[Ian101]

Ok there will be the exceptions to this but generally what you THINK customer perception / reaction may be is all in our minds, working Saturdays, working in the rain, working bank holidays etc. etc.

Worked a very easy half day with Bob Plumb today cleaning some work I have recently passed on to him .. had to be today as didn't want it to interfere with my own work and Bob swanned off to "The Show" last weekend ... was expecting a few comments about working bank holiday Monday and got precisely 1 comment which was positive also picked up another small job and a GFS clean.

So what Im saying is .... just do it and don't worry what they may or not may say 

[J.D]

I never worry about such things, it's water off a ducks back to me Ian.....

[Ian101]

I never worry about such things, it's water off a ducks back to me Ian.....

hope that's pure water 

[Jonny 87]

It's all in our heads.

Just do it.

 

[Clever Forum Name]

Ask customers whats important about window cleaning.

For years i had it in this order.

PRICE
QUALITY
REGULARITY
TRUST

Having spoken to many many many customers its actually.

REGULARITY
TRUST
QUALITY
PRICE

Most of the the people i spoke to just wanted a regular window cleaner who they could trust. Then they added they need todo a fair job and not rip me off.

When we put prices up by £1/£2 i was worried. Most customers thought it would go up by £5!

So it proves it is in our heads.

We think about window cleaning all the time, customers think about it when we turn up

[Jonny 87]

Ask customers whats important about window cleaning.

For years i had it in this order.

PRICE
QUALITY
REGULARITY
TRUST

Having spoken to many many many customers its actually.

REGULARITY
TRUST
QUALITY
PRICE

Most of the the people i spoke to just wanted a regular window cleaner who they could trust. Then they added they need todo a fair job and not rip me off.

When we put prices up by £1/£2 i was worried. Most customers thought it would go up by £5!

So it proves it is in our heads.

We think about window cleaning all the time, customers think about it when we turn up

Very good post.

[SeanK]

I would put price first on the list, it doesn't matter how good honest or reliable you
are if the customer cant afford you then you wont get the work.
I would also say pricing is the hardest thing to get right when starting in this business
overprice and customers wont employ you, under price and you will end up working for peanuts
get disillusioned and quit.

[PoleKing]

Price last for me too.

[Smudger]

A percentage of customers have price first and foremost, these are the ones who undervalue your service, usually keep you waiting for payment and drop you is someone will do it 5p cheaper.

When doing some biz studies and projections I canvassed approx 500 houses and the order came out the same as h2o's list.

Also to back this up, when you canvass how many windows do you see that don't meet your standard of clean? Yet the potential custy will not change, why? When asked, the majority say, comes regular, been doing it for the last 5,10,15 years we trust him..
Even when they don't clean as good as I would like.

Quality seems to be down the list, and price off the bottom of the page.

A good brand helps overcome this, your vans are seen out and about, and over a couple of years you become part of the "furniture" and a member of the community leading to trust

Darran

[SeanK]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

[Frankybadboy]

I don't believe you ian























bob actually work at all,hes to old for that

[PoleKing]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

[SeanK]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

That's because your still offering value for money and that's what most people want.
I guarantee most of your customers asked for a quote before agreeing to take you on.
Price comes first in everything we do, that doesn't mean we always go for the cheapest option.

[p1w1]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

why would you bother telling your customers your not cheap

[PoleKing]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

That's because your still offering value for money and that's what most people want.
I guarantee most of your customers asked for a quote before agreeing to take you on.
Price comes first in everything we do, that doesn't mean we always go for the cheapest option.

I agree but I think your misinterpreting what I mean.
When I put 'price' at the bottom of the list, I mean it's the least important of the 4.
It is important, obviously, because when a customer takes you on, they don't actually know, first hand, about the other 3.
In time though, they do.
Then the price, to a degree, is immaterial.

[Window Lickers]

Maybe because cheap is all in THEIR minds.

[PoleKing]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

why would you bother telling your customers your not cheap

It saves a lot of time going out to jobs where they're looking to save money on an existing cleaner.
And, when a potential customer says 'that's expensive' I usually reply, 'yeah, we're not cheap. But you get what you pay for. Can I direct you to our website...'
When you get to a point of not needing the work, the time wasted going to a job that you don't get bacause of price gets really irritating.
Not so much that you didn't get the job, but that you knew you wouldn't anyway.
I get roughly 7 out of 10 residential quotes I go for now.
Less on commercial.

[bobplum]

Ok there will be the exceptions to this but generally what you THINK customer perception / reaction may be is all in our minds, working Saturdays, working in the rain, working bank holidays etc. etc.

Worked a very easy half day with Bob Plumb today cleaning some work I have recently passed on to him .. had to be today as didn't want it to interfere with my own work and Bob swanned off to "The Show" last weekend ... was expecting a few comments about working bank holiday Monday and got precisely 1 comment which was positive also picked up another small job and a GFS clean.

So what Im saying is .... just do it and don't worry what they may or not may say 

easy for you.......i was carrying you all day

[Smudger]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

That's because your still offering value for money and that's what most people want.
I guarantee most of your customers asked for a quote before agreeing to take you on.
Price comes first in everything we do, that doesn't mean we always go for the cheapest option.

I agree but I think your misinterpreting what I mean.
When I put 'price' at the bottom of the list, I mean it's the least important of the 4.
It is important, obviously, because when a customer takes you on, they don't actually know, first hand, about the other 3.
In time though, they do.
Then the price, to a degree, is immaterial.

Well said
I'm quite happy to say ' you'll find cheaper, but not better or more reliable '
Work still rolls in esp, those customers bitten by the summer brigade

Darran

[SeanK]

Ask your customers what's important and they're going to put price first.
Its strange how the so called discount supermarkets seem to be taking more and more custom from the big four
in a world where price doesn't matter.
Maybe if your customers are all so happy with your prices its time to put them up.

Nah.
Vast majority of my customers could get a cheaper price than me.
They know this too.
New customers are told first thing, 'we're not cheap'
They still come on board. More often than not.

That's because your still offering value for money and that's what most people want.
I guarantee most of your customers asked for a quote before agreeing to take you on.
Price comes first in everything we do, that doesn't mean we always go for the cheapest option.

I agree but I think your misinterpreting what I mean.
When I put 'price' at the bottom of the list, I mean it's the least important of the 4.
It is important, obviously, because when a customer takes you on, they don't actually know, first hand, about the other 3.
In time though, they do.
Then the price, to a degree, is immaterial.

Got it, had a feeling that I was getting my wires crossed.