Taking on a large round

[Clisty1989]

It's looking likely that I will soon be taking over a 430 house round on a 4 weekly basis. I've worked it out that I will have too much work after I include mine, however the round I'm getting is hugely underpriced. Would you put the price up by a lot and lose customers, or would you creep prices up and sell off the rubbish you don't want? I know all the customers already as I've worked with the bloke since I started cleaning windows so I won't lose any because I'm a new face. How would you recommend I go about it? Don't want to employ anyone yet until I have a full round of properly priced work

 

[boarcity]

employ a parttimer now-its not as much hassle as you might think.

i would drop any house that you know has complications [high gate/ leaded/ etc ] ,drop em now rather than increase the price and STILL hate doing it, before you get on the treadmill .

i recently dropped a chunk of my round ,altho id done it 8yrs ,decent money too- these houses were a drag to me[ high gate to hurdle ,3 storey etc] and its felt like a big weight has come offer my shoulders,given me back my smile too

 

[David K]

If they are really underpriced bump Them up ,Or Walk away from the deal .

Anyone Can get Much work at low prices. I would sync them with your own customers prices . Do it fast or you will hate that round.

 

[Scots lad]

I'd dump the rubbish and bump everyone up to what your looking to earn an hour

 

[Clisty1989]

Just to give you a better idea of how this work has come my way, a family member took this round over last year when his old boss retired, and at that point I started working with him. The rounds been going for 25+ years, and the old boss never really put his prices up. Turns out he was a bit if a cowboy and he employed people on a self employed basis. Since he retired we have started putting prices up, and started to get rid of the rubbish however my father in law may have to give up work due to ill health, and he's giving me all the work. I know all the customers and have an idea how much I would charge. All the poor access ones have already been chinned off, and have a good rapport with most of them. The prices on 50% of them is around half what I would charge as he is creeping them up instead of a big jump. Don't want to employ someone as I have only been doing this for 8 months and feel I lack experience running a business

 

[Dave B]

Don't worry about experience mate

I employed someone when i was subbing all my work years ago

All the info you need is online if you wanna do it legit

If you have the work to warrant it go for it

Or you could explain to the customers that the prices need serious adjustment as they haven't been altered for years and it is now uneconomical to continue cleaning them due to the cost of living etc has gone up every year

If you put all of them up 25% you would have to lose a fair few to still be on the same money with a lot less customers so.i wouldn't worry about putting them up

100 £10 monthly customers is £1000

75 £12.50 customers is £1000

Look at it like that and sod em if they want out

 

[Damo]

I was in the same boat years ago i decided to creep up the prices. Mainly because you don't know whats round the corner with work. I had a £10 house which should be £18. Cleaned it maybe 2/3 times and was gonna put the price up. She had to go into a home and the new owner wanted to keep me on. How much is it? It's £20. Ohhhh lovely carry on.

So i could have sacked her off and lost an easy £20 house.

Just an example mind

 

[Clisty1989]

The worst ones are 4 houses 8 weekly I'd price at 15-20 and there currently paying 6! I've been trying to persuade him to either bump up to at least 10 or bin them hopefully he is doing it next time we due

 

[Dave B]

**** that's a big jump mate

Could get a bit awkward

 

[Clisty1989]

I think if they say no ill bin em, he's kept them as he's been doing them for 25 years!

 

[Clisty1989]

When he goes I'm getting new uniform, new equipment and new works vehicle so I could do the 'the round been taken over and the new owner has told me to review all prices and adjust to his pricing'

 

[norm]

nice position to be in

 

[boarcity]

6 is ridiculous #

25 yrs ago was jus about right but its the quivalent now of doin it for 25pence if you think about it

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I would personally go and talk to each customer one on one and point out that they have not had a price increase since the millennium.

Dont just talk about 'window cleaning' point out that you're doing the windows, frames, sills, doors, that you're reliable, regular, insured, etc etc, pad it out as much as possible. Then when hitting them up with the new price make sure it is good enough for you and tell them that you will fix it for say 3 or 5 years just for them as they are good customers blah blah blah

As the boys say, bad access issues, dog shite yards etc, just sack en off right away. Once you have done you price rises (you will lose less than you think) then review and see if you need an assistant.

 

[peter rogers]

sounds like alot of hassle id end up resenting going to work seeing im busting my balls for **** all

 

[High-tower]

When you say creep the prices up, what do you mean?

 

[Clisty1989]

Put them up by £1 every 6-9 months until they proper price

 

[CMRwindowcleaning]

Put them up by £1 every 6-9 months until they proper price

I think customers would rather take a £3-£4 hit at once than every 6-9 months putting them up. I would up them nicely atleast to a price where you feel your working for nothing and suck it up for a year and hen put them up again another couple of £. If you are not where you are at by that stage you have no other choice but to up them all drematically and hope that as little as possible drop off. These people know they have had it good for absolute years and probably expect it to go up at some point or another. They either pay someone they know isn't going to brake anything or steal anything and does a good job the right price or go and find another person they don't know from Adam the same or even more just because of pride??

 

[Clisty1989]

I think customers would rather take a £3-£4 hit at once than every 6-9 months putting them up. I would up them nicely atleast to a price where you feel your working for nothing and suck it up for a year and hen put them up again another couple of £. If you are not where you are at by that stage you have no other choice but to up them all drematically and hope that as little as possible drop off. These people know they have had it good for absolute years and probably expect it to go up at some point or another. They either pay someone they know isn't going to brake anything or steal anything and does a good job the right price or go and find another person they don't know from Adam the same or even more just because of pride??

Good point, works out most are between £3&£6 under my prices so should be sorted in 2 years then