[dave f]

any one think that window cleaning  prices will ever drop  due to ever amounting influx of new shiners??? I'm only asking because I thought I was cheap   recently a window cleaner canvassed part of  my round the price he gave was stupidly low to the point  desperation.

[Tom White]

No.  I don't think people want desperate shiners.  Look respectable, have some decent social skills, be friendly and do an acceptable job and you won't lose customers.

A few years back some Polish guy was sticking leaflets through some of my customers offering to do their houses for £7.00; I was charging - fairly - £20+ for these houses.  I lost none.

Then there was 'Mr 50% off guy' who did a massive leaflet campaign (nice leaflet too) offering half price cleans for three cleans, and then a cheap rate after and although I did see this guy working around for about six months, I lost no customers and I haven't seen him around in a year-or-two.

My point is, don't worry; you'll be fine.

[VERNE]

 No matter how much you charge some (MODDED for reported swearing)  will all ways offer to do it cheaper  if you are good and reliable then your customers will tend to stick with you

[Shrek]

Up your game , not everyone in the north east of England is poor and wants some chav cleaning their windows for £5 , branch out , concentrate on the higher end of the market where people have money

[SeanK]

All depends where you work, if your in an area where the prices have been inflated due to the lack of decent cheaper competition
then there's certainly the chance of prices dropping in the future.
That said most of us will have started in areas that have already been saturated and prices long set, I charge higher than most
in my area but I don't get it because I target customers who get a thrill from paying more than they need to or want to make my life easier, I get it because I offer more for the money which I would find hard if not impossible to do if charging a cheaper price.

[dazmond]

it always happens every year where i work(mainly affluent areas)at least 5 or 6 times a year.only ever lost one or two to cheaper cleaners.

dont worry about it and just keep your service reliable,trustworthy and friendly.

[EandM]

A customer pointed out to me yesterday that I hadn't raised my price for a number of years. The point is that it's profitable enough already.

[Shrek]

A customer pointed out to me yesterday that I hadn't raised my price for a number of years. The point is that it's profitable enough already.

Do you charge £5 a house?

[Nick Day]

As said above, just stick to your guns and give the customers a good job and good service and they will stay loyal, you might lose the odd 1 or 2 but that's life. Commercial though is a different kettle of fish!

[nathankaye]

It helps if you have an established round and non customers also take note of you.
Continue to work effectively and professionally and you will continue to grow, dispite the probable underhand tactics of new shiners.
Build a relationship with your customers as well so they get to know you and you them. (An emotional attachment grows) This will build to you having something new shiners wont.........trust and reliability.

Some yrs ago, i saw an influx of new cheaper than cheap shiners come into my areas. Plenty of my customers told ne about their campaigns etc and it boiled down to the fact, they trusted me to look through their windows (traditionally worked back then) and to know when they were out etc etc, rather than these new shiners asking for silly prices.

[Smurf]

There will always be cleaners cheaper than you no matter how low or high you set your prices.

There are plenty that still charge less than what the job is really worth in today’s money. Which in turn has priced conditioned a lot of people over the years so they expect cheaper prices.

I call these customer types "living in the past" or "tight arses" and to be honest you are better off without them. Instead concentrate on building a profitable business of well paying customers.

[cgh window cleaning]

It may not effect work you already have but long term I Belive the amount of people doing this could  slow prices down.
With equipment being cheaper wfp and window cleaning has never appealed to so many .

My area is saturated with window cleaners and I have noticed  a slow down in new enquires and work being picked up as opposed to say 5 years ago.

New starters with half full rounds have time and the need for more work so if a customer is shopping around the more established may lose to these guys.

[dave f]

agree cgh  I'm in no way worried  it just beggars belief I do ok for   a single  cleaner  compared to some I have come across. like I have said before since wfp as come about  more and more people changing over and guys who have jumped on the band wagon  around me any ways work is slowing down ;

[8weekly]

Most people don't shop around. Most people will stay if you do a decent job and are reliable. The cheap cleaners tend to work the council estates. Leave them to it.

[Nick Day]

It surprises me when you go around at how many bad wfp cleaners there are about!! You can see spots and runs on the windows but they still leave them like it!!

[Tosh]

Most people don't shop around. Most people will stay if you do a decent job and are reliable. The cheap cleaners tend to work the council estates. Leave them to it.

All very true.

[nathankaye]

Most people don't shop around. Most people will stay if you do a decent job and are reliable. The cheap cleaners tend to work the council estates. Leave them to it.

All very true.

+1
I was speaking to a good friend the other day, and we touched on window cleaners. Her comment is relevant to this debate, simply put;
"When youve found a good cleaner, you dont want to let go of them"

[EandM]

A customer pointed out to me yesterday that I hadn't raised my price for a number of years. The point is that it's profitable enough already.

Do you charge £5 a house?

Nothing under a tenner.
House in question was £35 or about a £ per minute - it was enough.

[SeanK]

Most people don't shop around. Most people will stay if you do a decent job and are reliable. The cheap cleaners tend to work the council estates. Leave them to it.

All very true.

+1
I was speaking to a good friend the other day, and we touched on window cleaners. Her comment is relevant to this debate, simply put;
"When youve found a good cleaner, you dont want to let go of them"

She sounds like a bit of a Cougar.

[nathankaye]

Unless u consider 29 a cougar