Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Richard iSparkle on January 19, 2018, 03:18:32 pm

Title: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: Richard iSparkle on January 19, 2018, 03:18:32 pm
i have some established domestic customers price to rise. i am wondering if I should give notice in February or wait until spring?

does anyone have experience of pros and cons?

thanks

Richard
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: Splash & dash on January 19, 2018, 03:56:58 pm
From experience some will cancel at this time of the year saying it’s a waist of time doing it anyway, we generally increase the prices in March / April as this is when most people start thinking about getting a window cleaner so if you do loose a few customers it doesn’t matter as you will pick up more with the time of the year ,
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on January 19, 2018, 04:11:58 pm
My opinion is that IF they have given you a tip at Xmas time, its a bit of a liberty on there next clean to be putting there price up. We wait till March time.
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: alank on January 19, 2018, 04:38:03 pm
I put mine up in April normally as I tend to get more new customers from walk ups etc during the spring so if a few cancel because of the price increase you don't notice.  ;D
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: NWH on January 19, 2018, 05:18:56 pm
In the process of doing mine now I looked at my book last year and some of them hadn’t gone up for quiet a few years it’s easy for the time to pass and for you to forget how long it’s been,I have just got so much work if I were to lose any it wouldn’t be of a loss to me. When you’ve got to the point you have a lot of work you’ve got nothing to lose when your at the stage you only just have enough it’s a struggle to increase them. It used to worry me putting em up not anymore.
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: nathankaye on January 19, 2018, 05:34:37 pm
I run my books with the tax year and so i put mine up at the same time. Because just after xmas ones are money conscious
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: NWH on January 19, 2018, 05:48:58 pm
IMO every year is to often if your pricing well you should be over and above what your wanting for a wage or what it costs you to live,putting prices up yearly in this job on domestics is tricky not on commercial they almost expect it. I think you need to be confident putting them up on domestics and like I say have to much work on it helps,if your thinking of getting a new van do it before not after you turn up in it,that may sound daft but believe me all you’ll get is oh so we are paying for the new van are we. If you increase them and leave it a few months the increase will be forgotten I’ve had this myself years ago with people,the higher end work you do on houses you’ll have to turn up with flashing lights for them to notice to people with lots of money it’s only a van even if they sell for 35-40k for people in the real world they’d notice if you had new shoes on.
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: nathankaye on January 19, 2018, 06:20:59 pm
The problem ive found with the above post, is that customers get into the comfort zone and dont ever expect you to put the prices up. So when you eventually do, they moan and cancel.
So I think its good practice to put the prices up per year or at least every 2 years
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: P @ F on January 19, 2018, 07:08:05 pm
I did mine last January for the first time in a long time , about 180 custies i think , i got 1 cancel and 2 sour faces  :'(
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: ants on January 19, 2018, 08:19:08 pm
I do it in March every 2 years
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: Stoots on January 19, 2018, 10:34:13 pm
Going to do my first one in April...my oldest customers will be 3 years old.

I think it will be every 2 years from then and every new  customer will be given 2 years, so that means I won't put them all up just the ones that are 2 years old come each April.

Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: Steve Newres on January 20, 2018, 07:08:16 am
Going to do my first one in April...my oldest customers will be 3 years old.

I think it will be every 2 years from then and every new  customer will be given 2 years, so that means I won't put them all up just the ones that are 2 years old come each April.
Do they pay you with sweeties?
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: Johnny B on January 20, 2018, 08:32:40 am
Going to do my first one in April...my oldest customers will be 3 years old.

I think it will be every 2 years from then and every new  customer will be given 2 years, so that means I won't put them all up just the ones that are 2 years old come each April.

Wonder how much pocket money they get at that age to be able to afford a window cleaner! 😂

Sorry Adam, I couldn't resist!

John
Title: Re: raising prices - does it make a difference what time of year?
Post by: G Griffin on January 20, 2018, 09:11:20 am
Going to do my first one in April...my oldest customers will be 3 years old.

I think it will be every 2 years from then and every new  customer will be given 2 years, so that means I won't put them all up just the ones that are 2 years old come each April.
Do they pay you with sweeties?
No, treacle sponge cake.