How to avoid getting "bad information"
The first thing that you need to remember is that an office secretary is probably not the best person to be asking questions about the job you want done. Granted they can answer a few of the basics but when it comes to carpet and upholstery care, there are far to many variables to consider when pricing over the phone.
Don't Let Them
Fool
You!
If you really want answers over the phone then you need to be REALLY specific and HONEST about what you have. For instance, if you have odors from animals or food or mildew, then you need to ask how much it would run per square foot to eliminate those odors. Sometimes the guarantees will be based on how the technician assesses the situation.
Protectant is another issue...Does it really work? Well some brands of "finish" are on recall and for good reason. Many of those are reasons for which YOU are leery of using them. There are however a few companies that have products that are exceptionally good. A company that uses an acid-dye-blocker is a company worthy of consideration. The idea is to prevent spills from entering the dye sites of the carpet fibers. Even if a carpet has a finish originally on it from the manufacturer, after one year, 200 vacuumings, or a basic cleaning, the finish on the tips of the fibers will have worn off and become susceptible to staining and is evidenced by the wear patterns in the high traffic areas.
The reason for sanitation is pictured on Page 6