[John Kelly]

Philip, I can't get my head round how you are happy earning £22 I was earning that 20 years ago then I realised I was too cheap. You'll never may good money which is achievable in this industry why sell yourself short. I'm surprised DF haven't educated you to this.

[wynne jones]

Phil, you are obviously trying hard and I'm sure you are going to get there as you seem to have the right attitude. The cheap price thing which seems to be in vogue at the moment on here can be taken so far that you kill your business, or rather is a slow death.

Competing only on price  means lots of competition

Competing only on price makes you feel comfortable  but not successful (I hear the word 'honest' used a lot in this context)

Competing only on price means you only have one tool in the box (otherwise you would use the others)

Competing on price is poor man's marketing. It's lazy and doesn't serve you or your customers best interests in the long term.


When you stand back and think about how you can build more value into your service and how much more you feel you are really worth, you will find customers are willing to pay you more than the sea of 'cheap' carpet cleaners flooding our industry.

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

All comment's taken on board but like i say if i go on a job and earn £50 in an hour then i'm happy maybe as my business grows my prices will grow i just don't think people are willing to pay more because i use Dry Fusion when they are not bothered aslong as the carpet is clean.

[james roffey]

Philip you say that "people wont pay more because you use fry fusion" go onto the dry fusion site and i guarantee you wont see anything that implies that dry fusion is  anything less than a  premium service.
Sorry to be blunt but thats a very negative statement about the service your business provides, and if you dont think its worth more neither will your customers, i think you need to rethink your marketing strategy because your already admitting you provide an inferior service, instead of promoting the amazing benefits of dry fusion that your customers will benefit from. you have to sell it as the best thing since sliced bread.

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

i understand what your saying but customers don't want all the speal of i can do this and i can do that they just want there carpet looking clean and at a good price.

[james roffey]

 "the speal" is what is often needed when they question why you are more expensive. dry fusion is a great marketing tool, yes they want clean carpets but the speal can clinch it.

[Steve Chapman]

Phillip,

One of the best peices of advice given me a few years ago was, dont assume all customers are you or like you.

In other words you may think people want cheap if you are always looking for a good deal yourself or think you would only pay £20 or so yourself. Thats a big mistake, you have to think outside of your own lifestyle and realize theres a certain section of people who dont want cheap they just want a good professional job.

I used to go for the real cheap market but now i regularly get customers who dont even ask what i charge but just want to be reassured i know what im doing, am insured and trained and have some decent equipment.

Some would be absolutley insulted if i tried to charge them £20.00 for  lounge etc.
Believe me theres alot of people where price is not the main consideration.

The trade of is you do have to look the part and talk the talk otherwise there not convinced.
i.e. give quality and you can ask a quality price.

Some of the customers we do i would never dream of paying what they pay for cleaning etc but it doesnt mean its not right to charge it, they often want someone they can trust so they dont have to worry about anything,   they wont be looking at the £20.00 a room guys for that !


Regards
Steve

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

thanks Steve i think in the new year i will reprice everything and sell myself better it's just now customers have used me will expect the same price again.

[Steve Rothwell]

Phillip ....................

over 90% of the people on here who have tried to advise you how to run your business, are the same ones who will tell you not to take any notice of what other people are doing and to do your business your way.

I say if you are happy with what you charge and can live well enough on it carry on mate.....

They tell you about overheads:
insurance
mortgage
heat
etc etc etc

these overheads are the same if you sit at home all day, or you go out to work they do not change
however the ones that do change are the chemicals (dirt cheap these days) and fuel (expensive)

If as you say you can earn £50 in an hour  then after 1 hour you have covered your fuel and chem costs so you are in profit.

Fair play to you....

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

Phillip ....................

over 90% of the people on here who have tried to advise you how to run your business, are the same ones who will tell you not to take any notice of what other people are doing and to do your business your way.

I say if you are happy with what you charge and can live well enough on it carry on mate.....

They tell you about overheads:
insurance
mortgage
heat
etc etc etc

these overheads are the same if you sit at home all day, or you go out to work they do not change
however the ones that do change are the chemicals (dirt cheap these days) and fuel (expensive)

If as you say you can earn £50 in an hour  then after 1 hour you have covered your fuel and chem costs so you are in profit.

Fair play to you....

Thankyou :-)

[Mike Halliday]

well only if people want cheap job but i'm fairly cheap offering dry fusion minimum charge £20 but £1 a ft so a 10 x 12 = £22 i'm happy with that price i think it's fair but on commercial i go off the same but i add extras ie.blacktop + longer time and more chemical

Just to correct this;

 10x12 @ £1/ft is £120 you actually charge 10p/ft.

 

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

well only if people want cheap job but i'm fairly cheap offering dry fusion minimum charge £20 but £1 a ft so a 10 x 12 = £22 i'm happy with that price i think it's fair but on commercial i go off the same but i add extras ie.blacktop + longer time and more chemical

Just to correct this;

 10x12 @ £1/ft is £120 you actually charge 10p/ft.

 

10 x 12 i add the 2 not times = £22 :-)

[Mike Halliday]

sorry Phlilip didn't realise you were rewriting the very basis of elementary calculus   to turn your actual 10p into a £1


GUESS WHAT!!!!!!! I EARNED 3 GRAND TODAY!!!!!!......... WOOPEEE!!!!!! AND I'VE GOT A 2FT  LOVE TRUNCHEON  AS WELL!!!! THE WIFE WILL BE HAPPY

I love your way of adding up

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

And were do you get the 10p a foot from??

[John Kelly]

Philip, people are not telling you these things just for the hell of it. I have seen so many cleaners come and go and it is heartbreaking, no I would say annoying, to watch them flounder because they won't take on board the advice offered to them. Most of them fall by the wayside and the primary cause is because they are too cheap.
There are some long established guys as well who are cheap and have been happy just plodding along but they usually buy second hand machines and keep them long past their sell by date. They tend to use just use one or two products. Thing is it doesn't need to be like that if you just put a little effort and thought into the marketing side of things and most importantly get out of the mindset of what you think people will pay.

[Steve Rothwell]

10 foot X 12 foot = 120 sqfoot

therefore at £1 per foot it will be £120
at 10p per foot it will be £12
so you actually charge nearer 20 sqfoot..

 

[Mike Halliday]

And were do you get the 10p a foot from??

10x12xx   =   {q + [q2 + (r-p2)3]1/2}1/3   +   {q - [q2 + (r-p2)3]1/2}1/3   +   p= 10p

or what hector said

I might have got the 10p wrong sorry...... but from a man who quoted 10x12 as 22 its easy criticism

[jim mca]

Phil

If you are happy doing what you are doing then keep going but the problem you have got is you are cheap and not buzy its your decision how you run your business I think I am average for pricing and have the same problem so its time to stop and sort out my marketing my advice to you would be to do the same.

Jim

[clinton]

Phill..When i was using the dry fusion years ago when it first came out i did sell it as a premium with all the sizzle..ie carpets dry in 30 mins disinfected,deodorised etc..People will pay for that too mate..

[Mike Halliday]

the easiest way to increase your price without fear of  losing the job is to give them the option to pay more if they want

if you are using D/F then it protects as well as cleans so you can honestly say.....

"we can clean, deodorise & protect your carpet for £37 or we can do a basic good quality clean for £22.... which would you prefer?"

I guarantee you will not lose any job saying this as an alternative to just giving your normal £22 price and i bet at least 25% will go for the higher price.

you have absolutely nothing to lose by saying this and it is totally risk free !!!!!