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Customers price mentality

JBC88

Active member
Messages
145
Location
Yorkshire
Hi all

Iv been canvassing a new build estate this morning whilst cleaning for regular customers. The houses are all 4-5 bed detached houses worth at least 200k.

Iv been charging £15 first clean and £11 then on if monthly but didn't get anyone sign up. I mention how long I've been cleaning and that I clean all frames and doors each clean not just glass. I offer monthly or every other month. And promote direct debit as easiest way to pay.

Most people have said there's other cleaners who have called charging a lot less than me and some £9 or ,£10.

I find in general that despite how different you are from other cleaners (most don't offer direct debit except on here) the customers still think cheaper is better . It's hard to get people on board no matter how well off they are they just consider price.

I only see a difference when it's people asking me to clean Windows not me canvassing.

I know I'm prob one of dearest in Yorkshire but iv always set out to be that way as I think I offer more of a service compared to one's in area who just clean glass or only take cash.

How is it for you guys?

 
Not sure on prices in your area, but hear that sounds very reasonable/ if not a little low.

Is any one ells in Yorkshire ?

Last year I was canvasing an area and was actually the street that I grow up in,

all are three or four bed, charged between 12 and 15 on regular.

Well I had a lovely old girl answer the door and I had a walk round and thought ok OAP I'm in the street can probably put it on the end off the days round so lets say £10.00.... She looked like she was going to drop down, "no way" she said and that was that hahaha

I think some people respect are trade and really like having there windows cleaned, but unfortunately there are them that see it as easy graft for pocket money and these should be avoided at all costs.

 
Not sure on prices in your area, but hear that sounds very reasonable/ if not a little low.Is any one ells in Yorkshire ?

Last year I was canvasing an area and was actually the street that I grow up in,

all are three or four bed, charged between 12 and 15 on regular.

Well I had a lovely old girl answer the door and I had a walk round and thought ok OAP I'm in the street can probably put it on the end off the days round so lets say £10.00.... She looked like she was going to drop down, "no way" she said and that was that hahaha

I think some people respect are trade and really like having there windows cleaned, but unfortunately there are them that see it as easy graft for pocket money and these should be avoided at all costs.
10 to £11 4bed house sounds right for the lowest price for that kind of house that's in doncaster higher the bigger house you got

 
@JBC88 how do you feel when canvassing?

Things you could also do to impress is take a portfolio with you of work done, and wear an id badge. They won't expect that...will impress.

Pvg?

We have local window cleaning council licences up here. I wear my badge pinned to jumper when chapping . It's helped more than a few times.

Have a flier with a link to reviews...or something like that. If they are gona pay more than they say they have been,what more incentives can you bring to the table to interest this area?

How can you get their attention?

 
I find new builds are hard to get into - a lot of cleaners come by and normally first one in gets it.

Tried a new estate earlier this year. Catch the family on moving in day, still unloading their boxes from the van. Give them my pitch and she says: "We've already had 6 window cleaners ask us today, you're no 7!"

Anyway, I've since been offering a free clean or promotional price to get them to just say yes and not think about it. Once in the estate doing a good job and everyone's moved in its business as usual and I've got the whole area. Monopoly!!! :hehehe:

 
Can you afford to scrap the first clean fee and stand a better chance of grouping work together on this estate?

You'd then only be a quid or two dearer in their eyes.

 
Hi all
Iv been canvassing a new build estate this morning whilst cleaning for regular customers. The houses are all 4-5 bed detached houses worth at least 200k.

Iv been charging £15 first clean and £11 then on if monthly but didn't get anyone sign up. I mention how long I've been cleaning and that I clean all frames and doors each clean not just glass. I offer monthly or every other month. And promote direct debit as easiest way to pay.

Most people have said there's other cleaners who have called charging a lot less than me and some £9 or ,£10.

I find in general that despite how different you are from other cleaners (most don't offer direct debit except on here) the customers still think cheaper is better . It's hard to get people on board no matter how well off they are they just consider price.

I only see a difference when it's people asking me to clean Windows not me canvassing.

I know I'm prob one of dearest in Yorkshire but iv always set out to be that way as I think I offer more of a service compared to one's in area who just clean glass or only take cash.

How is it for you guys?
 
OP, your prices sound cheap even if you are expensive for your area.

I've been hitting the new build estates where I've just moved to. I picked up 3 just this Saturday on the latest estate to start building on. There's about 8 moved in on an 80 ish house estate. It took me maybe 10 minutes to pick these jobs up. One other had a quote, one other had my card and one other had got his mate to clean his windows (I'll have to be cute on this estate incase the other cleaner starts canvassing). Total for the 3 is £32 every 4 weeks, they will take me about 30/40 minutes to clean. I reckon I've picked up about 70 houses in my new area just by canvassing. Still loads of houses going up and all I have to do now is keep an eye on houses where people have just moved in and jump on them quick as I no longer need to knock every door.

You have to have keen pricing if you're canvassing new builds as it will be inevitable that other cleaners will come along and knock doors, custy is most of the time looking to save a few quid, so if you go in high priced you run the risk of losing a fair chunk of work. Keep the pricing keen and custy won't give a thought of dumping you, unless you do a :turd: job.

Always have a pen and a handful of flyers. Point out your name, email address and website on the flyer to put them at ease.

 
I'm in Yorkshire and charge min £20 for a 4/5 bed house, so your not expensive.

I think its psychological though, you knock on someone's door they think, this bloke obviously needs the work. if he needs the work he'll be cheap.

if someone walks up to you, or answers an ad the boots on the other foot, and you can just fit them in so their happy to pay what ever the price may be.

 
I find young people are willing to pay more, older people tend to think its still a fiver for a 4 bed detached!!
Yeah very true people I've spoken to today are prob mid aged but yeah old people are in a time warp but I think that's human nature. Sometimes I'm pricing up houses like a 3 bed semi with 7 Windows and I might charge ,£7-8 and think it's dear but I forget I was charging £5 back in 2004. Still it seems dear but prices have to go up or it ends up being a definate beer money job

 
10 to £11 4bed house sounds right for the lowest price for that kind of house that's in doncaster higher the bigger house you got
Glad you posted as I'm west Yorkshire so it sounds like the prices are standard. When I get experiences like that it makes me 2nd guess my pricing etc. But frustrates me too cos I wish people could consider the difference in service not just how much it costs

 
Glad you posted as I'm west Yorkshire so it sounds like the prices are standard. When I get experiences like that it makes me 2nd guess my pricing etc. But frustrates me too cos I wish people could consider the difference in service not just how much it costs
Just remember not everyone are going to like your prices it don't matter there's always the next new customer to come who will see that your charging right price for the service you give them. There will always be tight people who want somethings cheap or for a bargain no matter what. If they say your to expensive maybe they think your drop the price well don't that's the price you want not them

 
Can you afford to scrap the first clean fee and stand a better chance of grouping work together on this estate?
You'd then only be a quid or two dearer in their eyes.

Yeah I can afford to do that the only thing I don't like about that is that if the customer changes frequency to 8 weeks or 12 say you can't charge the extra it needs cos it's hard to justify when you cleaned the first time at same price.

 
The problem with new builds is every man and his dog go after them.

It's not unusual for a new build to get canvassed by 10 different window cleaners in the first month all trying to get in on that area and build a compact round some will go in really low to try and get in.

The customer will notice this they have the choice most just want a good job done cheap and don't forget most will be mortgaged up to the hilt to afford that nice detached new build with little spare money.

 
Customers always surprise me....

I quote a house and say it's £10 (front only) and they say "really? That's cheap, when can you start????"

When I ask them how much they thought it would be they say "I'm not sure, £20 or more....."

I go to their next door neighbour and they think £10 is expensive and That it should be a fiver!!!!!

What a contrast!!!

 
The problem with new builds is every man and his dog go after them.It's not unusual for a new build to get canvassed by 10 different window cleaners in the first month all trying to get in on that area and build a compact round some will go in really low to try and get in.

The customer will notice this they have the choice most just want a good job done cheap and don't forget most will be mortgaged up to the hilt to afford that nice detached new build with little spare money.
You'll find a good proportion rent/affordable housing on new builds theses days

 
The problem with new builds is every man and his dog go after them.It's not unusual for a new build to get canvassed by 10 different window cleaners in the first month all trying to get in on that area and build a compact round some will go in really low to try and get in.

The customer will notice this they have the choice most just want a good job done cheap and don't forget most will be mortgaged up to the hilt to afford that nice detached new build with little spare money.
Yeah I really didn't realise how many window cleaners there are. My rounds steadily been building up better in last 3 years and when I first started canvassing properly I focused on all nearby new builds thinking all the established guys wouldn't bother with them. Since then iv found loads more people are starting to window clean and have same idea

 
@JBC88 how do you feel when canvassing?
Things you could also do to impress is take a portfolio with you of work done, and wear an id badge. They won't expect that...will impress.

Pvg?

We have local window cleaning council licences up here. I wear my badge pinned to jumper when chapping . It's helped more than a few times.

Have a flier with a link to reviews...or something like that. If they are gona pay more than they say they have been,what more incentives can you bring to the table to interest this area?

How can you get their attention?

What's pvg lol

I do have flyers that I was showing and they have a price guide in case people I call on are out I can post flyer and they have an idea of the price.

I think problem I have is overcoming the we've had cheaper quotes obstacle. I know I manage my rounds well to be reliable and offer various payment options to make life easier although i prefer dd. But i can't seem to get it across that reliability and flexible payment options are worth paying for.

I just wondered really if it's just me this this prob or if everyone has it. Everything I read suggest charging what you think you are worth and what the market can tolerate but getting customers to see the value in it rather than what it costs is another thing.

 
@JBC88 eh that's the Scottish criminal record check name..I forget I'm not speaking in just Scotland sometimes.

I've had issue with price a bit more lately. But what I do when canvassing is tell them the price after everything else has been explained..

Sometimes I don't even say what I'm at the door for until I've said how often I'm out,what gets covered,that I'm insured etc..

The time of year your canvassing is maybe a time when some are considering every penny a bit more too.

If I were you I'd flier it all,chap a few days later with a swagger. Maybe it's just not a great patch I duno!

 
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