[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

well ive hit a brick wall and im unsure what to do .......

as many of you know i was one of the cheapest c.c. there was and after buying a t.m. and a new van,  spending heaps of money on it then buying a second t.m   i started the long haul of get my prices up which i have done over the last two years but !!!!!!

im now finding that im too dear for the cheapend and to cheap for the dear end custys and im kind of at a tipping point of what to do

after over 30 years of being is this game my instance thought is too half the prices and start hurting the other c.c. in the area as im lucky that i can afford to run the c.c. at a lost just for the hell of it but do a want to dump two years work down the drain

and im not confident or have the know how to push it that one step more and move in to the top end stuff and im truely at that cross roads now any idears would be good please

 as you know ive taken most on borad on what people have said and done well so far but its getting harder buy the day

[Joe H]

Whats your turnover like compared to 2 years ago (before you started upping the prices a bit) ??

If its about the same but you are doing less work then you are doing fine - less strain for you and the machines.
If its increased then you are doing better then fine.
If turnover has gone down you need to analyse why.

How do you know you are too dear for the low end and too cheap for the top end?
Whats happening in the business for you to come to that conclusion.?

[Ken Wainwright]

Hi Susan

I'm not experienced at direct marketing, but I'll have a go.

Don't drop your base prices!

Target the lower end of the market with time limited special offers, eg Half Price, 1 room free, Free protector etc. etc.

For your high end marketplace, come up with a similarly attractive package to suit them. For example:
Gold Package:  Standard high quality clean
Platinum: As Gold plus protector
Diamond: As platinum plus a 6 month visit to highlight clean the traffic lanes.

The variables are considerable.

I suspect that you know how to go about your problem, but after all the gloom and doom peddled by the media I think we are all lacking in a little confidence for the future.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[JandS]

Can't be doing that bad if your running 2 TM's.
Prices too cheap for the high end??
How do you know that, have they said to you your too cheap??
Never had that problem.

John

[Mike Halliday]

 
too expensive for the benefit cheats, too cheep for the millionaires, 

how about aiming for the people in between, which is probably the biggest section of the population.

get real, you don't have a problem

[Shaun_Ashmore]

You need to find a different market so the advertising you are doing now isn't reaching your ideal demographic, look at the homes that you want tro work in and also look at the people that would buy your services and send them leaflets, get them on a database and keep mailing to them very often at first.

Change the way you advertise in your normal medium, put a more quality advert out with the benefits of 30 years experience and the TM and speed drying.

Design a spot and stain removal guide and give the customer one after cleaning long term this will add value and they will call you back as you are now the professional and first point of call.

Shaun

[clinton]

Susan

You must have been turning over a good profit to get two t mounts on the go.

I know you put your prices up a while ago just dont forget there is also a slowdown at the mo for many people so you may be feeling it more in your area

Clinton

[Mike Osbourne]

I agree with those who say you need to find a new clientèle.

I'm a big advocate of charging a good price but you first have to find those who are willing and able to pay it. Some of your custies will come along but most will have to be left behind if you ever want to escape the 'cheap is my usp' trap.

Don't lose heart, just the decision to move your prices on is half the battle. You have fantastic equipment and experience, just seek out those that will appreciate it.

It's much harder work to do this in the beginning, it's far easier just to go cheap but it leaves you few choices when someone else goes cheaper or there's a downturn in the market.

You can do it Susan


Mike

[derek west]

put your prices up, your still to cheap.
let me put it another way.
your working for free.
why would i say that?,
well ok your getting paid for your carpet cleaning, but what about all the other jobs you do.
your a graphic designer.
your a telephone answering service.
your a book keeper.
your in marketting and advertising.
your a manager of workers.
a supervisor.
have i missed owt.
i'm not the dearest on here by a long shot, but i know what i'm worth and i know the hours i put in when i'm NOT cleaning carpets. and if people don't think i deserve my wage then F##K EM, i'll find custys that appreciate my efforts.
if they want me to be here next year then they need to make it worth it.
the amount of customers who've said, ive had them cleaned before, he was a lot cheaper than you, but he doesn't do it anymore though.
EXACTLY>
sorry i'm ranting.
i'll shut up now.
derek

[suffolkclean]

Hi Susan
I agree with Clinton, things have definetely slowed down for us too against this time last year. It is a worry with so many Cheap CC's around.
I have started to respond to the comments over the phone about our prices being more than they've been quoted already. I say 'well we do work for local letting agents, and they recommend us to other people too. There are other CC's who quote cheaper and don't do a high standard clean like us'
Where do you advertise? Do you ever go out to offices in your area with cards?.
I went out a few weeks ago with some postcards I got done at Vistaprint cost around £4 look really good and went into a few offices. I went in with the female no pressure attitude, 'Hi I'd just like to hand in this card with information of our carpet cleaning service for when you need your carpets cleaned'. If they like you and need their carpets done they could say - Oh I do actually how much would you charge!.
This going to be my new approach, I did this a few weeks back only went into about 3 places but I've to call one back in the New Year regards to a quote. If you would like me to help you with getting some cards done email me on info@kc-services.com
Barbara

[Barry Livingstone]

its easy to say get new clients......but susan has been going for years so customers use her due to the fact her company was cheap.

id get one tm for the cheap cleans and use the other to target the new market that way you still have an income, so there isnt so much presure on you at the momnet.

saying that i got a job today due to the fact her last cleaner TM, left the carpet too WET didnt use a drier...........so never mind other cleaners they have been after your clients you just dont no it....

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

well thing is ive now started takeing custy off a dearer c.c. where i trade because people have said many times hes getting to dear now    and my long term regs are now not booking in due to the price

i think ive losted around 20 this week and thats people we have been going to from when my dad was alive ......

as for marketing,  i dont do any at all apart from a very small ad. in the local free paper .

i realy dont want to start doing suites where there so dirty you cant see the patten anymore and getting in to the world of four hours hard work for 40 pounds ive grown from that

im down around 200 a week on the takeings with half the work but i dont like seeing a van sat on the drive two days a week i want it out

ive made bugger all this year out of the cleaning due to investing heaps of cash back into the buissness but i dont care as long as were moveing forward ill make it back next year so there no worries there as everything is paid for out right  ...

maybe there some training corses i could do,  i feel that its me holding us back now as im not confident on the phone any more it was ok when i could say " will beat any price and do a better job" as it was simple to do that , and befour you all start on me yes i did beat all quotes

so im now getting what ive been dishing out for years "what goes around comes around" but hey im trying to move up the ladder and trust me if that takes anthor 70k then so be it

 but its bloodly hard 

[Buster Ingram]

Its at times like this when money becomes tight we all start to look at our pricing! And start thinking could I have charged more or worst still when customers start to question your price!
Ken hit the nail on the head by saying adopt a pricing structure this way you have a pricing system that suits all pockets.
I have started offering two levels of cleaning that way the customer decides how much they want to spend.
If I see a lightly soiled carpet I suggest to the client they have a surface clean, that way the customer does not think I flashed in and out again. And if the carpet is heavily soiled I explain that a surface clean will not remove all the dirt and it would need cleaning again in six months.
What I have found by doing this the customer know just how much work goes into carpet cleaning to get the desired results,   99% of the time the customer will always choose the better service.
Another interesting point to this pricing systems is it has stops friends and family expecting me to charge them all the same price.

[David_Annable]

Hi

What would happen if you doubled you price tommorow?

Would you lose half you work?

Your turnover would be exactly the same for half as much work.

Then promote to fill your extra time.

Dave

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Susan write some key words down and put them by the phone,

start with

thorough cleaning
speed drying
professionally trained
30 years experience
not the cheapest
machine that cleanes to the bottom of the pile

when a prospective customer calls don't talk price until the very end, build up the cleaning and then put the price at the end and then ask when were they wanting it doing? if they um and ar then say that you are not the cheapest but not the most expensive but for what service you offer we are very cheap.

If you allow yourself to be negative then it will show to your caller.

Shaun

[pete sween]

Ha ha Dave. You are spot on with the love jobs mate

Hi Susan/Julian

I agree with Mike re the middle mkt. Its the biggest we have.

You could however invest in having 2 tiers of mktg too. take websites for eg. have two. one for cheapis and one for yaarrsss luvvies employ numbers for each directed to different phones so you know whether to charge 22p per sq ft or 44p

Just a thought

Pete

[carlton care]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah Susan

Two years ago I mentioned 10% while some others were saying double your price get a T/ M etc. Theory is great, for theorists.

Two years ago, you knew who you were and ( if I remember correctly ) had four vans working full time.

Getting the T/M was a good move, but you could have simply done the same thing you'd been doing before, but more quickly and increased your income by being more productive and virtually no one would have turned a hair at a 5% to 10% increase over the past two years.

Believe in your own judgement Susan it's stood you in good stead over many years and only needed a gentle tweak.

Best wishes whatever you do

robert m

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Look at the numbers before you start chopping your prices!

If in the last 2 years you have upped your prices by 50% and do the same turn over then you are in profit because you don't have to work as hard, if you are doing the same amount of jobs but charging 50% more you are making a far better profit.

I do the same amount of work as I did when i charged less than half my current prices and am now seeing the rewards, don't forget we are in a downturn but wait until we are in upturn then you will really reap the rewards.

You are building for the future, who's to say that you would get work if you slash your prices? 20 rebuffs may be that they were just shopping, if you down your prices then the work you have in already in theory will become cheaper and then you will still have to find the short fall.

Look for different avenues, look at the rental market try and make friends with letting agents, write them a letter or call them up, definately don't put your prices down or you have lost the last 2 years of your life.

Shaun

[Mike Osbourne]

Susan

Have a chat with Dave Liahona, I know you respect his legs, er sorry industry acumen. He's literally made me thousands through adopting his approach, but don't tell him or he will want some commission. Ask Pete Sweeney how much he has gained from talking to Dave.

Think about were you want to be, not where you are now. The easiest thing in the world would be to seek solace in your old ways of doing things. Look at who you want to be like. Do you want to still be working in 20 years time because you have to or because you enjoy it and have all the kit in the world to make it easy like Mr Lee.

Mike

[cleaningmaster]

How can we all get his words of wisdom ??

I wouldnt mind his help.

Shaun
i`v tried to say the list you gave Susan, but it seems as if people are only after
cheap prices, but i`m not dropping my prices

Regards
Daryl

[Mike Osbourne]

Daryl

Well you used to be able to get it on here.

[benny d]

You said you dont advertise, except a tiny ad in paper?

A phrase I heard a while back went like this, or words to this effect.

" To advertise can cost a fortune. Not to advertise costs alot more".
In a nutshell.

Just think about Mcdonalds for instance. One of the biggest companies in the world. If you want a burger, we all know it's either Mcdonalds or Burger King, but wherever you look, see, watch, listen, you still see that they are advertising, perhaps even more than ever now?

Now matter how big you are, advertising is the key.

PS-  Just charge what you know is a fair price, You cant do any more than that.

[Mike Osbourne]

He's right you know. Maybe the best thing to do right now is to get a letter out to your top 20% of clients and say if they are quick you can still fit them in for Christmas. It's going to cost you a couple of hundred I suspect but worth every penny.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

If you charge inbetween your old prices and the highest competitors prices then you will find that advertising becomes profitable because there's more in a single job. Carpet cleaning is highly profitable it's the costs that are the most expensive things.

Shaun

[Ken Wainwright]

Just an observation Susan, about what may be your mind set.

ive made bugger all this year out of the cleaning due to investing heaps of cash back into the buissness but i dont care as long as were moveing forward ill make it back next year so there no worries there as everything is paid for out right  ...

As you will well know, capital purchases are not a running expense, they are made out of PROFIT. So you've made some good profit, not drawn it but reinvested in your business.  To say you've "....made bugger all this year" just can't be true. Your profit and investment has been considerable, it's all paid for and as you have already stated you are ONLY about £200 down per week in economically difficult trading times.  I think you should be applauded for the way you have managed and directed your business during these times.

Well done Susan, don't be dismayed, you must be doing something right, now just go and dot the i's and cross the t's and watch your business flourish and grow from the new seeds you have sown.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Mr Dvae]

Hi Guys
15 years ago i had a guy join me ans i really had to bring in more business went out offering free quotes but did'nt close too many sales so i upped my price by 50% and carried out quoting offering 1/2 price if they booked within 2 weeks sales went up and so did turnover by 70%.
Most overheads are static anyhow. sure we were doing more work for our money but we were making lots more.
What i'm trying to say is play around ith your prices, find the most economical price to sell at ....ie the price that gives you the best bottom line after expenses.
a petrol stn may sell 1000 gallons of fuel per week @ £1.10 but could sell 3000 gals @ £1.00 which way would they make the most money.
work out your bottom line on paper and then decide what price to charge.
Hope this helps


Dave

[derek west]

susan
your a big girl now.
all growed up.
you don't need us numpty heads telling you how to run your busy.
you should be giving us advice.
derek
ps....
thats a compliment, hope your taking it that way.

[Ken Wainwright]

You're getting better Derek. I see you've learnt to spell numpty correctly

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[derek west]

ken
can you please cut and paste when i spelt it wrong.
i rest my case.
derek

[Dave_Lee]

I have lost work because I was too expensive, I have also lost work because because I was too cheap. I have done jobs and felt that I have charged too much, I have also done jobs and felt that I didnt charge enough. Its not about what you think you are worth, its about what the customer thinks the job is worth to them.
Many of my customers have been with us for many years and stuck with us throughout price increases, but many have gone elswhere. When raising the game, getting better equipment etc and thus raising prices you find that after a few years your type of customer has changed.
The problem with working cheap prices is that you get the bottom end of the market. These type of customer will almost always go with the cheapest, so when you raise your game and prices you will lose them to those who are still cheaper.
You have to alter the way you market and your marketing material, to reach those that are looking for something better. When you find them you also have to deliver better. The higher you charge the more the customer expects, and if you dont deliver you can expect call backs.
Susan,
I suspect that you are not sending out newsletters or keeping in touch with your data base. You will keep most of your customers if you keep them informed about the improvements you are making to your operations and how it is going to benefit THEM. Dont tell you have to increase your prices instead tell them how, despite the expensive investments, you have managed to keep prices to a  reasonable level and remain competatively priced  compared to other PROFESSIONALS in the area.
Dave.

[Mike Osbourne]

Dave's spot on. 

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

thanks guys im going to have a word with a web bluilder today also im going to drag out years of old dairys and see what i can learn from them also going to try and get hold of david l. and seek some words of wisdom off him .....

i want to up the game and go to hidher end markets and im thinking of starting up in a brand new zone with prices at the top end ! this way getting custy paying good prices from the word go 

iam getting a little better on pushing the new gear and t.m. systerm so we will have to see what and how it goes from there

thanks for your replys just sometimes a need a little help as its easy to go back to old ways ..

 ken your bang on the money i sat down last night worked out how much ive spent on three brand new vans , two t.m.s wrapping them ect ect ect and to put only 150 pounds a week in for a year out of my own pocket  to have everything paid for i guess i have made a few quid just when its not in your hand it doesnt feel like it  ill keep you imfourm and let your know how i do 

thanks susan xx

[clinton]

Good luck susan

I have only had my web site since june and since being on the forum have really got my work and ideas up and running

The forum has helped me so much and was 

I also have put my prices up after years of doing cheaper work and have been going for 19 years :

I was just ploddi

[carlton care]

If it ain't broken........................and in Susan's case, it ain't broken, so what's being put forward here, is how other people THINK SHE SHOULD CHANGE HER SUCCESS TO SATISFY THEIR THINKING.

Robert Saunders has been offering the same advice to carpet cleaners for many years, by encouraging people to increase their prices NOT BY DOUBLING OR TREBLING what they charge, but by around 10%.

Probably only 1% of the c/c market will pay top end prices and even then, will only find the service through recommendation, or a management company.

They don't need YP or newspaper adverts, more likely to use a body like the NCCA. That being the case, anyone attempting to break into this sector will struggle, really struggle.

So why bother............

Whether your main business comes from the lower end of the market, or the middle and you are progressing, BE HAPPY and build your business by being good at what you do and giving VALUE FOR MONEY

More people have been successful in this industry, by doing, rather than dreaming.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

If it ain't broken........................and in Susan's case, it ain't broken, so what's being put forward here, is how other people THINK SHE SHOULD CHANGE HER SUCCESS TO SATISFY THEIR THINKING.

Robert Saunders has been offering the same advice to carpet cleaners for many years, by encouraging people to increase their prices NOT BY DOUBLING OR TREBLING what they charge, but by around 10%.

Probably only 1% of the c/c market will pay top end prices and even then, will only find the service through recommendation, or a management company.

They don't need YP or newspaper adverts, more likely to use a body like the NCCA. That being the case, anyone attempting to break into this sector will struggle, really struggle.

So why bother............

Whether your main business comes from the lower end of the market, or the middle and you are progressing, BE HAPPY and build your business by being good at what you do and giving VALUE FOR MONEY

More people have been successful in this industry, by doing, rather than dreaming.

i agree with what your saying but in my case i think i should be getting more cash for what im doing so to prove it hes what one of the t.ms as on today and how much we will get

1. fr/dinner 45 pounds

2. single carpet front room 30 pounds

3. three setter and two chair in draylon 55 pounds

4. fr/din , hsl  65 pounds

truck will do about 60 miles round trip hes at frist job at 830am and should be home buy 6pm

[Joe H]

Now I am not the most expensive on here Susan but this is what I have today.

Already done 12'x10' lounge, stairs and snmall landing  £80
back home 11-20am
next job 2pm lounge/dining  £70
expect to be home 4-15pm.

Travel miles 30 at the most.

not far behind you but lot less work.

I would be looking at £350 for what your man is doing at the prices I am charging today.

[JandS]

Even with 4 jobs in a day travel miles would be a maximum of 30.
Like Joe though I live in a heavily built up area.
6O miles in a day plus if you don't quote on phone 60 miles again!!! Must be costing you a fortune.
That's why I quote over phone most times.

John

[carlton care]

Please understand Susan, I'm not suggesting you continue to be the cheapest, but your team who previously ran 4 Exels, could continue to do what they've always done, but just 10% more than last year.

I fully understand what you and Justin are feeling and suggest the following;-

Start up a separate business for the T/M work and market directly to the people you want as customers. I know there are a fair number who could help you with this, but suggest you look for Mike Hallidays past posts, as he probably has this down to a "T"as they say.
People like Ken Wainwright, Joe Hatton, Shaun Ashmore and a few others " walk the walk " every week and don't bullpoop, all of these guys are in the middle to upper price range, for the work they do and with your credentials, plus your new equipment, I'd suggest that's the level to aim for.

If you're known as the cheapest in town a new name and image will take care of that.

Best wishes whatever you do

robert m

 

[clinton]

Think you should be charging more for your t mount services susan

Just did today

Lounge   12 x 15 and hall   £75.00

3 pce suite   10 cushion      £120.00

Lounge/Dinner and rug and two dinning chairs  £110.00

[Dave_Lee]

Why oh why does anyone criticise replies on a subject, when the topic starter plainly asks for "any ideas". If someone has an input, then input it. So what, if you dont agree. Susan, I am sure is quite capable of cherry picking what she feels is right for her!
Dave.

[Buster Ingram]

Here, here Dave,
And as for creating a new business for the sole purpose of charging more is ludicrous,  Susan  has being running her cleaning business for a lot longer than many have on here and  her family are well known in the area .  As I said in an earlier post all she needs to do is offer 2 levels of service,  One  using the portable system and the other with all singing all dancing T-mount system. Once the customer see what they get for the little extra by using the T/M the decision is made for them. Its all about selling the benefits of high power cleaning.
Faster drying, Deeper cleaning, Less mess, no buckets in your kitchen sink, and the list goes on!

[Joe H]

but Susan knows her area better then we do, and she says its not a money rich area in general.
So she feels she has to cater for them, therefore keeping the prices lower, but maintaining some healthy profit - no man and machine runs itself for nothing.

At the same time she is aware that their are those that can pay a higher rate - and she sounds like she wants to charge a premium for her service.

I thought the idea of having a different business name to cater for a certain type of customer was pretty sound. Even some members posting on this forum have more then one website with different names.  Why?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Dave has 1 idea which I have used to great success but unless you go out and see the customer personally it can be confusing over the phone.

Another thing I did was to advertise loads and get work coming at you from all angles, you can afford to lose a good % of it but you will then get well paid work albeit at a cost but the extra profit should pay for the advertising, it also keeps you confident as when you lose one caller you know that you are going to get another enquiry, after so long you can reduce your advertising as these higher end payers will come back.

Susan look for quality places to advertise, ie Yellow pages and other directories, website, leaflets.

Shaun

[Buster Ingram]

In Wolverhampton were I have just come from. The high light of most peoples week was a Sunday morning at the local car boot sales. When I started my business 30 years ago there,  it was a very industrial area with big wages, then china was found on the map and all the industry sailed abroad. So I know where Susan is coming from to raise prices was like swearing at them. So I had a little chat to a few of the Joe polish guy’s and adopted their ideas and started offering two levels of service my prices went up slowly and the clients perceived value for money. The more they asked me to do  for them the more I charged. My ticket prices went up dramatically and conversely with other clients they stayed the same. The point to this exercise is I came home every day satisfied that I did not work for nothing. Those that paid little had little in the way of service and those that paid more had more. It was a win win situation. I never lost customer I just gave them what they wanted.
What we all have to remember is most people do not have a clue what is involved when having a carpet cleaned . It is only when we take the time to tell them and ask them what they want. Put another way a Kitchen planner does not go into someone’s house and decides how he wants the kitchen to look . No he asks questions and designs it around them. As I said given a choice many opt for the better service.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Cd do a 3 tiered system

Silver is clean
Gold is clean and protect
Platinum is clea protect and sanitize

Silver cost is say £100 for a carpet
Gold add £50
Platinum add £20

which one do customers usually go for?

A. The middle one

They are a clever lot, they have taken the package selling onto the next chapter.

Cue David.....

Shaun

[Buster Ingram]

Per zackley, like  I  said GIVE THEM A CHOICE!

[Buster Ingram]

If they bought apples the green grocers needs to know what type same with potatoes. So why is cleaning any different

[Shaun_Ashmore]

But you have to go out to see them though!

Shaun

[Buster Ingram]

Not always Shaun, 2 mins into a conversation on the phone you can tell what they want to spend and draw your concusions from there.
It all comes with practise

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I agree Dave to some extent but not on 3 tier, too confusing.

My mate offers clean and then clean and dry, he does rather well on the latter but also in off peak times he will push the clean and dry with a protector throw in, I think it's CFR he uses.

Shaun

[Buster Ingram]

I believe Billy offers a 4 tier system a quick  shag on the pile being the last one  :

[Mike Osbourne]

Cutting corners again, should really put a tarp down to avoid spillages. :

[Buster Ingram]

 I see you've meet Billy too then Mike!

[Mike Osbourne]

Yes but I paid for the Platinum service.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Too much information!!!

Shaun

[Buster Ingram]

Hence the lack of Tarp. I see very messy

[carlton care]

Dave

I'm surprised at your comment on it being ludicrous to have more than one trading name and style, it's done by many companies and the one that comes immediately to mind, is one of the most success stories of the past 20 years.

Kwik Fit............................who also own Budget ( which as the name suggests, targets the people who are the " price shoppers "

Just to take it further, Tom Farmer the man who built K F, set up another tyre and exhaust centre  recently and on this occasion, as a franchise.

There are many companies who operate along these lines, some retail and wholesale under different titles.

But, as you say, stupid idea, will never catch on :

[Buster Ingram]

Your right, but if you notice all these companies offer products. What we all offer is a service ! if the service is completly different from the one on offer then in my book that's fine. but to offer the same service at a higher price who are we kidding?
Sounds a bit like bait & switch to me.

Well madam if that price is to dear then why not use a sister co they are much cheaper.
yeh right!

[Buster Ingram]

Sorry to sound a bit brash but I have done all this before.

There are a few on here that have already gone down that road, and  acquired other peoples business when they have ceased trading. Only to find substantial price differences. I did it for 3 years when a friend of mine emigrated to France, he was £40 behind me on 3pce suites. Friendly sole as I am I covered his work while he decided what he wanted to do and I can tell you it was a ball ace. One day I’d be cleaning suites for £75 to £100 and the next day I’d be struggling to get £60 for the same size suite. And they were blacker too! That’s where I decided to introduce the two tier service.

[carlton care]

Been there myself Dave when helping out another guy who was ill. He advertised a lot and got massive volume, but was in the habit of subbing out 75% of the work and keeping the quality stuff to himself.

Others have criticised the two tier system on here, as dishonest.

I have operated under different names ( different systems ) and found it worked fine. OK it involved different adverts, which obviously was an added cost, but I knew when a particular phone rang, it was for the " dry system " based on One Step and Texatherm.

Nothing underhand, just marketing separate methods of cleaning under separate names, one of which extolled the virtues and advantages of " The latest technology " and carrying a premium price, the other, was continuing to serve my established customer base.

Nowadays I struggle to cope with one a day, nothing to do with c/c partly genetic ( on the cardiac side ) partly due to poor NHS treatment over the past 64 years.

Sorry Susan / Jason...............too much information, perhaps.

[Buster Ingram]

Sorry to hear you have ill health, even more reason to get what we are worth.
What I am trying to get across is that everyone expects something different and prices can be adjusted to suit. Like most tradesman that work in the domestic market they do not charge everyone the same price for there service, its not like dipping sheep each job is priced on is own merits.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

well im sorting a siteout and ive told them it has to be a good one as i dont care what it costs ! with in reason , had some leafts done and should be on the way ready for this week , as im going to move intoo anthor zone

 today i took two calls in that have been with us a lot of years and moved too anthor cheaper company when we upped the prices !

they came back to us as there work was poor and want us back what ever the cost with in reason

 they booked a suit and a frontroom dinner in at 120 pounds

and a three setter and two chairs at 90 pounds this is where i want to be hopefuly , i hope others are getting something from this as i am and im takeing things on borad  also im looking into on site quotes it maybe the next step

[Mike Roper]

I would be reluctant to just lose 20 odd years of customers in a hurry. Cant you     gradually encourage most of them to pay a bit more for the quality of work offered. I realise some just will not so be it but surely most would as your comment on some returning proves. A flexible pricing set up is the way forward, forget the 'cos I'm worth it' bregade who wont budge on price. With the set up you've got you can do jobs fast for those who wont pay and still make good money while giving the better class of job the time needed to do the job you and the client want and expect.
The climate being what it is, its the leanest and meanest that will come through while the others will fall by the wayside.Just remember the ones who fall will not only be the cheapy guys but also the guys charging big bucks but not getting the work.
Make changes and move forward but sometimes this isnt an overnight job but takes time.
Mike from sunny Whitby

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

A lesson for us all though is to ensure we all increase our prices little by little each year to ensure we bring our regular customers with us whilst not springing unexpected price increases on them.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Sometimes you can get stuck in a rut as some customers expect to pay the same year in year out and at the risk of losing them you do have to up the prices.

I upped mine over night practically and just advertised heavily to make up the short fall.

Shaun

[clinton]

Roger good post

Am with you on that one

[Mike Osbourne]

Confucius said. Learn to let go and make way for new riches. But if you have diarrhoea best keep bum hole clenched.

[clinton]