[Count Phil]

Had an idea. When I was in car sales we used to use a technique going back and forth between the customer and the sales manager. It was to get the customer on your side against the manager. Then when the manager wouldn't give them what they wanted, the customer was tricked into thinking you had worked hard for them and it wasn't your fault that they wouldn't knock more money off. They Often went on to buy the car off you, even though it was cheaper elsewhere because you and they were on the same side. (It really worked, people are that easily tricked).

I thought maybe if we had a printed card at quote time with set prices for windows conservatories etc then just tallied up there number of windows and presented them with the card/sheet with the total. They would accept the price and you would say that was the companies pricing policy, sorry. could they be won over to you against the company (even if you are the company)? Would work best if you have logos/uniform etc.

It came into my head when a new customer gave me a tip and said 'don't tell the boss'. I am the boss, but in a uniform I  could have been just a worker.

Thoughts? It would also look better than what I do at the moment, just walk around, scratch my chin, um and ar then say £x.

You could also put terms and conditions on the sheet and everything included in the service.

[mikecam]

Thoughts?

Once you've bought a car you're stuck with the deal. Once you agree to a window clean price you aint.

[Count Phil]

No, but bagging the customer at a decent price is half the job. As long as you deliver there shouldn't be a prob. I just meant it as a way to get decent prices, not eyewatering ones, without feeling uncomfortable because 'that's what's on the sheet' so you don't feel uncomfortable and say 20 instead of 25, or 10 instead of 14. It's down in writing, it's company policy and YOU, the person quoting can't change that, you're just doing the best with what the companies given you.

[Matthew Bateman]

It has been done before Phil, Im refering specifically to the sheet with prices for windows depending on what sort of windows they are (georgian, sash, bay, leads etc).

The seeling yourself as the 'in-between'guy is going to get some to endear themselves to you perhaps, but if youve got your foot in the door, so to speak, professionalism and competence should seal the deal anyway.

Saying that whatever floats your boat mate, its better than some half-brained schemes you hear about 

[Count Phil]

Yeah your right. I just thought maybe it would look more pro as well. And just be something to lean on when you body tries to make you underprice because you lose your nerve.

Or maybe that only happens to me.

[lee09]

No, but bagging the customer at a decent price is half the job. As long as you deliver there shouldn't be a prob. I just meant it as a way to get decent prices, not eyewatering ones, without feeling uncomfortable because 'that's what's on the sheet' so you don't feel uncomfortable and say 20 instead of 25, or 10 instead of 14. It's down in writing, it's company policy and YOU, the person quoting can't change that, you're just doing the best with what the companies given you.

Don't feel uncomfortable about quoting a decent price, that is a lack of confidence or experience.
People buy from people. If they like you and think your price is affordable to them they will buy. Because a sheet tells them it's the company price, it takes you the person out of the quote.

The car sales method was a sales technique called penal I think and it put people under pressure to buy from you.
I don't mean to be negative, but this one aint for me

Merry Christmas though.
Lee

[Count Phil]

Thanks for the comments. Does anyone else use a quote form with set per window prices on? How well does it work?

[clearlyclean]

I think most of us have a price per window 75p or £1 and so forth and add the windows up 10 windows a tenner,you will always get some who will want a lower price and i use to lower my price and seal the deal but most of these customers turn out to be aggro and have low respect for you.Now I find the best approach is to stick to my price and be prepared to walk away,I even say talk it over with your mrs/fella and ring in a few days but I cant promise I be able to do them then.I think they call that pressure sales even though they can look on internet or telephone another windie.But still different approach to sealing the deal and I hope it get you plenty of work.

[Richard Neal]

What if you forgot one day and the customer found out you really are the boss? wouldnt look good, set a price and then go on gut instinct, thats what i do, what do you want to earn from their property? if you do it to cheap it will p you off every time youre there so get it right from the start.

[prestige cleaners]

i give a price i feel is reasonable. not a rip off, but neither working for peanuts, if they dont like it, find another windy!

[Ian101]

Pendle !!!! in window cleaning .... good god NO !!!!!!  

[Scrimble]

sounds wrong and dishonest, if i got the feeling that someone was trying to trick me into buying something then i would tell them where to go end of,

I give them my price and they either accept or they dont, some people try and knock it down a bit but thats fine i actually enjoy the negociation but to deliberatly try and trick people into buying something then no i dont do that to people and i would not allow it to be done to me

[dai]

You could use this template to allow people to do their own quotes.
When I was having double glazing, they had a sheet with different widow sizes and styles, each one priced accordingly.
 You could do the same, at least they would know the price before they asked you to do the job.
The downside for this is that you can't add a bit for bad access, or impose what Matt used to call his rich tax.
There are streets on my round that are priced 50% higher than the same sized houses a mile away, exclusive areas, rich tax applied.

[Ian101]

The downside for this is that you can't add a bit for bad access, or impose what Matt used to call his rich tax.
There are streets on my round that are priced 50% higher than the same sized houses a mile away, exclusive areas, rich tax applied.

Does that work the same way as a "posh car" tax 

[Alex Allen]

You could use this template to allow people to do their own quotes.
When I was having double glazing, they had a sheet with different widow sizes and styles, each one priced accordingly.
 You could do the same, at least they would know the price before they asked you to do the job.
The downside for this is that you can't add a bit for bad access, or impose what Matt used to call his rich tax.
There are streets on my round that are priced 50% higher than the same sized houses a mile away, exclusive areas, rich tax applied.

rich tax! i've only ever heard this from a postman i see on my round
he fell off his ladder when he used to window clean, so gave up

he also said you charge more for big houses  :
i think doing things this way means you dont know how to price
many window cleaners carnt price for toffee

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

i tell em straight mate the price is goin up duck end of story