be cleaned.  The cleaner gave her a price over the phone for the 4 rooms.  However, when they arrived, they said the lounge room was actually the size of 2 rooms and therefore, she would have to pay more.    Di needed the carpets cleaned but hadn’t budgeted for the extra amount.  However, felt she had no choice but to go ahead with the clean. 

Diamond Carpet Cleaning use a per square metre charge.  This is a fairer method of pricing as you pay for what you get cleaned.  You pay less for smaller rooms and more for larger rooms.  No nasty surprises for ‘extra’ rooms. You get value for your money

Type of Carpet

The type of fibre and the way the carpet has been constructed influences the pH of chemical to be used, the speed of which the cleaning can be done and the cleaning method used to give the best results.  Carpet Cleaners who use a chemical with the incorrect pH, clean too fast and don’t take care of the fibres and/or use the incorrect cleaning method can cause irreparable damage to your carpet and cause you more money in the long run.   

Diamond Carpet Cleaning Technicians have been trained to identify the carpet fibre and constructions and use the most appropriate cleaning methods and chemicals as well as take the appropriate amount of time to clean your carpet.  This gives you the best result possible, while looking after your carpet at the same time.

Next month we will explore how the qualifications of the technicians and the companies guarantee can influence the price and the results of the carpet clean. 

Exceptional Client Experience - Confirmation Calls, Texts & Emails

We know that life is very busy.  You have to be here, there and everywhere.  Dropping off kids to school and after school activities, work, appointments, and house work.  So many things to do.  And while most of the time we remember our appointments, sometimes life gets hectic and the next thing you know, your friendly carpet cleaner rings your door bell and you’ve forgotten he was coming.  You then make a mad dash to pick up the clothes and tidy the rooms so that he can get to your carpets.  Next thing you know you’re an hour behind schedule and your day is out of whack. 

At DCC we want to make your experience with us as stress free as possible.  So our friendly team members give you a call 1-2 days before the clean to remind you that our technicians are on their way.  And if we can’t reach you by phone, we’ll send a text message or an email.  

The Exceptional Client Experience

Some carpet cleaners are in for a quick buck and will wiz in and out of your home doing a superficial clean, provide you with poor service and if there is ever a problem, you’ll never hear from them again.  However, at Diamond Carpet Cleaning, we strive to provide you with an Exceptional Client Experience.  From the initial inquiry to the follow-up after-sales service, we will WOW you with our personal service and attention to detail. Our aim is to build a repeat & referral only business. And we can only do that if you are 100% satisfied with your experience with Diamond Carpet Cleaning.   Over the coming months we will be highlighting how Diamond Carpet Cleaning go above and beyond to give you an exceptional Client Experience you won't forget.