November 6, 2016 by Neal Zott
Rip-off #1: CRAZY LOW PRICE
It’s understandable why you’re attracted to a low price offer. We all have set budgets we need to stay in, and how do you really know what is a good price to get your home cleaned? Nobody wants to be taken advantage of, so it’s assumed if you go with the lowest offer around, there’s no way you can over pay. Unfortunately, what you’ll find with companies offering rock bottom prices, is a lack of effort. The company still needs to make a profit at the price they gave you. So, instead of performing a quality service, they’ll rush and do the job in a fraction of the job. What should really take 2-3 hours will take less than one. The cleaner will leave, and you’ll wonder what was even cleaned.
Remember that old saying “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?”. Well, it’s absolutely true for many companies offering unsustainable discounts.
RIP-OFF #2: BAIT AND SWITCH
Similar to rushing a job to make up for a low price, unethical cleaning companies will quote a super low price just to get in the door. Once they’re in, they’ll used high pressure tactics to entice you into paying higher and higher amounts. Or, they’ll say they misunderstood what needed to be done and they need to renegotiate the price. Companies using shady tactics like these won’t stay in business for long, so stay as far away as possible. What you thought was a great deal, might just turn out to cost you a ton more than a reputable company up front.
RIP-OFF #4: OUTDATED BELIEFS
When touting their own products, some cleaning companies will tell you “ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS AREN’T AS EFFECTIVE”. Years ago it was believed that an all natural cleaner wasn’t able to clean as effectively as toxic chemicals. We now know this to be false, and Eco-friendly products clean just as well and sometimes even better than harsh chemicals. Often times, eco-friendly products are more advantageous for families with pets and small children.
RIP-OFF #3: UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS
“THIS CLEANING METHOD IS THE BEST.” You’ll read this in almost every ad. You’ll hear this from virtually every carpet cleaner. Remember this: The method that’s best for you is the method that achieves your goal. If you want a method that dries quickly, then a method that takes a long time to dry isn’t ideal for you. So before you choose a carpet cleaner, identify your objectives. Then select the method that best reaches those objectives.
You’ll see these in ads, or in a sales pitch. “NOBODY CLEANS LIKE WE DO. OUR WAY IS BEST”. Remember: Cleaning is a direct result of knowledge and effort. Knowledge of surfaces and products, and effort put forth to get the job done. The best way, is the way that effectively cleans the surface and gets the job done. Know exactly what you need done, and inform yourself on what products are best to complete that job so nobody can tell you otherwise.