I just don’t get where this “we’re all doomed” attitude is coming from.
I have a very normal customer base, not all mansions with millionaires (though I have a few)
I have had about 4 cancellations in the last four months, but 68 new customers. 3 of which were yesterday alone.
In my experience, people don’t view our service as an unnecessary luxury, like some on here are saying. YOU might see it that way, but THEY don’t!
My gardener charges £25 every fortnight. Absolute bargain to me because it HAS to be done, and if my time is way more valuable than that £25. It would take me longer, and I’d do a worse job than him because he’s a pro and has all the correct equipment.
It’s the same with us. Customers see it as paying for itself. They don’t just see accepting dirty windows as an option, the alternative to paying a window cleaner is doing it themselves, taking ages and dangerous. Their time is simply more valuable than the £15 or £20.
And they aren’t as worried about the cost of living as you may think.
People know how hard it is to find a good, reliable window cleaner who doesn’t look like they’ll burgle the house, plus it is a PERSONAL service. Unlike Sky or Tesco etc, they know you, they’ve met you and talked to you. It’s a totally different dynamic to a faceless company who they’ll happily drop.
Plus, don’t forget this important factor; bills are going up, but so are wages. People who are employed are asking for (and getting) pay rises due to inflation. Businesses are (like mine) are passing their increased costs on. My own cost increases (including an inflationary pay rise for my employee) has been fully covered by price increases.
A friend of mine, for example, works for a manufacturing company. They’ve just given all their staff a 6% pay rise, with a commitment to review salaries every 3 months to keep them in line with inflation.
It’s not simply a matter of people having less money.
AND it’s looking like they’re gonna freeze energy prices now anyway.
So, chill the heck out. You’ll give yourself a heart attack if you keep panicking.
