What are our clients REALSTIC budget for wc'ing?

Storefront
1

Some of you may have some past experience in retail businesses, so maybe you can enlighten us…what can typical strip mall/plaza type customers afford to pay for window cleaning MONTHLY?

i know the types of businesses vary greatly in malls/plazas, so its going to be hard to figure out…so maybe if you dont mind, give me some example of what some of your storefront clients pay monthly…and the nature of their business.

are there some types of businesses with significantly higher profit margins who can budget more for ‘optional’ [from their perspective] services like ours, and are very desirable for wc’ers to go after? what types of businesses have you found success in charging a premium, or who value having a weekly cleaning [as apposed to just bi-weekly or monthly like most]?

i while ago i scanned though my list of clients and it seems i have collected a lot of spa’s/hair salons, that seems to be my number one type of customer, they avg around 30-80/month, either every 2 weeks or monthly in/out clients.

the number two type client of mine are dentist offices for some reason, they are all every 2 weeks and avg around 40-90/month for outs only.

i also have a number of medical offices, pharmacy’s, boutiques, small restaurants, etc as well…not big accounts though.

the biggest PER MONTH clients are jewelery stores, big restaurants, private schools, book stores, and liquor/beer stores. those are the clients id like to get more of…since they CAN or are WILLING to pay a bit more for services like ours.

if anyone has worked inside these or other types of businesses, can you tell us what is a reasonable amount [in their eyes] to spend on window cleaning…maybe we could be pricing stuff higher and still be getting it [if they haven’t already been spoiled by cheap wc’ers in the past].

…getting off topic a bit…

i find NEW business owners seem to LOVE my prices [and im not pricing stuff that cheap either], and they treat me very professionally and more eye-to-eye, business man to business man.

its the older business owners who have had the un-professional slob window cleaners for decades that demand the low prices, and treat me like the last amateur who cleaned their windows, they just see us all the same, no matter what we do it seems, they’ve been spoiled by stupidly low prices and think/say ‘its JUST window cleaning, quality? what quality, its window cleaning, anyone can do it ha ha’

rant beginning…

they just dont compute that if some retired guy on a pension, living in a paid off house, with money in the bank, that does this for something to do, and hasn’t raised prices since the 80’s…can do it for $4.00, why on earth cant i? because im just starting out in life, newly married too…and stuff isnt CHEAP, so im charging a FAIR [for both of us] price for my services, so i can have a sustainable business, and turn a reasonable profit. im not ‘charity window cleaning’

ive tried reasoning with them, showing how much gas has went up since the 80’s, ive tried explaining these ‘other guys’ have pensions or other f/t jobs and they just do this for a little side money, and maybe they wont be around tomorrow, and tell them we’ve been around for a lot time, this is ALL we do, this is HOW we provide for our families, we CANT do it for peanuts. we started a business so we could make more then we could working for someone else, not LESS and with more headaches.

for example, a fabric store business owner cant sell fabric for the same price that i saw some guy in some alley once was selling fabric out of his trunk for…and id be INSANE to suggest that he should! but this same guy wants me to ‘price match’ some old retired guy who charges a 1/4 of what i do…ARGH

i need to learn how to let it go :slight_smile: gradually i am becoming more desensitized to stupidity like that, but every little while it sneaks up and it eats me up inside.

/end rant

2

Good topic Contrast. I’ll leave it to former store managers to answer your main question. But I like you have found spas/salons to be reasonable and want my service. Besides that I have a lot of nice restauraunts with people that have decent restauraunts. One owner is a millionaire who, him and his sons own many businesses in Toronto.

Generally anything upscale is our clients. When I try to get convenience stores then the headaches start.

Besides that in frequency, it’s not just the customer that determines the frequency, but the proximity to the street, the traffic of the business, and how protected the windows are from rain and snow. (i.e. overhang)

I would advise you to charge more for biweekly and especially monthly. Since I find monthly are more transient customers and cancel more easily since a relationship has not been well formed, and they are more exposed to your competition.

I think rather than reason on economics. If they question your price say uh, huh, or yes that’s right. We don’t have the lowest prices. Then if they ask why, you can provide reasons. But try to not reason ecomomically, but say you are more reliable, don’t take shortcuts (lowballers tend to clean half of the window, or give the window a “haircut”), we change our squeegees often (I find lowballers also tend to use the same squeegee rubber for years, leaving so many lines on the window). We are also more professional, and are in it for the longhaul.

If you blurt out a thousand reasons just on the mention that someone does it cheaper, you come off too strong. If you say yes, or uh, huh or our prices are higher. Than they will ask why and you can provide reasons. That is a technique from the authour of the bestselling book “How to sell at margins higher than your competitors”.

Just my two thoughts,

Mike

2 Likes
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Most storefront customers will bolt for the next guy that is a dollar cheaper unless you have a good relationship with the customer. Any time I pick up a “low ball” customer, I take their money and do a good job for as long as I can…knowing they will dump me for the next cheaper guy.
I don’t get offended. Sometimes, that next cheaper will not show up on time, or send someone different to clean every time, or do a poor job, When they call me back, I get more money out of them

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ive tried reasoning with them, showing how much gas has went up since the 80’s, ive tried explaining these ‘other guys’ have pensions or other f/t jobs and they just do this for a little side money, and maybe they wont be around tomorrow, and tell them we’ve been around for a lot time, this is ALL we do, this is HOW we provide for our families, we CANT do it for peanuts. we started a business so we could make more then we could working for someone else, not LESS and with more headaches.

Hey Kyle.

I know the feeling, and its frustrating, for sure.

My advice: I’d suggest you internalize this stuff, and stop using this approach immediately. While your dead-right, you must remember that your prospective clients could care less whether or not you (a total stranger) need to pay your rent this month. Nor do they care if you are after a life of fewer headaches.
[SIZE=“1”]
~ Note: Please don’t be offended by this, just trying to help you be more effective ~[/SIZE]

You must focus on them, and relentlessly remember WIIFM (“what’s in it for me”), and only talk about how their experience working with your company is going to make THEIR lives easier.

You will eventually become friends with your clients over time if you play your cards right, but you are not friends with prospects. Yet.

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And if I misread your comments, I apologize. Just thought I’d throw my initial response out there while I thought it…

6

all good answers

7

hang in there kyle,
we all deal with people that do not see the value in our work. don’t waste your time with them, for the ones that will not hire you at your prices there will be two that will because of some of the reasons you stated in your post/rant! lol

8

I have noticed that over time some of the problems landing certain jobs was linked to the failing economy.

These preceding posts were from 8 years ago during the time of businesses closing and people getting laid off.

Now the economy seems to finally be moving again, but storefronts can still be struggling for that “extra cash” to pay for services that they are not quite convinced that they need.
I hit several business downtown that “looked” like they should be doing decent business but in all actuality were not. They were in obvious need of having their windows cleaned but not willing to go even $1.50 per pane; while others (successful restaurants) had what appeared to be a window cleaning service taking care of them right next door.
Could be the area or type of business - cupcake factory, chocolate shop, hole in the wall restaurant, watch repair, and florist - but I will be entertaining a different area where there appears to be more traffic and possibly more business.

Being a residential guy trying to fill voids with store front and commercial, it is easy to step aside and chase more lucrative residentials as that side is very much more promising with more real estate sales and remodeling going on in every neighborhood. I also inform these folks that I offer store front and commercial office service just in case, in all likelihood, that they are a business owner or decision making manager.

Anyway, just observing by looking back on past topics that the economy has changed and so has much of the information found from 4 to 8 years ago.