Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on March 17, 2014, 06:29:34 pm

Title: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 17, 2014, 06:29:34 pm
cancelled over a quid!!been cleaning their windows around 18 years.small 3 bed semi on very compact estate work.takes 10 mins to clean.

all frames,sills and doors washed down as well as glass.

£6 (i know underpriced! ::)roll) up to £7 from april.

she said "well our sons window cleaner only charges £5-20!(i know him.tradder just like his dad!).i said im not in a competition to be the cheapest window cleaner in the area.

i stood my ground and said i was being fair.i was also very polite.her husband came out then and said "no one else is getting the price rises your getting!your gonna lose a lot of work!! ::)roll"

ive put around 120 customers prices up and lost 2.ive got another 2 weeks worth of work to put up yet! ;D

she then said "we will buy one of them pole things and clean them ourselves!"

when i explained that i purify the water she just looked at me as if i was making it up!i then directed her to the gardiners website so she can buy herself a £500+ extreme pole!(only joking!) ;D

theres just no pleasing some people! ::)roll ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 17, 2014, 06:33:05 pm
i picked up an old job £9(2 monthly)on the same estate about an hour before so not all bad ;D!
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dannymack on March 17, 2014, 07:23:01 pm
Give it a couple
Months Daz she'll ask for you to start cleaning them again you wait and see, you know what to say when she does lol 😏😳😏
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Clever Forum Name on March 17, 2014, 07:35:36 pm
Customer of 14 years cancelled over £1.50.

Went from 7.50 to £9

3 bed detached.

He said we have timed you and you take less than 10 mins each time.

Cancelled.  ::)roll
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 17, 2014, 07:45:01 pm
danny i would take them back no problem mate at £7 as its on an estate of over 120 houses(i clean 90+ of em).

they have been really good customers over the years.always pay on the day of clean etc.

all the other 18 houses i put up today went up a quid.the ones i caught in accepted no problems.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Keiron Bradley on March 17, 2014, 08:40:08 pm
'Tradder just like his dad'....sounds like that's meant as an insult?
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Jonny 87 on March 17, 2014, 08:42:25 pm
'Tradder just like his dad'....sounds like that's meant as an insult?

You a 100% tradder by any chance?

 ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Johnny B on March 17, 2014, 08:52:36 pm
I am 100% trad. Being OCD-ish though I never get told I am too quick!  ;D

Come to think of it, it's not often that I am told that I am too expensive either!

John
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: kempy on March 17, 2014, 09:06:50 pm
Well lse sleep over it , you have put loads up and kept them all .
Why cry over a quid or a lost £6 .
Move on
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 17, 2014, 09:19:36 pm
their the ones crying over a quid price rise kempy! ;D

just having a moan! ;D

even im allowed to on occasions! ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Ian101 on March 17, 2014, 10:20:30 pm
Disaster Dazmond .......... no more holidays drum kits new van or poles for you then
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: AuRavelling79 on March 17, 2014, 10:36:36 pm
their the ones crying over a quid price rise kempy! ;D

just having a moan! ;D

even im allowed to on occasions! ;D

Pay no attention to the luddite "can't put prices up/not round our way/no sirree" neggy boys. If you put up 100 x a £1 and lose 1 x £10, who's the mug? Not you.

I wouldn't waste my breath on anyone that "times me", begrudges me an extra £1, and tells me some traddy muppet will do them for 20p less.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: gary999 on March 17, 2014, 10:51:14 pm
their the ones crying over a quid price rise kempy! ;D

just having a moan! ;D

even im allowed to on occasions! ;D

Pay no attention to the luddite "can't put prices up/not round our way/no sirree" neggy boys. If you put up 100 x a £1 and lose 1 x £10, who's the mug? Not you.

I wouldn't waste my breath on anyone that "times me", begrudges me an extra £1, and tells me some traddy muppet will do them for 20p less.

Trad muppet bit is a bit harsh Mr Gold ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: James Bulton on March 17, 2014, 10:54:26 pm
Daz, Mate you are moving to the front our your industry in your area.Tall trees catch most of the wind. Don`t worry about these squeaky  assed  customers and if you mean so little that a pound in a problem hold your head high as only you know what you are worth.  There a trend setters and there are trend followers and you are becoming a trend setter and the chaps in your area should be thanking you for lifting the base price of window cleaning to new heights. Keep up the good work and don`t look back at the looser customer that drop you because they cannot have you cheap any more.  Go mate.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: koopmaster on March 18, 2014, 08:19:40 am
I have put on my invoices that I am putting up everyone by £1.  Out of 250 I have had 4 cancelled,  I also got 2 other that cancelled but I know they are struggling so I said they can stay on last years prices for this year...

the other 50 on the estate are well priced so I am leaving them this year.

I have had about 5 new ones this week and told them this month they can have 2013 prices but next month it goes up by £1...   all where happpy...
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 18, 2014, 08:48:36 am
this customer(him) also commented on my signs on van,"fancy equipment" and uniform a few years back.

they ve always been good paying customers.for years i was the 100% trad guy,estate car,jeans and t shirt,a tad unreliable(i had gigs to play,women to bed and copious amount of booze to drink! ;D).

i never bothered with cleaning frames or doors in them days.fairy in my bucket and charged buttons.

the 2 estates where i have tons of very compact work are in an affluent area.they are not council houses.most have had  kitchen extensions or conservatories built over the last 20 years.they are pretty small houses though but lots of awkward windows to clean.thats why i invested in extreme poles.prices range from £6-£12.i think they are a tad too cheap.

i remember getting my first 3 customers on this estate over 20 YEARS AGO!!blimey!i dont know where the times gone!! :o

it was early january 1993 and snowing!! ;Di was so happy to get 3 customers and built up from there.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 18, 2014, 06:48:35 pm
he also said a few years ago that if i put my price up again he would cancel!true to his word i suppose!! ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: robertphil on March 19, 2014, 07:09:25 am
if its underpriced you have to increase it ,unless you are a charity

talkin of charity,anybody heard of that GERALD lad , big dark haired boy who started up +working for a dogs charity and got some publicity on the forums and in the papers
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 19, 2014, 07:15:22 am
no no heard anything from him.hope he s ok.the odds were well and truly stacked against him cos of his weight.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: robertphil on March 19, 2014, 07:34:57 am
no no heard anything from him.hope he s ok.the odds were well and truly stacked against him cos of his weight.
where was he dyou happen to know ? i know where he wasnt,  he wasnt in east anglia
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: frankwii on March 19, 2014, 08:01:37 pm
ive put at least 30 customers up this week by 30% , instruction from bussiness consultant - in  his own words you have to look at quality vs quantity  - and i have no one cancel .
you have to look at it this way  - gas  , electric and petrol ahve all gone up - ---- we pay it with no questions , so does window cleaning and expenses and its other attributes. if they dont pay , tough , you will probaly acquire a new custimer on your new price range,
good ;uck

Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: windowswashed on March 19, 2014, 08:11:31 pm
If they're too cheap and you resent doing them compared to better paying work and you're busy with work then it's worth increasing the prices on your lowest priced work and if you lose some then 'that's life'., better than cleaning at old prices and resenting having to clean them when you could be cleaning higher priced work.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 20, 2014, 07:57:40 am
another day of price rises!only another week and a half to go!! ;D

ive not lost any others yet although ive got a feeling i might lose 1 or 2 today.i dont care anymore!

ive lost 2 up to now.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: C o z y on March 20, 2014, 08:12:35 am
their the ones crying over a quid price rise kempy! ;D

just having a moan! ;D

even im allowed to on occasions! ;D

Pay no attention to the luddite "can't put prices up/not round our way/no sirree" neggy boys. If you put up 100 x a £1 and lose 1 x £10, who's the mug? Not you.

I wouldn't waste my breath on anyone that "times me", begrudges me an extra £1, and tells me some traddy muppet will do them for 20p less.

You seem to have a real neggy attitude to trad Malc. You might want to avoid being seen as a prat by checking what you've typed before posting on the board. Infer I'm a muppet again.........
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Jonny 87 on March 20, 2014, 10:12:15 am
their the ones crying over a quid price rise kempy! ;D

just having a moan! ;D

even im allowed to on occasions! ;D

Pay no attention to the luddite "can't put prices up/not round our way/no sirree" neggy boys. If you put up 100 x a £1 and lose 1 x £10, who's the mug? Not you.

I wouldn't waste my breath on anyone that "times me", begrudges me an extra £1, and tells me some traddy muppet will do them for 20p less.

You seem to have a real neggy attitude to trad Malc. You might want to avoid being seen as a prat by checking what you've typed before posting on the board. Infer I'm a muppet again.........

What a muppet you are cozy.

 :D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: C o z y on March 20, 2014, 11:50:38 am
 ;D Sometimes mate, but not because I'm trad. We're cleaners, as was said on another thread. How can there be snobs among cleaners? Same on the carpet section here. Truckmounts Vs Portables  ::)roll
You couldn't make it up  ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: PoleKing on March 20, 2014, 05:48:52 pm
their the ones crying over a quid price rise kempy! ;D

just having a moan! ;D

even im allowed to on occasions! ;D

Pay no attention to the luddite "can't put prices up/not round our way/no sirree" neggy boys. If you put up 100 x a £1 and lose 1 x £10, who's the mug? Not you.

I wouldn't waste my breath on anyone that "times me", begrudges me an extra £1, and tells me some traddy muppet will do them for 20p less.

You seem to have a real neggy attitude to trad Malc. You might want to avoid being seen as a prat by checking what you've typed before posting on the board. Infer I'm a muppet again.........

I didn't take his post as offensive to tradders cozy.
Certainly round my way tradders seem to charge less, and go in multiples if £.50 (though not 20p-think he's being facetious)
There's nothing wrong with charging less.
Or even making less money.
Top line is unimportant, it's what's left that counts.
And how much one needs.
The 'muppet' bit-just made me think the guy had been undercut by a tradder, rather than calling all tradders muppets.
All the best.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 20, 2014, 06:21:14 pm
no cancellations.only worked 9am-1pm but all customers i seen excepted no problems.happy days.more money for new van and tank! ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: jonboywalton75 on March 20, 2014, 06:22:02 pm
3 windies in our house
1 tradder and 2 polers
We are all happy and earning.
What's the problem?

Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: James Bulton on March 20, 2014, 08:40:49 pm
Traders  should be cheaper  as they have  invested a lot less in there business and if they were prepared to save up they would probably be WF  Poler.
 ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Johnny B on March 21, 2014, 05:10:30 pm
I have asked on here numerous times how much is needed to invest in and maintain a wfp system, and never once have I had a straight answer, despite all the knowledge vaunted on here.

I am trad, always have been, and always will be. I don't make the sort of fortunes alluded to on here, neither do I need to. I live and work within my means and capabilities, and if I charge less than some, it's because I am content with my lot and don't want to rip people off. And yes, I pay my taxes and don't claim any benefits.

Back on topic, I am not increasing my prices this year. My customers are struggling as it is.

Best wishes to you all,
Kermit.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Ian101 on March 21, 2014, 05:19:48 pm
I have asked on here numerous times how much is needed to invest in and maintain a wfp system, and never once have I had a straight answer, despite all the knowledge vaunted on here.

£600 to £1000 DIY set up inc poles ... cheaper to buy used parts ... plus a way to purify so depends on your TDS







Best wishes to you all,
Kermit.
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Johnny B on March 21, 2014, 05:28:29 pm
I have asked on here numerous times how much is needed to invest in and maintain a wfp system, and never once have I had a straight answer, despite all the knowledge vaunted on here.

£600 to £1000 DIY set up inc poles ... cheaper to buy used parts ... plus a way to purify so depends on your TDS


Thank you Ian. You're the first.  :)

John
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 21, 2014, 06:50:56 pm
the insinuation that im "ripping people off" because im putting customers prices up is wrong.if the customers dont wanna pay my prices they cancel( ive lost 2 customers).replaced today with a new £30 2 monthly job(walk up).

i spent many years in fear of raising prices in case shedloads of customers cancelled on me.they didnt.BUT some customers dont want you to put up prices and would happily see you work for next to nothing forever.

as for wfp expenses over the course of a year id say  3 or 4 grand a year every year.i do use the best poles out there though and hot water in winter/for add ons.

after a few years WFP if you earn an extra £15,000 A YEAR then your £11-£12,000 up on earnings AFTER WFP expenses PER YEAR.thats working shorter hours,safer and generally being able to work in most types of bad weather.i do a much better job of the windows too than when i was 100% trad.

regards


dazmond
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: Mike #1 on March 21, 2014, 07:09:47 pm
I am the same as you daz and and other lads on here , I believe in providing a service that is reflected in the price my regular customers have their window glass frames and sills along with the doors cleaned thoroughly each clean .

You dont get to be a successful windy with a business built on reputation and quality of service by been crap and charging cheap prices  :P :P :P :P . Mike
Title: Re: long standing customers....... price rises
Post by: dazmond on March 22, 2014, 08:59:05 am
would you still clean windows if you won the lottery?


......exactly.......its all about the money!! ;D ;D