[NBwcs]

Just wondered if anyone had started to tell custys of any impending price rise yet and if so , how did it go down? Not put mine up for 3 years, manage to talk myself out of it each year, with the influx of "newbies", economic climate etc. But then i look at the "oldies" and see the consequences of not putting prices up, ie working for much less than id care to. Decided on just a small 50p increase for 4 weeklys and £1 for the few 8 weeklys i have . Some im not touching at all, no point in possibly spoiling a good thing. Told my first one today of a £1 increase from April and wasnt prepared for the strengh of feeling i received. Not a happy bunny at all, going up from £12 to £13, you,d think id mugged her! She wouldnt let go of the fact that her husband hasnt had a pay rise hence I shoulnt .Pretty unreasonable but guess this is going to be the crux of  a lot of peoples objections. Not lost her yet but will be amazed if she doesnt cancel next time round. So many windys prepared to do very cheap work locally. So hows it going for you? 

[Wc Solutions]

your trying to run a business! not a charity! price goes up they dont like then they have to look else where!

yes this will always be someone cheaper but a lower price normally means lower quality.

eg baked beans from lidl or m&s ....

i always do a price review every 2 years and i explain to the customer that the prices are going up not so much to improve profit levels as more to stay in business with fuel increases ...

i never let the customers tell me the price!

[richard jagger]

Tell the mean tart you have not had a increase for three years and really had a drop in salary the increase in fee is only to pay for fuel increases and other expenses and will not even make up for the 3 years rise of expenses which you absorbed on her behalf.
If you are going to have increases always prepare by thinking of what custie will say and try to solve them with a good answer before talk to them.The more you practice these answers the better you will come out a winner but never,never stand with a mouth full of teeth,or gob smacked.  

[NBwcs]

She wasnt prepared to listen to reason, I more than justifyed it, but she had a bee in her  bonnet. Money or lack of it does stange things to people. Had a couple of custys in the past who coulnt be honest and say they were hard up but instead tried to make out i was coming more regularly than arranged which was utter bollox, and cancelled.

[bobby p]

 realizing how much my van now costs to fill her up

  i was a tad underpriced anyway so this Jan decided what the heck ,jack em up by 1.50 ,2, 3 quid . a few whinged but im still under what the big boy charges  and if they cancel so be it .none have .   im about to be trawling for fresh anyway 

[richard jagger]

Unfortunately you will need customers for can afford you services. Ask if she would like to cancel and work away. Most time they just want to give some one a go. There are people out there with money .Not every one has lost there job. Increases are just part of business.

[Spruce]

Hi Nick

I'm not superstitious but maybe your customer is.
 
I have a few £12.00 prices that need to be increased. I would have no problem making them £13.00 but haven't yet because of this.
I feel that £14.00 is too much of a jump.

However, I do have a £12.00 job that the customer always pays me an additional £1.00 as she says I do a good job. Is this superstition in another form?

Spruce

[Newannaive]

who's the big boy?

[steve rix]

Antone like me having to charge 20 percent va bloody t on top

[Paul Coleman]

She wasnt prepared to listen to reason, I more than justifyed it, but she had a bee in her  bonnet. Money or lack of it does stange things to people. Had a couple of custys in the past who coulnt be honest and say they were hard up but instead tried to make out i was coming more regularly than arranged which was utter bollox, and cancelled.

I wouldn't even try to justify by speaking to them.
I just print out a load of information letters and hand them out.
I do tell them face to face if they are in but I won't get into any real dialogue about it.

[david thomas]

Don't speak to them increase prices via letter,

[dazmond]

i made the mistake of not putting prices up for years on some of my estate work.its very compact so i do ok but  i could be making more money on this work.i put most up a £1 last year but they need another rise.some are still only £5-£6!these are small 3 bed semis.

i did lose 3 customers.one id cleaned  for 15 years and she cancelled over a quid!this was a small 3 bedder with a conny!i put them up to £6 from £5!still well underpriced!she had a go at me saying shes not getting a pay rise so why should i?the other two cancelled over a 50p rise! : : :


good riddance to them!i dont want to work for tossers like that.luckily ive got a lot of varied other work that is much better priced so it balances out.

i will be raising around 150 accounts in april.i will probably lose a few but not nearly enough to worry about.

im very well established and im the best window cleaner in my area by a mile!some people will have me cleaning for a fiver for the next 20 years if i let them!! :


you will get a lot of customers moaning but they usually just cough up the next month and nothing more is said about it!

[PAIN IN THE GLASS]

I find its the more wealthier custy's that complain about it more. And the ones that scrimp and save don't mind and understand.
I recently put my youth football team's fee up by 50p you shud ave heard the uproar with the so called high flyers.. Anyone would have thought I shot them. :

[jay kingston]

Yes I've decided to put my prices up.I held back last year,like alot of you guys the work becomes underpriced and you start resenting those jobs,so I started telling my customers from last week.Most have gone up £1.00 some £2.00 and the reaction so far has been positive.No one has cancelled - YET.It's tough times for everyone but realistically if people value your services I think most will take it on the chin unless they are really struggling or have been made redundant.

Jay

[Small but perfectley formed]

We increased ours last year had some cancel over 40p increase in 7yrs.Other £1 increase cancelled .
Toss@rs!

[dai]

GOOD NEWS, GOOD NEWS GOOD NEWS,GOOD NEWS,GOOD NEWS.

ACME WINDOW CLEANING ARE COMING TO YOUR AREA.
We do a first class job, and guarantee no price increase for three years.
We have looked at your property and can clean your windows for the amazingly low price of £[ Insert their present price plus 50%] per monthly clean.
This is a limited time offer, so call now on 1234567890.

Just print off some of these, and get someone to post through your customers door about a month before you hit them with your own increase.
I doubt you will get many moaners.

[Jackal]

cracking idea dai might just be worth doing 

[brianbarber]

If you don't put em up regularly, they become what I call.....
Grudge cleans........you get me?


MrB

[mileslake]

GOOD NEWS, GOOD NEWS GOOD NEWS,GOOD NEWS,GOOD NEWS.

ACME WINDOW CLEANING ARE COMING TO YOUR AREA.
We do a first class job, and guarantee no price increase for three years.
We have looked at your property and can clean your windows for the amazingly low price of £[ Insert their present price plus 50%] per monthly clean.
This is a limited time offer, so call now on 1234567890.

Just print off some of these, and get someone to post through your customers door about a month before you hit them with your own increase.
I doubt you will get many moaners.

What a fantastic idea