FittleBug is a tool, it’s not a science of measurement or consumer philosophy.
I have observed, for the last 6 years, Carpet Cleaning companies try and figure out how to offer square foot pricing utilizing on-line booking tools. Stop! On-line offering is a different animal all together. Don’t believe me… call 1 (800) 864-8331, the United Airlines reservation number. Oh I’m sorry, you didn’t know that they still had one? My Bad! Yes they have one and someone will eventually answer it. I know what you’re thinking and you are correct – It’s much easier to just go online and do it yourself. But isn’t that terribly impersonal? Doesn’t everyone want to ask questions of their local carpet cleaner? I mean there is so much that the carpet cleaner has to say to the consumer.
REALITY – There is a market that wants to ask a lot of questions, so if you concentrate solely on that market, be prepared to spend lots of time answering questions or paying someone to answer questions. Instead, more and more people are discovering that consumers aren’t stupid ( caveat – in general). When they want their carpets, upholstery or tile cleaned, they know approximately the size and whether they just want it cleaned or they want it cleaned, deodorized and/or protected.
If you are offering a tool like FittleBug or any other tool that schedules and/or books your time online – KEEP it SIMPLE. Don’t confuse the online public with some complicated approach to measuring exactly, down to the square foot the measurement of each room. Don’t EVER make them get up from that chair in front of the computer they are about to give you money from and go measure ANYTHING! If they have to get up the odds that they will finish booking just went down dramatically. It probably similar to talking yourself right out of a sales on the phone… TMI.
Instead – Have good quality terms and conditions that state that a walk through will be performed to insure the accuracy of the online order. I just might be that they booked to large and you can tell them that it wont cost a much as the original order. i.e. Client for Life! Maybe you have to do the same thing as when they call in and give you inaccurate measurements… adjust! The bottom line – give them options, but not to many that they have to many choices. People get confused easily both online and off with to many options.
I guess what I’m saying is use the KISS method. Keep it Simple Stupid yet empowering enough to allow them the ease of completion. Also, remember that if you are building a business to hand down to the kids or sell to a stranger, they are going to want to see a list of your clients. With any analysis at all they are going to figure out if your client base is about to die or grow. Market to Millennials – they built the Internet, know how to use it and more than often choose it as their method of choice when securing services like yours.