[windowswashed]

If I took on a customer from some  crap window cleaner I still wouldn't do it for the old price he charged, I have a minimum pricing I adhere to and refuse to do any new customers below that price and in return I'm reliable, regular, leave a bill to get paid online unless they insist on paying cash there and then and turn up regular and almost to the same time of day as before, so they are expecting me on a regular basis and are happy recommending me to friends and family, works for me  Haven't advertised for about fifteen years and wouldn't want to as that's when you pick up all the crap customers from dropped accounts.

[Marc Stock]

Good posts.

[Smurf]

For instance this house im just cleaning, the front has four windows and the back you can see.
Its in a little village thats been hit with pit closures and the like but this house is £15.
The snobby tight peoples houses are twice if not 3 times the size and are paying roughly the same if not less.
But explaining that logic to them doesnt work or the fact that some are paying less than what i charge a cleaning a dingy community hut in the same area for.
It drives me mad how some people charge silly silly prices.  Arrrrrhhhh

To make you fell better I charge  a  min of £65 for an end of tenancy one-off exterior window  clean, 65 min for a gutter check & clear, 65 for a fsg clean, 600 min for a render clean, 250 min for a driveway clean etc. That's the main reason why I chose not to have a large window  cleaning round. Not only that I would hate having to just clean glass all day long and have no spare time for anything else more profitable..

Do you get all the jobs you quote for smurf?

Currently works out about 90%.

[Don Kee]

Does anybody on here go for the more expensive van insurance, and when they put your premiums up, say "fair enough, they've got costs and it's just business"..?

If customers want or are used to cheaper prices then it's fair enough, and if a w/c is happy at doing jobs for a fiver then it's fair enough imo

There's chaps around here that a way cheaper than me but they're happy at what they get. On the flip side there's also a w/c' on one specific estate I work on where he's charging around £10 more per house than me (he's got next to no work on the estate mind)

As long as the individuals happy then do what? All been going long enough now to know what they're doing

[dazmond]

lots of window cleaners just about scratch a living together doing this job.i know as i was one of them for many years!

i do a little bit better these days because im not the cheapest window cleaner in town anymore!

[Tosh]

If someone cancels I let them walk with no explanation about why the other guy might be cheaper. It's all second guessing anyway, and comes across as sour grapes.

Let em go.

[dazmond]

If someone cancels I let them walk with no explanation about why the other guy might be cheaper. It's all second guessing anyway, and comes across as sour grapes.

Let em go.

yep i agree and its not very professional IMO.

remember customers have no obligation to you at all.they can cancel at any time.i try and price fair for both me and the customer(without ripping them off!)but they still sometimes switch to another cleaner whos cheaper.(or just not bother having a window cleaner at all).

[Tom-01]

If someone cancels I let them walk with no explanation about why the other guy might be cheaper. It's all second guessing anyway, and comes across as sour grapes.

Let em go.

yep i agree and its not very professional IMO.

remember customers have no obligation to you at all.they can cancel at any time.i try and price fair for both me and the customer(without ripping them off!)but they still sometimes switch to another cleaner whos cheaper.(or just not bother having a window cleaner at all).

I agree and normally just leave it and move on, but that was so cheap for all the work that I wanted to make him think if he will actually get a decent job by someone who is insured.

[NWH]

I've said the same hang on to your jewellery I hope he comes back at that price is he insured the lost goes on,sometimes you just feel you want to get your point across.

[Smurf]

Regards to pricing what some custards may think is cheap others may think it's expensive so you can't bloody win. lol
If you have  pre-conceived ideas of what custards are willing to pay because of what others charge then you are not really doing yourself any favours.

I never prejudge and go in what I want for the job and not what I think they are willing to pay. After saying that on what grounds do you base a so say "reasonable price" as many will be willing to pay more but if you don't ask how will you ever know.

It also winds me up if you happen to be more expensive than others you are then so say "ripping people off".  To give a higher quote for a job peeps can either say yes or no without twisting their arm surely?

Selling on price alone is no good for anyone apart for those custards that want a cheap job done.

[Dry Clean]

I've said the same hang on to your jewellery I hope he comes back at that price is he insured the lost goes on,sometimes you just feel you want to get your point across.

That's not getting your point across that just making a fool out of yourself, if I was the customer I would be thinking well rid,
plus if I was the other shiner hearing that you were spreading rumours and lies about my character then I wouldn't be long
doing the same to yours, others may take a more violent approach. (roll eyes)

[Smurf]

I've said the same hang on to your jewellery I hope he comes back at that price is he insured the lost goes on,sometimes you just feel you want to get your point across.

That's not getting your point across that just making a fool out of yourself, if I was the customer I would be thinking well rid,
plus if I was the other shiner hearing that you were spreading rumours and lies about my character then I wouldn't be long
doing the same to yours, others may take a more violent approach. (roll eyes)

I can understand it can be frustrating at times dealing with jo public but I would never slag anyone off as just makes you look like a plonker. If you cant win the work by selling yourself as someone wants to get it done  cheaper then best to thank them for their time and just walk away.

[nathankaye]

I know someone who when he went onto wfp actually reduced his prices because he was quicker at doing the job. HE reduced them, not the customers.  I personnally dont understand that mentality. I wish car companies did same when they became automated and increased their productivity. But funny thing is,,,,they didnt.

I saw a white van other day with a sign in windows.

"Please dont break in and steal my tools. I need them to make my living and to pay for your benefits!!"

Made me chuckle and thought i might adapt that somehow.....perhaps along lines of      "i have a minimum charge of £x because this is my livelihood and not charging you double in way of you oaying for my dole money or benefits"

They may like my price increases then perhaps 

[Dry Clean]

Car companies did reduce price when they became automated that's why they are cheaper now than the have ever been, in business its known as reducing price to sell more making bigger profits with more sales, many companies have to reduce prices to compete, fortunately for most of us in window cleaning at this moment in time that isn't the case.
Nathan I'm going to let you in on a secrete, most if not all shiners have a minimum price, its not because they need it to make a living its there to cover the costs and minimum work you have to do with every job.
For instance yours is a tenner, another guy who doesn't need a web site, hot water, nuclear resin, Vision, PPB filtering, customer texting, monthly paid software  to keep track of a few hundred customers, every new gadget that enters the market and so on may only need a £7 minimum charge and could still have more in the hip pocket at the end of the year.

[Smurf]

Another way of looking at it I suppose is say for example you have 300 at 7 a pop on your books. I'm sure most would rather have 150 at 14 a pop instead and do half the work for the same reward. 

[nathankaye]

And so the tide changes again

[Smurf]

Tell us how many you have lost by the end of next month and we shall see if the tide has changed or not.

[Dry Clean]

Another way of looking at it I suppose is say for example you have 300 at 7 a pop on your books. I'm sure most would rather have 150 at 14 a pop instead and do half the work for the same reward.

Exactly, that's the problem with pricing it doesn't matter what we charge there's always that doubt, could I get more.
I'm sure we have all had them, customers who look at you as if you're Dick Turpin and others that accept your offer as if they have just got the bargain of the year, its not easy to work out if have got it right on price or not.

[Smurf]

Best ones are when you don't really want the job for whatever reason so put in a silly high price thinking that would put them off.
Next thing you know they are snapping your bloody hand off...Oh ffs I should have quoted more. lol

[NWH]

The trick is to ignore what the customer gives off be it good or bad you need to get what you want for the job your pricing,we've all done those jobs that you think i should be getting another 10-20 quid for this. You'll end up having to do another job to make up the loss on the previous one you've just cleaned,this is why i have said in the past about the fact i don't mind doing those double doors in and out for nothing or cleaning half a dozen roof panels while up there for nothing etc,if you get what you want for each job your attitude changes slightly. Your ideal work should be not having to rush in and out of the van from job to job be able to not have to bother working in the rain,it's true if you get all jobs you quote your to cheap or your prices have remained stagnant.