Apparently, it is OK for a business to lie to its customers.
If a customer has made a conscious choice to deal wholly and solely with a business that is based in Tasmania and asks a straightforward question about where part of that business is based; it is apparently OK for the business to tell the customer a lie, as long as the service or product is locally sourced.
For example, if you call a business and you ask the question "Where are you based?" to the person on the other end of the phone. The reply could be "In Sydney" or some other Australian city or town, when in fact that person is based in an overseas call center.
Yes, overseas call centers are, unfortunately, a trend which sees more and more local jobs disappearing, particularly in an economy such as Tasmania which relies on this type of work to employ young people.
But surely, the general public should have the right to make a choice about which companies it wishes to deal with based on the truth.
It certainly leaves a sour taste in the mouth and wallet when you find these things out after the event.
Gems of wisdom from experienced carpet cleaning professionals
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Thursday, 16 April 2015
Big Does Not Always Mean Best
We received a call in regards to an end of lease clean carried out by one of the major carpet cleaning firms.
The customer stated that her real estate agent had carried out the final inspection and she was advised that the job was unsatisfactory because the carpet still looked dirty and the room stunk of dog urine.
The customer was not prepared to allow the offending company to rectify the problem as she determined that once bitten, twice shy.
Our business was requested to rectify the problem.
On opening the door to the room, it was evident that the smell was extremely offensive and the carpet did not appear clean.
Using a probe, the offending urine in the carpet was located.
It was suggested that deep cleaning was required to clean the carpet and the urine and dog odour would require specialised chemicals to neutralise, sanitise and deodorise the carpet.
During the cleaning, it became immediately evident the difference between what we had cleaned and the supposedly already cleaned carpet.
The water sucked from the carpet also highlighted the amount of dirt and other nasties present in the carpet.
The customer was disgusted with what she was seeing having realised that she had paid to get her carpets cleaned and this was obviously not the case.
The customer was intent on chasing the company to get a full refund and to impress on them her disappointment at such a poor job.
The carpet was dry cleaned and this highlights the lack of dirt removing capability of this process.
Dry cleaning is essentially a surface clean and any deep down contamination or odour issues require more thorough steam cleaning to effect a satisfactory result.
The customer stated that her real estate agent had carried out the final inspection and she was advised that the job was unsatisfactory because the carpet still looked dirty and the room stunk of dog urine.
The customer was not prepared to allow the offending company to rectify the problem as she determined that once bitten, twice shy.
Our business was requested to rectify the problem.
On opening the door to the room, it was evident that the smell was extremely offensive and the carpet did not appear clean.
Using a probe, the offending urine in the carpet was located.
It was suggested that deep cleaning was required to clean the carpet and the urine and dog odour would require specialised chemicals to neutralise, sanitise and deodorise the carpet.
During the cleaning, it became immediately evident the difference between what we had cleaned and the supposedly already cleaned carpet.
The water sucked from the carpet also highlighted the amount of dirt and other nasties present in the carpet.
The customer was disgusted with what she was seeing having realised that she had paid to get her carpets cleaned and this was obviously not the case.
The customer was intent on chasing the company to get a full refund and to impress on them her disappointment at such a poor job.
The carpet was dry cleaned and this highlights the lack of dirt removing capability of this process.
Dry cleaning is essentially a surface clean and any deep down contamination or odour issues require more thorough steam cleaning to effect a satisfactory result.
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
Are all carpet cleaning systems as good as one another?
Independent and transparent, CHOICE was founded in 1959 with one clear mission: to ensure the consumer voice is heard loudly and clearly.
CHOICE empowers consumers to get the most out of all their purchasing decisions by providing a mix of advocacy and advice.
CHOICE
CHOICE empowers consumers to get the most out of all their purchasing decisions by providing a mix of advocacy and advice.
CHOICE
What is the difference between a franchised carpet cleaning business and a locally owned one?
A franchise model is a pyramid.
The franchisor sits at the top of the pyramid and the franchisees sit at the base of the pyramid.
The franchisee or their employees are the people who do the work.
An employee is not the owner of the business and therefore may not provide as good a service.
The franchisee may be in dispute with the franchisor and this may affect their attitude towards the customer.
Fees such as franchise & marketing are paid to the franchisor to operate the business in a particular area.
The process is pre-determined and chemicals and the process are strictly regimented.
A franchise does not allow the franchisee to deviate from the model, without severe penalties and this prevents the franchisee from offering the best process and value for money to the customer.
A local, non-franchised business, on the other hand, is totally free to offer their customers the latest technological advances in both process and chemicals because they are not bound to any franchise model.
Note that most of the large interstate carpet cleaning businesses operate under the franchise model, have their head offices sited interstate and even use international call centres.
The franchisor sits at the top of the pyramid and the franchisees sit at the base of the pyramid.
The franchisee or their employees are the people who do the work.
An employee is not the owner of the business and therefore may not provide as good a service.
The franchisee may be in dispute with the franchisor and this may affect their attitude towards the customer.
Fees such as franchise & marketing are paid to the franchisor to operate the business in a particular area.
The process is pre-determined and chemicals and the process are strictly regimented.
A franchise does not allow the franchisee to deviate from the model, without severe penalties and this prevents the franchisee from offering the best process and value for money to the customer.
A local, non-franchised business, on the other hand, is totally free to offer their customers the latest technological advances in both process and chemicals because they are not bound to any franchise model.
Note that most of the large interstate carpet cleaning businesses operate under the franchise model, have their head offices sited interstate and even use international call centres.
How long will it take for my carpet to dry after it has been cleaned?
This is a difficult question to answer given that every home is different.
In winter, it is advisable to assist with drying by turning on heating or if the weather allows, opening windows or turning on ceiling fans to aid evaporation.
In summer, the weather usually allows for opening of windows and doors to allow a good airflow to aid the drying process.
A1 Carpet & Upholstery Specialists will attempt to get the carpet as dry as possible and therefore it usually takes around 2 hours to dry.
In winter, it is advisable to assist with drying by turning on heating or if the weather allows, opening windows or turning on ceiling fans to aid evaporation.
In summer, the weather usually allows for opening of windows and doors to allow a good airflow to aid the drying process.
A1 Carpet & Upholstery Specialists will attempt to get the carpet as dry as possible and therefore it usually takes around 2 hours to dry.
Should I wait until the warmer weather before I get my carpets cleaned?
No.
We tend to endure much warmer temperatures in the house during cold weather than we do when the weather is warm.
Many homes in Tasmania either have wood fires or heat pumps and therefore the carpet can dry quicker in winter.
Winter is a great time to get carpets cleaned as there is usually no problem getting an appointment and carpet cleaners tend to run specials.
We tend to endure much warmer temperatures in the house during cold weather than we do when the weather is warm.
Many homes in Tasmania either have wood fires or heat pumps and therefore the carpet can dry quicker in winter.
Winter is a great time to get carpets cleaned as there is usually no problem getting an appointment and carpet cleaners tend to run specials.
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