Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: paul beckett on August 02, 2009, 07:04:03 pm

Title: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: paul beckett on August 02, 2009, 07:04:03 pm
im trying to put my custys prices up ( about time aswell ) so i bit the bullet and i only put the prices up by 50p to see how it goes.
 well bugger me it was like i killed one of their family, they did not like it at all, well i say about 40% of them. a couple of diamond custys raised it by £1 by themselves,  they said they excepted sometime, at least some people know how buisness works, and they will be the custys i will do extra favours for in the long run, and they know that i think anyway. anyway i think its about time to get rid of dead wood other words stingy gits, their fault for moaning about an extra 50p ha ha  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
kind regards
paul
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Platinum NW on August 02, 2009, 07:08:06 pm
i bought a round when i was 18 which was all terraced houses but they were priced at £1.20 for the front. Round here £2 a front is good money so with them being new i thought about raising the price to £1.50. Went for it and lost half but they soon come back as the other WC was total rubbish. They were due for another price hike before i sold them which would have taken them to £2.50 a front
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Platinum NW on August 02, 2009, 07:10:06 pm
Also when canvassing charge the highest price you can and tell the customer its guaranteed for 5years this way they are reasured there wont be and price rises that are sprung up on them as people dont like change once they get a routine
They will probably come back when they realise there window are getting dirty and hopefully you will get more customers at better prices resulting in less work for more money. Price rises always sorts your good loyal customers for the bad ones - My opinion every round should get a cull every year
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: bad trippy on August 02, 2009, 08:51:29 pm
I really cant understand ppl at times, last week a young lady  asked me to give her a quote, the  house is brand new bovis home worth about 250k, its a 3 bedroom semi with a patio door with minging windows from months of dust from the building site.
I have a look i tell her it would be £10 per month, you would have thought i just shot her mother the look she gave me, she says ok well ive got your card i will think about it. £250k house minging windows and wont part with a tenner to have her windows looking great, no sense in it is there?
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: dave.e on August 02, 2009, 08:57:38 pm
I really cant understand ppl at times, last week a young lady  asked me to give her a quote, the  house is brand new bovis home worth about 250k, its a 3 bedroom semi with a patio door with minging windows from months of dust from the building site.
I have a look i tell her it would be £10 per month, you would have thought i just shot her mother the look she gave me, she says ok well ive got your card i will think about it. £250k house minging windows and wont part with a tenner to have her windows looking great, no sense in it is there?

she can not afford a tenner now she,s paying that sort of mortgage tight git
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: dai on August 02, 2009, 09:39:08 pm
Now is the time to tell your customers that the price will go up next year, next year is still too far away for them to worry about.
Hit them with the new price from 1st January. This method has always worked well for me.
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: GWCS on August 02, 2009, 11:14:04 pm
I really cant understand ppl at times, last week a young lady  asked me to give her a quote, the  house is brand new bovis home worth about 250k, its a 3 bedroom semi with a patio door with minging windows from months of dust from the building site.
I have a look i tell her it would be £10 per month, you would have thought i just shot her mother the look she gave me, she says ok well ive got your card i will think about it. £250k house minging windows and wont part with a tenner to have her windows looking great, no sense in it is there?

she can not afford a tenner now she,s paying that sort of mortgage tight git
Exactly people buy these expensive houses and "try" to live within a small budget - they are not going to be able to spend on a few of life's luxuries let alone cleaning windows..

tbh new estate home are people you need to steer clear from, especially those with small children, they are not going to be able to fund a window cleaning program. Work towards older couples with older children or those that have moved out..
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: geefree on August 03, 2009, 12:25:14 am
well, if you are going to get the moaners, and are trying to trim the lower paid ones from your round,...you may as well put them up £1..... or whatever you think the value is...

I Dont think 50p is worth the hassle, double it , and put some worth on your round.

 ;)
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Londoner on August 03, 2009, 07:05:09 am
It makes me laugh to think of a brand new house costing £250k. You couldn't buy a one bedroom ex-council flat round here for that.

The difference is really noticable. It maybe explains why the prices for cleaning them varies so much.
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Mike #1 on August 03, 2009, 07:50:20 am
i raise most of my prices every 2 yrs either 50p or £1 depends on house type , but the village i live they're  proper tight, Raise every 3 years only 50p , keep looking out the window for the burning cross
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Platinum NW on August 03, 2009, 07:53:16 am
Dont you have window cleaners trying to undercut you?
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Rogue Trader on August 03, 2009, 07:33:16 pm
i bought a round when i was 18 which was all terraced houses but they were priced at £1.20 for the front. Round here £2 a front is good money so with them being new i thought about raising the price to £1.50. Went for it and lost half but they soon come back as the other WC was total rubbish. They were due for another price hike before i sold them which would have taken them to £2.50 a front

Dont you have window cleaners trying to undercut you?

Blimey at those prices i dont think anyone would or could undercut!
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Londoner on August 05, 2009, 07:20:35 am
Dont you have window cleaners trying to undercut you?

Its largely a myth that people switch window cleaners on the basis of price alone. Some will but you are better off without them.

Because of where I work, all of my customers are bombarded by people knocking on their doors offering to clean the windows. I hear about it all the time and they give me leaflets that have come through their door.

All of these window cleaners are cheaper than me. I'm dearest around and have every intention of staying that way.
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Mike #1 on August 05, 2009, 07:38:07 am
as we all should know its not just about providing the best service its about TRUST once you have a good rappor with custys thats priceless they would'nt want anyone else on their property
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: stephen s on August 05, 2009, 07:47:44 am
I really cant understand ppl at times, last week a young lady  asked me to give her a quote, the  house is brand new bovis home worth about 250k, its a 3 bedroom semi with a patio door with minging windows from months of dust from the building site.
I have a look i tell her it would be £10 per month, you would have thought i just shot her mother the look she gave me, she says ok well ive got your card i will think about it. £250k house minging windows and wont part with a tenner to have her windows looking great, no sense in it is there?









had one exactly the same last week,   young lady came over while I was cleaning and told me she had been watching me clean the windows and frames on the house and could I give her a quote.

brand new house with 2 large patio doors round back and when I told her £12 for windows and frames she just said oh ok I will let you know,    well that was over a week ago ?
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: CCM on August 05, 2009, 06:07:57 pm
£5 minimum charge, and that's even if it IS just one window...still got to get to the address and do it...I only have 3 at that though (more than one window I hasten to add)...most jobs are between 12 and 30 quid. A few are between 50 and 130...but they are big houses, or businesses.
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Nathanael Jones on August 05, 2009, 09:07:33 pm
I just put up 30 houses in one area up 50%,.. only 1 complaint! ;)
They were severely under priced and the custies knew it though.
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: s.hughes on August 05, 2009, 10:52:21 pm
Also when canvassing charge the highest price you can and tell the customer its guaranteed for 5years this way they are reasured there wont be and price rises that are sprung up on them as people dont like change once they get a routine
They will probably come back when they realise there window are getting dirty and hopefully you will get more customers at better prices resulting in less work for more money. Price rises always sorts your good loyal customers for the bad ones - My opinion every round should get a cull every year
Good point. I go for years and years without puting pricing up so i will try this when I next quote. At least that way you get a good price and after 5 years they cant complain when it goes up.
Good one
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: wizard on September 08, 2009, 10:56:20 pm
I never sean a monument build to any busiman who kept his prices down, has anyone herd of inflation it cost us more each year to do the same service.Come on chaps lets get business like and cultivate some balls.
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: TonyD on September 09, 2009, 02:34:35 am
i bought a round when i was 18 which was all terraced houses but they were priced at £1.20 for the front. Round here £2 a front is good money so with them being new i thought about raising the price to £1.50. Went for it and lost half but they soon come back as the other WC was total rubbish. They were due for another price hike before i sold them which would have taken them to £2.50 a front

I must be top end expensive then ;D as I charge £3.50 for a terraced front in the same area.  I've gained customers who've openly admitted they where paying less before but not happy with the clean, so it's sometimes acceptable to push the price up and still get the work.  When canvassing/quoting for work I always try and get the professional quality part across and hope to sell the work on that, rather than putting price first.   If I couldn't earn what I thought I was worth without rushing around on a lower quote I'd move on to another type of business.   I think people are happy with a mere £3.50 for glass, frames, sills and door, that's what I'm finding anyway.  My view is that if someone comes by and undercuts me for less than that then they're welcome to do it if that's what the customer wants, as I won't be offering a lower price than that. 
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: wizard on September 09, 2009, 06:19:22 am
Well Said man
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Sunshine/Cleaning on September 09, 2009, 08:22:17 am
I would say that raising prices by 50p anyway is a bit of a joke! Why bother with small incremental raises only to upset them next year. I put my prices up every 2-3 years or so, but when they go up it is by £'s not p's. I know shiners who puts them up 20-40p each year. They started off with good paying work but after 10 years or so they are behind the decent rate, "that will be £11.40 madam" odd really. Especially when the price should be £15.

If your going to "upset" them you may as well get it over with. Remember if prices go up 40% and you loose 40% you are likely to earn the same in a shorter time.

Plus dont try the inflation comment, it has never been lower. Demand of your time is the reason for a price hike. if they really want you they will pay. If not they can have "one scrim Bob" (That is to presume you do a top quality job and guarentee your work. The £11.40 guy does a shoddy job and has the manners of a mule)
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Gleaming windows on September 09, 2009, 08:25:34 am
I know a window cleaner who does top $ but smells like a mule.

Does that count  ;D
Title: Re: prices raised 50p, what a joke
Post by: Scrimble on September 09, 2009, 04:15:04 pm
i'm jackin up some prices on my round at the moment bringing up to standard some underpriced work from when i first started,

i still take on new customers where there old window cleaner charged a lot less, picked up a new one yesterday old cleaner charged £4 and i charged 10 and i got the job as usual