islwyn,
the first one was because the guy said he wanted 300 new customers, and had posts as far back as three years prior, so I got the impression that his prices must be low if he thinks he needs that many customers.
The other one wasn't so much about prices it was about a guy wanting to shed of 200 of his custies at 5x the price but could do the other 600 on his no probs, so I was just hinting that his prices must be quite low also.
However I have in the past took part in pricing poles, I even started one at one point, but it was more too see how much the prices on here really do vary, i.e. highlight how much bragging goes on.
I suppose that does make me a bit of a hypocrite for saying that we shouldn't, when I have in the past. However it is an opinion that I have formed over time and by experience, and admittedly not advice that I have always followed in the past. However I do intend to in the future.
For every pricing pole that I have read on here or taken part in, I have never went away feeling that I had been enlightened in any way what so ever. The prices quoted vary so much and I think it is because of a number of factors...
1. WFP cost more to run than trad
2. Speed of a window cleaner plays a large factor on what they have to charge - for instance some may get in every corner and some might be the terry burrows of this world and doing them while jogging past, drinking coffee.
3. Level of service also plays a part, for instance trad that does frames and sills, or trad that doesnt will have a different pricing structure
4. Then what about a team full of young lads on £3 an hour, or the experienced windies.
5. What equipement they carry or invest in, and not just water fed pole, the range of equipement they maintain and where they buy it from and at what cost is important for instance the expensive wc soaps, tescos white label fairy liquid.
6. Area also plays a part, Window cleaners in my town will have a smaller average that the inner city of london for instance.
7. THe type of jobs you do, if you do all large com biuldings, with cradles and absailers you will have a very different pricing structure to someone biulding up a small dommestic round.
So does pricing poles even help all those newbie window cleaners wanting to know what they should charge, no I dont really think so. It is always easy to charge what your compeditors charge and be led by the industry, or you can do your homework, and work out what it is going to cost you to offer your service and base your prices on that. If you just take it on what people say on here, you could end up making a loss, because you have charge to little, or not getting enough work because you have charged to much. So you should always try to have a better grasp of your own figures and business model as someone elses can be very different.
Oh sorry...
8. People just bragging, in an attempt to raise the customers willing to spend price, but inevitably causing allot to flock to the industry clueless to the reality of it.
I really like the 'turn over for vanity, profits for sanity' comment, it does say allot about people who talk about what they make in a day.
Also yes, I do like to use taxi drivers as a comparison to our industry, however different it may be. The window cleaning industry could go the exact same way, over run, with allot of people desperate to make a living working for too little.
However I would not say that is the industries fault, it is just the kind of times we are in. If you have a family to feed, do you take the £60 from the dole or what ever it is, or do you get up early go out and spend 12 hours a day 6 days a week sitting in a car, to put more food on the plate.
I would, and I have a great amount of respect for the hundred and thousands that do it every day. I think a big problem is the licensing system, and the fact that is is illegal for a company to fix prices, like the construction industry thing that was in the news not that long ago. But what about the taxi industry, the local councils set the tariffs and the hours they work, that is fix pricing as well, and look what has happened.
i think the real info that people are after is who makes the most(profit) and how do they do it. Is there someone they are missing out on, some magic technique that someone had trying and is laughing there way to the bank.
Lets face it, its not what people charge that many are intrested in, its how much more or less they are than you. Do I make more or could I get away with charging more. Forget about costs of running the business, how much can I make - I heard you can make a fortune window cleaning.
You heard wrong, if you charge too much your customers will soon send you packing, if you charge too little you wont make profits, and as more come we will all end up sitting in our van next to the taxi drivers.
At the end of the day we are all in it for money. If there is people flocking to the industry, its because there is not better alternative, but the ship can only hold so many before it sinks!
I read a book once about luxury, and the guy said something that rung very true to me, Its not the nice threads or the good leather, the logo or anything else, its having something that nobody else has, and have something that they want. Its status.
If you value yourself, and see that if you dont charge the decent price you will be better of in a shop, working behind a counter. Its safer, you will be dry and responability free.
Or you learn the true value of your time, and the ship will float.