[windowswashed]

Had some of my customers tell me today some lads were going around canvassing for new work.
Custies all told the lads to naff off.

Then the lads had the nerve to ask how much I charge so they could purposely undercut me to obtain new customers. Customers told them to naff off again.

Nice to have loyal customers

When I quote for new work I never ask what the previous window cleaner charged as I have my prices which I stick to. Sometimes customers have a heart attack when I tell them the price but if they want regular, reliable and trustworthy they pay and stay with me forever and a day. Loyalty works both ways.

[ccmids]

don't worry about them lads they won't last five minutes doin that sort of thing 

[Mr Bungalow]

I don't know about you guys.

But I'm always getting other window cleaners coming along and trying to undercut me.

I don't know if I'm charging to high or what as some of them do leave me for them.

Even though I offer a more professional service.

Go figure.

Any advice on this would be greatfully received.

Kind regards.

[Nathanael Jones]

most of these undercutters will be gone when it turns cold,.. the few that survive the winter will realise by then they can't survive on those silly prices and will be frantically handing out increases.

[JRDEasiReach]

I ask a few potential customers what their current window cleaner charges and my prices are usually higher, i dont want to undercut, im a regular, reliable, quality window cleaner and they are paying for that service, im not a cowboy I set out to be just that and i will remain at that point, if i cant remain like that then theres no point continuing.  Im getting loads of new custies saying that they had a cleaner and he never came back, so me coming on time when i can is getting me a good name

[dazmond]

ive had a few over the years trying to undercut but im relatively cheap compared to some on here.never lost one in 15 yrs to competition MR BUNGALOW if ur losing quite a few u must be expensive or doing a rubbish job{or both!}unless uv only been going 5 mins.if ur doing a good job and reliable and not too expensive then u shouldnt lose many.any that u do lose are not worth having as custys!do u have a laugh and a joke with custys,ask them how they are etc?makes a big difference to loyality when the competition comes  a knockin!

best wishes to everyone

dazmond

[colley614]

When I canvass and a customer tells me the window cleaners price I usually go higher or don't quote. I try not to quote on other peoples work but if I get asked for my price I go in higher

[JRDEasiReach]

ive had a few over the years trying to undercut but im relatively cheap compared to some on here.never lost one in 15 yrs to competition MR BUNGALOW if ur losing quite a few u must be expensive or doing a rubbish job{or both!}unless uv only been going 5 mins.if ur doing a good job and reliable and not too expensive then u shouldnt lose many.any that u do lose are not worth having as custys!do u have a laugh and a joke with custys,ask them how they are etc?makes a big difference to loyality when the competition comes  a knockin!

best wishes to everyone

dazmond

if the custy is in i chat away and ask how they are etc etc, it gets a good rapport going and i try to be on first name terms with them all too, gives a more personal touch to the job i feel.

[jezzie]

just had a call from a new custie after going to a neighbour on sat, they say the regular w/c is charging to much.
I went round on sat to be greeted by a lovely couple, I priced up the job and got it straight away then told that the regular guy charges £15 for 10 minutes on the glass. Like i said the neighbours are calling me in.
I am not the type of guy to steal work of someone but I do feel his charges are on the high side.
 I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

[Neil Williams]

I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

There's nothing wrong with that. Doing 3 houses in one hit is more time productive than doing 3 houses with pack up moves in between.

[Window Washers]

just had a call from a new custie after going to a neighbour on sat, they say the regular w/c is charging to much.
I went round on sat to be greeted by a lovely couple, I priced up the job and got it straight away then told that the regular guy charges £15 for 10 minutes on the glass. Like i said the neighbours are calling me in.
I am not the type of guy to steal work of someone but I do feel his charges are on the high side.
 I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

you clearly need to learn a few things  : you can get at least £80 an hour ask Matt, he has a hippy van, sure he will post later as i think hes on 100

[jezzie]

I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

There's nothing wrong with that. Doing 3 houses in one hit is more time productive than doing 3 houses with pack up moves in between.

neil i agree that having three houses in a row is ideal but when the custie starts pulling you to bits your days are numbered. do you really think £50 per hour is justified,

[AuRavelling79]

I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

There's nothing wrong with that. Doing 3 houses in one hit is more time productive than doing 3 houses with pack up moves in between.

neil i agree that having three houses in a row is ideal but when the custie starts pulling you to bits your days are numbered. do you really think £50 per hour is justified,

Yes - if you do a good job.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

There's nothing wrong with that. Doing 3 houses in one hit is more time productive than doing 3 houses with pack up moves in between.

neil i agree that having three houses in a row is ideal but when the custie starts pulling you to bits your days are numbered. do you really think £50 per hour is justified,

Jez I am sure you wouldn't be moaning if YOU were earning £50 per hour!
3 customers in one hour would make it 20mins per job, I would be charging £10-£15 per job.
I charge £10 for a 3bed semi myself, and they only take 10 mins to clean. AM I robbing my customers?
If I was that window cleaner I would be grateful to have rid if she's a penny pincher.


Matt

[Murdie window cleaning]

I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

There's nothing wrong with that. Doing 3 houses in one hit is more time productive than doing 3 houses with pack up moves in between.

neil i agree that having three houses in a row is ideal but when the custie starts pulling you to bits your days are numbered. do you really think £50 per hour is justified,

Jezzie, unless the other cleaner held a gun to the head of that customer then he did every thing correct. He quoted HIS price and obviously the custie agreed, now of course customers can shop around as is there rite. But for you to come on here and almost acuse him of robbing these custies is a disgrace.

Quote your price by all means, but don't critisise others for trying to make a decent living.

[outdoor restore]

just had a call from a new custie after going to a neighbour on sat, they say the regular w/c is charging to much.
I went round on sat to be greeted by a lovely couple, I priced up the job and got it straight away then told that the regular guy charges £15 for 10 minutes on the glass. Like i said the neighbours are calling me in.
I am not the type of guy to steal work of someone but I do feel his charges are on the high side.
 I reckon he was doing three houses together and charging about £45/50 per hour

Presumably when the regular wc got the customers they were happy with the price!!  They only believe that he is charging too much because you have priced it lower!!
If the only reason they have changed cleaner, is lower price, then be careful of the next wc who canvasses them and offers a lower price than you, cos they'll be off.
You're pricing is your business, but personally I would never suggest another WC prices are on the high side, I would use their pricing to raise mine in that area.

[Neil Williams]

neil i agree that having three houses in a row is ideal but when the custie starts pulling you to bits your days are numbered. do you really think £50 per hour is justified,

Well it depends on how you look at it.
The nature of the job is that it is unskilled, no training required, no qualifications needed so that can easily be seen as a £7/hour profession.
Now if you add in all the extras, reliability, uniformed, sign written vehicle, e-mail/phone to notify customers, payment by other means other than cash on the day, insurances, fuel costs, accreditations, etc etc etc then you should be able to charge £50/hour in some situations. Then tell the customer you have to pay income tax and NI on anything left and then they realise they can't have it for £7/hour. Well they can if they want to fuel the black economy which in turn results in higher taxes for those left to pay it.

[JRDEasiReach]

I have a row of 3 houses which get charged £15 a pop am i robbing those custies, first cleans took nearly an hour each as they were bad but still they were domestics and now the frames are in good shape it will take me less than half the time the next time i go there, dont think its right to have a pop at someone elses prices.