[lee_dewing]

Been putting prices up.

Alot 50p and £1

But have quite a few under priced £2-4.

40% of theses custies have dropped me.

Funny I know they can afford it too.
Don't mean to sound arrogant but you know the custies that have got money.
All said thanks for a great service can't fault etc.

But gonna leave it do myself
Where i live the new prices i have give them are fair and i'm wfp so doing frames and sill.

Oh well lucky i've got too much.

One old boy cancelled for 50p increase, i know when i see him i'l get a lecture.
Oh well.

[Richard Shepherd]

After a month or two when their windows are filthy and they are asking you to clean them again you can choose your custies at your price.

I know, been there. 

[Tom White]

Been putting prices up.

Alot 50p and £1

But have quite a few under priced £2-4.

40% of theses custies have dropped me.

That sounds a lot.  I've only ever lost, say (as a guestimate) 1 or 2 customers out of every 50 I've increased the price on.

Just out of interest, how are you increasing the price?  Face-to-face or letter?  And what's the actual figures; how many customers have you increased the price on and how many have declined your service?

[formb]

40% is very high. I expect to lose 10% but have never actually lost that much, normally around 5%

[Nathanael Jones]

How are you informing them of the price increase?

Is it - "Nah mate, this time its £1 extra", or

"Sorry to tell you, but because of the increasing fuel/insurance costs, i'm going to have to increase prices a small bit for future cleans,.. only by £1 though".

[dazmond]

ive  put most of my prices up 3 years in a row but decided to not increase any this year.

ive only ever lost a couple of customers every year.

i alway tell them face to face that next time they will be going up.i never explain its because of higher inflation,insurances etc,etc.they either accept or not.most do.

40% of customers??never ever.less than 1%!!

i have no idea what your doing wrong lee but somethings not right somewhere.

[formb]

40% is not a problem if you've put your prices up by that much!! I doubt you have though!

[lee_dewing]

Basically put up about 20 custies so far and lost 5.
So sorry thats 25%
But the ones that are under priced by more than £3 Have dropped me like hot potatoe
I expect to lose 40% of the under priced stuff over £2.
At moment just been telling face to face but i think will post letters now
I am polite and explain prices have not been reviewed for a couple of years.
Maybe letter will vive custie chance to think things over before giving me the sack

I speak to one windie in my area and his very professional and been doing the job for 20+years
But he tolde he's frightened if he puts any up he'l lose
I'l keep you all posted.

I hope your right Richard.

Had custie wanted to go from monthly to quarterly.
Told him sorry NO.
Lee

[lee_dewing]

I forgot to say i have 230 custies so 5 lost so lost around 2% ish so far.
Excuse my stupidity.
As i saying % of who i have given price rise to but i have a hunch that if i put everyones price up
I would lose 10% of my total custies.
It's tough out there my mrs has been out of work since october and has been told there is upto 500 people applying for the same job 

[formb]

I would lose 10% of my total custies.

If you lose 10% of your customers but have increased the prices by 10% you have lost nothing. All you need to do then is fill the gaps.

It's called bottoming out.

[lee_dewing]

I think i'm bottling out 
Just had a stewards inquiry over frequency last ther 6th march
Custie said thought it was 6 weekly.
No monthly but do run late.
She suggested a few different frequencies but said sorry i do everyone the same otherwise too complicated.

In the end she laughed and said oh what's £15.

Nothing when you got a porsche jeep and a b class merc and a nice extended 3 bed semi with conservatory
 

[DG Cleaning]

I think it's psychological, custies expect things to go up by £1 they think it's a lot when it's £2 or £3.
Also the ones who are under priced probably think they are paying a fair price.

[SunShineCleaning]

I would lose 10% of my total custies.

If you lose 10% of your customers but have increased the prices by 10% you have lost nothing. All you need to do then is fill the gaps.

It's called bottoming out.

+1 Keep your nerve Lee

[C o z y]

I think i'm bottling out 
Just had a stewards inquiry over frequency last ther 6th march
Custie said thought it was 6 weekly.
No monthly but do run late.
She suggested a few different frequencies but said sorry i do everyone the same otherwise too complicated.

In the end she laughed and said oh what's £15.

Nothing when you got a porsche jeep and a b class merc and a nice extended 3 bed semi with conservatory
 

Lee, I've got loads of youngish custies with luxury motors who cancel because they "Can't afford it" or "want to save a few quid as holidays are coming up"   You can't judge them by their cars mate!! Some people look great above the surface, but under the surface, their legs are going like hell   Some people are bothered about having clean windows, some aren't. So it's the same old game mate, just remember, some will, some won't, so what, who cares, next please!  

Set your prices yourself, and charge what I charge. (Whatever I can get away with)  

[AuRavelling79]

In the last four weeks I've had two "can't afford it" cancellations and three house moves adding up to £70 every other month sent back with the cheque in the last two weeks. Quite high that - all different areas and types too.

I've still had four new ones totalling £63 every other month but this is the first time I can remember I've lost more than I've gained in a spring month.

I've has some selective price increases but none of them resulted in the above cancellations.

Watching this space. It's not as easy as it was.

[Tom White]

It's not as easy as it was.

Agreed.

[brianbarber]

Had custy cancel 4 wkly £16 when I asked for another £1

6 months later emailed me about going to an 8 wkly clean.....

"Dear mrs smith,things have moved on quite a bit with my pricing structure,I'm very happy to re commence cleaning.
The new price would now be £24 per clean.
As its been 6 or more months since my last visit, the first clean will be £35.00, as I'm sure you'll appreciate they will be very heavily soiled......."

She has been back for 3 cleans so far....

Happy days!

Mr B

[Johnny B]

I quoted a detached house a couple of weeks ago at 25 euro for 16 windows plus the front and back doors, which is very reasonable round here.

I called back today to follow it up. She said I was a little expensive, and decided to do most of the windows herself, except for the upstairs rear. I requoted these at 6 euro (slightly higher rate per window) and she was happy.

Don't let the posh car on the drive fool you. These people are up to their necks in HP etc.

Back on topic, I don't lose many customers, I tend to drop them. I've let more customers go than I have gained recently, a first for me in 16 years. Yup, it's definitely getting tougher out there.

John  

[lee_dewing]

Thanks guys.

Yes i suppose there are alot of wannabies out there flash cars etc.

But i think there is still alot of custies out there who have money and are jumping on the recession bandwagon.

Look to hammer down the workmens prices.
£10-15 a month i don't think is alot of money people will gladly pay that for a takeaway pizza, bottle of wine.
Alot more on mobile phone.
As Chris bacon said some will some won't.

Keeping the windows clean is not high priority.
I do laugh at people in the bigger houses that won't pay to maintain them not just window cleaning.

Painting house maintaining gardens, even some houses i'm suprised how out of date the kitchen is.

My kitchen is old hat too!
But i'm not having 3 holidays a year. (going majorca A/I august, last time i went abroad 2008  )

lee

[Ronnie Bryce]

There is definitely a shift going on regarding window cleaning. I have never had as many cancellation's in 22 year's as I have had in the past 6 month's. Most have been honest and told me they were going to do it themselves to save a bit of money. It's all sort's of owned properties and I am not expensive. I recon folk's are just nervous about the future.

Increasing prices is always a risk, but for now, it's not one I am prepared to take, but that's just me.