[cleanability]

I charge £60-£80 for a 3 Piece Suite. For a 3 bed semi £100-£140. I work in the Welsh valleys. If I was to charge some of the prices you chaps charge   eg £300 for Through Lounge and Hall/Stairs/Landing or £150 for a 3 piece suite  I would surely never get any work.  Am I  wrong in thinking this. Apart from the big franchises I'm actually not cheap in my area. I remember at an Altec seminar that they were saying you can charge high prices where ever you live. I disagree. I get work from a broad spectrum and whether they live in a 2up 2down or a country mansion they all wont pay the prices some of you chaps charge. Eg I did a lady's Lounge last month approx 15 x 12. Took 1 hour charged her £35. She told me she had a big franchise company round to give her a quote. They quoted her £120 !!!!!!!!!!!  I'm staggered by this quote.     So is my thinking all wrong?        

[Dynafoam]

You have asked a big question.

Rather than an answer I have more questions for you.

Does the "big franchise" get any work at their level of pricing?

If they do get the work, would you take over the jobs from them at their price?

If you did fewer jobs but at the higher price, would you make more profit for less effort?

Answer these three questions and you will have the answer to the question at the head of this post.

John.

[squeaky]

We have been here before , It is different in different areas, I know this from talking to other cleaners in my area and in other areas,I would not get away with charging the same as some of you Guys.
I was very busy a couple of weeks ago and if the phone rang for a price I added 50% on the quote as I did not need the work at the time, I did not get one job that I over priced,yet as soon as I went back to normal I am busy again ( and happy )I know that in other areas you can get away with charging more but not here and I am sure that there are other areas that  are the same.

Mark

[mark_roberts]

When I started I charged £1.25 a sq yard and £50 a suite.  Had crap machine and no real confidence in my ability to clean or sell due to the way I was introduced into the industry.

Now four years later I charge starting £2 a sqyard for basic clean and £85 plus for suites depending.  I've got better equipment and spent thousands on training and feel more confident.

The ability to get higher prices depends upon your marketing and your own personal ability to sell.  Very little is dependant upon the area you live in unless its total market saturation which is unlikely.

You will get higher prices by NOT pricing over the phone.  If the jobs worth over £100 I will go out and price inhome and do a little presentation.  8 times out of 10 I'll get the job.  If its just a 12x12 lounge its a phone price as those jobs are not the money makers anyway.

thanks
Mark

[HolmansUKLTD]

Quite right Mark

18mths ago 1 was charging £2 Per square meter and £10 per seating unit. now im getting £3psm and £15-£25 per unit,

The thing is im still doing the same high standard quality work but im more confident with my clients and new customers when they say i was more expensive that the other man i tell them why!.......... with a few great quotes and phrases i have learnt from this site!!

Nick

[Les]

I started of by charging silly, (low) prices for my work and I too was VERY busy. I could easily have worked 8  days a week.  
Then I discovered 'Cleanitup.co.uk' and like you saw some of the prices charged and fell off my chair  
Now I charge more, (a lot more for some) for my work...... and I'm still busy  : Only now I don't have to try and fit in 3 , 3 pce suites in a day or 4  car valets in order to make a living. And you know what else   Now I have more time on a job to add those extra finishing touches that I didn't have time for previously.
You have to be comfortable with your own pricing, and you know you're local market better than I do, but believe me when I say that you can be too cheap for your own good.
Les

[Dave_Lee]

Ita a fact that the more you can charge - the more value the customer puts on the job. However anyone paying a higher price expects a better than average job. So if you charge a high price - get it wrong and you will get complaints. Charge a low end price and the customer will not (usually) complain, just so long as it looks better than it did before - To charge more youve got to be better than this - If you charge a FOUR you will probably get away with a TWO or THREE type job. If you want to Charge a TEN, you absolutely have to perform a TEN.
Dave.

[Phil Marlor]

Nick,

I have friends in Morden, and I know what an expensive area Wimbledon is to live in.

I would expect your prices would have to be more simply because many customers there would have big expensive houses and your own cost of living would be high, would this be true?

Phil

ps. what quotes and phrases do you now use.

Glad to hear your prices have gone up becuase of this board, this and Cleantalk have certainly put our industry on the map and brought us all together

[Shaun_Ashmore]

A good book to read is ' Magic Words that bring you riches' can't remember the author but a very good insite, use a great sentence from it alot - when i walk in to a restaurant I say to the waiter or person who is booking me in ' we are celibrating my wifes birthday ' you'll be surprised at what attention and extras you get!

Only draw back is my wife really thinks it's her birthday and starts ordering everything and then starts pestering for that once a year thing at the end of the night  

Shaun

[Ian Gourlay]

I heard about this on a Radio programme about five years ago. But they did not tell you what to say to get the best table in the place.

Thanks
#

[Bryan H]

It has been quite fascinating reading all the various posts on pricing policy, over the last few months.  At times I have almost felt a little envious when I see some of the figures being quoted. We are all aware of the huge range of prices in this industry, but there are many factors to take into account and at the end of the day only you can decide what is right for you.

I have never charged particularly high prices, but have always based them on a simple criteria.  "How much would I personally be prepared to pay to have the job done".  I would never try and charge a client £150 for a job that I would only pay £100 for. I know the costings, & the all the effort & the learning involved in becoming a decent professional and take this into account.

'Too honest for my own good' ??   Maybe!  But I reckon it has worked for me.  Apart from a tiny Y/P ad. I have'nt spent a penny on adverts of any sort in at least ten years.  

Also as Shaun mentioned in a different posting.  the biggest money doesn't always buy the best job!

Maybe it would be easier if we operated a cartel and all charged exactly the same price !  But I  guess this would not reflect the varience in quality either!  

Bryan

[Londoner]

One of the things that never seems to be taken into account when talking about prices is image.
If you are a scruffy little toad and drive a scruffy little van you are not going to get the same money as someone who goes out of his way to create the right impression.

Most of the customers are women and first impressions count.
Go to America or Austrailia and see how the CCs operate over there. Smart uniforms, full vehicle graphics etc etc.

If you look the business then in most customers eyes you are the business.

[David_Annable]

Is confidence not a major issue in pricing , all the CC charging over £100 for cleaning a suite will be confident people .

Less confident people will charge a lower price.

If you do three quotes in a day & they all say we will get back to you ,your confidence will go down. If they all say yes & book your confidence will be sky high.

My own experience with rising prices is that every time you increase your prices you will lose a few customers & have to adapt your marketing approach to bring in the right sort of clients

Dave

[Londoner]

I agree with you Dave. Its all connected.

[Jim_Lynch]

Some very good points raised here.

A good professional appearance will engender a feeling of confidence, which in turn will make it easier to command  a good price. Be well groomed, neatly dressed and have a well-presented vehicle and equipment and you're a long way towards your goal. You will feel more confident in your ability to ask for and get the best price.

The big franchises don't have a monopoly on this (heck, I'm part of the biggest, and to me it's just common sense stuff). So, forget about only the big franchises getting top dollar, or pound.

One important thing to consider...you are not your customer. The main opposition to increasing your prices lies within your own mindset. You would be surprised at the number of times the customer will say "Oh, is that all?", when you feel the price may be a little more than he/she is willing to pay.

As has been said, you CAN command a top price...but you in return must produce a top result. So don't cut corners or adopt a near enough is good enough attitude, or you will fall behind.

Jim

[Londoner]

Another thing is if you are not comfortable with the price because you think its a bit high that concern will come over in your voice and your body language.

Some people are "born salesmen" and can carry it off but the rest of us give ourselves away and the customer will pick up the vibes.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Well said Vince, John Flynn who has had various businesses has said the very same thing to me. If you believe you offer a £100 job you should charge it!

Shaun

[CATMAN]

In the last weekI made the decision to increase my prices, the reason being if you goto a house for a quote,you tend to find that they've had a quote and you are within £10-20 of someone else. So you end up matching them and usually getting the work. But I thought I've spent thousands on equipment only to compete with the local splash & dash. on £60-£80 suite cleans. So in the customers eyes  are they comparing like with like.
Which is incorrect. The last three cleans I've gone to quote,I've got.Prices- two at £125 & one at £150+VAT. None batted an eye lid.

My advice is raise your prices, say the cost with confidence. When you've made your pitch, say nothing wait for the customer, be prepared for their objections, but don't be a busy fool whilst doing a good job.

Another point,if you want the work don't quote over the phone.It's all about image, presenting a good one , clean van, smartly dressed, shoe covers,can help sell.

Catman

[nick.solution]

Hi Guys

I think your missing the point it doesnt matter how much you have spent on equipment or training or even what system you use. The question you should ask yourself

is "How much am I worth"  you don't go round getting different prices from solicitors or opticians you simply pay what they ask because of course

"they are professionals"!!

I rest my case

Best regards Nick

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I can remember a Joe Polish story where one of the 1st cleaners he sold his pack to had an old VW camper van and he used it in his cc work, a few years on he still used it but he was the most expensive cleaner in the area, he was just a good salesman.

Shaun