[wynne jones]

If you don't spend money then you have to spend time.

With Groupon you chose to spend the time cleaning carpets which is fine. Personally I'd prefer to spend some money to get the sort of client I want who are likely to want more work doing on a regular basis at a good price.

Some companies can have a strategy to undercut the competition and 'win market share' but they tend to have deep pockets and employees on low salaries to do the donkey work.

Most people we see who are using cheapness to win business simply do it because they feel it's the only way they can compete.

ps I have done plenty of £15 rooms but these are around the bed jobs if I'm doing HSL. Takes 10 minutes to do.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I'd disagree with the 'more affordable more often cleaning analogy', people spend when they have money if their personal circumstances change then the freqency changes so if a customer has a cheaper or expensive cleaner then the bill is just that 'a bill' and they put off for another time.

Shaun

[Dominic Carnell]

I don't post a lot on here, and my business is completely unrelated to cleaning, but I do love the banter, and reading the various windy/carpet cleaner topics

Anyway, re price; what strikes me is hiring a Rug Doctor and chemicals is going to cost around £30, so getting someone in should cost more.

[Allan Simmons]

Sorry Allan,I mis read that,my mistake.
They could`nt surley have had time to
Leave the carpet sopping wet,there was`nt
Even time for that.  
Lewis  Doubtfire

No worries Lewis.

[Allan Simmons]

If i went down the £15 a room path i would simply go out of business.
Are you seriously suggesting that these guys are charging £15 per room so they can provide carpet cleaning to the desperate and needy of society.
There was me thinking it was to get more work.
I rarely book in more than one or two jobs a day and take my time to be thorough and not be seen as rushing my work to get to the next job i also like to build up a customer relationship i.e have a chat over a cup of tea, i go out and quote on site for almost all my work and make no charge for this service but it all counts as overheads.
Running my business has been hard work and taken up a considerable amount of my time but i have learnt that unlike my previous job, i can have the odd afternoon off and spend time with my nine year old son kicking a ball around the park, this does not make me lazy or not commited to running my business, i learnt from my older daughters that those times you dont get back, i was never at home in my previous job, always coming in when they were in bed.
I dont mean to go off topic but i am proud of what i have achieved, i started with very little confidence having never been self employed before but took the plunge, to make a go of it and that is what i have done, i provide good value for what i do and think i am worth what i charge.

spot on, that's what self employment is supposed to be about, having time / money to do whatever you feel is important.

[Ian Gourlay]

Having read the guy who used to be Pro Dry I think he is saying the adverts say Carpet Cleaning from £15 a room . They then go in and get a lounge  Dinner for £60 to £70 thing is they have to  public to phone them and then apply all their charm.

The idea is to get phone ringing with least effort.

Personally i think its close to bait and switch but I wold also say free room offer is also close to it despite all the Warning Messages in the world

[Steve Rothwell]

Was it you in the Mondeo

Dennis we get them about twice a year if you mean the Homecare ones printed by Saxon

Prices appear to have been same for past 15 years if not more

Only in a Mondeo for 2 months Ian, then had the silver Mercedes... 

also had 2 cleaners out there full time... BUT  .... the price on the leaflet was the price the customer paid.... no bait and switch about.....

[Craigp]

Going back to OP.

Is it possible that the area is over subscribed? Which would make matters worse.

It seems as though all the c/cers there are struggling.

Infact I think Essex is over subscribed.

[Ian Gourlay]

I used  to live in Thorpe bay, and work in Basildon

There are loads and loads and loads of High End Homes

But then The grass is always greener

[Mike Halliday]

came across an article that i believe gives a good reason why some people cannot charge what they are really worth, here is part of it...

Consider this, you mind, your behavior, your beliefs they are all based on your "current reality" and your association with all your experiences in the past, but what you have to remember is your "current reality" is not the absolute truth it is only the "truth" as you see it. None of us really know reality as none of us are ALL knowing. So understanding this is the first step in releasing yourself and your mind from your limiting beliefs. You see most people set goals based on their "current reality" they only allow themselves to see an end result based on how they currently see ways to get there...this is very limiting and really holds you back from your true potential......

i think some people come from a working background that gave them the belief that they are only worth a set amount of money, they only earned £350 a week at bloggs factory so that is how much they are worth, but a professional who took early retirement and was earning £40k a year before sees his worth as that amount.

peoples previous reality is setting how much they believe they can earn, rather than them seeing a new reality.

[wynne jones]

came across an article that i believe gives a good reason why some people cannot charge what they are really worth, here is part of it...

Consider this, you mind, your behavior, your beliefs they are all based on your "current reality" and your association with all your experiences in the past, but what you have to remember is your "current reality" is not the absolute truth it is only the "truth" as you see it. None of us really know reality as none of us are ALL knowing. So understanding this is the first step in releasing yourself and your mind from your limiting beliefs. You see most people set goals based on their "current reality" they only allow themselves to see an end result based on how they currently see ways to get there...this is very limiting and really holds you back from your true potential......

This really is the key to it all if you sit down and think about it. Roger Bannister breaks the four minute mile then suddenly everyone's doing it. Something that previously was 'impossible'.

So, with that thought in mind, let's just suspend disbelief for a a moment and imagine you have already doubled your income, what had to change for that to happen?  

[derek west]

came across an article that i believe gives a good reason why some people cannot charge what they are really worth, here is part of it...

Consider this, you mind, your behavior, your beliefs they are all based on your "current reality" and your association with all your experiences in the past, but what you have to remember is your "current reality" is not the absolute truth it is only the "truth" as you see it. None of us really know reality as none of us are ALL knowing. So understanding this is the first step in releasing yourself and your mind from your limiting beliefs. You see most people set goals based on their "current reality" they only allow themselves to see an end result based on how they currently see ways to get there...this is very limiting and really holds you back from your true potential......

i think some people come from a working background that gave them the belief that they are only worth a set amount of money, they only earned £350 a week at bloggs factory so that is how much they are worth, but a professional who took early retirement and was earning £40k a year before sees his worth as that amount.

peoples previous reality is setting how much they believe they can earn, rather than them seeing a new reality.

cheers for that mike, i'm really struggling with my conscience at the moment, even today i've just done a job, on the phone she said HSL and large lounge, when i got there it was stairs and small landing and a tiny lounge. for the first time since i started i stuck to my price which is unusual as i would normally discount it due to me being me. all though i did offer to do it cheaper next time if she had it done within 18 months. can't change me overnight, but i'm working on it. its charging for the work i do off the pitch thats the hardest. we all do it, even being on here is working.

[Colin Day]

When I first started out on my own, I rang up my old carpet cleaning boss and asked how much to charge. His simple answer was "As much as you can!" He also told me that a lot depends on the type of customer, if they appear to be well off, charge more....

Could you imagine if you got to the check out of a shop, or receiving your garage bill, and you were charged more because you appeared to be wealthy....?

Prices have to be fair, for the customer and for the business operator, get too greedy, you won't see that customer again. On the other hand, if you don't charge enough, the next time you see that customer could be while you're scanning their shopping through on an Aldi till....

[Mike Halliday]

I've forgotten how many carpet cleaners I've spoke to who told me they had knocked a bit off the price for an old lady as she looked a bit skint, so it ok to lower the price for the poor but not ok to put it up for the rich

In reality the higher price you charge the wealthy is what the price should be, its the lower price you give the old lady that is wrong

[Ricky M]

I agree with all of you's but not read any of the posts after 1st post !

I can only assume Its 1 of those debtes again !!!
 where all those that are more concerned with what others are doing they dont have the time to get there own biz rocking and rolling cause if there biz was a rocking and a rolling they wouldnt give a hoot a toota toot bout whats kicking in some 1 else yard.




Peace Love and Good Mums are great  

[Carpet Dawg]

^^ i'll give anyone a tenner if they understand any of his posts?!?!?!

[derek west]

cash please, no cheques,

[wynne jones]

i'll give anyone a tenner if they understand any of his posts?!?!?!

Here's the gist of it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHo2pXO_XAI

[Carpet Dawg]

Sounds all gibberish too me 

[Jim_77]

Colin are you having an identity crisis