Q: I get coupons all the time for really low whole house rates.  What is the difference between you and those guys?

A: Sometimes when I am asked this, I don't even know where to begin.  We all  know the old adages "if something seems too good to be true, it probably is" and "you get what you pay for". Yet some of us seem to throw caution to the wind when it comes to choosing service providers for our homes.

We have invested thousands and thousands of dollars into our business equipment, as well as continuing industry education, insurance, gasoline, taxes, etc. We will never run a "whole house for $89.95 special. Why? Because we wouldn't be able to stay in business!  It cannot be done for that price. That is the bait to get the cleaners in the door. You can bet that the person sent to your home has little or no carpet care training or experience. He will, however, be schooled in high-pressure sales techniques. The switch is the next step. Extra charges for spot cleaning, traffic lane treatment, basic furniture moving, even for a "cleaning chemical" to be added to the carpet will rack up quickly. You lose in the end because now you have paid much more than you ever expected, and your carpet has probably been poorly serviced as well.  Companies who engage in these practices are not ethical. And if they don't practice ethics in their pricing, do any of us really believe they are going to go the extra mile to make sure your cleaning is performed with care? I have heard enough horror stories to last me a lifetime from folks who couldn't resist the siren call of a dirt cheap price. Ask around-- some of your friends and neighbors likely have used these coupon people. Find out what their experiences have been and check the company records with the Better Business Bureau. And remember, the bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten.