You Must Choose… But Choose Wisely

Back in the days when pages were yellow and white, it was a simple task choosing a company to do business with. It took no more than two fingers to walk along and pick one. Today, however, things are not so cut and dry. Many people become confused or overwhelmed by the options they find, or they simply do not have the time to go through all the comparisons. This can happen when you’re looking for someone to take care of your carpets, too. There are many stories of professional cleaning nightmares and scams, and we’ve heard quite a few.

To make things a little easier, here are three main rules of thumb to help you in choosing the right company for your carpet care. In fact, you might find these rules useful in choosing professionals for other services as well.

1. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Super specials and cheap prices are typically misleading, designed to get the company and all their equipment in your door. Once there, they might say the listed price was for a preliminary cleaning only, or they might try to ‘upgrade’ your service to a higher price that reflects the true cost.Please keep in mind that any quote over the phone will merely be an estimate until the professional inspects the carpets. For a professional, their skill and experience might detect issues or complications where your experience might not. However, if they insist their quote is a flat rate, that could be your first red flag.Lower cost could also indicate lower experience, skill or lower quality equipment. When speaking over the phone, listen carefully for evasions or vague answers, but also listen for honesty and integrity. If they back up their work with a guarantee in writing, it might be worth a little more investigation with the next rule of thumb.
2. Find out what others are saying about them. It’s always good to research testimonies or feedback. In today’s world, services like Yelp and Google Maps make it very easy to find out if a company delivers the services they promise in their ads. Reading feedback will tell you if they have a good track record. Some clients might post before/after images of the work, or they might tell experiences of how accidents or problems were dealt with, if any. In fact, if the company responds to any bad reviews, it often points to a higher level of quality.Granted, we all know that not all reports are honest. Some positive reviews might possibly be hired, and some negative reviews can get inflated out of proportion, but the details and context are usually enough to determine true reports from fabricated. Another option is to check on their certificates and/or memberships. Many professionals have ‘about’ pages on their websites that will list their qualifications, certifications and maybe a few pictures. But if you are impressed by pictures of their top-of-the-line-equipment, see the next rule of thumb.
3. The best equipment does not equal the best service. It’s very important to use the right tool for the right job. Developing technologies bring in better, stronger, more efficient equipment. The same is true for carpet cleaning. The specialists need to be skilled at operating the machinery, and knowledgeable about the chemicals, their mixtures, and any possible effects. A carpet cleaner with five-year-old equipment and thirty years of experience might still be a better option than one with six-month-old equipment and six-month-old experience. It’s also a good idea to make sure the cleaner is fully trained on the equipment they will use, which strengthens the idea of checking certifications.

If you would like to know more about Preferred Carpet Care, our experience, our skill, or even our equipment, please give us a call. We’d love to discuss any concerns you might have, and we’d be happy to answer any questions about providing excellent care to your carpets.