Many businesses advertise different cleaning packages such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum which might also be classified as economy vs. full service. Although some are fairly priced, many are gimmicks. There should be a standard quality of work performed at each level of service so that the differences in cost reflect real value added services.
The worst marketing gimmick involves bait and switch pricing where the customer is offered a cleaning price that sounds too good to be true. Most of the time it’s because it is too good to be true. Usually these involve advertising cleaning several rooms at a low price without regard to room size. Ultimately the customer is told their rooms are larger than normal and might be considered two rooms or a small hall is considered a separate room, or there are problems requiring a higher price that are in reality typical to carpet cleaning. And in many instances unsuspecting consumers are hard sold on services they didn’t intend to buy. The point is all business have minimum operating costs and have to charge a rate that provides a reasonable profit. Hence if an advertised price sound unrealistic, it’s important to find out why.
An economy plan or low cost package might involve cleaning carpets and not moving furniture. Unless it’s impossible or not practical to move furniture, reputable businesses would view this as sub-standard and unacceptable. Some of the consequences of this type of low quality work are incomplete and improper cleaning, areas under beds which collect dust and debris being neglected, lines forming over time around upholstery because nothing is moved, and so forth. This results in the carpets not being cleaned properly, allergens not being removed and problems down the road when a complete cleaning is performed.
The next level of cleaning package might include moving furniture or hand cleaning lines around walls. What should have been considered standard will often entail rates that are above market value resulting unnecessary high pricing.
At a typical high level type of package, customers will be sold services that they don’t usually need. Examples involve disinfecting and deodorizing. These are both legitimate services when needed. Since cleaning agents disinfect and in many cases contain mild deodorizers, paying a higher rate for something that is adequately done during normal cleaning doesn’t represent a value added service. Paying a reasonable rate for deodorizing where there are there are strong odors is a different story.
In summary, it’s important to understand what you’re paying to have your carpets cleaned. Differences in rates applied and the final costs add up quickly. Asking questions will help avoid hidden cost pricing, not paying an unfair price for typical standard services, and avoiding sticker price shock at the last minute after you put time aside to plan for your cleaning needs. This helps avoid an unpleasant situation.
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