i’ll tell you what, you’ll get half off your second clean when you pay double for the first one
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The key is to respond fast , be like: that’s a great price for everything I’m going to do , unfortunately I can’t reduce it a penny .
But if you feel that there’s i little wiggle room , then knock of $20-40/ 10% . Learn that from @Majestic66
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If you stick to your price I think it
A.) Looks better. More confident in your own worth. Less like you got caught trying to swindle somebody.
B.) Closes the door to future haggling if this becomes a regular customer.
If you are really worried about losing the job, you can offer incentive discounts as mentioned by others
-For each neighbor that books a job (referral discount) knock X% off the price
-For follow-up cleans at a certain frequency (loyalty discount) take X% off the price
-For customers willing to wait for a better deal, schedule them way in advance for your slow months at X% discount. (supply and demand)
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First response should always be …(With a sad face of course) Yaaa the price is fair already for what your getting done. Wait for his response. If he is leaning towards bailing
Then go to the being that your a first time customer I would be more than happy to give you a first time customer discount.
Keep it low … how is 450 does that work for you. Don’t budge off your price after your discount. If he asks you then walk
This if he is nice An you have a good feeling about him/her
If he is coming offf like a prick them stick to your price . Na not a penny lesss it’s fair already for what your getting
I mean the not a penny less is kind of in your face , you could leave that out
25 off my price isn’t going to kill me if it makes them happy then so be it doesn’t mean next time I come that’s is going to be the price. Now they see how Great we are the next time they won’t question the price
I have a handful of customers to the day that have haggled an now there price is exactly where it should be. So haggling don’t offend me. I’m in control, an it doesn’t go anywhere I don’t want it to go
Think about it when guys send out post cards there is discount on the card … yes
So …
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Sticking to your price can be hard, but coming down on it is even worse. Anytime we’d lose a job at first, we’d get pretty bummed about it so the next we’d come down. Those were always the worst jobs. Recently did a job at one house and the neighbor asks for a quote. Turns out the house was identical to the one we were doing so we priced it the same.
“Brand X did it for $100 less! Rargh!” Ok have a nice day. Peace out. Not to say we don’t ever underbid, but I try to not volunteer it either. Someone or several have posted before that if they want to pay less, great. Then do less work. They might stop being cheap and pay what you said to begin with.
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I suggest a discount as an incentive for multiple cleans during the year. You could always suggest that only the front and back windows get serviced; don’t do the side windows. When the electrician, plumber, or A/C guy comes out do they get haggled down on their price? We set our prices to stay in business beyond more than just this month, remain competitive, and who doesn’t work for profit?!
If it makes them feel better to see a line on the invoice that says $25 OFF, then whatever. I have offered 10% off or $20 - $30 off (depending on size of job), but really, these folks aren’t your best customer. Most people just schedule, pay, and life goes on.
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Don’t agree.
Have you ever bought a new car. Did you pay the sticker price ?
Business is business. So what your saying is because the customer haggled thrrr goin to be a bad customer. Yes an no. I have had both sides to this
I have also stuck to my price An discounted so I don’t know to each his own I guess
My discount is never something that is not going to make want to do the job.
To me it’s just showing the customer look I’m being cool with you here is your discount you happy … cool 
You never know that customer could turn out to be a great one. Or ya he could turn out to be a joker.
Here is the deal it’s about supply an demand. If you have the demand them naaa price is fair do you want to get this done yes/no.
If you don’t then ya I can work with ya best I can do is 450. Price was fair as it was for what your getting but I don’t mind giving you a first time customer discount
Its that’s simple I mean you do the job your making money An you see where it goes.
But whether you do or don’t it’s not the op question it’s what do I say so
To me first he needs to be confident
The first thing out of his mouth. For me has to be price is fair for what your getting
Them take it from there.
If no discount say that’s the best I can do
If discount say being that your a first time customer…
When guys send out post cards ther offering everyone a discount
Sadly, I’ve never bought a new car 
I get what you mean. My post is more in reference to dropping your price too much just to get work. $25 off for a $450 job, not terrible. In fact, we anticipated a customer would get sticker shock and agreed beforehand to the lowest we’d go.
Lo and behold, get the story the last guy did it for $200. We quoted $320, came down to $295. Got it. Plus, I think I meant my post for another thread and mixed them up lol
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Ya I know I hear ya. If the. Guy in reference was asking for him to do it for 325-350 than ya it’s …na my price is fair that’s the best I can do.
I would rather walk. He is an unreasonable guy, an your better off without him.
Last year I met a customer with a beautiful huge waterfront home, all French pane windows. I gave my price and she said “We are getting it done for half that price now.” The windows looked dirty, and no way would I race to the bottom to be her replacement window cleaner - if she even really has one. With a customer like there is no way to offer a suitable price for them.
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Couple things I’ve experienced.
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if you have a professional solid confident presentation, that makes all kinds of problems go away, customer will detect that and won’t be so quick to grind you on price.
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Do you really want to go down the discount road, become known as a " discount guy ". I don’t offer referal, senior, or any kind of discount. What I offer is excellent work, exceeding customers expectations, and I get referred constantly with extremely pleased customers…no discount.
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Instead of removing profit by discounting, how about adding value ???
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since we price per pane, asking for a discount is adking that we do some of the windows for free, the customer doesn’t realize that that is what they are asking but if my price is 300 and i agree to do it for 270, then i’m esentially cleaning the first/last 3 windows for free.
when someone asks for a senior or similar discount i will typically say we have a coupon out offering $10 off, we can give you that, that usually makes people happy and simce thousands of those went out odds are they may have even recieved one and didn’t see it so i’m fine with giving it to them (but it means i’m cleaning one of the windows for free 
)
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I agree, but on the flip side if they buy your services 2 or 3 times in a year that “freebie” doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things.
Sometimes I question my discount offer, but it only goes to loyal 4x-per-year customers, so it works for me.
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I’ve been all over the spectrum over the last 10 years when it comes to this topic. Overall, I think I’ve had the most negative or uncomfortable encounters with people who want to haggle. They’re the ones that will nitpick the job, cancel the week before, or simply have a more demanding attitude.
I can think of only one or two instances in which the customer asked for a discount, I conceded, and the job went really well with repeat appointments. One in particular I gave the price of $710, the gentleman commented it was high and asked if that’s the best I can do. I replied, “yep… well, I guess I can round it down to $700”. He seemed kind of impressed that I was confident of my worth, he booked, and was very pleased with the job.
Another good experience was with a smart business owner who had me quote his house. When I presented the price, it was a good 50% higher than his current window cleaner. But then he asked about screens. “Yeah, those are included”. “Cool, our current guy won’t deal with them. But the price is still pretty high. Could you give us a discount if I use you for cleaning the windows at my business, too?” (A good sized real estate office). So I knocked around 15% off the price of his home. Between the business and the house, he’s giving us $1,100 + in business each year, plus a ton of referrals to his real estate clients. That was one instance where negotiating built some lasting good will, and a good business relationship. But the key was that he had something tangible to offer in return for the discount: a sizable amount of guaranteed work at his business. He understood the principles of effective negotiation, and wasn’t going to just ask for a discount for no reason/incentive.
All in all, though, I’ve had the most success by simply sticking to my guns. “Yep, that’s my best price. I know we’re not the lowest priced, but I’ve had plenty of customers tell me we’re not charging enough for the level of service we provide.” (Three customers is plenty, in my book. And I know there have been others that expressed similar sentiments). I will also offer to reduce the scope of work and reduce the price that way, if I can see that it really is a budgeting matter for them.
I think this is also a cultural/regional issue. It seems that at least in some parts of New England, haggling is seen as kind of rude. Some of the people who do it despite the cultural norm, tend to fit that appraisal.
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Here in Florida we get all types from all over. I think what you say is true of most areas, that haggling is seen as rude or obnoxious. Most of the hagglers I come across are from New York or New Jersey, where I have to assume it’s just part of the culture.
All great ideas here! I like to stick to a system for these responses so it’s the same always. I’m not a believer in reducing my price for the sake of reducing. Cheap people bring cheap people and more problems. You can’t be afraid to walk away. You will win a bigger and better customer I promise. Also, your devaluing (sp?) your service. Stick to your guns but offer a solution.
My response is always;
"We would be happy to offer a discount. We have a couple options available. 1. Our referral program. Schedule a neighbor the same day and save 15%. 2. Join our yearly maintenance program (whatever that is 2-3 cleans) and save xyz. 3. You can save up to $100 with our referral program. For every person your refer and they use our service you get $10 off and they get 10% up to 10.
You can play with wording of course. My point is don’t even get in to the back and forth. Just say “absolutely!” “Here’s your options”
Best of kuck
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*you’re
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“I think I’ve had the most negative or uncomfortable encounters with people who want to haggle. They’re the ones that will nitpick the job, cancel the week before, or simply have a more demanding attitude.” Alex Lacey
That’s why I don’t want to work for them when they ask for a discount. A friend of mine in CT just tells them straight up he’s no longer interested in working for them even if they offer to pay full price. He politely excuses himself from the conversation and leaves the property. 
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That’s bold and I like it.
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An old boss of mine, multi million dollar business, almost NEVER offered a discount or a special. I heard him answer the phone once. He was listening to the customer talk and then he said “everything we do is special”. That moment was priceless
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