[Suffolkcleaners]

I have been cleaning most my customers windows for 4-5 years and never put the price up. I have over the last year been increasing prices by about 10%. So a £10 job to £11 and £20 to £22 etc. I had one customer the other day call me up(not happy at all) as i increased a 2 monthly £15 job to £17.

The tone of his voice really annoyed me as he just kept saying i'm not paying anymore than £15. I personally think he has a good deal considering i also do the inside of the porch and it's a detached house. He then harpered on how he got a quote 18 months ago for a tenner but still stuck with me.
I got abit annoyed by his tone and said i think it's abit disrespectful. He wouldn't even meet me half way and go to £16.

He clearly has loads of money as he rents loads of houses out(i'm sure he has increased his rentals at some point).

Do u guys think the increse is fair? No one has complained of the increse(well over 150). I'm in 2 minds whether to keep doing it. We left it by me saying i would still clean for £15,but i am abit annoyed really.

[Richard 01903]

Dump him and replace with new job!!

[erithwc]

just tell him

Sir/Madam

Sorry you are unhappy with the price increase but we are nolonger able to do your windows for £15 so as from ../../.. i will nolonger clean your windows and wish you luck with finding a new window cleaner. if you want me to carry on cleaning your windows at £17 please contact me.

regards ..................

this need changing a b it but dont take no crap dump him  
and in a few months when he asks you to clean his windows tell him the first clean will be £30 followed by a month cost of £17

[jonboywalton75]

Dump him now, dont be a doormat or people get wind of it an think ur a soft touch

[Johnny B]

I am like you, I don't increase my prices often enough, as I fear losing them, even though I have more work than I can cope with at present!

However, I bit the bullet with some last year and put one particular house up from £5 to £7.
I had been cleaning it for 5 years or more and this was the first time I had increased the price.

She was very respectful in the way she spoke to me, but just felt it was a big increase in one go. I agreed with her, and told her the only reason for this was that I had put off increasing the price for as long as I could because I really didn't want to have to put the price up, but unfortunately couldn't justify doing it for £5 any longer. I said that if I had increased it by 50p per year since I had been doing them, (what I should have been doing)  the price would be more than the new price. She agreed and accepted the increase.

Had she not agreed to the increase, I would have said that I understood, but would invite her to find someone who would do the job for less than me, thank her for her past custom and leave it with her.

John.

   

[mlscontractcleaner]

You could always charge really high prices from the outset and then you wouyldn't have to increase them; no more unhappy customers

That's why our minimum price is £150; only for small stuff though

[Small but perfectley formed]

If he only wants to pay £15 keep cleaning 

[Ian101]

How did you do the increase ? ... did you tell him face to face or just leave a payment slip with the new higher amount on.

[Simon Brannon]

Hi DMH

if you have increased the other 150 customers by at least a £1 then you just increased your monthly turnover by £150.00 at least as some of them have gone up £2.00

Therefore you shouldn't worry about losing a £15.00 job !

You cant please everybody and you will regret doing the job for £15 every time you do it - be polite but lose him!!

Simon

[Wc Solutions]

Hi DMH

if you have increased the other 150 customers by at least a £1 then you just increased your monthly turnover by £150.00 at least as some of them have gone up £2.00

Therefore you shouldn't worry about losing a £15.00 job !

You cant please everybody and you will regret doing the job for £15 every time you do it - be polite but lose him!!

Simon

well said mate. if they dont want to pay it then you dont provide the service - simple.

[james44]

Theres two ways to look at it do you loose £2 or £15?

[Dick]

If you really want to keep him ask him how he gets paid and if his income either through rental or employment etc has increased, or maybe ask if something like his council tax has increased in two years. If you aren't bothered about keeping him don't bother to ask just drop him and find a replacement job.

[darren clarke]

typical rich bloke,  bet he said when us started he might be able to put loads of work your way, as he own loads of houses

if you leave the price and carry on doing it, then u will never be able to raise the price,  and guarantee the neighbours find out he is still paying the old price, whislt theres has gone up

[spongebob]

His rental income has probably dropped slightly as the drop in interest rates has seen some landlords panic when they are empty and take a hit on the rent because their mortgages are  lower.
However the fact that he talked to you like this is enough to dump him.
I will walk away from a £10 cleaning job or a £5000 heating system if I don't like the way the person treats me.
When I'm cleaning I expect to be treated the same as when I am installing heating, meeting my tenants or being served in tescos. In return that person gets my upmost respect back.
As has been pointed out you are well up on  the money with the increase and you'll only have to listen to his whingeing in future.

Don't forget the old joke....
How much!!! for cleaning my windows. I don't earn that and I'm an accountant. Window cleaner turns round and says " no  I didn't earn that when I was an accountant either mate.

[Johnny B]

Theres two ways to look at it do you loose £2 or £15?

If you decide to drop him, you will soon make up the £17 in new work.

John.

[barry mallett]

 can i have him no work monday

[Slash]

Do you ring up your gas company and say I'm not paying the gas bill cause it went up,no, so why should he,JUST DUMP HIM and I guarentee he will ring up again but when he does charge even extra cause there filthy!
Mind you ,I think you done the wrong thing by saying you will continue to do them at £15.00 but your not happy
HE'S HAVING A RIGHT LAUGH AT YOUR EXPENSE,SORRY BUT IT HAD TO BE SAID!

[lee09]

Hi
I would fit him in as and when you want to. Tell him that you have replaced his regular spot with a customer that has been on your waiting list.
Then clean him on damp or wet days. Alternatively tell him to fook himself.
Lee

[clearlyclean]

I increase my prices every year so my customers expect it,every thing goes up and people like that are'nt worth worrying.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

well mate if this nerk wants to pay £15 just do £15 worth of work say do the inside of the porch every other time but still charge £15 or miss afew windows if he complains whitch he poss will just say well everyone is ok with new prices mate or you could just tell the bloke to tek a hike man