Are there .50 customers in every market?

[Guest]

Billy,

I know a new cleaner that started out high end and is doing well. He is almost at the 1 year mark so far. The key is to know how to get the work.

Dave

 

[Bob Foster]

bump

 

[Jim Williams]

We have some .50 a ft. customers, but because of the extended setup time I would end up still only making $70 an hour. 200 ft. to the first bedroom to clean 150 sq. ft. then 200 ft. the other direction to clean 230 sq. ft. then down to the baement and 300 ft. down a hall to the bonus room for another patch of carpet. Not to forget 150 ft. from the driveway to the front door.

I'll take the middle income homes any day.

 

[XTREME1]

you are o full of shit it is funny. Do your numbers change with eatch custy?

I have no clue who I directed this towards I was shitfaced

 

[daniel@procarpet]

On jobs like that I just add a set up fee. I explain why to the customer and if they can't understand then they are not worth my time. Nothing worse than running 200 ft to clean two bedrooms upstairs and then down to the basement for one room.

 

[Ron Werner]

Since I last posted, I'm at 55cents now, 65 in condos
More than enough people will pay that price. The ones that will KNOW they get what they pay for.

 

[rick imby]

Yes Ron but you should charge them 50 cents a foot just for the vacuum. You are too cheap on the cleaning....

 

[Ron Werner]

don't want to get too greedy 8)

 

[Chris A]

I think there are definitely $.50 customers in every market, the question then needs to be "how many?" Enough for a few owner ops to gross 150k/year and make a good living...Obviously the game changes a bit when your in a high-rent area, like NYC, or CA, etc.

 

[tracywalker]

My town has 3 people willing to pay .60. After I blew through those I went back to room pricing and doing quite well!

 

[Ron Lippold]

just remember we are not our customers. we all have to buy the customers we clean for. i like people that like great service.

 

[-JB-]

....also remember that you are blessed to have a business that has wheels on it, if YOUR town can't support it, and you want to get .50 a sq, or more, travel!

I'll bet there's a town w/in 40 miles that will.... IF that's what you want for your business.

 

[rotorob]

If time is money, and you are not spending much time to clean, don't charge alot. On the other hand, if you are more thorough and spend extra time, charge more, you're worth it.
If I had to 'blow through' every job, and run myself and equipment ragged, I'd rather be back on tour with Ike and Tina.