[Tony Rowley]

A lot has been discussed lately about prices, operators advertising extemely silly low prices and especially Groupon.

But I was thinking after the thread that Mike Halliday started about prices on websites, how many of you (and by that I mean the average bloke) think that the high prices some of our colleagues on here (and they know who they are) purport to charge(or would have you believe) drives customers away from carpet cleaning as they feel it is too expensive and in the end don't bother to get their carpets cleaned at all.

And by the way you wont find their prices anywhere because they are too scared to advertise them.

Some operators allege that they wont get out of bed unless its for £xxxx (without really even naming a figure, but clearly inflating their ego's), are these people doing as much damage to our industry as the low prices and Groupon? I think the answer is yes.

Being a good operator and providing a good service for a decent price is one thing, being a close relative of Dick Turpin is something else!!!!!

I wait to be burned......feel free to discuss. (or ignore me)

Tony

[derek west]

you can earn extremely good money without charging extortionate prices, its all about working smarter.

[AshWhite]

I don't think people charging "too high" is really damaging the industry (though I am certainly not one of them).

Whenever I think that these prices are extortionate, I remember a job I was on a few months ago for a brother & sister who's father had just been put into a care home. The house was empty, and the locks needed changing. The locksmith came while I was there. I cleaned 3 rooms, charged £80 took me about 2 hours in total. The locksmith (I think it was a franchise company) was there no more than 15 minutes - "£127 + VAT please".

Call a plumber, electrician, carpenter out for any jobs, you'll be lucky to get any change out of a £100 - not to mention the fact that they get a markup on materials they supply.

If you perceive this to be a "unskilled" trade, then that's all you'll ever charge for.

It's not ideal, but I'm looking to increase my prices steadily over the next 12 months once I have established something of a reputation in the local area.

Also, I don't care what anyone says - if you're charging more then you are more able to provide a better service. For example - putting the rotary around after every suitable job to help drying/lessen wick back, perhaps spending more time on stubborn marks etc.

If you already have the time to do these things without worrying, then perhaps you are already charging enough FOR YOUR NEEDS.

That said, we're all self employed for a reason.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Do you see Mike Halliday's prices as being high ?

Shaun

[John Kelly]

Tony I see the full spectrum in my business. Would you rather be the guy who tries to buy a second hand vac motor when one of his blows or would you rather be the guy who can replace his truckmount every 3-5 years. I also have the largest Chem Dry franchise just up the road. His techs are in my place on a weekly basis. They have great pleasure in showing me their job sheets for the day and ther customer satisfaction forms they get back. High tickets good feedback. This is a business and you need to treat it as such. My feeling is with any business if you price mid range and do a good job you will succeed. However high returns are possible if you are that way inclined. I would never call anyone for pricing high. Most people only don't do it either because they don't pitch to that market or are scared.

[Jamie Lindsay]

up here guys are charging 2 carpets £25 so I think thats killing it as when I talk to people I know they always talk about the bad cleaners

I think chemdry etc are good as they USUALLY do what it says on the tin

[Jim_77]

Tony, what do you think is a fair price?

For example:

- 3-pc suite
- 250ft² lounge
- EOT whole empty house 600ft² & stairs
- minimum charge (and how much work you'd do for it)

As JK rightly says above, it depends on the market you cater for and also your own perception of what is "value".

[Mike Halliday]

how can we decided what the customer thinks is too high? we are not mind readers, really we are saying we think it is too high but we are not the customer.

i give my price to the customer and usually they say yes without a moments hesitation they don;t think the amount i have quoted is a great deal of money.

I went to a Wine & Xmas  Fair last night basically it was an expensive wine tasting, they were selling wine  at prices I thought were ridiculous, I saw a Christmas cake at £75 but people were putting orders in like crazy.... no matter what I thought was expensive they didn't.

 'High' prices are in the eye of the beholder

[Doug Holloway]

Hi guys

The trick is to get top prices for adding perceived and real value.

A TM will assist in this, as will unique selling points.

Some customers like to pay a higher price, they think theyare getting a better job and therefore better value which is the key.

Cheers

Doug

[Craigp]

Tony you seem to have a lot of emotion attached to money, this is a problem for alot of people on here.

£ 150 might be a lot of money to you but it's really not too a lot of buyers of carpet cleaning.

Low prices puts some customers off.

Depends the market your targeting.

In 10 years the only successful carpet cleaners ive met charge high. Is this a coincidence?

To be honest you sound resentful.

[Tony Rowley]

Interesting replies and overall the ones from the people I expected, however not what I originally asked.

Do I think Mikes prices are high? I have no idea, I looked at the web page on the other thread at the time and didnt particuarly think so but the question was not aimed at any individual, although some clearly feel it was.

I am not resentful of any amount any other individual makes and am happy making decent money at the prices I charge but directing that comment at me makes me think you are a litte childish Craigp.

Just wondered what the reaction would be when the tables were turned, many slag off the low price operators as damaging our business, which they probably do to an extent. I was just pondering wether the prices some would have you believe they charge could have the same affect.

Question asked and answered (I guess)


Tony

[Helen]

Hi guys

The trick is to get top prices for adding perceived and real value.

A TM will assist in this, as will unique selling points.

Some customers like to pay a higher price, they think theyare getting a better job and therefore better value which is the key.

Cheers

Doug

My ex boss is the type who gets insulted if he doesn't pay top whack for something....we do loads for him

[Helen]

Tony you seem to have a lot of emotion attached to money, this is a problem for alot of people on here.

Being emotional and passionate about earning money is a problem??? I think not! Hands up who can honestly say they are not motivated by money

£ 150 might be a lot of money to you but it's really not too a lot of buyers of carpet cleaning.
Agree
Low prices puts some customers off.
agree
Depends the market your targeting.
Agree
In 10 years the only successful carpet cleaners ive met charge high. Is this a coincidence?
Maybe

We have advertised prices in the past, but mostly we don't.....didn't make a blind bit of difference

[Colin Day]

And here's Colin with "Cliché Corner"...

If the customer's happy and you're happy, that's all that matters.

How many times do you say to someone "Yes, you'll be looking at £60 for me to clean that carpet" and get either of these 2 replies:- "Blimey, that's expensive! or "Wow, it's cheaper than I thought it was going to be!"

Not all cheap carpet cleaners do a crap job, just the same as not all expensive carpet cleaners do a good job.

Pricing is rather a personal thing IMO, if you want to earn enough to survive, that's fine. If you want to earn enough to be able to drive around in flash cars and snort charlie through a £50 note, then that's fine too....

[AshWhite]

And here's Colin with "Cliché Corner"...

If the customer's happy and you're happy, that's all that matters.

How many times do you say to someone "Yes, you'll be looking at £60 for me to clean that carpet" and get either of these 2 replies:- "Blimey, that's expensive! or "Wow, it's cheaper than I thought it was going to be!"

Not all cheap carpet cleaners do a crap job, just the same as not all expensive carpet cleaners do a good job.

Pricing is rather a personal thing IMO, if you want to earn enough to survive, that's fine. If you want to earn enough to be able to drive around in flash cars and snort charlie through a £50 note, then that's fine too....

How much do I need to be charging, TELL ME PLEASE!!

 

[Colin Day]

And here's Colin with "Cliché Corner"...

If the customer's happy and you're happy, that's all that matters.

How many times do you say to someone "Yes, you'll be looking at £60 for me to clean that carpet" and get either of these 2 replies:- "Blimey, that's expensive! or "Wow, it's cheaper than I thought it was going to be!"

Not all cheap carpet cleaners do a crap job, just the same as not all expensive carpet cleaners do a good job.

Pricing is rather a personal thing IMO, if you want to earn enough to survive, that's fine. If you want to earn enough to be able to drive around in flash cars and snort charlie through a £50 note, then that's fine too....

How much do I need to be charging, TELL ME PLEASE!!

 

God knows, I can't even afford pot.....

[Steve. Taylor]

God knows, I can't even afford pot.....

I can't afford a pot to p*** in me

[clinton]

With the price list on the sites does it stop price shoppers now

[Robin Ray]

The whole point of being self employed is to earn the most amount of money in the least amount of time.

You know when you are charging too much when people start saying no.

I don't know about anyone else but I would rather do one job at £200 than two at £100. Competing with other cleaners on price means rushing around doing a rubbish job at a low wage. Don't worry what others are charging, focus on providing a good service at the rate you fell comfortable earning and let the hear today gone tomorrow cleaners devalue themselves.

Rob

[Shaun_Ashmore]

It's easy to say get a £200 job instead of 2 x £100 but try selling a £100 job for £200!

Carpet cleaners on the whole are poor at selling their services because they are afraid of rejection, unless you are falling over with enquiries and getting your share of conversions then price is one key component in selling the idea is to switch price only to 'what would you like madam? Dry,deeper clean,Eco clean?' changing tact offers a premium service at a more premium price because you are offer options not the same and that is how to sell for £200 for a £100 job (which incidentally probably takes the same amount of time)

Shaun