[derek west]

Its interesting, I dont know the fella or anything about him so just one observation.

He's trying to impress on you how important it is to to up your prices not cut them,especially in the current climate.

Then promptly lobs £300 of the price of the DVD's etc.

Surely if he was confident in his ability to show you how to boost prices and sales he would have the courage of his own convictions and up the price or keep it at its true value, instead of cutting his prices, the very thing he is telling you not to do.

Interesting though all the same.....

Some eople just don't get it do they? Is it even worth pointing out the obvious??

is it £500 somewhere else?, or has chris set the bar and lowered it himself, i think thats what gary couldn't be assed to explain. them videos probably cost him a tenner to make, you do the maths.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

John you've hit the nail full on the head when you stated about many people being working class and being used to budgeting, what we have to remember is we are not our customer so don't expect to know what they want to spend, you are not just cleaning you are also saving the customer Money on replacement which is where the big saving is.

Most cleaners are afraid of rejection but as you get more experienced you can market yourself so that you can be more unique not just any old cleaner but a fixer of problems or not your average cleaner someone who can be trusted.

Knowledge is power look at this chris cardells mind set he is selling to carpet cleaners in our case who are looking how to get higher prices but can't so he is playing a mind game and offering a reduced rate to 'price conscious cleaners' that is the market he is looking for, it's a bit like the ncca looking for old cleaners to join their association there is no need or want but they have a high take up of new want to be cleaners wanting to be trained that is their real target market.

Shaun

[Hilton]

Its interesting, I dont know the fella or anything about him so just one observation.

He's trying to impress on you how important it is to to up your prices not cut them,especially in the current climate.

Then promptly lobs £300 of the price of the DVD's etc.

Surely if he was confident in his ability to show you how to boost prices and sales he would have the courage of his own convictions and up the price or keep it at its true value, instead of cutting his prices, the very thing he is telling you not to do.

Interesting though all the same.....

Some eople just don't get it do they? Is it even worth pointing out the obvious??

is it £500 somewhere else?, or has chris set the bar and lowered it himself, i think thats what gary couldn't be assed to explain. them videos probably cost him a tenner to make, you do the maths.

Not sure what point your making, maybe i.m thick

[John Kelly]

Think Dereks getting at there isn't a price to compare with so the lower price is just a marketing ploy. Think Shauns post hit the nail on the head.

[Peter Sweeney]

Wheres Mr Liahona when you need him?

Granted, he is at the other end of the scale but without taking on k
his logic I wouldnt be at the start of a £170k contract for the olympics. 

Pete

[John Kelly]

Thought you were keeping that secret

[Peter Sweeney]

shush you. and if Lynn wants to know the other secret she only has to ring, would gladly share it with her. Not telling you because you will just shrug your shoulders 

[PaulKing]

You know its totally right, I charge a decent amount but I'm happy to bend over a bit more and take a bit more time and generally make sure everything is what the customer wants, hey its no bother at all, as I already incorporated it into the price and the customers paying for it. Of course it all falls down if you don't deliver.

So I'm happy with what I'm charging and customer is also happy with the job, Cracking, Happy Days. All round win win etc


In the 23 years I've gone from charging £20 for a three piece suite to nearly ten times that, and honestly the top end of the market is easier, nicer, and has much better tea and coffee and best of all chocolate biscuits.

That said I can always discount my prices, for whatever reason, and when i comes to getting the job to beat a competitor I've generally got a lot of wiggle room.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

And boy can he wiggle!

Shaun

[Ian Gourlay]

Ian

Not affiliated to Chris Cardell in any way whatsoever.  I simply signed up a few years ago to receive emails from him (I'm sure others on this forum probably do the same).  Tend not to read most of them but with the recent posting regarding price war etc I thought it might be of some interest. 

I am finding a lot of my customers are tending to be charging less than they were in the past.  This has only one consequence in that your business becomes less profitable and it is a slippy downward slope.  Hence the post. 

I thought the purpose of this forum was to try and help carpet cleaners and businesses be as successful as possible by sharing relevant information. 

Are you saying you don't want this type of information posted in the future?

John

Of course not I just thought the style was not your usual, did wonder if it was a Hi jak or as you  had become an affiliate. Was fresh in my mind because Howard Partridge wants affiliates.  Anyway i am in Semi Retirement these days

[John Kelly]

"John, are you worried because cc's are not charging enough (in your opinion) that may in turn reflect on your business in terms of sales??"

Gary, got me thinking there. If they put their prices up they'll be doing less work for the same money. Thats means they will be buying less chemicals.

I need to stop doing this, cheers Gary

[Paul H]

IMO...


 I've had people criticise me about how much i spend on marketing but why would I take notice of anyone who charges £80 to clean suite when I'm charging £160?

maybe the £80 price difference is marketting costs?.... so in theory you both make the same ... not a criticism just a theory why some may charge more or less than others...

[Mike Halliday]

you're right paul,

 this is why earlier I made the piont that unless you know the full  facts about how people market thier business you can't  really take what they say to be absulute truth.

I know a carpet cleaner on here who is quite cheap,  has a T/M and buys all the latest gear you would think looking at his success that being cheap is a good business plan, but the full story is his wife is a seniar manager with a big company and earn a big wedge,She  pays all the household bills he keeps what he earns. I know a few carpet cleaners like this that their wives are the main bread earner and their carpet cleaning business is just beer money..... how can you listen to their advice unless all you want is beer money?

[Craigp]

Mike, that reminds me of this story I heard, my facts might be hazy here so if anyone else know the story please correct me, but some carpet cleaner in the uk some where, won the a lot of money on the lottery, so anyway he didn't want to stop work as he'd get bored, so he's carried on and bought a TM and all the best gear, but now charges top prices like £150 to clean a lounge and customers who say "oh no that's to much!" he's just like "ok fine" because he's loaded he don't care! 

Nice position to be in.

But remember Garry called 'cleaning co' on here, he was very cheap but subsidised by his mrs who had a good job, people thought he was successful but later on he admitted on here if it wasn't for his mrs he could never have survived.

[Paul H]

you're right paul,

 this is why earlier I made the piont that unless you know the full  facts about how people market thier business you can't  really take what they say to be absulute truth.

I know a carpet cleaner on here who is quite cheap,  has a T/M and buys all the latest gear you would think looking at his success that being cheap is a good business plan, but the full story is his wife is a seniar manager with a big company and earn a big wedge,She  pays all the household bills he keeps what he earns. I know a few carpet cleaners like this that their wives are the main bread earner and their carpet cleaning business is just beer money..... how can you listen to their advice unless all you want is beer money?

Depends how much beer money you want ....

£50 on a friday night & £50 on a Saturday night is beer money if you drink in the city....

£25 - 30 maybe a good night in the local

£15 - 20 in a social club

Now if you throw in lapdancers casino & champagne as "beer money" thats what i'm talking about 

[Hilton]

Still waiting for some one to point out the obvious, itcant be that obvious as obviously some one would have pointed it out.....but all we get is what people `think' he means..

I'm dying to know....