Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: clear-view on July 29, 2007, 09:54:17 pm
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Now that your using wfp how did it affect your prices did you keep same prices or put them up if yes by how much
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No not at first,let them see the difference and then because they won`t want to go back to a trad wc a price increase won`t bother them.I`m going through a culling spell at the moment,although i`m getting rid of some there good payers it`s just that better work keeps coming in.
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I just kept my prices the same then in april this year my prices went up by a minimum of £1 having said that i had let my pricing slide a little so they were due a rise anyway after taking advice from this forum
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i got my price rises in a couple of months before i started wfp.
I'd only started wc 18 months before and had several jobs that were underpriced, but i was a little worried how people would take to it after reading posts.
Swings and roundabouts really. I reckon you will have customers who don't like the system no matter what the price. I did have several who i thought would dump me post wfp but it didn't happen. I did lose 6 jobs though and it felt like my whole round was rebelling at the time.
Funnily enough, the jobs that seemed most underpriced trad became good little earners with wfp. They still got increased though.
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Kept our prices and soon realised how quick we were which in turn opened up opportunities to increase our work load.
Don't fall into the trap that just because your quicker you should reduce your prices, remember, WFP is simply a tool used to clean the windows, all the customer is interested in is the finished result.
Think of it this way, would a mechanic give you a rebate if instead of using a spanner to do a nut up he used a drill with a socket attached?????
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why put them up?. Have they had another window put on the house?. I know that the cost is more than setting up trad, but its not the customers fault. I just put up my prices as normal on the annual basis
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just cos you've changed over to wfp does not mean increase your prices
after all you are doing the same job only quicker
if anything take on more work
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Well, The thing is that although I do not put the prices up I suddenly am able to do more work on a lot of houses I used to do. So for instance that window above the conservatory is part of the deal now, which of course the customer is happy about, and so am I because it means that I have another window to do.
So some customers prices do go up, I suppose in special circumstances they could go down as well. The only case I can think of where a price would really be justified in falling is a local church near me, it has lots of windows which are only about 10" high. The problem is that they are all about 10 foot off the ground. All local window cleaners factor in that they are going to be going up and down the ladder all day, doing tiny windows each time. Those that do not factor it in make a big mistake and never do it again, every window cleaner that does it comments on how tired they are after going up and down 5 ft all day none stop (insides as well). So as you can imagine they are some of the most expensive "per foot" windows in the area. Normally with trad method you lose a bit on upstairs widows and make up for it in downstairs windows, but with this job it is nearly all ladder see?
There is not "much" speed difference between downstairs trad and WFP, its the ladder jobs where the real speed factor kicks in. I dare say some WFP guys might consider re pricing this job and forget that it is normally all ladder, they may even under price it not realising how tiered they will be after doing the insides.
The chap who does them at the moment wants a back pack, I know he won't drop his price and so he should not too, after all he is buying a back pack to do less work not more, the purchase itself will come out of his takings so in effect he will already be taking a price cut. He is also a very nice chap, so he has no fear of me ever pricing the job up.
So in some cases the price goes up, in very very rare cases the price would drop (eventually, due to competition, though most WFP guys would never drop a price without being forced to).
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I still price as I would trad, even charging extra for leads. The only exception being single story buildings. I used to charge less for bungalows as there was no climbing to do. WFP turns most buildings into bunglows as far as effort goes, so no discount for bunglows now. Dai
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when I went wfp and could access tthe windows above the cons. I explained to the customer the price would go up a pound for the window. Most customers will gladly pay the xtra just to get it cleaned. One of my customers gave an extra £2.00, when I asked why she explained her bedroom window hadnt been cleaned for six years and she was just glad to look out of a clean window in the mornings
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I put my prices up when I switched to wfp.
Why? Because I now clean the frames as well as the windows.
Its a lot cheaper for the customer as they do not need to pay for someone to clean their frames.
I have saved some customers money who have painted windows as they now are delaying getting the frames painted as the frame look really good.
My investment needs to be paid for, I am in buisness to make money and offer a first class service.
Customers are willing to pay a little extra if your good enough.
I picked up a new job today £30.00, I am £10.00 more then the trad w/c who used to clean them. The customer had a choice save £10.00 a month and put up with the frames being dirty and the glass not as clean or pay a bit more and get the job done right.
The customer could not believe how clean they where compared with the other chap who cleaned them.
Dont be afraid to charge a good but fair price.
Nel