[Simon Carter]

I want to put some kind of leaflet together designed to inform existing clients of a price increase from their next clean & would appreciate some help with the wording.
I'm usually pretty good at this sort of thing I like to think, but I'm struggling on this occassion. It needs to be polite, offering some justification, without having a like it or lump it feel to it.

[gaza]

simon: when was the last price rise?

 gaza

[The Bear]

Gaza has a point, if your last price rise was more than 18 months ago then use this a leverage.

Dear Customer,

We are currently reviewing our price structure.

For many this will result in an increase in prices, for a few the increase will be substantial.

This price increase will bring you in-line with which we are charging already and means that we will continue to clean your house, rather than abandoning you for more lucrative business.

Our last increase was 18 months ago and we will review our charges in 18 months time.

Your new price will be:

Outside house £
Outside Conserv £
Inside house £
Inside Conserv £

This price is based on calling every *weeks.

We hope this is to your satisfaction,

Yours

Simon Carter


By suggesting some will go up substantialy, they may be relieved theirs hasn't.
personally I dont think you need to justify too much, it looks desprate.

Hope this helps

The Bear

[williamx]

Simon

Explain that you have to increase your prices to cover the rising cost of living and that because they are excisting clients and you valve their business you will only be charging them 50% of that rise,but new customers will have to pay the full 100% of the price rise.

[Simon Carter]

Helpful stuff. Like the idea of saying the increase is just to bring them into line with current pricing that reflects our increased costs. That's justification without appearing desperate or avericious.
Cheers

[The Bear]

Be careful about claiming it's just cost of living increase as this limits the amount you will ever be able to increase by.

Plus you will get the comment that their wages havn't gone up by that much.

[UBA1]

Gaza has a point, if your last price rise was more than 18 months ago then use this a leverage.

Dear Customer,

We are currently reviewing our price structure.

For many this will result in an increase in prices, for a few the increase will be substantial.

This price increase will bring you in-line with which we are charging already and means that we will continue to clean your house, rather than abandoning you for more lucrative business.

Our last increase was 18 months ago and we will review our charges in 18 months time.

Your new price will be:

Outside house £
Outside Conserv £
Inside house £
Inside Conserv £

This price is based on calling every *weeks.

We hope this is to your satisfaction,

Yours

Simon Carter


By suggesting some will go up substantialy, they may be relieved theirs hasn't.
personally I dont think you need to justify too much, it looks desprate.

Hope this helps

The Bear

Good reply

[Paul Coleman]

I want to put some kind of leaflet together designed to inform existing clients of a price increase from their next clean & would appreciate some help with the wording.
I'm usually pretty good at this sort of thing I like to think, but I'm struggling on this occassion. It needs to be polite, offering some justification, without having a like it or lump it feel to it.

I am currently increasing most of my prices too.
I will paste in how *I* have worded mine.
I have used my usual headed business notepaper (which I print myself).

It reads:

QUOTE

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


END QUOTE

The document formatting has been lost by pasting it in.  I write in the new price by hand.
I'm sure my wording could be improved upon.  If the customer is out when I clean, I just leave a bill (at the current price of course) and staple the price increase notification to it.  If they are in, I just inform them verbally.

[The Bear]

Good letter.

[windows_chepstow]

This price increase will bring you in-line with which we are charging already and means that we will continue to clean your house, rather than abandoning you for more lucrative business.

This line looks very similar to one I've heard somewhere.

[The Bear]

Ah yes... well....whats that line about standing on the sholders of giants.

[The Bear]

Found it.

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/862.html

[gaza]

hI FORUM:JUST TOLD MY CUSTOMERS ITS GOING UP A SQUID
in doing so lost 5 gained 12 +6 even higher priced  than normal[ today] SAT [GOD IS THAT THE TIME]
in doing so gave myself a 100 squid + a week pay rise

Im beginning to think they will spend 5+squid to have their car washed in less than 10 mins so they have to pay me pro rata.

wish I was on 30 squid an hr.

MY MATES CAR WASH TURN OVER IS 120 GRAND  + A YEAR

my moto is [thanks to this forum now is] BE BIG, BE BRAVE,BIG INCREASE,BIG CAR,BIG HOLIDAYS, BIGGER TAX BILL
GAZA

 

[The Bear]

Go Gaza

[The Bear]

Just produced this for some customers.

Comments please


Dear Customer,

I am writing to inform you of a few changes we will be making with regards to the service we offer.

For most nothing will change, however for others this will necessitate a price change.

The changes are as follows:

We will introduce a minimum charge of £5.00 per house
Due to a recent Health & Safety Directive, we will have to take extra precautions when working at heights, this will mean a price increase for any work above aprox 4m
Any work which is isolated and requires driving to and from for a single house will have a minimum charge of £10.00
All prices will reflect our current price structure

I would like to apologise for any who have recently had a price change, but due to customer demand and new H&S regulations, it is  necessary.

Your new price will be: £

Many Thanks

[The Bear]

Have you guys gone to sleep or am I boring

I bet you all talk to real people, like your wives, don't you.

[Thecleanerservice]

Bob Dylan once said "You can be in my dream if I can be in yours".
He said that after quoting Abraham Lincoln "Half the people are part right some of the time, but all the people can't be right all the time"

Seriously, good presentation for price increase.  I would only add, when discussing price increases with customers, fewer words the better.  We don't have to apologise.  You go to a shop buy something... it's gone up!  No apology, no explanation.  We're not that brutal, we're your friendly window cleaner, we'll explain why...BUT in as few words as possible.  What do you think?
PJ

[The Bear]

Thanks for that.

One reason I send a letter is because I do talk too much!

With this letter there will be no other explaination.

[Thecleanerservice]

Good point.  No discussion.  Job done.
Pj

[The Bear]

Gaza has a point, if your last price rise was more than 18 months ago then use this a leverage.

Dear Customer,

We are currently reviewing our price structure.

For many this will result in an increase in prices, for a few the increase will be substantial.

This price increase will bring you in-line with which we are charging already and means that we will continue to clean your house, rather than abandoning you for more lucrative business.

Our last increase was 18 months ago and we will review our charges in 18 months time.

Your new price will be:

Outside house £
Outside Conserv £
Inside house £
Inside Conserv £

This price is based on calling every *weeks.

We hope this is to your satisfaction,

Yours

Plagurised form Tosh


By suggesting some will go up substantialy, they may be relieved theirs hasn't.
personally I dont think you need to justify too much, it looks desprate.

Hope this helps

The Bear