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Highrise

  • Posts: 330
UNDERCUTTING ME
« on: July 05, 2007, 10:04:42 am »
  >:(  I have just come back to pick up my lunch and two of my customers have left a message on the answer phone saying that " They will no longer be needing my services ", Due to someone ( AND I KNOW WHO YOU ARE ) undercutting my price. So what do you do, Called them back and asked how much they quoted... So I had to matched the price....


Do you know what.... I REALLY HOPE THAT ALL THE BILL AND BEN OUT THEIR TRYING TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRR MONEY CHOKE ON THEIR OWN SICK WHEN ASLEEP AT NIGHT  >:(  >:(  >:(
When your windows are clear, My conscience is clear...

KarlJones

  • Posts: 394
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2007, 10:11:14 am »
Quote
So I had to matched the price....
Is there just one house round by where you live or something?

I mean, I can understand bill n ben using price to attract or gain a customer, but I am a tad confused why you did it.

I would have said "good luck" myself.
You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.

Moderator David@stives

  • Posts: 8829
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2007, 10:12:43 am »
Dont worry ,

Dont even try to compete, see it as an opportunity to find some better more lucrative work to replace them.

If your customers are prepared to drop you on price , where would you stand with them for future price rises.#


Just move on and find more loyal customers,also see it as an opportunity to weed out some of your less loyal customers.

Dave

LWC

  • Posts: 6824
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2007, 10:15:35 am »
you matched the price! therefore admitting that your prices were too much...mate drop them, now theyll have no one  ;)

plenty more fish in the sea mate

Highrise

  • Posts: 330
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2007, 10:22:54 am »
Yeah I no, But I did say if you come back to me with a lower price again from bill or ben then I wont match it.... See when they clean your windows for a mth or two and don't come back, DON'T be calling me to come a clean your windows.... Like someone said  " Its hard to find a decent window cleaner "
When your windows are clear, My conscience is clear...

KarlJones

  • Posts: 394
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2007, 10:30:43 am »
Mate, seriously, I would call em back and explain that you have rechecked your figures and you just can't do it for the price.

So what if you lose a customer?

It is part of the game and if you will do anything to keep one then you are heading for a rough ride.
You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.

East coast window cleaning Services

  • Posts: 1458
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2007, 11:33:24 am »
Never move on your price
P&R Window Cleaning

Trevor Knight

  • Posts: 1825
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2007, 11:51:15 am »
One thing is for sure, don't let this bother you, it really isn't worth the stress.

If your that hooked up about it, take an hour out, go canvass and replace them with 2 better price jobs.

As already said, never haggle your price, the only one who wins is the customer and they have already proved they have no loyalty to you!!!!

Chin up,

Trev
Covering Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, Berkshire

East coast window cleaning Services

  • Posts: 1458
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2007, 12:00:19 pm »
Loyalty always goes a long way ive had the summer brigade canvass my shops hard for the last few weeks even saying they will do it less then i do all me customers tell em where to go.  ;D
P&R Window Cleaning

Grafters Cleaning Services

  • Posts: 1287
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2007, 01:14:45 pm »
big mistake there :(
JAY "GRAFTERS"
From Southampton
www.high-shine.co.uk

rugby

  • Posts: 360
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2007, 03:15:14 pm »
i agree,never never drop your price like that,maybe im too proud for my own good but if a customer drops me for a cheaper wc then its goodbye,and i never take them back,end of

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26588
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #11 on: July 05, 2007, 03:43:43 pm »
Karm down, Karm down!

OK - in principle I never drop price either ... but

What was your price and what is the new lower price offered by the flowerpot men?

 
It's a game of three halves!

ronnie paton

  • Posts: 3245
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #12 on: July 05, 2007, 04:23:12 pm »
wot if the other customers hear about the price drop??
You could have to change more prices, is it worth it???

Dust Knights

  • Posts: 43
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2007, 04:52:32 pm »
I'm going against the grain here but I think that you were right to match their price - as long as you are still making profit.

Personally I'd have gone through a few stages of negotiation first and may have been able to keep their business at the same price.

It may stick in the throat a bit but the way I look at it is I'd rather have 90% of something than 100% of nothing.

As far as loyalty goes why should a customer be loyal? Why do they owe you that?

It's a competitive world and its more expensive and time consuming to secure new customers than retain existing ones.

You did the right thing!

Chris

dai

  • Posts: 3503
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2007, 06:51:51 pm »
Don't match their price, Don't shut the door on the customer either.
Wish them good luck, and tell them that if it doesn't work out to give you a ring.

The very same thing happened to me last year. She asked me the following month if I would do her windows again as the other guys were rubbish.
I took her back on at the same price as she was paying me before.
1] She's not going to make the same mistake again.
2] She's telling all the others on the estate what a load of rubbish these other guys are.
I never lost another customer to them. Dai

Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #15 on: July 05, 2007, 07:37:39 pm »
Can't seem to reply on your roof topic highhopes but as regards price.£200.

There is a video about using the mosmatic on the suppliers site.

You need insurance.

Is the topic locked because it's dangerous, legaly contentious(giving bad advice leading to falling off the roof- or worse falling through it without insurance). I notice Carl jumped in with both feet  ;D.


EasyClean

  • Posts: 558
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #16 on: July 05, 2007, 07:46:09 pm »
Don't brag on public forums how much you charge for window cleaning. Don't try to price match a lower quote from competition (word of mouth by customers spreads quickly, especially in small villages, towns). Wish your customer well with their new window cleaner so the invitation to come back to you is is open (obviously at a higher rate than previously). Let the worry of losing a customer go over your head, not worth losing sleep over!
Losing a customer is like waiting for the next bus, another one will come along shortly!

Londoner

Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #17 on: July 06, 2007, 10:05:21 am »
You are lucky they told you what the real reason was. Most of the time customers will tell you anything but the truth becuse they are embarrassed.

 I have had the undercutters round on my patch this year but the only two i lost were no loss.

Highrise

  • Posts: 330
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #18 on: July 06, 2007, 12:47:55 pm »
Karm down, Karm down!

OK - in principle I never drop price either ... but

What was your price and what is the new lower price offered by the flowerpot men?

 
Karm down, Karm down!

OK - in principle I never drop price either ... but

What was your price and what is the new lower price offered by the flowerpot men?

 

It was a £ 35 job and they came in @ 30. Didn't mind droping the price anyway as customer had little cracker window on the house before and has had them replaced with large plane glass upvc, So in all fairness it would of been over priced hence me matching their price. Anyway got a chq of the customer this morning after our little chat yesterday and the husband wants to go with Bill and Ben.... Look on the bright side, I picked up 4 jobs yesterday afternoon worth £90 a mth so no love lost
When your windows are clear, My conscience is clear...

cat9921

  • Posts: 669
Re: UNDERCUTTING ME
« Reply #19 on: July 06, 2007, 02:39:55 pm »
There you go Highrise it's all good.

Swings and roundabouts. ;)