Price Rises

[Pit Creature]

I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.

Has anyone else been putting it off? How has it gone down if you have increased you prices? Cheers.

 

[Jaygti]

I started putting mine up in April. Minimum of 10%. I last put them up 2 years ago.
I haven’t lost one customer, or had any complaints.
The worst I got was one man said he would speak with his wife first.
Naturally I ignored that and just carried on, and they paid the new price.
I always try to do it face to face, as it’s polite.
I just have a few stragglers left now who I will text.
The majority were expecting it anyway.

Definitely go ahead with it??
Otherwise you’ll end up with a rubbish round.

 

[Billyb]

I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.































Has anyone else been putting it off? How has it gone down if you have increased you prices? CheerI'm thinking os.















I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.















Has anyone else been putting it off? How has it gone down if you have increased you prices? Cheers.







I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.







Has anyone else been putting it off? How hasyou have increased you prices? Cheers.


I'm thinking about increasing my prices as customers are asking if it's the same price, seems to me they are expecting it to go up

 

[Mattlekim]

We have been asked by several customers has it gone up yet. With everything else they seem to be expecting it.

 

[EstherLong]

Is it safe to rise your price?

 

[Jaygti]

Is it safe to rise your price?

Yes??

 

[Pjj]

Is it safe to rise your price?

Unfortunately we run businesses not a charity and have to make a profit to keep going and whilst we do our best to be reasonable we need to regularly increase our prices or we get left behind and then find that we are doing work for half the price it should be it’s then very difficult to increase it to what it should be so regular price increases are needed every 12-24 months to keep up with inflation, if ones cant afford this then unfortunately we will have to cease cleaning for them , but it’s very rare that ones can’t afford the increase and we loose less than a handful of customers.

 

[Crystalalan]

Yes it should be done every year or two in small increments. I`ve only had a couple of people moan so far but everyone will be expecting it

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I usually raise the prices on the cleans that are hard to do and take too long. I hope these customers will cancel. I raised prices start of last year and only have 2 that I have under-priced so will probably raise them fairly soon. I am slowly weeding out the slow payers who do it all the time.

 

[ashley1337]

I usually raise the prices on the cleans that are hard to do and take too long. I hope these customers will cancel. I raised prices start of last year and only have 2 that I have under-priced so will probably raise them fairly soon. I am slowly weeding out the slow payers who do it all the time.

I've quoted a few big houses way under their worth. was thinking of doing the same thing rather than dumping them and them telling people I just don't turn up lol

 

[Dave B]

I've quoted a few big houses way under their worth. was thinking of doing the same thing rather than dumping them and them telling people I just don't turn up lol

Problem just walking away is social media
Suddenly someone on fb etc asks for a window cleaner and you will get slated rather than recommended
Best to message to explain and then if anyone moans on the socials you have a copy of your conversation to shut them up

 

[GerdingA]

Problem just walking away is social media
Suddenly someone on fb etc asks for a window cleaner and you will get slated rather than recommended
Best to message to explain and then if anyone moans on the socials you have a copy of your conversation to shut them up

If someone slagged you off online as a result of a small price increase then you’re obviously better off without them anyway. Only thing I ever worry about is WhatsApp groups that are on the nicer estates, but doing a good job and having a good rep is my only worry there, not price increases.

 

[GerdingA]

I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.

Has anyone else been putting it off? How has it gone down if you have increased you prices? Cheers.

So you’re going to sacrifice you not being able to live so your customers can? I think not. If they can’t afford it then fine, get new customers. Last thing you wanna do is leave it YEARS and have to bump them up a lot!! As people said, small increments every 2 years or so. If you’re doing a good job then it won’t be an issue and you’ll be up a few k each year without doing anymore work.

Residential increases aren’t are a worry, it’s commercial where I do! Went ahead with both this year, lost next to zero.

Get it done!! ??

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I've quoted a few big houses way under their worth. was thinking of doing the same thing rather than dumping them and them telling people I just don't turn up lol

I had one at £15 a month with big conny. Raised to £16 then £18 and they eventually cancelled. Best news I heard because it takes twice as long as £20 cleans and will never go back even if they wanted to pay double.

 

[Dave B]

If someone slagged you off online as a result of a small price increase then you’re obviously better off without them anyway. Only thing I ever worry about is WhatsApp groups that are on the nicer estates, but doing a good job and having a good rep is my only worry there, not price increases.

I was talking about Scottish saying dump and walk away not prices
I don’t get out my seat for less that £15 lol

 

[ashley1337]

I had one at £15 a month with big conny. Raised to £16 then £18 and they eventually cancelled. Best news I heard because it takes twice as long as £20 cleans and will never go back even if they wanted to pay double.

When I first started, I asked if they could send some photos of the house with windows and i quoted them over whatsapp. they send 2 photos and i even under quoted as its the biggest most expensive one id seen. The other 2 walls has the same if not more windows (only sent 2 photos). Now i dont even want to go back, took a long time lol how soon can i tell them im increasing the price?

 

[Iron Giant]

When I first started, I asked if they could send some photos of the house with windows and i quoted them over whatsapp. they send 2 photos and i even under quoted as its the biggest most expensive one id seen. The other 2 walls has the same if not more windows (only sent 2 photos). Now i dont even want to go back, took a long time lol how soon can i tell them im increasing the price?

Quoting by photos is fine I've done it for years without issues, but if someone only sends two photos after I've requested photos of each side of the house then I'll ask them about other windows or doors or even go on google maps and street view if it's a much bigger house and needs a visit to quote then I'll go and do a visit.
I've only ever been caught out twice which was my own fault as I had missed some veluxs on a low extension roof when quoting in person I admitted my mistake and informed them of this and told them the revised price and they were totally fine, don't be afraid to tell them they have failed to tell you about other windows.

if someone has purposely failed to inform you of all the windows then they have to expect a higher price you'll find some people will undercount their windows as well "I have only got 10 windows and some patio doors" They have missed the windows and doors on the side of the house because they also haven't counted entrance doors and the patio doors turn out to be an extensive set of bifold doors that are big enough you could drive a car through when open

 

[Chris34]

I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.

Has anyone else been putting it off? How has it gone down if you have increased you prices? Cheers.

Just wanted to say that it's not a cost of living crisis, it's not a crisis, people have struggled for years, it's just headline attention seeking behaviour that's politically motivated.

I've said this before, there is never a good time to increase prices, there will always be an excuse.

2020 - Covid, bad time to increase prices
2021 - People are coming off furlough, when that happens we'll see massive job losses, bad time to increase prices
2022 - Energy is going up 4 times in price, people will be freezing to death during winter, window cleaning will be least of priorities, bad time to increase prices
2023 - Inflation is really high, people are struggling to buy food, mortgages are rocketing in price, bad time to increase prices
2024 - ???? there will be another reason for sure

I increase mine by £5 increments, there was two last year that I only changed from £15 to £18 but that's because I needed them and felt £20 was pushing it a bit much. The rest went up by £5. I lost several, a couple came back, some re-adjusted to every 8 weeks but at a much higher rate. Small yearly increments are financially the most beneficial on paper but I tend to do mine each 2 years. There were some customers from April last year that will be getting a rise in October.

Most of mine I just text them at the same time as their window cleaning due reminder texts. If you send out reminder texts each clean then it makes it easier to just include the info with the text, it's like regular contact makes it easier. The ones that I did face to face were a lot harder, some said fine, some I could detect it ruffled their feathers a bit, some said they'll have to speak to the wife etc. Generally though the face to face ones were about the same as the text ones in terms of customers lost and customers accepted.

After putting up the prices turnover was up but the work was less due to the lost jobs. In the following months new work came in and now I'm significantly up on last year.

Just put them up. You will lose some, some will kick up a fuss, some you won't hear anything from them 'if you've text them' and wonder if they've got the message. Just remember, it's a business, don't take any of it personal. Other peoples problems are not yours, you have to look after yourself. Be polite, have a natter but don't consider them your friends, if they do ditch you don't take it personal, it's their choice and everyone has the right to decide what to do with their money.

 

[David K]

I set up my business nearly 5 years ago and haven't raised my prices in that time. Inflation has gone up roughly 20% since then. I've been reluctant raise prices to due to the cost of living crisis and with the interest rate rises now doesn't seem like a good time to either. But at this rate my mortgage could be due to double next year.

Has anyone else been putting it off? How has it gone down if you have increased you prices? Cheers.

Ive increased 9,8% last year and will increase 4-5 % in september , keep up or be left behind and poor. Nobodys gonna come rescue you, when going bankrupt. Lost about 2-3 customers ,thats it.

 

[Part Timer]

For established, full rounds, regular price increases are essential. For newbies getting established is the most essential part of building your business so putting prices up might lose you a few customers and hinder your growth. It also might help you become established quicker as you'll be earning more if they accept it. Personally if I was in your position I would start off where I was most confident of getting success and then continue slowly upping prices elsewhere if successful.
In areas saturated by other window cleaners, especially newbies, it isn't as easy as some are making out in just hiking them to all and sundry and expecting them to accept it. I would however say that after 5 years your earliest customers should accept an increase.

 

[Iron Giant]

Thought I'd revive this post as it's that time of year again well usually Easter I raise mine but thought sod it, I was using Inflation calculator to give a reasonably accurate price increase on jobs, but it only factors in inflation until last year, I found this one Historical UK inflation rates and price conversion calculator this morning which calculates up to this year well actually I think December 2023 although not sure which is the most accurate as they both give different figures so I'm inclined to go somewhere in between the two calculations

I started raising prices yesterday and although it's too early to tell I'm confident the increases will all be accepted as it's been around 2 years since the last increases and most got raised by £3 as I felt £4 on these jobs was maybe a push too far and they are good paying jobs all fairly close together.