I would have to agree with the ones saying about the diverse opinions on these forums. I just can’t get enough of it, it allows me to question myself again and either conclude I’m still right or learn something a new!
On that note. I still keep to my notion about not being able to have all three values. YOU WILL ALWAYS sacrifice somewhere to increase it somewhere else. The cheaper I charge, the less time I can chat with customers and get to know them better, or the less time I can spend on making those windows extra clean. (Even though we all know we cleaners stare at the glass, while the client stares through it!!)
Our clients are paying for a service and expect to pay more for a better product.
Hey remember the last time you went and bought a piece of equipment you said, " Damnit, if they would just make this part out of metal i would pay more for it" You almost never hear someone say, " hmm , make this out of plastic so i can pay less and have it break so i can buy another one" Oh WAIT that is what the companies say…
Anyways… I value all opinions and always encourage them!
I have given my all as a shower installer for employee wages. Every customer is treated the same. If I can work that hard and offer that quality for peanuts, then I can do it for almonds and still make a successful, healthy living.
You can do I but your profit margin will suffer. The point is that your pricing is set to result in a certain level of profit. The more value you offer the more it is going to effect your pricing to result in your desired profit. If you offer best service and highest quality and best service in order to maintain a decent profit margin you will have to charge accordingly. The only way to offer all three is to eat the profit yourself. I has o come from somewhere. Respectfully if you think you can do all three because you are better than others in abilities then your not being realistic.
Could you explain in more detail? How do you arrive at the conclusion that you can offer quality, service and cheaper pricing, all while still offering premium service?
You said skilled craftsman and a well oiled office get you there.
I’d honestly like to know what you mean by all this. Heck, I’m willing to learn something.
A skilled craftsman, no matter how fast and efficient, can only go so fast (and you start slowing down at some point due to age and injury). Do you mean instead of doing a 100% clean, you shoot for 90%?
How is the office going to reduce expense and make you more money? How does it make you faster or cheaper on the job? I can see that an office person handling service concerns, could free up your time, but not much else.
Actually you did say it was your abilities. You said skilled Craftsmen and a back office that is a “well oiled machine”. So that’s skilled window cleaners and skilled office workers or someone who is skilled enough to put together an efficient system which are all abiliti s or skills. One is trade skills and the other office or administrative skills.
Please understand that I am disagreeing respectfully. In other words I’m not trying to argue just for the sake of arguing. I appreciate you and am not seeking to simply attack your comment out of boredom.
The quote from the wise trade professional assumes that everything is equal. In other words in a competitive market where their is true competition your competitors are going to be equal to you in skill which includes both office skills and trade skills. In order to be competitive and still realize a profit you can only choose two values at a time to excellent at. Being the cheapest price and excelling in the other two categories won’t leave you with anything left.
In order to give best service it’s going to cost you more time which will increase your labor cost not only in terms of more time spent on the job but also in terms of what a qualified employee is going to demand In terms of wage.
In order to deliver highest quality service experience it’s going to take competent workers in the field that understand customer service, which will require a higher wage, but it will also require enough workers in the office to respond to customers needs, or one more qualified worker to manage less qualified ones, which is going to again translate into labor cost.
If you add that additional labor cost and then offer the lowest price you won’t have any profit left over. Keep in mind were not talking about good quality service and workmanship we’re talking about “highest” quality as compared to your competitors. When skills are equal, which they generally are in a competitive market, your not going to be able to offer all three.
As for the OP asking for three reasons it just means three values. Not necessarily three categories outlined in the quote. In other words I could have two main values in customer service and one in quality.
There is a difference in your profit and those who offer top quality with lower profit standards. It’s absolutely do able. You just make less. Why do we need a house? For shelter. Anything more is for the ambience. If you have a simple outlook on life and can live with a decent income to have your shelter and food, you are set to offer the same service that the guy charging 150 bucks more than you.
Skipping 10% percent of the work isn’t offering that top quality. You still go above and beyond, you just make less.
It really isn’t a hard concept. When I install showers on the side, I am giving huge discounts, still making great coin but I am also setting the highest standard install. And yes, it’s would still be enough to run a business.
If you are a sole prop., you don’t need high prices to do good financially. If you have employees, sure your profits will be less, but your also doing more jobs and every one is making a good living and actually you may have the same profits because your taking on tons if work. Business owners don’t have to make a huge dollar amount. That’s what we, as a society chooses. They also damn well know when they charge 4 hours labour for a job that takes 2 hours, they are, in my eyes stealing. Blah bah blah, but the business needs it and they agreed. Again, no, owners just want to make that big buck that we, as humans don’t need to survive.
Profit can easily be considered as having employees. Feeding other families is profit.
Or, instead or buying yourself that motorcycle in 2 years, buy it in 5 and put more towards the business. Business owners set the prices high for a better lifestyle. It doesn’t always mean highest quality at all. I have worked with high quality claiming business with high prices and it doesn’t prove anything other than they just charge high. They keep prices high because other companies do and every one has to have what the other guy has.
So not true. Hire respectful people and they can treat your customers as good as some one who makes more. I know guys who make 30+as employees and still don’t give two shits. You go on about labour, labour labour but let’s be realistic. The amount charged is way more than needed, in every industry.
There’s a reason why “the boss makes dimes and employees make pennies”. How about the boss makes nickels instead of those dimes?
It’s literally just stupid to say you can’t offer highest quality work with lower costs. People just don’t want to. IMO
Btw, I do not mean your stupid. The idea that it doesn’t work is stupid.
You are certainly allowed to charge whatever you want to. But I find it ironic, that you start your own business, yet look down your nose at other businesses for charging what they want to charge.
All I will say is, sooner or later the reality of profits will set in. You seem to be almost hateful because someone dare charge what you feel is too high. Almost proud as well, that you undercut the price on an install. There are many things I see wrong with your attitude, but I’m just going to leave it alone.
I deeply apologize to the OP for bogarting your thread. Giving you my three reason people use me kinda got dragged on into an amazing conversational piece itself, but got a little off target.
Thankfully the conversations were still relevant but not spot on.
Every customers would have their own set of three reasons why they use me…
Most say Local, friendly, hard working. Some say Local, nice, word of mouth/quality.
The list can go on for my demographic. I will continue the other conversation in another thread.
I have no attitude. Sorry it it came off like that.
I don’t even talk about my prices. I price accordingly and I price fair. I don’t even care what other people charge. The fact doesn’t change that I know a million companies out there are over pricing to fill their pockets, not because of “highest quality” but because they can. It’s literally, the world we live in.
The only problem I have is when people say it can’t be done when it can be.
There are many other things that play into it, but it can be done very successfully if done correctly.
But my/yours business and personal needs are completely different then those other company’s. What i can be profitable on is different then what you can be profitable, correct? (if you say no then thats not realistic)
But you are right. I am damn proud to offer high service with good prices. It’s my business and if I want to make less than other owners, so be it. Money isn’t the world to my family.
And I have an open mind. If the business struggles, then of course prices go up. If every one is winning, then good prices stay put.
No one said you can’t offer highest quality and lowest price. The argument is that you can’t offer lowest price, highest quality, AND highest customer service. The issue is offering all three against the standards of your competition.
We ALL price to put money in our pockets. Be it the guy that owns the company, or the guy that is just an employee. We are ALL motivated to “do stuff” in exchange for monetary exchange.
WHO decides what is really too much, other than the one paying for it? If the price of something is truly too much, guess what? NO ONE will buy it.
Though I believe you were not trying to pick a fight, I have heard this stuff ALL my life. People complaining that that one over there charges too much, is a rich *rick that robbed the world to have a mansion, or what ever derogative crap they can come up with. We all decide what are worth IS. And that is confirmed when we are PAID. Hating on people because they actually get paid what they are worth, is nothing short of jealousy.
