It is unfortunate how many people there are in the world that take advantage of people. Scams in every industry are rampant, taking people’s money and delivering shoddy services if an attempt is even made. The same applies to the carpet cleaning industry, where most professionals are trying to accrue a returning clientele and put forth every effort to do so, there are some claiming to be professionals and not applying any courtesy at all. Today, we at Tough Carpet Cleaning would like to help consumers be more aware of the most common carpet cleaning scams being currently practiced.
Common Carpet Cleaning Scams
1) “Unbelievable low price or coupon scam”. If it’s too good to be true, than it probably is; this guideline can help weed out the scams. The coupon is left on your car, you receive it the mail, or however it finds its way to you claiming to be ridiculously low is how they bait you. When you call to inquire about the amazing low price, a pushy sales associate pressures you into the unbeatable deal and you sign on the dotted line. This tactic is one of the most used scams, because once the “pro” comes perform the service, the price doubled or tripled because of the hidden fees cleverly worded in the contract you signed. Service fees are outrageous; examples include thick or unique carpet, or the layout of the room is oddly shaped. Whatever the excuses, your bill went from “wow” to” “ow”.
The advice: The sales associate uses phrases like “limited time only” or “we will never offer this deal again”, to glamorize their techniques, never agree to their offer. Work with a company where the specialist comes, or if they have a sales rep, ensure a technician accompanies them and have them state in writing all fees and charges before services are performed. If the company has a separate customer service rep that comes along, don’t let the technician begin until they confirm the price.
2) “The best carpet cleaning method”. Carpets can be professionally cleaned in multiple ways. The two most used in the industry are steam cleaning and dry cleaning. Steam cleaning is when the technician uses hot clean water and a cleaning detergents to clean carpets. High powered tools in conjunction with strengthened detergents cycle from the surface and deep into the fibers and the now dirty water is extracted with specialized equipment. Dry cleaning uses a minimal amount of water and specific chemicals to pull stains out and refresh your carpet. Scams claim that these common techniques are best method and exclusively used by their company and after completion, you have a high bill of the supposed unique cleaning method. Where some rugs and complex carpet fibers maybe antiques or have a unique composition and do require a different method, just do your homework before agreeing to a “specialized method”.
The advice: The best way to make sure you’re not being taken for ride, simply ask the prospective contractor exactly what the method they want to use involves. If they can’t explain the method, or act offended you asked, it may be wise to thank them for their time and look elsewhere.
3) “Carpet surface clean”. This scam may not be intentional, often times consumers allow the technician to do the work and let the carpet dry while you run errands, or take the kids for a field trip to get the traffic out of the way, and allow the carpet to dry. Regardless, as the carpets dry, the dirt is brought to the surface and not entirely pulled up. The accidental scam may be the result of faulty equipment, where the technician didn’t realize their equipment wasn’t up to par and only did the top layer, exposing stains after a couple of days. The intentional scam is the technician did an unprofessional quick job, making the carpets look clean on the initial inspection, only to have the stains and dirt emerge after a few days. If it was unintentional, the company will make the problem right and send someone to get the job done accordingly.
The advice: Do your homework and look for honest reviews among consumers before hiring a carpet cleaning professional. Find the business with a high reputation, along with the fees for not just cleaning but moving heavy furniture or other services you may require. Get all the details needed and the decision becomes stress free and the experience phenomenal.
Carpet Cleaning Services & More in the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin, North LV & Henderson Nevada
Tough Carpet Cleaning has dedicated ourselves to customer satisfaction and strives to make everyone satisfied on consistent basis. If you are in need of a professional carpet cleaning service, contact us today to get started!