Last time, we tackled the question of whether you should guarantee your work. This time let’s talk about what kind of guarantee it should be.
Well, in general – the BOLDER the BETTER!
To see why that is, let’s first go back and look at a what can happen when a guarantee is not bold.
Let’s say, for example, that a guarantee read something like this:
GreenBranch Commercial Cleaning’s Guarantee:
If you are not happy with our office-cleaning services*, you need to report it to us, in writing, by the 10th of following month, explaining in detail what you were not satisfied with, and then, give us a 3 days to correct it.
THEN we will refund the pro-rated amount of your bill for the portion of the month that the cleaning was not up to your expectations.
* Restriction: applies only to regular office cleaning.
This kind of guarantee
– one that makes a customer ‘jump through a series of hoops’ to get a refund if they’re not satisfied, is hardly a guarantee at all, or at least not one we would recommend you even offer!
Think about it…
Do you really want your customer feeling, in any way, worried or skeptical of your guarantee, having to carefully study the exact wording of every step of how to get a refund?
No, I don’t think so – instead, you want them to feel secure.
But instead, this petty demand for particular time limits, rules and exceptions may simply end up unnecessarily putting up your prospect’s cautionary radar…and increase your refund rate!
That’s right …. the more restrictive you word your guarantee, the more you may actually be encouraging prospects to go through it with a ‘”fine tooth comb’ – committing to memory the steps needed to get their refund.
Is that really what you had in mind?
No, I didn’t think so. Interesting, huh?….
Now, on the other hand, if you offer a BOLD guarantee; one that is so strong that the customer feels completely comfortable, and in no hurry to secure a refund, then, you may have actually ‘killed two birds with one stone’.
1.Securing your customer’s trust, while actually
2.Lowering your refund rate.
For example, how about this for a BOLD guarantee?
ABC Cleaning Company 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
If Your Not 100% Satisfied With Any Of GreenBranch Commercial Cleaning’s Services At Any Time, For Any Reason – it’s FREE. No Questions Asked.
Now, that’s the kind of guarantee that puts a prospect’s mind at ease. They like the strength of the guarantee, and they like you more as a result.
And they’re probably less likely to feel the need to take advantage of you, or the guarantee.
Makes sense?
Don’t get me wrong. I think every cleaning company should guarantee their work- and mean it!
A proper guarantee should protect customers, and keep cleaning business on their toes by rewarding dependable quality service and discouraging mistakes!
The fear of a refund is by no means the most noble reason to want to deliver quality service and maximum customer value, but it doesn’t hurt.
By the way, if you ever do run across that rare, and I do mean rare scoundrel of a customer, who is taking unfair advantage of you and your bold guarantee to get out of paying for his cleaning, well…
…then, as long as you have a 30 day cancellation provision, by either party, in your agreement, at the very least, you have a way of stopping the ‘abuse’.
And, ideally, you should want to guarantee your work to keep you ‘on your toes’ by helping you to identify your weaknesses, by listening and acting on what customers report to you
You should be glad to offer a BOLD guarantee because it tells something about your company.
And I GUARANTEE it tells a lot about you too!
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