[RPCCS]

I've been in the trade 18.5 yrs last3 months wfp,and I see most of you seem to be making loads more than me , even though some have been trading less than me.
   My customers are loyal and I wouldn't want to ditch any of them, I increase prices every couple of years ,but sometimes struggle to make £80/day. With wfp I had started to notice an increase then fell off ladder and been off for 5 weeks.
   My charges are mostly less than £10 per house but there's no way of increasing to a proper price without going up by quite a few £, which people will just say no way, thats too much of a hike,on ur bike.
You may say go out and canvas but I don't want to take on more work somewhere else bcos that = more collecting/travelling, so if I expand the existing areas how can I justify £10-15 for a new job when nxt door is only paying £4-5? any advice appreciated

[Captain Scarlet]

Well I think you have already found your problem:

My charges are mostly less than £10 per house but there's no way of increasing to a proper price without going up by quite a few £, which people will just say no way,

But dont worry, you might think your customers wouldnt accept a price rise, but I reckon you would be suprised at just how high you can charge for Window Cleaning these days. Either boost your prices or canvass new work.

And DONT collect, leave a SAE instead. Luke

[dai]

I increased my prices by 50% on some estates, and told them I would do them every 8 weeks instead of 4. Most went along with that without a problem, explain that their actual window cleaning costs will be 25% less over the year.
My pride took a knock last week when a young guy who had only been on his own for 4 years had had to go VAT registered. 63K a year as a sole trader! where the hell have I gone wrong.

[Captain Scarlet]

My pride took a knock last week when a young guy who had only been on his own for 4 years had had to go VAT registered. 63K a year as a sole trader!

Thats me Dai, how did you know?!!!!! Luke

[pingu]

RPWC being a bit of a newbie I feel a tad odd giving advice to an 'old sweat' such as yourself but 80 per day I feel can be increased...granted there is alot of dreamers on this forum with regard to earnings...but in the same breath there are many who are geniunely turning over a very 'nice' daily rate...

As you well know it's all just a numbers game...if you are trying to increase that daily take...use this summer as a test to your self and try a few new area's and see what happens....

As for expanding in your existing area's...just give it a whirl and see what reactions you get....if you don't try, you'll never know...

Cheers
Dave.

[steve m]

what youve got to look at is where in the country these 'earners' are.  My average price is £20.00, but the area will stand it, if I was doing the local council estate I would be lucky to get £10.00 per house.I have two houses  14 miles away that are £150.00 a house, one owned by a guy earning over  50 million a year, and thats IS the truth

[Ian W]

Simply put your prices up.

If you put them up by 50% you could lose more than a quarter of your customers and still make the same amount of money. (I am not suggesting you should put them up by 50% though!  ) You should be able to come up with a suitable increase using your local knowledge of your area.

Remember, you are running a business and you have to ensure the future of that business.

[RPCCS]

thanks guys, will give it some thought .

[windolene]

Hi,

I have learnt if you want big money target big houses.

Kevin WINDOLENE.

[RPCCS]

Its not that I want big money Kevin, just better money for the work I do, I'd be well happy with £120-150 per

[d s windowcleaning]

we all have good days and bad theres not many on here who can say they earn the good days rate day in day out , rough with the smooth for me been happy for the last 11 years 

[dai]

The problem is mate your like me, too many long standing customers, you know some of them are on fixed incomes and struggling to manage. You can't put the prices up for some in the same street and not for others.
How under priced are they? well a good test is to look at the job as if your giving a new quote in a different area, and see how much price difference there would be.
All my new work is priced at a pound a window, I have loads of old stuff that comes nowhere near this.
Through having a compact round I usually manage to earn your target, but I work bloody hard for it.

[steve.ternent]

  I was on another thread, Nathanael Jones is asking for a form for increasing the prices!

Maybe you could use this format...  

Dear MR TUMBLE

I am writing to inform you of an inevitable price increase to my window cleaning service.

Please let e reassure you , you are a valued customer, and I would not like to lose your custom.

Now to the all important price increase.
    
Your current price is:-

£22

New Price

£30

This is a large increase, I am sure you will agree!
However, I am willing to offer a Bi-Monthly cleaning Service... in essence keeping your outgoings the same (or less) over that two month period!...This might be an option  you choose to consider!

New Bi-Monthly Price

£35

Below are A series of options for you to choose from:-

I would be very grateful if you could complete the slip on the bottom of this page and return to me
 A.S.A.P. (as soon as possible),  Alternatively you can inform me by Telephone.

If I do not receive instruction to the contrary I will assume you are happy for me to continue this service at the New (monthly) price.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MR TUMBLE
TELEVISION HOUSE

[    ]   Yes I am in agreement with the above price increase.  Thank-you,  please call again.
[    ]   Yes I am in agreement with the above price increase, However I would like the Bi-Monthly Option please.
[    ]   No, I am not in agreement with the above price increase.  Thank-you, please do not call again.


Yes you will lose some, others will plump for Bi-monthly cleans
the rest will stay loyal!!      

I did this and I was glad I did!  :

[steve.ternent]

Well I think you have already found your problem:

My charges are mostly less than £10 per house but there's no way of increasing to a proper price without going up by quite a few £, which people will just say no way,

But dont worry, you might think your customers wouldnt accept a price rise, but I reckon you would be suprised at just how high you can charge for Window Cleaning these days. Either boost your prices or canvass new work.

And DONT collect, leave a SAE instead. Luke

Forgot to agree with this advice

Don't collect leave a slip and SAE instead... saves hours unpaid collections!!!  :

[Clive McDonald]

I can tell that you are a really genuine guy RPWC. What lUKE says is true (envelopes), what Dai says is true (prices). One has been doing it four months, the other most of his life.

This question has been asked before, by people in a similar position. to you.And the people who ask never really like the answer.


The answer that no likes, no one accepts, boils down to low self esteem.

I have never been able to help anybody, and for you to help yourself is going to take guts,

[shaun Collier]

rpwc...i am just getting back into ladder work. i just bought unbelievably hard work...leaded front back side, 3 storey with drives falling the wrong way and i am earning over £125 with an extra 3 stone and unfit legs. been out canvassing and picked up quite bit..i want to earn min £25 per hour or whats the point, so i divide that by how many houses i think i can get thru an hour and thats what i charge. if your straight with customers and tell em your finding it hard to earn a decent living they will be fine as long as you do a good job, wiping sills, detailing and no skipping, putting a leaflet thru door everytime you clean with how many cleans since last payment and how much etc etc. when i did it 7 years ago i used to buy work that needed increasing cheap, then i would increase it by loads but i was willing to lose upto 50%, but you know i never lost one customer, i used to say that the last bloke sold coz he couldn't make a living and guaranteed not to put prices up again

hope it helps

[RPCCS]

Any new work I get is going to be priced at £1/window min.
Once fuel prices increase in Oct I'm sticking a min of £1-3 on each job, I'm fed up of working for beer money and I do a decent jb and I'm reliable so its about time I had a decent return for my services.At least no one can disagree that living/motoring costs have increased dramatically this year, so I do have good reason for increase.
    Trouble is w/c ing still has a stigma attatched to it people expect it to be cheap

[shaun Collier]

rpwc,

just one thing tho...when you do increase be prepared to be confident and tough, if you dither then they get you to reduce and be chuffed, if you don't have a confident manner then do it by letter with an option to ring you.

cheers and good luck

its a hard job and you should expect to earn a living.

[RPCCS]

rpwc,

just one thing tho...when you do increase be prepared to be confident and tough, if you dither then they get you to reduce and be chuffed , if you don't have a confident manner then do it by letter with an option to ring you.

cheers and good luck

its a hard job and you should expect to earn a living.

Oh I'm gonna be tough alright Shaun, no more mr nice window cleaner

[shaun Collier]

lets us know how it goes

shaun