Susan Dean (1stclean)

  • Posts: 2064
Should I start a price war in my new area
« on: June 18, 2012, 08:16:12 am »
well ive been training a famly friend here for two months and i am going to set him on his way cleaning with a turck mount and van , chems everything northing flash just an old 58 reg ldv and max dev

 hes from  essex and i was thinking of going in low too start putting a few nose out joint just because i can  ;D even sending hubby down with our brand new set up just too help out and  sort any problems out ,

but will i be to cheap at full houses for 70 pounds , ect ect ect  maybe i should go with the flow and charge top money ??????  but i do like a price war its got to be said but i dont like trying to up the prices after as its like starting again and its very hard

bank rolling him is not a problem at all mmmmmmmmm  

Mike Halliday

  • Posts: 11581
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2012, 08:27:18 am »
if you've got the money I would go with high prices and carpet bomb his local area with leaflets every 2 weeks for 3 months, a bill board van driving around the streets  advertising his company.

i would do so much marketing  that all the people in his area would be  seeing his name in their sleep,
Mike Halliday.  www.henryhalliday.co.uk

Paul Clapham

  • Posts: 250
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2012, 10:07:44 am »
Slightly odd post, at the end of the day you will need to make a profit, as you are "bank rolling " your family friend , surely you will want your investment back ?

I think you have also answered your own question with regards to trying to "up" your prices from a low start .

Have you not written a business plan , or an action plan for this new venture, it all seem a little "Heath Robinson" and "Gun Ho"  :o
This is the season for fine wine, and drunken friends, enjoy this moment, for this moment is your life.

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2012, 10:31:48 am »
Susan Dean, for a female [?], you seem very knowledgable in a mans carpet cleaning world which beggars the question?

£70 for a full house? I'm sorry but you must be mad. Try putting a 1 or 2 in front!!  :o

Steve Chapman

  • Posts: 1743
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2012, 11:49:57 am »
If you do it for free then everyone will want you and you'll be busy all the time  ;D

It's a no brainer really  ;)

Steve

Stephen Callinan

  • Posts: 45
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2012, 12:18:43 pm »
What goes around comes around.

Helen

Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2012, 12:55:49 pm »
Susan Dean, for a female [?], you seem very knowledgable in a mans carpet cleaning world which beggars the question?

OI!!!! Who says it is a man's world..... :)
£70 for a full house? I'm sorry but you must be mad. Try putting a 1 or 2 in front!!  :o
Totally agree too cheap, think someone was bored when they started this thread and thought they would have a wind up
Start as you mean to go on that's what I say :)

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2012, 02:00:16 pm »

Start a price war, but you wont make any or very little profit. But hey ho, you say you have plenty of money to 'run with it', go for it, sounds great, everyone likes a bargain  :D

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2012, 02:45:49 pm »
I'm with Steve, offer free carpet cleaning, I mean why bother taking money for your service. Plus you'll wipe the floor with your competition. Hmm why don't we all do that?

Are we talking to Susan or a man?

I hate when guys use their partners profile and we don't know who we are talking too.

Paul H

  • Posts: 878
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2012, 02:52:46 pm »
you may win the short term battle

but not the long term war  ;D

Andrew Briscoe

  • Posts: 1311
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2012, 04:07:27 pm »
I get firms leaflet dropping my area, when they do i pull out of my local paper.
I find I am a lot busier as their leaflet reminds my customers to get there carpets cleaned.
When customer mentions they got the leaflet, i ask why didnt they go for the low price,
usually the reply is pay cheap you get cheap, or, how can they do it for such a low price.

The other company will get some work from their low priced leaflets, but they are generally not the type of customer I work for. Everyone in my town knows me and what i do, thats why they call us, however in a large town city, you dont get that kind of loyalty the same as out here in the sticks.

Personally, if you have the money I would bankroll a quality service, it only lowers the perception of a carpet cleaner, and its not good for the industry. When Chemdry came over here, most of us doubled our prices and where still cheaper and better !!

Andrew

Kinver_Clean

  • Posts: 1120
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2012, 04:12:00 pm »
CD did us a great service all those years ago- we rode on the back of their price list and their marketing.
God must love stupid people---He made so many.

Susan Dean (1stclean)

  • Posts: 2064
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2012, 04:47:35 pm »
Susan Dean, for a female [?], you seem very knowledgable in a mans carpet cleaning world which beggars the question?

£70 for a full house? I'm sorry but you must be mad. Try putting a 1 or 2 in front!!  :o

ive been cleaning carpets n this mans world for over 30 years   ;D, oh 70 pounds to cheap thats what we are chargeing here right now for a 2 bed house , 65-70 for suites , ect ectt ect all pulling up with nice shiney new vans and truckmounts , can never understand why people think that chargeing little you cant make money i do 

as for hateing people that use other people profiles c, trust me my julian doesnt come on here hes to tied up with the shop and his new idear of wanting a window cleaning round and a new shop and a new farm to do up again , oh and more houses to rent out lolololol

so back to my friend (member of familyish) think i may go with mikes idear i know what most are chargeing as ive already phone them or had them out to do quotes at a friends house .

but what an i dear free carpet cleaning !!!!!! that would defo get you noticed and some free paper space as well !!!!! think ill talked to j when he comes in as its made me smile alot and i do like that idear ALOT

Stephen Callinan

  • Posts: 45
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2012, 05:25:47 pm »
Nonsence

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2012, 05:42:29 pm »
 I think Susan Dean is a man, non-English (bad spelling & grammer)  ;D

I was a detective in my previous life  ;D

Dave_Lee

  • Posts: 1728
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2012, 05:45:35 pm »
Susan,
You are back on the forum scene and making the same arguments/points that you were years ago.
Of course you can make money by going in cheap, but only if you come out fast with it. At £70.. for a two bed house, how many houses would you need to be doing in a day.
Many Tmers would be looking to take £300 - £500 a day, at £70.. that's a fair few houses, but like I said if it's quick, then it can be done.
The answer most probably lies in each operators perception of 'Quality'. Of course we all think that we are the best, the Bees knees of Carpet Cleaners, and if anyone doesn't think that about themselves, they need to look at what they are doing.
All I can add is that £70 for a two bed house is the kind of price I was charging well over 20 years ago.
Dave.
Dave Lee, Owner of Deepclean Services
Chorley Lancs. Est 1980.
"Pay Cheap -You get Cheap - Pay a little more and get something Better."

Steven Lawrence

  • Posts: 85
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #16 on: June 18, 2012, 05:47:37 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #17 on: June 18, 2012, 05:51:19 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

Steven Lawrence

  • Posts: 85
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #18 on: June 18, 2012, 06:05:10 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

i hope we do tomorrow!!  ;D ;D

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #19 on: June 18, 2012, 06:05:42 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

i hope we do tomorrow!!  ;D ;D

O yes, come ON!!!!  ;D

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #20 on: June 18, 2012, 06:07:31 pm »
Susan, what's your average job ticket? How many jobs per day does one of your techs do?

wynne jones

  • Posts: 2918
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #21 on: June 18, 2012, 06:07:51 pm »


I was a detective in my previous life  ;D

You do come across as a private dick.   ;D
It's not expensive, you just can't afford it.

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #22 on: June 18, 2012, 06:14:24 pm »
Susan, do you have a website? How many carpet cleaning 'technicians' do you have?  :)

(and thanks Wynne, love you too)   ;D

Stephen Callinan

  • Posts: 45
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #23 on: June 18, 2012, 06:46:54 pm »
People that have money, dont tell everyone what they got or how they got it,
People with no money pretend they have,
if your making money would you tell everyone how your doing it,, puuhhh i dont think so

lot of tosh me thinks

hows it hanging
xx

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #24 on: June 18, 2012, 06:58:59 pm »
People that have money, dont tell everyone what they got or how they got it,
People with no money pretend they have,
if your making money would you tell everyone how your doing it,, puuhhh i dont think so

lot of tosh me thinks

hows it hanging
xx

Correct, and now Suzie (man) has sailed off so we can't ask her [him/it] any questions  :-[

M.Acorn

  • Posts: 7223
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #25 on: June 18, 2012, 07:03:40 pm »
I don't really care, they are nowhere near me, plenty of people round here working for p nuts, But my customers still call me for repeat work, even though they know I am more expensive.
More or less had an argument with one reg custy today, only wanted her hallway carpet cleaning, said I would only charge her half my min call out so £32.50, she wouldn't have it and paid the full price  ;D
What goes around comes around

Warren Aldridge

  • Posts: 260
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #26 on: June 18, 2012, 07:16:39 pm »
I think Susan Dean is a man, non-English (bad spelling & grammer)  ;D

I was a detective in my previous life  ;D



Good one there mate! How ironic...


mark shannon

  • Posts: 961
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #27 on: June 18, 2012, 07:53:26 pm »
Susan's been around for years last I heard her and her hubby were running two decent TMs.

markpowell

  • Posts: 2279
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #28 on: June 18, 2012, 09:40:14 pm »
If you have 20 houses that you rent out, a haulage business that you send world wide, than you can charge £70 for a full house clean, the rest of us have to charge a little more. Its just the way it is guys.

Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #29 on: June 18, 2012, 09:59:16 pm »
If you have 20 houses that you rent out, a haulage business that you send world wide, 

Am I missing something?
If you've got that why would you run another business that produces little reward for a lot of effort, especially if you're doing a full house for £70

Carpet Dawg

  • Posts: 2968
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #30 on: June 18, 2012, 10:01:16 pm »
I call bullsh i t!

dan paton

Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #31 on: June 18, 2012, 10:26:27 pm »

wynne jones

  • Posts: 2918
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #32 on: June 18, 2012, 10:40:58 pm »
I call bullsh i t!

No, Marks right. i wouldn't run a CC business that way but you can't take it away from them.

     
It's not expensive, you just can't afford it.

Ferenc G.

  • Posts: 140
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #33 on: June 18, 2012, 10:47:12 pm »
I call bullsh i t!

No, Marks right. i wouldn't run a CC business that way but you can't take it away from them.

     

You are right, you can't take it away from them unfortunatelly. I say unfortunatelly, because it sounds like she is happy to ruin other's businesses just for fun and she does not think about the consequences.

This whole approach is very unprofessional, hard to believe they achieved such a great success before.

John Kelly

  • Posts: 4461
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #34 on: June 18, 2012, 10:56:31 pm »
Susan and Julian are real people and those that have been on here for some years will know them. They do have various operations going on and its not bullpoop. Unfortunately their carpet cleaning business operates in a very low price orientated area. There are pockets of them throughout the country. But hey they make money and are happy so whats the problem.

markpowell

  • Posts: 2279
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #35 on: June 18, 2012, 11:06:08 pm »
Wouldnt worry too much, cleaners in the area regarding this post. Its mostly fabricated as nearlly every post going back 5 years contradicts the last. Do a search and s ;)ee yourselves. Load of trash.

PaulKing

  • Posts: 1626
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #36 on: June 19, 2012, 07:12:05 am »
Worth a try, but you'll  be subsisting it, and I think loads of folk here have touched on the problem with increasing prices so why not aim high and subsidise not working till you get higher price jobs in?
that way you save hours on the machine and can spend the time on leaflets or whatever
www.revitaclean.com  established 1968 in Newcastle Upon Tyne

Steve Chapman

  • Posts: 1743
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #37 on: June 19, 2012, 08:24:47 am »
Susan,
If you really don't need the money and only 'playing' at carpet cleaning, then all your doing by keep lowering your prices is taking a decent wage away from you cc colleagues and making it hard for them, esp in this tough economic climate.

Not a very kind thing to do in my opinion.

Steve

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #38 on: June 19, 2012, 08:27:14 am »
Wouldnt worry too much, cleaners in the area regarding this post. Its mostly fabricated as nearlly every post going back 5 years contradicts the last. Do a search and s ;)ee yourselves. Load of trash.

See what you mean ;)

Read her post on 'do leaflets work'

robert meldrum

  • Posts: 1984
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #39 on: June 19, 2012, 12:05:55 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

What a laugh ..............the English have won very little in their lives and would have been wiped out if not for the Americans coming in when the Germans were poised ....with advanced technology to rip the UK apart.


For those who don't know.................Susan Dean had been running a very successful carpet cleaning business using small adverts in local newspapers and several operators with Extracta machines.

If you wonder what constitutes success...........consider the fact that she has or had a couple of years ago around 20 properties all rented out and bought from the profits made from a very efficient business.

A couple might look up " autistic " to learn a little more about this young lady.


Hilton

  • Posts: 5572
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #40 on: June 19, 2012, 01:00:38 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

What a laugh ..............the English have won very little in their lives and would have been wiped out if not for the Americans coming in when the Germans were poised ....with advanced technology to rip the UK apart.


Are you sure about that, the Germans were already defeated after the Battle of Britain Jul 1940-Oct 1940 and abandoned the invasion, this was won with British technology before America were forced to enter the war after being attacked at Pearl Harbour 7th Dec 1941, Something they were warned about in advance once again with British technology but chose to ignore.

It is regarded as a given now that a major contributor to victory over the third Reich from start to finish was British technology,America were playing catch up.

Any way I am not sure that is the kind of war the young lady was referring to.  ;D

jasonl

  • Posts: 3183
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #41 on: June 19, 2012, 01:01:44 pm »
I operated my Chem dry franchises in Teeside and county Durham and was getting 150 plus for a  3 bed house 20 years ago with a buffer and pads ,  plenty of u market property round those parts to go at.

20 HOUSES CAN BE BOUGHT VERY CHEAPLY!!! .

I bought 3 terraced houses in 1994 for 6grand in total!


I sold my franchises to a builder who had a 2 million turnover company and several high value houses. It was a plaything for him .
I clean carpets
I dry Buildings

Mike_Roper

  • Posts: 241
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #42 on: June 19, 2012, 01:12:20 pm »
Jason , give me aring when you get a minute, I lost all my contacts on my mobile .
Thanks
Mike

Steven Lawrence

  • Posts: 85
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #43 on: June 19, 2012, 02:31:38 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

What a laugh ..............the English have won very little in their lives and would have been wiped out if not for the Americans coming in when the Germans were poised ....with advanced technology to rip the UK apart.


For those who don't know.................Susan Dean had been running a very successful carpet cleaning business using small adverts in local newspapers and several operators with Extracta machines.

If you wonder what constitutes success...........consider the fact that she has or had a couple of years ago around 20 properties all rented out and bought from the profits made from a very efficient business.

A couple might look up " autistic " to learn a little more about this young lady.



doesn't know his history very well!! :-X

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #44 on: June 19, 2012, 05:57:28 pm »
Robert it was Britain against Germany not just the English, well and most of the rest of the world bar Italy who joined Germany's side and another country which I can't think of just now.

But for English wins battle of Agincourt, it doesn't get more decisive than that! English were out numbered 6 to 1 and still won.

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #45 on: June 19, 2012, 06:02:18 pm »
Different type of war  ;D ;D

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #46 on: June 19, 2012, 06:07:54 pm »
I know but Robert Meldrum bought up WW2, lol

Susan Dean (1stclean)

  • Posts: 2064
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #47 on: June 19, 2012, 06:43:06 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

What a laugh ..............the English have won very little in their lives and would have been wiped out if not for the Americans coming in when the Germans were poised ....with advanced technology to rip the UK apart.


For those who don't know.................Susan Dean had been running a very successful carpet cleaning business using small adverts in local newspapers and several operators with Extracta machines.

If you wonder what constitutes success...........consider the fact that she has or had a couple of years ago around 20 properties all rented out and bought from the profits made from a very efficient business.

A couple might look up " autistic " to learn a little more about this young lady.



many thanks , long gone are the extractas my friend , running three tuckmounts now well just two as ill be giveing one away to hubbys bother in law , as for me being a man sorry i dont think so ,

 yes i do run cheap but ive tryed uping the prices for five years and i just lost the faith so went back to what i know and what works for us  , loveing the coments about cheap houses but sorry wont have any of them rubbish min here is a three bed semi , and mark julians not doing the haulage now sold that , and is back into doing up the houses and drawing pictures on people for alot of money ,

just cant see how you think 70 is too low , right today my cleaners been out and done 200 pounds worth of work  

60 wages
30 fuel
10 chems

i am happy if that trucks goes out and earns me 100 pounds a week clear profit  , so it down to being in and out quick  nope thats not true , maybe i am holding people bacl here buy pulling up with top end gear and chargeing little but its the way i am going to move forward at this time works for me i dont care if i put people out of buissness because they wouldnt care if they did the same tome

  

garyhumphreys

  • Posts: 180
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #48 on: June 19, 2012, 06:56:10 pm »
[i]just cant see how you think 70 is too low , right today my cleaners been out and done 200 pounds worth of work 
60 wages
30 fuel
10 chems
i am happy if that trucks goes out and earns me 100 pounds a week clear profit  , so it down to being in and out quick  nope thats not true , maybe i am holding people bacl here buy pulling up with top end gear
[/i]

.............................................
Charging these prices, how are you affording the top end equipment you are using?
Would love to be let in on your method

dan paton

Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #49 on: June 19, 2012, 06:59:02 pm »
susan dont doubt youv'e got what you say youv'e got but its the fact your bragging about it . most of your recent posts anyway(even your last post) have a reference about money or property . there's loads of wealthy people on this forum with multiple properties etc but you dont bang on about it like you do . point is its a cleaning forum not a platform to tell everyone how successful youv'e been in life . nobody cares and if they did then they need help .
                                                     dan

Dave_Lee

  • Posts: 1728
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #50 on: June 19, 2012, 07:30:11 pm »
Most operators are owner operators so forgetting the wages bit.
If all of what we turned over was clear profit after deducting just fuel and chem costs, we would be very happy indeed.
£200 a day is not a good day and clearly to do £300 - £500 a day as I said, your cleaner would have to be in and out quick.
Dave Lee, Owner of Deepclean Services
Chorley Lancs. Est 1980.
"Pay Cheap -You get Cheap - Pay a little more and get something Better."

Simon Moat

  • Posts: 167
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #51 on: June 19, 2012, 07:44:33 pm »
I really don't care what other people do or don't earn.

And btw the Soviets won the war!

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #52 on: June 19, 2012, 08:47:01 pm »
Not really, the Germans went into Russia because they had information that it would be a year before America was ready to go to war so the invasion into Russia was strategic as they wanted more land and resources for fighting the Americans (which they knew would be the biggest fight) After the defeat against Russia, mainly due the the weather Germany still carried on with their plans in Europe.

wynne jones

  • Posts: 2918
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #53 on: June 19, 2012, 09:00:23 pm »
Talking of the Jocks, that Banatyne guy on dragons den uses this very tactic to put competing businesses out of business. Then he buys them up for a song. What a nice man.

It's not expensive, you just can't afford it.

Robert Watson

  • Posts: 1058
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #54 on: June 19, 2012, 09:13:33 pm »
That,s not your best post Wynne. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, price war. What ever floats your boat. But not for me.
The Kitchen Door Centre

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #55 on: June 19, 2012, 10:04:08 pm »
[i]just cant see how you think 70 is too low , right today my cleaners been out and done 200 pounds worth of work 
60 wages
30 fuel
10 chems
i am happy if that trucks goes out and earns me 100 pounds a week clear profit  , so it down to being in and out quick  nope thats not true , maybe i am holding people bacl here buy pulling up with top end gear
[/i]

.............................................
Charging these prices, how are you affording the top end equipment you are using?
Would love to be let in on your method


Erh, because someone's already mentioned they own 20 odd properties, sold a successful haulage business and so forth  ::)

garyhumphreys

  • Posts: 180
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #56 on: June 19, 2012, 10:13:56 pm »
Bankrolling the purchase of new equipment then?

Robert Watson

  • Posts: 1058
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #57 on: June 19, 2012, 10:14:57 pm »
That`s not your best post Wynne. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, price war. What ever floats your boat. But not for me.


Edit, I don`t like him either.
The Kitchen Door Centre

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #58 on: June 19, 2012, 10:31:19 pm »
Bankrolling the purchase of new equipment then?


Basically, ya  :)

Knock everyone else out the game quickly by offering cheap carpet cleaning that's unsustainable to most.

Making money on fast turnover  ::)

wynne jones

  • Posts: 2918
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #59 on: June 19, 2012, 10:36:45 pm »
That`s not your best post Wynne. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, price war. What ever floats your boat. But not for me.


Edit, I don`t like him either.

I'm not with you Robert, if you thought I was suggesting all jocks are like that I wasn't, it just reminded me of him and that he recommended the tactic to one of his partners.
It's not expensive, you just can't afford it.

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #60 on: June 19, 2012, 10:43:25 pm »
I think it's just bravado from Susan, in an attempt to look 'successful' she's just came across as show off, attention seeking, and obnoxious.

Susan, if people 'discovered' you were successful you would have respect. If you tell them.. Well this is how you come across. That's how it works.

wynne jones

  • Posts: 2918
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #61 on: June 19, 2012, 10:52:09 pm »
I'm not feminist friendly usually, but there are lots of blokes on here who do that Craig, but when a woman does it, it's suddenly and issue. 
It's not expensive, you just can't afford it.

Stephen Callinan

  • Posts: 45
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #62 on: June 19, 2012, 11:18:19 pm »
How long does it take to clean a carpet ?
survey/?
test/?
price/?
Bodger / scarper

not me  crac on big fella

xx

Doug Holloway

  • Posts: 3917
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #63 on: June 20, 2012, 07:29:36 am »
Hi Guys

Coming back to the concept of a price war, there are loads of cheap CC's offering cheap work, another is hardly going to make a difference.

There are a much smaller group offering good quality, properly priced cleaning and I know where I want to be.

Cheers

Doug

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #64 on: June 20, 2012, 11:47:55 am »
Hi Guys

Coming back to the concept of a price war, there are loads of cheap CC's offering cheap work, another is hardly going to make a difference.

There are a much smaller group offering good quality, properly priced cleaning and I know where I want to be.

Cheers

Doug

There are also loads of cheap carpet cleaner's offering quality work and those are the one's you need to watch! The public (not all) today buy on price and all they are looking for is to have their carpet's cleaned, by whom, what method or which machinery is irrelevant in their eyes, they just want a clean carpet.
 

Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5748
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #65 on: June 20, 2012, 12:44:28 pm »
I often wonder what is cheap

I know my calculaton is not very scientific. But I recon that if you employ someone on say £300 a week , cost of equipment , van advertising admin etc you need to take £1000 a week to make a reasonable margin

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #66 on: June 20, 2012, 01:16:04 pm »
I often wonder what is cheap

I know my calculaton is not very scientific. But I recon that if you employ someone on say £300 a week , cost of equipment , van advertising admin etc you need to take £1000 a week to make a reasonable margin

That's very true Ian BUT the majority of the public are not business minded and don't see it like that. They just see us as cleaner's doing carpet cleaning and nothing more. Cleaner's in their view, should not be earning £1,000 per week, as you suggest, BUT we know that it takes alot to run a business but try convincing some member's of the public that!!

This is a very difficult line of work we are in. We want big bucks but the customer wants the job done cheap. Cleaning, historically, has always been an industry which is at the lower end of the scale for wages etc and that's what some member's of the public believe we should be on cleaning = min. wage, they don't realise the cost, even running a one-man-band operation!!!???




markpowell

  • Posts: 2279
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #67 on: June 20, 2012, 04:14:56 pm »
good for you! go for it, i do enjoy a good war!

The English always win too!!!   ;D

What a laugh ..............the English have won very little in their lives and would have been wiped out if not for the Americans coming in when the Germans were poised ....with advanced technology to rip the UK apart.


For those who don't know.................Susan Dean had been running a very successful carpet cleaning business using small adverts in local newspapers and several operators with Extracta machines.

If you wonder what constitutes success...........consider the fact that she has or had a couple of years ago around 20 properties all rented out and bought from the profits made from a very efficient business.

A couple might look up " autistic " to learn a little more about this young lady.



many thanks , long gone are the extractas my friend , running three tuckmounts now well just two as ill be giveing one away to hubbys bother in law , as for me being a man sorry i dont think so ,

 yes i do run cheap but ive tryed uping the prices for five years and i just lost the faith so went back to what i know and what works for us  , loveing the coments about cheap houses but sorry wont have any of them rubbish min here is a three bed semi , and mark julians not doing the haulage now sold that , and is back into doing up the houses and drawing pictures on people for alot of money ,

just cant see how you think 70 is too low , right today my cleaners been out and done 200 pounds worth of work  

60 wages
30 fuel
10 chems

i am happy if that trucks goes out and earns me 100 pounds a week clear profit  , so it down to being in and out quick  nope thats not true , maybe i am holding people bacl here buy pulling up with top end gear and chargeing little but its the way i am going to move forward at this time works for me i dont care if i put people out of buissness because they wouldnt care if they did the same tome

  

£10 WORTH OF CHEMS ON £200 WORTH OF WORK????

garyhumphreys

  • Posts: 180
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #68 on: June 20, 2012, 04:18:42 pm »
My perception of carpet cleaning before I started in the industry was that it wasn't cheap and most of my customers also.
I think most carpet cleaners think that because they wouldnt pay the price others wont which is soooo wrong.

And yes how much chems for £200 of work.

Robert Watson

  • Posts: 1058
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #69 on: June 20, 2012, 04:33:23 pm »
That`s not your best post Wynne. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, price war. What ever floats your boat. But not for me.


Edit, I don`t like him either.

I'm not with you Robert, if you thought I was suggesting all jocks are like that I wasn't, it just reminded me of him and that he recommended the tactic to one of his partners.
Sorry Wynne. Not my best post. I`v had a word with myself about posting with beer goggles on.  ;)
The Kitchen Door Centre

Doug Holloway

  • Posts: 3917
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #70 on: June 20, 2012, 06:10:11 pm »
Hi guys

Our customers are a bit more discerning than some give credit for and will definitely pay for a quality job, some of course will buy purely on price,

Cheers

doug

wynne jones

  • Posts: 2918
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #71 on: June 20, 2012, 07:21:52 pm »
Everyone is different but I've lived here ten years and when I wanted a plumber, electrician, roofer etc. I asked neighbours and work colleagues.

And I'd ask 'do you know a good, plumber? etc etc I didn't ask do you know a cheap plumber? In fact, quite often someone would say, he's not the cheapest but we've used him for years. That gave me reassurance and I was happy to pay what they were charging. 
It's not expensive, you just can't afford it.

Timmy Boy

  • Posts: 431
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #72 on: June 20, 2012, 07:22:59 pm »
Hi all
Susan operates in a very similar demographic to us where your competition comes more from the 'hire a rug doctor' type customer than appointing a carpet cleaning company. I agree the price is cheap BUT if the property is empty you could clean a 2 bed property (pre spray, envirodry, extract) in less than 2 hours but I would want more like 90.

Mike Halliday

  • Posts: 11581
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #73 on: June 20, 2012, 07:43:10 pm »
are we all missing an important point.

 for there to be a price war you need more than 1 company, Susan going into an area with low prices doesn't make a war it just makes another cheap company

what if the other companies doen't give a monkeys about her brother-in-law and just laugh at his low prices
Mike Halliday.  www.henryhalliday.co.uk

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #74 on: June 20, 2012, 08:04:55 pm »
Mike that's a valid point to add to this there are many price scales and to have a price war everyone would have to advertise in the same medium and that would attract the same customer I would suspect that higher priced cleaners would find other ways away from the norm to find a different type of customer.

Shaun

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #75 on: June 20, 2012, 08:09:40 pm »
are we all missing an important point.

 for there to be a price war you need more than 1 company, Susan going into an area with low prices doesn't make a war it just makes another cheap company

what if the other companies doen't give a monkeys about her brother-in-law and just laugh at his low prices

The point is by doing that she is starting a price war.

Mike Halliday

  • Posts: 11581
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #76 on: June 20, 2012, 08:39:38 pm »
starting it with who?
Mike Halliday.  www.henryhalliday.co.uk

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #77 on: June 20, 2012, 08:44:00 pm »
It takes 2 to have a war what happens if the other decides not to bite?

Shaun

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #78 on: June 20, 2012, 10:24:11 pm »
starting it with who?

With another carpet cleaner  ??? (you're not thick are you)

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #79 on: June 20, 2012, 10:55:22 pm »
Gary, say there's a carpet cleaner in your area that charges less than you ( I'm sure there is) it might be that it's because they have started a price war with you.

But they might not even be on you radar, or you may have took no notice. So they can't start a price war if they other person does not partake, and probably just carries on with their business.

So Susan might be left making a price war with herself, hahaha.

markpowell

  • Posts: 2279
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #80 on: June 20, 2012, 11:13:53 pm »
Im sure we all have cleaners local to us who will clean a 2 bed house for £70, and we always will do.
Let em get on with it, cos before i would do that i would get a job on the checkouts at tesco full time.
 ;)

robert meldrum

  • Posts: 1984
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #81 on: June 21, 2012, 07:38:02 am »
It takes 2 to have a war what happens if the other decides not to bite?

Shaun


They get blown up !

Ferenc G.

  • Posts: 140
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #82 on: June 21, 2012, 08:30:01 am »
Local maids services quoted £50 for a 2 bed terraced EOT carpet cleaning. 2 double br. + HSL + lounge/diner
Went in, measured up quoted more than a £100 more and got the job. Why? I convinced them they get better quality. Simple. Its all about finding the right customers and working on your sales skills.

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #83 on: June 21, 2012, 09:19:10 am »
Local maids services quoted £50 for a 2 bed terraced EOT carpet cleaning. 2 double br. + HSL + lounge/diner
Went in, measured up quoted more than a £100 more and got the job. Why? I convinced them they get better quality. Simple. Its all about finding the right customers and working on your sales skills.

Exactly, I concept Robert Meldrum never EVER, EVER seems to be able to get, the mans in complete denial.

Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5748
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #84 on: June 21, 2012, 09:26:14 am »
I have always wanted someone like Susan or Robert Medrum or others who understand the low price market to publish a quality guide, on how it works how you time jobs etc

There are obviously different models  and the Success Coach, Jo Polish approach is not the only way

I have often suggested Mike and Shaun should run a Seminar, also

james roffey

Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #85 on: June 21, 2012, 10:40:53 am »
I think it's just bravado from Susan, in an attempt to look 'successful' she's just came across as show off, attention seeking, and obnoxious.

Susan, if people 'discovered' you were successful you would have respect. If you tell them.. Well this is how you come across. That's how it works.


I think charging £70 to clean a house is something that would be best kept to ones self rather than brag about it, i also agree that £200 a day is not exactly amazing :-X :-X
especially when you are running a truckmount, but you are happy earning £100 a week with it ???

Many on here will look for the cheapest when we are buying a commodity, but who would use the cheapest plumber, builder, gardener, mechanic etc. the reason most people cant understand how you can make a profit charging £60 to clean a 3 pc suite is because its time consuming to clean one properly, i have never managed to clean one yet the way i was taught on various training courses and by some very successful carpet cleaners in under 2/3 hours. if i was told to clean one in an hour maybe i could do it but it would be slap dash at best.

Susan you were trying to make a case for this argument back in 2008 complaining that you had a truckmount sitting outside doing nothing, you added that you were too cheap for the higher end customers and not cheap enough for the price shoppers, absolutely bizzare  ???

Also i hesitate to say this because i am no academic myself but your spelling etc is so poor that one would assume English was your second language, my son was reading a post of yours and commented how bad it was and he is nine.
I don't mean to be cruel because i hated school myself, but a professional image is important, especially to the higher end customers.

Susan Dean (1stclean)

  • Posts: 2064
Re: should i start a price war in my new area
« Reply #86 on: June 21, 2012, 05:02:29 pm »
I think it's just bravado from Susan, in an attempt to look 'successful' she's just came across as show off, attention seeking, and obnoxious.

Susan, if people 'discovered' you were successful you would have respect. If you tell them.. Well this is how you come across. That's how it works.


I think charging £70 to clean a house is something that would be best kept to ones self rather than brag about it, i also agree that £200 a day is not exactly amazing :-X :-X
especially when you are running a truckmount, but you are happy earning £100 a week with it ???

Many on here will look for the cheapest when we are buying a commodity, but who would use the cheapest plumber, builder, gardener, mechanic etc. the reason most people cant understand how you can make a profit charging £60 to clean a 3 pc suite is because its time consuming to clean one properly, i have never managed to clean one yet the way i was taught on various training courses and by some very successful carpet cleaners in under 2/3 hours. if i was told to clean one in an hour maybe i could do it but it would be slap dash at best.

Susan you were trying to make a case for this argument back in 2008 complaining that you had a truckmount sitting outside doing nothing, you added that you were too cheap for the higher end customers and not cheap enough for the price shoppers, absolutely bizzare  ???

Also i hesitate to say this because i am no academic myself but your spelling etc is so poor that one would assume English was your second language, my son was reading a post of yours and commented how bad it was and he is nine.
I don't mean to be cruel because i hated school myself, but a professional image is important, especially to the higher end customers.

ok ive said this once before on here a lost all of schooling in my younger years , due to my parants being killed head  on buy a drunk driver me and my sister was in the back of the car and lucky to be still here , ive been opened up more times suery then i care to think of , then getting adoped my farther (rip) and mother who handed me the cleaning company

right the quily thing here goes

suites 2-3 hours , useing per spay and what evrs needed , no we dont pre vac why bother its just a sales thing that the old graud try to make you look better then the next man

if its full of hairs and bits pull your pipe off your hand tool and use the pipe as a hover ????

single carpet , yes we move the suites and stuff , yes we put over shoes on , and leave things stood on  feet cardboad , wecarry pain white freezer bays incase we get any lager wooden iterm we need be worried about the die comeing off

no we dont per vac  and i allow 1.30 hours to do

as for chems we buy alsorts ask john kelly we get stuff off him , hyromater , extratca , and one or two more places ,

the gear , 2 max ds 450s , 1 thremel wave , all vans speedlined out , all shelfed out , all running with hose reels , ect ect ,

toolsdri masters , all have these other things cant rember what there called  i do use them my hands are to small and have this turm wheel on the top for air flow for suite , all have rdms, two haves rx20s one still to come from h.m. all carry full room dryers and snails stair wands stair tools , teo have porchem tis running 6 jets , one as a single jet jobs

and thats what you get from us cheap cleans here ,




Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11381
Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #87 on: June 21, 2012, 05:52:19 pm »
That's quite an arsenal Susan, lot of great equipment you're offering a lot of service there probably more than most, what do you think to the thermal wave?

Shaun

AshWhite

  • Posts: 3427
Re: should i start a price war in my new area New
« Reply #88 on: June 21, 2012, 07:54:13 pm »


Regardless of how obnoxious someone is, that's a truly disgusting comment.

And for what it's worth, I think it's about as good an excuse as it gets for a poor education.
Carpet Cleaning http://www.floors2show.co.uk
Google Adwords Management http://www.pagecrest.co.uk

PaulKing

  • Posts: 1626
Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #89 on: June 21, 2012, 08:14:38 pm »
Oh please whatever you think of the lass thats just not nice, Troll i think is the word to describe that sort of behaviour.

www.revitaclean.com  established 1968 in Newcastle Upon Tyne

Paul Moss

  • Posts: 2296
Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #90 on: June 21, 2012, 08:15:46 pm »
I know Susan personally, she with her husband run a successfull cleaning business and have done for years, they are the hard working salt of the earth type people and are very nice   :)

Tom White

Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #91 on: June 21, 2012, 11:29:55 pm »
Mod note:  I've had two complaints regarding this post; I am not going to read it and find who is offending who, but I will lock the post.  If anyone wishes to discuss this, please hit the 'report to mod' button and provide an explanation and I will contact you back.

Or, alternatively, start a new post on the same subject and keep it sensible and within the realms of conventional politeness.

Regards,

Tosh

Tom White

Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #92 on: June 22, 2012, 12:29:26 am »
Post re-opened; it seems it was all sorted before I stuck my size 9.5's in!

Apologies.   :D

Gary Longley

  • Posts: 69
Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #93 on: June 22, 2012, 12:52:28 am »

Blimey, it's all go here, just like Eastenders  ;D

Ian Gourlay

  • Posts: 5748
Re: Should I start a price war in my new area
« Reply #94 on: June 22, 2012, 07:10:19 am »
Hi Tosh i like your Red Card Style ;D ;D ;D

For the  Goadites on here I had a Private Education and cannot spell.

Dyslexia is not recognized enough at Primary Schools  when I was  a Governor I mentioned it to the head and she said what has that got to do with anything. I pointed out it could be reason the school was underachieving and its catchment area in general was under achieving. unless measures were taken to support these children who require different learning strategies. The Head left shortly afterwards and School has improved. Statistics indicate that Dyslexia is inherited, hence the continued cycle in some areas. Sociology is not as simple as that as there are other factors at work also.

But I do have a degree, and reached a high level in a PLC