[dave f]

ive been doing my round for a good few years recently ive lost a few .people moving ,etc so i decided to go out leaflet droping any way got a few calls so go to quote only to find quite a few potential jobs very under priced the thing is its a big estate all houses are more or les the same, semis, dont know who the other wc/ers are but ive seen a few new faces about im just thinking about lowering my my prices for new custys in the area  and may start a price war wot do you do if i were to continue to charge what i think is a fair price for a good job i may struggle when new work comes along   

[PoleKing]

Keep your prices the same.
Offer discount if advance payment made if you really want to drop.
We offer 12for10 if paid in January for some customers.
The new faces you've seen may disappear as quick as they've appeared. If you're consistent, do a great job and are polite, timely and friendly, people will be talking about you.
Stick with it, you'll be fine.

[dave f]

seems a good idea ill look in to it, i suspect they may be so called summer brigade surfacing a bit early to go out canvassing for new summer work time will tell

[dazmond]

if you clean well.(frames,sills and doors)as a standard clean.offer longer frequencies and be a bit more flexible you should be fine.

dont worry what other window cleaners are charging.sell YOUR service.

there are loads of window cleaners cheaper than me and a few that are more expensive.

ive recently picked up work where the last cleaner was charging £6 each for three 4 bed houses in a cul de sac!!i charge £15 each monthly.

also picked up a 4 bedder stand alone property with large conny.last guy charged £8-50!! ???i charge £22.

i have loads of other examples over the last few years where the last cleaner was charging peanuts.still got the job!!

[dave f]

thats all well and good but the area where i do but may not be has afluent as where you clean

[C o z y]

Don't second guess the customers Dave. Leaflet, knock or both. I wouldn't EVER drop my prices mate. I know it can be worrying, but reacting to lower prices by lowering your prices is a mistake. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Canvass like hell and see what comes out of that after a week. We all get this, the ones who come through it un-damaged are the ones who don't panic.

[gavinb]

Ive started doing 3 bed semis for 4 quid thats glass frames sills doors .

[Ben wood]

Well you dump if doing for 4quid

[bobplum]

Keep your prices the same.
Offer discount if advance payment made if you really want to drop.
We offer 12for10 if paid in January for some customers.
The new faces you've seen may disappear as quick as they've appeared. If you're consistent, do a great job and are polite, timely and friendly, people will be talking about you.
Stick with it, you'll be fine.

agree with mr lane,service,reliability,good work ethos this will keep you in business longer than the other muppets and offer things like ,standing orders,bacs, text service for access,uniform
think of other businesses that you use and think what makes you go there

im starting to sound like a motivational guru..i might write a book  and call it mmmm......rich dad,poor dad

[Deangsi]

i dont even think about it plenty of old boys on ladders that charge £4 they wont be there long tho and i always pick up new work when i canvass without fail. the only thing il be doing with my prices is putting them up because i run a reliable quality service and you pay for what you get.

[Mike55]

Don't worry what the others are charging.

If they had any sense they would be raising their prices up to match yours, not the other way round.

[paultheg]

hi guys, ive only been at it a few months since packing my job in to be a window cleaner, i must say, my mate suds has said pretty nuch the same, so i didnt bottle it stuck to my guns even though i was ready to crumble and its all come good, im picking up work even though im more expensive, as the lads have said this is beacause  i wear a uniform, have a sign written van and go the extra mile, ive had people cancel others and pay me more,, youll end up a busy fool, stay strong itll pay off

[SimonBurton]

Fully agree with you Paul and it helps if you tell cuties who you are and where you're from

[groundhog]

Remember that the there is a limit to how many customers the average window cleaner can take on, probably around 300 or so, unless they are planning on taking on lots of staff and extra vans, unlikely if they are pricing ridiculously low!! Just stick to your guns, you will soon have enough well paying customers, without trying to compete with this idiots prices, I have found that most of the cheap window cleaners soon pack up, when they realise that they aren't making enough money!!

[telfordwindowclnr]

Audi probably outsell Kia at the moment at least 5 to 1. Why? They are not the cheapest, but they are quality.  You need to ask yourself, am I Audi or Kia?  If your product and service matches your price, you'll be fine.

How's that for motivational?!

[elite mike]

Remember that the there is a limit to how many customers the average window cleaner can take on, probably around 300 or so, unless they are planning on taking on lots of staff and extra vans, unlikely if they are pricing ridiculously low!! Just stick to your guns, you will soon have enough well paying customers, without trying to compete with this idiots prices, I have found that most of the cheap window cleaners soon pack up, when they realise that they aren't making enough money!!

great post from grounhog +1

[home6442]

Audi probably outsell Kia at the moment at least 5 to 1. Why? They are not the cheapest, but they are quality.  You need to ask yourself, am I Audi or Kia?  If your product and service matches your price, you'll be fine.

How's that for motivational?!

If that where true we would all be driving the same car.
If you work in a Audi area then charge Audi prices if you work in a kia area charge kia prices.
Custys will pay for the quality they can afford its up to you to work out what that price is.
You might be the best window cleaner in the country, but if your custys cant afford you what good is it.

[groundhog]

Remember that the there is a limit to how many customers the average window cleaner can take on, probably around 300 or so, unless they are planning on taking on lots of staff and extra vans, unlikely if they are pricing ridiculously low!! Just stick to your guns, you will soon have enough well paying customers, without trying to compete with this idiots prices, I have found that most of the cheap window cleaners soon pack up, when they realise that they aren't making enough money!!

great post from grounhog +1

Thanks Mike, glad you liked it!! 

[groundhog]

If that where true we would all be driving the same car.
If you work in a Audi area then charge Audi prices if you work in a kia area charge kia prices.
Custys will pay for the quality they can afford its up to you to work out what that price is.
You might be the best window cleaner in the country, but if your custys cant afford you what good is it.

My policy has always been to avoid the kia drivers, and target the more affluent Audi driver area's!!

[groundhog]

i have loads of other examples over the last few years where the last cleaner was charging peanuts.still got the job!!

Agreed, I have plenty like that too, including one which is hard to believe but true, I picked up one large house a few years ago at £65 every other month, the previous cleaner charged £8!!!  Also Daz, I'm not sure what area you are in, but £22 for a 4 bed house with large conservatory seems very cheap to me! I would be aiming for around £40 for a property like that, but maybe that's just the area I'm in?