Please help me respond to this cleaning client!!

[cleaningdilemma11]

I’ve just started my cleaning business, going to see my first client on Sunday. I normally charge £15 an hour, but because she’s my first client I have agreed to do it for £10 an hour for 4 hours, and then it will be £15 an hour. She didn’t even ask, I suggested it in return for a review/reference. She wants a regular 4 hours clean every week so I was ok with it doing it for £10 for a first clean.

Now client 2 has just texted me asking if I can come for a “trial “. She asked how much I charge, and I said £15 an hour but will do it for £10 in exchange for review/reference, she then said that’s out of her budget but if I’m willing to do it for £10 an hour for her she will recommend me to her sister who also needs a cleaner?

She lives 45 mins from me, I don’t drive but we both live in London. So I don’t know what to do, do I say yes and take what I can until I get enough customers to be picky or do I just stick with my price and tell her to fuck off?

I give discounts hoping I can get reviews on my Facebook page and build up enough credibility to get more customers, I don’t know if that’s right though? Can anyone help me?

Keep your prices - too much travel and too little return

Why would you tell her to fuck off?

She's just asked you to clean

No she's 45 minutes away so even at £15 ph that wouldn't work.

Decide your price and stick to it. You could do an introductory offer if you want to for first 6 clients or something like that, but make sure your covering all your costs and making something from that still.

Saying that £15ph is extremely expensive for my area.

You are providing a luxury service. You’re not asking for your clients to be able to afford your services. Absolutely do not work for that woman, other clients Will come.

What’s the going rate in your area? I’d stick to your terms if you’re happy they’re reasonable, good luck with your new venture!

If it was just her, I probably would have said no. But because she mentioned her sister, I'm like that's 2 clients ? and I could get more referrals from that one client who knows..

Nothing wrong with an introductory offer for new clients, but if word gets around you're giving certain clients cheaper rates permanently that won't go down well.

Stick with your prices.

@FuckinGoddess a luxury service? Surely the clients decide whether it's that good. OP doesn't even say whether she's even had any experience and she's having to give incentives for reviews.

45 minutes journey? No don't do it. Just stick to local jobs. That's a lot of commuting time which you could fill with another cleaning job. I would just say thanks but no because of the distance. I'm surprised she can't find someone closer tbh.

Don't discount your worth. Your rate is £15 an hour. By reducing your rate for a review you're acting like the Facebook adverts for ”this product free in exchange for 5-star review”.

The second ”client” will tell her sister its £10 an hour if she vaguely promises to recommend you to other people and you'll never get anyone to pay the £15.

but if word gets around you're giving certain clients cheaper rates permanently that won't go down well.

Exactly!

I don’t think you’re suggesting you actually tell her “fuck off”, but I find that a weirdly aggressive way of thinking about it 🤨

If she’s too far away, tell her she’s too far away.
If your rate if £15 or nothing, politely decline to work for a lower rate.

Even in London, I think £15 is pushing it a bit for someone without references - or even with. So I’d be open to working for less, but not too far away.

How much is the going hourly rate in London? Around my area its £10 so around me you would be expensive.

If London cleaners do charge £15, I would just say no. You dont want to end up with a load of customers paying you £10ph x

These people are folkish as sure you'll go to them till you have an order book at your full rate. At which point you will presumably drop them. Nobody gains long term!

Have you checked what the going rate is locally? Only very experienced sought after cleaners get away with £15/hour in my affluent south east town & even then they are regarded as taking the piss a bit and their clients expect perfect service. I pay my highly recommended cleaner £13/h and it's only just gone up to that this month from £12.

I would stick to a geographic area too. Just state your prices including any introductory offers and politely say 'thank you for your interest, these prices reflect the value of the service provided and business costs and I regret I am not able to negotiate individual reductions, all the best etc

Why did you even offer your first client the discount, when you say she didn’t even ask? I’d have got my full pay, and after a couple of cleans politely asked if she’d review me.

Ps I think you might struggle with a cleaning business not driving. You will either spend too much time travelling to make your chargeable hours worth while, or you will have to be very lucky to get enough clients in a small area (and even then, you will be wasting a lot of time walking house to house with equipment and cleaning bottles.

No need to tell her to fuck off. Just say that your rate is £15 an hour so you won't be able to help her, but thank her for her interest.

Starting this business might turn out to be quite a learning curve for you!

So it's either yes, or fuck off.

There is no in between. 🤣

The going rate in my area is £12-13 an hour, but I don't drive. Hence why I want to charge £15 an hour. Now I'm thinking should I just do it for £12? What happens if I want to take on staff in the future? I don't want to pay my cleaner £9 an hour?

I wouldn't do it.

45 minutes away would be an extra 1.5 hours.

How long does she want you? 2 hours? 3?

£20 for 3.5 hours including travel or £30 for 4.5 hours both come out at under minimum wage. Not worth it.

Your clients should not have to pay extra because you can't drive!!

Charge the going rate for your area.

Her sister will likely also want discount in exchange for referring someone. You’ll end up with a book full of clients and no-one paying full price. Give a discount for one clean after they’ve provided a successful referral. That way there will be more motivation to refer people to you.