[Sarah Sarill]

Unusually for  me, I am struggling with the wroding for a price increase letter for commercial customers.

This letter will be going out with their March Invoices so neither of us will be seeing the decisions makers who often are at different premises.

To make matters worse some of them have not had an increase for over 3 years or more.

I have almost finished the letter wherin I have attempted to justify these increases and talked about our taring history and the new WAHD, but cant get the wording right for the last paragraph.

This is how it stands :-

Despite annual increases from all our suppliers, particularly on Petrol and insurance charges and considerable investment in equipment and training we have not had any price increases since 1999 and have no option but to increase the cost of cleaning your property  to £XXX.XX  per clean with effect from April  2006.

We have not passed on any increases to you since 2001 and as a business hope you understand why they have been necessary.

Thank you for your loyalty over the past X years and we look forward to providing you with a first class service for many years to come.

This has been constructed using my experience in selling ie benefit - cost - benefit but I am not happy it will do the job.

Have you guys/girls ever  sent these out and have you any suggestions ?

Once completed, I will, of course, post it in the documents section. 

Thanks,

Sarah

[Moderator David@stives]

Sarah

I never tell them ,i just send the invoice with the new price on it and have never had any come back.And in recent years i have put the prices up by at least 10% per year.
If you are giving good value i would not worry,they will tell you if you have gone too expensive.

When my accountant sends me his bill it is always dearer than the year before,but he never notifies me ,i just get the bill.

[steve massey]

Hi Sarah,

I found this under a diffrent post i think shiner posted it origanaly

Below I have pasted in the wording from a document I made up when I last increased prices (with my contact details omitted)..  Feel free to use/adapt any of the wording as you wish.  Please note that pasting the document into this message causes it to lose its formatting.

"
RE: PRICE INCREASE FOR WINDOW CLEANING

   Dear Customer,

   In order to maintain a viable service, it has become necessary for me to increase most prices as from my next visit.  In some cases I have not increased my prices for a number of years.  Although I appreciate that the official inflation rate has been consistently low for some time, the actual increases in the costs of running a small business have been rather higher.

   Therefore, from my next visit, I propose an increase in price for the window cleaning to:

£


   I believe that this figure represents fair value and I understand that it compares reasonably with other window cleaners who are also running a proper business (as opposed to window cleaners who only show up a few times then disappear).

   Thank you for your custom.

Best wishes

[dish]

Hi Sarah

Re-worded it a little:

Dear

I am sure that you are aware that over the recent years we have made considerable investments in training and equipment in order to offer our customers superior standards in cleaning and reliability.   In addition, our operating costs have increased considerably; mainly due to significant rises in the price of petrol, but also due to insurance.  We have also absorbed additional materials costs from our suppliers.

It has therefore become necessary for us to increase our prices.  As from April 2006 the new price for the xxx cleaning of your property will be £ xxx.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your valued custom over the past xxx years and trust that you will find this an acceptable increase which will allow us to continue to provide you with a first class service.

Yours …..

[dish]

Sarah


I have just noticed that I have put I, we and us in there.  Needs to be all singular or plural for consitency. All I's or We's not a mixture of the two.

Many apologies

All the best

Sharon

[Sarah Sarill]

Thanks all,

I do feel obligated to write to them on this occassion but will include a final paragraph to notify them that automatic increases will take effect at the start of each new financial year, however I feel it good practice to give them warning this time as they most certainly wont be expecting it.  :

Will work on it later and post my copy.

Dont you think its funny how paragraphs that  have the same content but in a different order and different phrasing come across to the reader in a totally different attitude.

Its nice to see how others approach a written task such as this.  Me i am very formal and quite direct in my written style so will have to look at rounding it a bit.

Sarah

[JohnL]

I would also consider inserting after  . . . not passed on any increases to you since 2001 . . . and have worked extremely hard to absorb these increased costs over the years. . . . . . etc etc

JohnL

[Sarah Sarill]

Thanks all,

A copy of this letter has been posted in the documents to download section.  Adapt it to suit your needs but hope it helps when its your turn 

Sarah

[dai]

Hi Sarah, You could consider some along these lines. Dai

We have, through cost cutting and more efficient management, been able to hold our prices for many years.
However, due to recent changes in the law, and to fully comply with the new working at height legislation, we have had to invest heavily in new equipment and training of our operatives.
This expense, along with our additional expenses in fuel and insurance premiums are costs we can no longer absorb.
We therefore feel that in order to keep our business viable, we have no alternative other than to increase our prices.

[dish]

Sarah

I have checked out your final letter.

I really appreciate your contributions and think you deserve a very public THANK YOU!.

Sharon

[Sarah Sarill]

My pleasure Sharon,

I remember, as a Newbie, we were asking questions at a rate of knots.  No one got frustrated with us and it was only because of help on this very forum that we eventually took the final wfp plunge.

It makes you want to give back in the hope it may help someone.

Thanks for your kind comments and indeed your input to the letter itself.

Sarah

[JohnL]

nicely reworked Sarah

JohnL

[Sarah Sarill]

Use a few words of yours too so thanks John. 

Sarah

[Spoonbill1970]

Hello Sarah,

Nice document, well worded.

I think all the kisses at the foot of the letter will make the price increase more palatable to your customer!

Thanks,

Jonathan

[Sarah Sarill]

Hi Johnathan,

I do try to exploit my obvious charms you know - anything for more money me - LOL

Thanks,

Sarah

[sunshine windows]

Tut tut Sarah,

Have you not been watching the Apprentice. Most people find it unacceptable for females in business to exploit their sexuality in order to gain a more favourable postition in their profession.

Personally though, i'd be loving the attention. 

Sunshine

[Sarah Sarill]

Another fan I take it.  Am just loving this years bunch, especially the arogant male who has made such a good impression on me Iv'e forgotten his name 

Dont know if I would want to work for the 'Sugar'  but would like to have a go at some of those tasks.  And what a load of rubbish those calendars were eh !!

I have a vision you know - its a w/c calendar but every time I mention it, no-one offers their services 

Have a good day, hugs, cuddles, kisses (is it working ?  would you buy our service ? ) 

Sarah

[Chris Cottrell]

Am just loving this years bunch, especially the arogant male who has made such a good impression on me Iv'e forgotten his name 

??

[JM123]

The fact that you have taken the time to write to them and explain your reasons will often be enough