I recently received a coupon mailer that included carpet cleaning. They advertised "$4.95 per room (two room minimum) or $24.95 (for any five rooms any size!). Sounds like the deal of a century. Upon further inspection they say that heavy soiling requires preconditioning at 0.25/sq. ft. Surprise, surprise deodorizing is another 0.25/sq.ft. and sanitizing is an additional 0.25/sq.ft. They also highly recommended 3M at 0.50/sq.ft.

My question is... is it unethical to advertise this way? Or is it smart marketing?

It is unethical. Makes our entire industry look bad. It works, but do you really want to run your business in this manner? Also, what if the homeowner doesn't want the "pre-treatment". You gonna clean with just emulsifier, or just water or what? What a scam.

Those of you who think you must do business in this manner please take it from me you DO NOT. I went to an estimate today, both carpet and tile cleaning. I measured the areas, gave her a price, talked about the process and what I was going to do and handed her the estimate. She was impressed, and gave me the job. Then she showed me a STACK of advertisements from other carpet and tile cleaners, all using the bait and switch crap. She had been calling all of them to get pricing. None of them would come out to her house to bid like I did, and none of them quoted anything close to what I quoted. I not only got the job, I got it for a heck of a lot more than those screwballs.

When I do the job I will back up my promises, give her her money's worth, and get her to call her friends to recommend me because of it. Now THAT is how it's done.

az

I don't do business that way, nor do I have any dealings with people that do.

Lou, I don't come across too many people needing hood cleaning, but if I do I will send them your way.

Good people gotta stick together!

az

well thank you sir. I know of a bar that has been waiting for me to clean his carpet. I told him I don't do carpets, but he seen how nice the hood was at the Gyro place at the end of the strip center he's at was.
And told me he would wait.



Do you go in the 7th av Union Hills area?

Unethical for sure. These companies make a lot of people turn to the DIY market but they also breed some very loyal customers who would not dare hire anyone else after you show them you are honest.

hi i have a few of these splash and dash cleaners local to me ( I USE THE WORD CLEANER FOR THEM LIGHTLY )one advertises two rooms cleaned for £20 and states he has 15 years experience the other quotes £40 for a three pieces suite and two carpets hes states 12 years experience which i doubt they would last that long on them prices so i would assume they are either using bait and switch or they are not legitimate and are on benefit neither advertise an address or a land number. these type of people are a pain to legitimate cleaners and in many cases to the customer who normally finds out afterwards To try to hit back at these people i tell the customer some home truths about these kind of cleaners, and explain that no one can do a though clean for that type of money i also have a lot to say on my web site about these so called carpet cleaners. if more people responded on their web sites i feel that we maybe able to clear a lot of them out which would only benefit the legitimate cleaner and the customer alike. As you can see i feel strongly about these people thanks Mal www.ritz-cleaners.co.uk

In your case, I can say that it's alright..
As long as you do it fair with the forum you are posting at.

This is typical and a terrible way to advertise. When we at mission viejo carpet cleaning quote a price it includes a complete deep carpet steam cleaning as well as a basic deoderizing.

It is definitely unethical and in addition to that it has got to be the most frustrating way to do business ever, image! I would think that right around half the homes you go into would chase you off the second you started your switch shpeal and anyone who didn't would hate your company. I just think life is to short to do things this way. I suppose some people can handle it, but it would definitely not be for us.