[Mr. S]

Ive been window cleaning for 5 years and put my prices up once, due to building my round up.

If I were to increase my prices this year (bearing in ming Ive gone wfp) how much should i do it by?

Ive been looking at some of my customers houses and thinking if they were prepared to pay that price 3 to 5 years ago what would they be prepared to pay now.

Is that the best way to re-price or should i do a percentage increase? In my area we do have quite a few 'Dole Dossers' who come out every summer trying to poach work, im not that bothered about them, but even some of the so called legit cleaners really do try and keep prices down. I know i could lose a few but some of the prices im quoting on new customers im really happy with!!!!!!!

Do I just say Due to Customer demand and increase in business i have seen a need to increase my charges to XX amount.

How should I tackle this!???

[callum macleod]

hi i've been starting to increase prices usually by £1 i do them in stages increase some one month some more the next month.

[Richy L]

what i have done is i have asked my customers would they be willing to pay an extra £2 / £3 to have all their frames cleaned everytime. Pointing out that a normal clean would cost far more than this. Also i remind them that keeping them clean all year round not only looks good, but also stops staining!

Most people are only too willing to pay the extra few quid to get so much back

[eddie d]

not a bad hook leeksons ,but next time you increase what will you say .
i tend to test the water and put up say a rd at a time.as i get more yeses i know how many i can aford to loose without loosing financially.
but people are tight and ive lost customers over increasing just a couple of quid.

[Richy L]

thats true. Iv lost a few customers by putting the price up by £1 on occasions.not so that they could get someone else to do it cheaper, they're just tight!

In a couple of years when i put my prices up again, im sure most people will be ok with it. as long as it is only a gradual increase.

[stuart webster]

If you put them up by 20% and loose 20% of customers, you loose no money ang gain 20% more time.

If you do a good job, dont worry, dont over explain, just say,

"From May 06 your new price will be £10, Many Thanks"

[Lee.]

The bear,

Good business sense!


Lee

[Mr. S]

Mayb thats the answer, just be straight and to the point.

Think over the next month will assess what i think houses are worth and tell them my increase the following!

Cheers Bear, possible 20%s

[windows_chepstow]

Last year, following the advice given on this forum, I increased a small part of my round by around 40%.  £6.50 and £7.50 cleans were put up to £10.00.

I only lost one out of a group of seven.

However I did worse in a few other areas that I knew were well underpriced, due to my inexperience, and charged similar to their previous window cleaner who dropped them; obviously because he charged too cheaply.

I don't think the issue is 'will your customers accept a price hike'; most probably will. 

I think the problem with most of us is not having the 'balls' to put our prices up to what we'd like to charge?

I'm guilty as charged.

[carl stanton]

its when a few of your customers start saying to you, are you going to put your price?    must be to cheeeeap!  :

[AuRavelling79]

Riverside - you are waiting far too long to put up your prices IMHO

Put them up 20% and round up to the nearest pound and put it in writing -

Dear Customer

I am writing to inform you that due to sharply increasing fuel prices, rising bank charges and annual inflation that the window cleaning rate for your home will now be £XX.

I do hope you understand the need for this modest increase.

Kind regards,




Lord of the Rungs window cleaning services

(If they are seriously underpriced go higher - if they are good prices then add 10% and round up to the next pound. eg £12 becomes £13.20 rounded to £14.00)

[master cleaner]

Riverside - you are waiting far too long to put up your prices IMHO

Put them up 20% and round up to the nearest pound and put it in writing -

Dear Customer

I am writing to inform you that due to sharply increasing fuel prices, rising bank charges and annual inflation that the window cleaning rate for your home will now be £XX.

I do hope you understand the need for this modest increase.

Kind regards,




Lord of the Rungs window cleaning services

(If they are seriously underpriced go higher - if they are good prices then add 10% and round up to the next pound. eg £12 becomes £13.20 rounded to £14.

ive just done something similiar but i just rounded my prices up ie i had some that i put up by 50p and some 70p bearing in mind that my round is fortnightly , ive got 390 customers and lost 1 no big deal

gary

[dai]

Just tell them in September that due to extra costs you are putting your prices up next year. Next year is too far ahead for them to worry about in September. On January 1st increase the lot. By this time they will have accepted the increase.
I always do it this way, and don't lose many. I have also put two of my estates on bimonthly cleans. I increased the price by 50%. They save on their anual window cleaning costs, and I get a good price for doing them.
When your round is full, makes sense to clean less often at a higher price, than it does to drop them. Dai

[Jago]

it is the cheaper houses i am going to put up first the ones where i was green when i priced for them.

if you had 10 houses at £8 put them up to £10 thats £80 up to £100
you could lose 2 houses and still be earning the same but in less time.

multiply by 10 again and you are working 4 days instead of 5 for the same money that you are surviving on now.

This is only if you lose the houses, if you do not you are still working full days but at a hugeley increased rate

[Londoner]

Riverside, you say you have gone WFP. Is that recently ?
Changing from trad to WFP can be as good as a 25% price increase because of the time you save, but thats only a benefit if you have something productive to do with the extra time.
 It might be better to try and get more customers first. Then you will be in a stronger position and you might feel more inclined to drop some of your old customers rather than argue over prices

[Mr. S]

Cheers everyone!

Not worried about losing a few customers, ill let some dole dosser have my cheapies (ha! ha! im not really being nasty).These customers will realise they definately got their moneys worth then!!!!!

Seriously though, ive serviced these customers well over the past 5 years and I think its about time my business really kicked off, I always seem to have to work my socks off, rushing about as my mates tell me at 1,000 miles an hour. Mayb thats the way i am!

Now though with another baby due at any moment, I think i definately need to think of number 1 and family.
By increasing prices i should be able to free up some time for my family and recreation TOO!

After all we are all in business, self employed to do the best for us.

NOBODY MOANS IF A SELF EMPLOYED TOP EARNER BUILDER OR PAINTER DECORATOR EARNS £200 to £400 A DAY, SO WHY SHOULDNT WE.

I think because how easy it has been in the past for the dole dossers to "nick" a set of ladders and buy a cheap squeegee etc, it has meant a lot of people view some of us in the same category, ie. "My last window cleaner used to charge me a fiver", or even worse "£3.50".

THANKS TO ALL ON HERE WHO HAVE REPLIED!!!!!!

I HAVE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS BEEN RE-EVALUATING MY PRICING ON HOUSES, AND WILL BE PUTTING MY PRICES UP AT THE LEAST 20-25%.

I realise many windows cleaners dont do sills in my area, which I have done, as well as wiping frames, so i think my loyal customers will understand!!

THANKS FOR ALL your advises once again!

[Jago]

Good luck to you and the missus on the new wee one
Regards J

[Mr. S]

Cheers Jago!

All the best to you too!