Window Company’s Sales Pitch Outdated

Like most homeowners I am proud of the house I own and want to keep it top shape.  When it comes to repairs or replacement of fixtures like Windows I want to get the best I can get for the money, but really don’t need the sales pitch if the cost is over budget.  This is why the internet is playing more and more of the way consumers get their home improvement information.

Unfortunately, many remodeling contractors and, more specifically to this conversation, window replacement contractors just don’t get it..or do they and are trying to fight the new consumer driven economy.  There are a few window contractors who advertise heavily in the print media who really are lost in how business is done today.  Could it be due to their very large investments into their business when the economy turned against them? More than likely.

In my recent efforts to find a contractor to replace 6 windows in my home I experienced attitudes towards passing the cost information to me very archaic.  In some ways their approach to setting up an appointment to come out and provide a close estimate sent me back to the days when my dad would answer the door and their was an encyclopedia salesman wanting to come in to pitch what he had to dump on people.  It is no mystery why the window companies want to use old outdated forms of marketing.  It usually based on their products cost is based on very high margins of profits which also is inflated with the salesperson’s commission.

So,since when does receiving a quote on installing 6 standard size windows have to include covering that quote with both me and my wife present..with seemingly no exceptions?

This is what the Statewide Remodeling salesperson told me on the phone when she called to confirm the appointment.  She wanted to make sure the time she was coming out was convenient for her to review the costs with me and my wife.  What a waste of time. When I asked why there is a continued insistence on my wife being present for them to pass me a written quote I was offered a glimpse into what I suspected from the beginning was the problem…their products are off the chart over priced.

I made it clear when I called Statewide Remodeling to get a quote that I just needed a quote for the windows so I can decide with my wife which window company we are going to hire.  Even the person on the phone was apprehensive since she also said “they like for the wife to be present when the quote is explained”.

What made this incident worth this blog was I had already received two quotes through emails from two other local reputable window companies.  Their prices were on a good baseline pricing.  They provided the window and installation all broken down, nice and neat.  Very simple and VERY impressive..kudu’s to these window companies who understand consumers.

So why doesn’t an overly advertised supposedly reputable window installation company like Statewide Remodeling not developed an online quote form on their vast web-site?  Could it be due to their products being about 150% more expensive and it takes a very hard used car salesman pitch to get anyone to buy them at their price?

After telling the Statewide Remodel sales lady that my wife will not be presence and no other appointment will be made for her to be present, she answered my questions on the pricing of their windows by saying “there baseline custom built windows run from $700 to $1000 each..”    Yes..right..a smooth grand for a window….my reaction was to ask if I got to choose where the Golf Plating was to be placed on the windows, but I know it was time to move on and let them find someone else to waste time with.

The other two bids we received through emails were no where near as high priced and the windows were also custom made quality windows.  So what is up with that kind of pricing?

This indicates to me the requirement they have for my wife to be present for them to cover the quote also included a very high pressure sales pitch.  It would have to be high pressured since that is about the only way I could see those prices in this economy being accepted as normal by anyone.  Are there that many stupid people other there who would pay that much for windows?  It seems like it or they would have changed to a more consumer friendly approach to quoting their pricing.

I know I have an advantage over most homeowners since I know what goes on with pricing in the remodeling business. I worked in custom home building industry and had my own remodeling business for a few years, and now offer remodeling consultation for homeowners. I can safely say, there are more cost effective ways of getting quality windows installed without your wife being present for the passing of the written quote.

Maybe highlighting how Statewide Remodeling goes about pitching their windows will alert consumers to there being alternatives to having the old ‘Vacuum Cleaner sales pitch’ put on you in your living room.

Today’s businesses…especially window replacement businesses… have to understand the internet and how it is NOW how business is conducted in today’s economy.  For them to take the old adage in saying… it takes a hard sale for a business to be successful..just shows how hard up and lost these businesses have become.

Having commissioned sales people going out to pitch someone..and their wife…on how good their product is over others is now done is a waste of time.  This pitch now is done with a video on their web-site.  The old thinking of not being able to close a sale without pitching someone in person was buried with Madoff’s ponzi scheme.  Consumers are much smarter, so why don’t window companies try to get smarter with them…I know it can be done since I have now three bids I have received from window replacement contractors who spent their money in hiring a good web developer to provide access to pricing online.  Hope things get better over at Statewide Remodeling..sounds like they could use a lot of help.