I'm going to start to push annual maintenance agreements in the spring, and part of that will be to advertise 'a 5 year warranty'. Here is Gary's take on it, with many years doing it successfully:
Also, I'd drop the 2 year warranty. It does nothing for you Mike - it's a liability. I started off offering it but quit once I asked myself 'what's in it for me?' I haven't lost a deal yet because of it. I just reply to any questions about how long the treatment lasts very carefully...truthfully, but with carefully chosen words. It's right after that type of discussion that I'll position the '5 year warranty' via our industry leading maintenance plan.
i wouldn't do a maintenance treatment per se', just an inspection and spot treat if/as necessary. Collect a check and move on to the next one during the slow times.
Since Mike offers gutter services, it would be a great way for him to lock in clients for gutter cleaning at the same time.. Lock them in and lower those client acquisition costs to about nothin' for 5 years.
Kind of like a new car stealership, they want to sell you the product (car) AND make tons of money off of services.
In other words, it's an opportunity to turn a one time sale in to an annual annuity, along with a nice one time sale
Not knockin' any other ways of doing business. Just lots of ways to skin a cat.......
On second thought, I could see spraying a light maintenance coat at the end of year 2 or 3. That would likely take care of the 5 year period with no other treatments necessary. Not even any spot treatments. ( 2-3 years without algae reappearing in my area is very probable. May be more or less for others in other areas)
Oh yes, and for those that offer other services besides roof cleaning, the 'annual maintenance' visit provides a great opportunity to up sell.
AC has it right. If some knucklehead came to clean my roof offering a 5 year warranty and then told me I needed to pay him yearly for him to honor it I would kick him out the door. It's kinda like a web guy who is offering to make websites guaranteed to be on the first page of google for $200.00. Then you find out he wants an additional $150.00 a month.
AC has it right. If some knucklehead came to clean my roof offering a 5 year warranty and then told me I needed to pay him yearly for him to honor it I would kick him out the door. It's kinda like a web guy who is offering to make websites guaranteed to be on the first page of google for $200.00. Then you find out he wants an additional $150.00 a month.
You completely missed the point. It's not what you say to the client, but how you say it to the client. Positioning is the key. An insurance policy so to speak. So go offer a 5 year warranty and fall on your keester as you redo lots of roofs for free.
Meanwhile this knucklehead and others on the RCIA will build upon annual annuities.... If you didn't read Gary's post above, I suggest you do. Might I also suggest keeping an open mind and 'eyes wide open'.
Signed,
The Kucklehead that ran a 25M (annual) business until March 2010 with a 35% OP. (The last number is the important one....)
And I'll continue to say, there are lots of ways to skin a cat.
**Montgomery Gentry que** You do your thing, I'll do mine LOL
Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:
ACE wrote:
AC has it right. If some knucklehead came to clean my roof offering a 5 year warranty and then told me I needed to pay him yearly for him to honor it I would kick him out the door. It's kinda like a web guy who is offering to make websites guaranteed to be on the first page of google for $200.00. Then you find out he wants an additional $150.00 a month.
You completely missed the point. It's not what you say to the client, but how you say it to the client. Positioning is the key. An insurance policy so to speak. So go offer a 5 year warranty and fall on your keester as you redo lots of roofs for free.
Meanwhile this knucklehead and others on the RCIA will build upon annual annuities.... If you didn't read Gary's post above, I suggest you do. Might I also suggest keeping an open mind and 'eyes wide open'.
Signed,
The Kucklehead that ran a 25M (annual) business until March 2010 with a 35% OP. (The last number is the important one....)
And I'll continue to say, there are lots of ways to skin a cat.
**Montgomery Gentry que** You do your thing, I'll do mine LOL
Ted, knucklehead wasn't directed at you or anyone else and no disrespect was meant. To me a 5 year warranty means it will stay clean for 5 years. Not it will stay clean for 5 years if you pay me every year for the next 5 years. If I was going to sell maintanence plans I would sell them as that. The plans could go on indefinitely, not just 5 years. I think Mikes intent with this thread was what chems. do we need to add to have the roof stay clean for 5 years.
Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:
ACE wrote:
AC has it right. If some knucklehead came to clean my roof offering a 5 year warranty and then told me I needed to pay him yearly for him to honor it I would kick him out the door. It's kinda like a web guy who is offering to make websites guaranteed to be on the first page of google for $200.00. Then you find out he wants an additional $150.00 a month.
You completely missed the point. It's not what you say to the client, but how you say it to the client. Positioning is the key. An insurance policy so to speak. So go offer a 5 year warranty and fall on your keester as you redo lots of roofs for free.
Meanwhile this knucklehead and others on the RCIA will build upon annual annuities.... If you didn't read Gary's post above, I suggest you do. Might I also suggest keeping an open mind and 'eyes wide open'.
Signed,
The Kucklehead that ran a 25M (annual) business until March 2010 with a 35% OP. (The last number is the important one....)
And I'll continue to say, there are lots of ways to skin a cat.
**Montgomery Gentry que** You do your thing, I'll do mine LOL
Ted, knucklehead wasn't directed at you or anyone else and no disrespect was meant. To me a 5 year warranty means it will stay clean for 5 years. Not it will stay clean for 5 years if you pay me every year for the next 5 years. If I was going to sell maintanence plans I would sell them as that. The plans could go on indefinitely, not just 5 years. I think Mikes intent with this thread was what chems. do we need to add to have the roof stay clean for 5 years.
Semantics....... And I'm not going to spell it out to you (pitch). Call the warranty a 'maintenance warranty', 'warranted via our plan' whatever. It's the reoccurring revenue that is the point. The annuity. The additional revenue for the next 5 years.
Mike wrote: OK. How is this getting done? I understand it requires additional visits. More money! Cool, How?
He and I have touched on this else where, so I think I know where he was coming from. But thank you for your informative insight.
If you're not interested in a potential residual revenue stream and turning a $500 job in to $900 over 5 years, then don't. And don't bother reading my other post on the same. Evidently you still haven't read Gary's informative information in the post I inserted above.
Mike - I'll be glad to share what I know in great detail over the phone. Feel free to call me any time.
Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:
ACE wrote:
Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:
ACE wrote:
AC has it right. If some knucklehead came to clean my roof offering a 5 year warranty and then told me I needed to pay him yearly for him to honor it I would kick him out the door. It's kinda like a web guy who is offering to make websites guaranteed to be on the first page of google for $200.00. Then you find out he wants an additional $150.00 a month.
You completely missed the point. It's not what you say to the client, but how you say it to the client. Positioning is the key. An insurance policy so to speak. So go offer a 5 year warranty and fall on your keester as you redo lots of roofs for free.
Meanwhile this knucklehead and others on the RCIA will build upon annual annuities.... If you didn't read Gary's post above, I suggest you do. Might I also suggest keeping an open mind and 'eyes wide open'.
Signed,
The Kucklehead that ran a 25M (annual) business until March 2010 with a 35% OP. (The last number is the important one....)
And I'll continue to say, there are lots of ways to skin a cat.
**Montgomery Gentry que** You do your thing, I'll do mine LOL
Ted, knucklehead wasn't directed at you or anyone else and no disrespect was meant. To me a 5 year warranty means it will stay clean for 5 years. Not it will stay clean for 5 years if you pay me every year for the next 5 years. If I was going to sell maintanence plans I would sell them as that. The plans could go on indefinitely, not just 5 years. I think Mikes intent with this thread was what chems. do we need to add to have the roof stay clean for 5 years.
Semantics....... And I'm not going to spell it out to you (pitch). Call the warranty a 'maintenance warranty', 'warranted via our plan' whatever. It's the reoccurring revenue that is the point. The annuity. The additional revenue for the next 5 years.
Mike wrote: OK. How is this getting done? I understand it requires additional visits. More money! Cool, How?
He and I have touched on this else where, so I think I know where he was coming from. But thank you for your informative insight.
If you're not interested in a potential residual revenue stream and turning a $500 job in to $900 over 5 years, then don't. And don't bother reading my other post on the same. Evidently you still haven't read Gary's informative information in the post I inserted above.
Mike - I'll be glad to share what I know in great detail over the phone. Feel free to call me any time.
I did read Garys' post. It spelled out his preventative roof maintenance program great. Mike was on the thread. Chris had mentioned about some secret ingredients he used to help the roofs stay cleaner longer. Confident Roof Cleaning has also mentioned secret chems. that he added. This is what I thought Mike was referring to. Hoping to get some of the secrets out in the paid forum.
How about the type of system used can deliver either a maintenance or non maintenance program for our clients. AC has a designed a unique chemical combination that allows it's users to offer a 5 year warranty. The traditional SH method would be/ or could be a region based warranty as GCM will be more active in the south than in the northern areas. Or a maintenance program specific like Mike with gutters can involve a seasonal service up sell, as well as roof tune-ups after initial cleaning. I think everyone will find the position that will suit the needs of the geographic location of the customer base.
TC KIM R
-- Edited by Presidential Pressure Washing on Wednesday 1st of December 2010 10:17:17 AM
Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:
ACE wrote:
Roof Cleaning Northern Virginia (571) 250 9650 wrote:
ACE wrote:
AC has it right. If some knucklehead came to clean my roof offering a 5 year warranty and then told me I needed to pay him yearly for him to honor it I would kick him out the door. It's kinda like a web guy who is offering to make websites guaranteed to be on the first page of google for $200.00. Then you find out he wants an additional $150.00 a month.
You completely missed the point. It's not what you say to the client, but how you say it to the client. Positioning is the key. An insurance policy so to speak. So go offer a 5 year warranty and fall on your keester as you redo lots of roofs for free.
Meanwhile this knucklehead and others on the RCIA will build upon annual annuities.... If you didn't read Gary's post above, I suggest you do. Might I also suggest keeping an open mind and 'eyes wide open'.
Signed,
The Kucklehead that ran a 25M (annual) business until March 2010 with a 35% OP. (The last number is the important one....)
And I'll continue to say, there are lots of ways to skin a cat.
**Montgomery Gentry que** You do your thing, I'll do mine LOL
Ted, knucklehead wasn't directed at you or anyone else and no disrespect was meant. To me a 5 year warranty means it will stay clean for 5 years. Not it will stay clean for 5 years if you pay me every year for the next 5 years. If I was going to sell maintanence plans I would sell them as that. The plans could go on indefinitely, not just 5 years. I think Mikes intent with this thread was what chems. do we need to add to have the roof stay clean for 5 years.
Semantics....... And I'm not going to spell it out to you (pitch). Call the warranty a 'maintenance warranty', 'warranted via our plan' whatever. It's the reoccurring revenue that is the point. The annuity. The additional revenue for the next 5 years.
Mike wrote: OK. How is this getting done? I understand it requires additional visits. More money! Cool, How?
He and I have touched on this else where, so I think I know where he was coming from. But thank you for your informative insight.
If you're not interested in a potential residual revenue stream and turning a $500 job in to $900 over 5 years, then don't. And don't bother reading my other post on the same. Evidently you still haven't read Gary's informative information in the post I inserted above.
Mike - I'll be glad to share what I know in great detail over the phone. Feel free to call me any time.
I did read Garys' post. It spelled out his preventative roof maintenance program great. Mike was on the thread. Chris had mentioned about some secret ingredients he used to help the roofs stay cleaner longer. Confident Roof Cleaning has also mentioned secret chems. that he added. This is what I thought Mike was referring to. Hoping to get some of the secrets out in the paid forum.
I was refering to both. Better soap or maintanace plan? Since I dont have either one?
I did some gutter work for a landscaper. We agree on alot of things. One is dont buy it till you can pay cash for it!
This landscaper discovered that he only sells contracts. If a neighbor sees him cutting grass and asks to have theirs done as well, he will only do it if its a yearly contract. He wont even continue a conversation unless he gets a annual contract. He said he wasnt sure about this dicision at first. It has worked very well for him!
Edit: I have some annual gutter cleaning contracts, not many. Dont really push them, I should! Any way thats money in the bank! I give a nice discount for the contract.
To have a chit load of contracts, Thats guaranteed income. When you are slow guaranteed money to get to the next season.
It puts ME in control not the customer calling. or not calling. My referal program works very little. Prob because I only tell them about it. Just a thought, What if on the contract they are required to fill out 3 names and #'s? of someone else who may need our service? That should be a diff thread.
Hey a better soap would be cool too!
-- Edited by gutterdog on Monday 15th of November 2010 10:06:25 AM
Love to help you Michael, but that is one of AC's trade secrets that I signed an agreement not to tell. But, you have a choice. Take AC's wilderness tour or buy his house cleaning chemicals. I think his Green Wash might make it stay clean for 5 years. Is this true AC, or do they have to take your course to learn the cheimcals involved?
Just a thought, What if on the contract they are required to fill out 3 names and #'s? of someone else who may need our service?
Required? If you came to me with a contract and I had to give 3 referrals. Guess what? You wouldn't be getting a contract from me.
We follow up on our roof cleaning jobs, and I flat out ask them if they are happy. When they say yes, I say "Who else do you know I can make happy" LOL, one day a customer surprised me and said "My Wife"
The 5 year warranty is a great think to add to your package just like a 2 year guarantee or a maintenance package. All of these tell your customers 2 things. !- the roof will not stay clean forever 2 You recognize that and want to make sure you service the roof as needed.
People buy things with guarantees and warranty's all the time as it makes them feel that the company they bought from cares enough to honor some kind of commitment. It's that commitment you have to get across to the customer.
We have done the 2 year unconditional guarantee, we even sold yearly contacts for maintenance spray while we had the 2 year guarantee. I like it like Ted said it, it's all about being honest, informed and careful about how you say it.
The funny thing is most people still will not call on their warranty, guarantee or contract. It will take sending friendly reminders to your customers to keep them looking at their roof.