Don’t Be a Victim of Bait and Switch
Don’t Be a Victim of Bait and Switch
Last Fall, the ABC News show 20/20 aired a feature story on a carpet cleaning scam that many un-ethical companies employ - bait and switch advertising. These companies advertise ridiculously low prices for their services. (the bait) Typically, once they are in your home, they tell you that the advertised price is for “basic water cleaning only,” which will not do a satisfactory cleaning job. They then pressure you into buying a whole list of add-on services, (the switch) often bringing the total price for their services to several hundred dollars!
According 20/20’s website, here are three mistakes that many consumers make when falling prey to bait and switch carpet cleaners:
Choosing a cleaner based on low price
Most people are attracted by low price, but some cleaners use price as the bait for their misleading advertising. They offer a cheap price — usually between $3.95 and $9.95 per room; then, once they’re in your home or office, they pressure you into buying add-ons. It’s as if you were buying a car and found out that the dealer was charging you extra for the tires and steering wheel. Professional carpet cleaning is not as cheap as some unethical cleaners would like you to believe. Low price could also mean the cleaner has cheap equipment or untrained personnel who won’t do a good job.
Not getting references
Any cleaner can say anything about his past jobs. Sadly, some of what he says may not be true. So first ask friends to recommend cleaners they’ve been happy with in the past. Another option is to get references from the cleaner and check with them to see if the work was done to their satisfaction.
Choosing a cleaner that doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee
Every cleaning company should be fully accountable for its work. If you aren’t pleased with the job in every way, the cleaner should return free of charge and re-clean. If you’re still not satisfied, you shouldn’t have to pay for it, period. Not all cleaners offer a guarantee. Or, if they do, the guarantee may be “limited”. Ask the cleaner if he offers a money-back guarantee and then make sure he includes his guarantee on his written quotation.
For a full and accurate price quote call Carpet Plus Cleaning Today 763-856-3232
Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Carpet Cleaner
Mistake #1: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on equipment alone. No question, your carpet cleaner needs first rate equipment. But he also needs something else. He needs employees who are skilled at operating that equipment. Many companies own hot water extractors, but few companies teach there employees how to use them properly. The best way to know if that the carpet cleaners employee's have been properly trained is to make sure the cleaner has been certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Before you choose a carpet cleaner, ask to see written proof of the technician's IICRC certification.
Mistake #2: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on low price. Low price could be a problem in three ways: (1) low price can be a bait that attracts your phone call. But once the cleaner gets into your home, he pressures you into a much more expensive job. (2) Low price can be for single-process cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means and, when told, asks for dual process cleaning instead, which costs much more. (3) Low price means the carpet cleaner has cheap equipment, which will not effectively clean your carpet.
Mistake #3: Choosing a carpet cleaner who dosent offer a money back guarantee. In my view, every carpet cleaning company should be fully accountable for its work. And if you arent please with the job in every way, you shouldn't have to pay for it. Period. Not all carpet cleaners offer a guarantee.
Mistake #5: Choosing a carpet cleaner who isn't certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
If your carpet cleaner isn't a close friend, you may not know weather he has the knowledge or experience to clean your carpet well. If you want to be sure you're hiring a competent professional, make sure he is IICRC certified. The carpet cleaner must earn that certification through study, experience and successful of formal, written examinations. In effect, cleaners who are certified by the IICRC have a college degree in carpet cleaning.
Mistake #8: Choosing a carpet cleaner who dosent use a truck mounted hot water extraction system.
You might expect this from me, since my employees and use this type of system. But there are several good reasons. Portable hot water systems are good, but they arent as good as truck-mounted systems. Truck-mounted systems are the Rolls Royce of carpet cleaners. Compared with portable hot water systems, truck mounted systems use hotter water, higher pressure and stronger suction. So all the way around, you get a much better job. No two ways about it.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE AND PRICE
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
When you select a carpet cleaner, you'll choose from a wide variety of cleaning methods and prices.
Mistake #2: Choosing a carpet cleaner based on low price. Low price could be a problem in three ways: (1) low price can be a bait that attracts your phone call. But once the cleaner gets into your home, he pressures you into a much more expensive job. (2) Low price can be for single-process cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means and, when told, asks for dual process cleaning instead, which costs much more. (3) Low price means the carpet cleaner has cheap equipment, which will not effectively clean your carpet.
Mistake #3: Choosing a carpet cleaner who dosent offer a money back guarantee. In my view, every carpet cleaning company should be fully accountable for its work. And if you arent please with the job in every way, you shouldn't have to pay for it. Period. Not all carpet cleaners offer a guarantee.
Mistake #5: Choosing a carpet cleaner who isn't certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
If your carpet cleaner isn't a close friend, you may not know weather he has the knowledge or experience to clean your carpet well. If you want to be sure you're hiring a competent professional, make sure he is IICRC certified. The carpet cleaner must earn that certification through study, experience and successful of formal, written examinations. In effect, cleaners who are certified by the IICRC have a college degree in carpet cleaning.
Mistake #8: Choosing a carpet cleaner who dosent use a truck mounted hot water extraction system.
You might expect this from me, since my employees and use this type of system. But there are several good reasons. Portable hot water systems are good, but they arent as good as truck-mounted systems. Truck-mounted systems are the Rolls Royce of carpet cleaners. Compared with portable hot water systems, truck mounted systems use hotter water, higher pressure and stronger suction. So all the way around, you get a much better job. No two ways about it.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE AND PRICE
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
When you select a carpet cleaner, you'll choose from a wide variety of cleaning methods and prices.
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