Displaying charges on your website

[Keefy]

Do any of you who have website's display your charges/prices/rates?

I'm considering displaying the basic prices for each service with a generic note that additional work will be charged accordingly. Like to hear what your thoughts are on the pro's and con's of doing this.

 

[shezzaar]

i would have thought that a bad customer, would that put it against you and refuse to pay what you stated, even if you have the additional work note

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

We don't and wont but you could try it it might work for you.
When I see advertised prices they are normally rock bottom prices so you are going for the customers who are most worried about price.
But you might get good volume of work.
There used to be a guy who advertised dead cheap new heating in our local paper - he was really busy - but mad!

 

[Keefy]

We don't and wont

Is there a specific reason for this?

 

[leethegasman]

I think you have to be up front with prices but I would say that on customers that ring us where we have been Recomended by an existing customer we get a high call to job rate above 80 per cent,but on cold calls from adverts etc i would say below 50 per cent once we give them the rates.i do talk to a few lads and most don't tell the customer and go and look at job give them a price when they turn up.i only now of one plumber in my area that displays his rates on his website he does no gas work and displays his rate at £50 per hour and tells you approx hours per jobs

 

[lame plumber]

why not, pimlico does and he became quite wealthy despite showing some interesting prices I do as then the customers cant complain, hasnt really affected my trade as far as i can see as those that wouldnt use me would have gone elsewhere anyhow when i told them my rates, saves on wasted journeys

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

Is there a specific reason for this?

Re-read what I wrote and I didn't mean it to SOUND like that!

fact - we don't.
We might in the future but no plans to do so in near future.

Reasons
1.- the type of work we do and customers we we work for -
a) all jobs are different -
b) not very price sensitive.

I think it people on tight budget who will look for websites with prices - and there are a lot of those people - so it could be a good business.

pimlico plumbers whole different thing - a very unique location.

 

[Derek Hardman]

I thought you had prices on MrsTP? Maybe you took them off? We have them on the website, we get a lot of visitors and fewer phone calls asking prices, we dont have time to answer lots of pricing calls and the office staff would pass a lot of them on to me, so it actually helps us, I do object to those who advertise 'full heating system for peanuts and a brew' types, these are designed to get lots of calls where the customer is told eventually that it is practically impossible to obtain the price in the ads, works just to get a foot in the door.

 

[Howsie]

Nope. No point in putting people off before you've even spoken to them. We don't sell apples.

 

[Keefy]

Nope. No point in putting people off before you've even spoken to them. We don't sell apples.

I'm thinking it may save time on wasted journeys like lame pointed out. I mean, I'm not out there to haggle and there's no way I'll drop a price below my minimum.

 

[Howsie]

why not, pimlico does and he became quite wealthy despite showing some interesting prices I do as then the customers cant complain, hasnt really affected my trade as far as i can see as those that wouldnt use me would have gone elsewhere anyhow when i told them my rates, saves on wasted journeys

He didn't build his business by showing prices on his website that's for sure.

 

[Howsie]

I'm thinking it may save time on wasted journeys like lame pointed out. I mean, I'm not out there to haggle and there's no way I'll drop a price below my minimum.

I can see your point if you cover a large geo but that can always be covered on the first call.

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

I thought you had prices on MrsTP? Maybe you took them off?

Never on our websites - we've got 2.

I have 3 blogs that might give ough guide to prices and I have written articles elsewhere with guide to approx prices - like you can expect to pay between £50 to £100 for a boiler service sort of thing.

I wrote this blog on why changing a boiler is so expensive and why it could cost anything ... Why is it So Expensive to Replace a Boiler? From £1,300 to £2,999? | Mrs Tara Plumbing

Mr TP who does the quotes says it is always worth visiting.
Personally, I would like people to know that if they are on a tiny budget they probably shouldn't call us cos we will be too expensive
and we could never do a bathroom refurb for less than £5k and rarely less than £7k
and a new boiler typically costs £2k and we could never ever get it down to near £1k!
Things like boiler services we only do for existing clients/ where we have installed - it is fixed price that we do advertise - £55 (btw).

We have them on the website, we get a lot of visitors and fewer phone calls asking prices, we dont have time to answer lots of pricing calls and the office staff would pass a lot of them on to me, so it actually helps us, I do object to those who advertise 'full heating system for peanuts and a brew' types, these are designed to get lots of calls where the customer is told eventually that it is practically impossible to obtain the price in the ads, works just to get a foot in the door.

Yes !

 

[erpkid]

He didn't build his business by showing prices on his website that's for sure.

Actually I think he did. The price transparency is at the core of his business model. Yes they make your eyes water but his clients can afford it, they know they will be rod***ed but know in advance how deep and that the plumber won't leave stains on the carpet....................

 

[Howsie]

Actually I think he did. The price transparency is at the core of his business model. Yes they make your eyes water but his clients can afford it, they know they will be rod***ed but know in advance how deep and that the plumber won't leave stains on the carpet....................

I dont think he did, but i may be wrong. His clients (the ones that he made the money from) never paid those prices.

 

[lame plumber]

I dont think he did, but i may be wrong. His clients (the ones that he made the money from) never paid those prices.

think he did, he had a great business model and it worked

 

[erpkid]

I dont think he did, but i may be wrong. His clients (the ones that he made the money from) never paid those prices.

You may be right...my perspective is only a current one. The transparency of his pricing now though is incredible. It seemed that this was the core. As you imply in the early days he perhaps could just have them rotten as they were desperate for a plumber. The transparency could have come later as poacher turned gamekeeper....

 

[Derek Hardman]

Pimlico is down to customer service, and a cute business model, coupled with a touch of luck (you definately need a bit of luck to be big), you could even be quite poor if you can make the customer feel like you did them a favour, I have seen it in action, terminology is the key, the way things are explained and dealt with, I know exactly how some of these people work, and they make big money out of it, i just cant for the life of me think in the way required for any length of time, if you want to know how people like pimlico do it, go on a sales course, modify it to suit the industry, and you will make a killing, but you have to be ruthless.... oh yeah, thats why Im not rich!!!

 

[erpkid]

Pimlico is down to customer service, and a cute business model, coupled with a touch of luck (you definately need a bit of luck to be big), you could even be quite poor if you can make the customer feel like you did them a favour, I have seen it in action, terminology is the key, the way things are explained and dealt with, I know exactly how some of these people work, and they make big money out of it, i just cant for the life of me think in the way required for any length of time, if you want to know how people like pimlico do it, go on a sales course, modify it to suit the industry, and you will make a killing, but you have to be ruthless.... oh yeah, thats why Im not rich!!!

Ditto

 

[Keefy]

Pimlico is down to customer service, and a cute business model, coupled with a touch of luck (you definately need a bit of luck to be big), you could even be quite poor if you can make the customer feel like you did them a favour, I have seen it in action, terminology is the key, the way things are explained and dealt with, I know exactly how some of these people work, and they make big money out of it, i just cant for the life of me think in the way required for any length of time, if you want to know how people like pimlico do it, go on a sales course, modify it to suit the industry, and you will make a killing, but you have to be ruthless.... oh yeah, thats why Im not rich!!!

I think he got Max Clifford to help him out too.

Edit: Yes he does. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-rival-court-stealing-celebrity-clients.html

 

[leethegasman]

I'm thinking it may save time on wasted journeys like lame pointed out. I mean, I'm not out there to haggle and there's no way I'll drop a price below my minimum.

Keefy I am not sure of the size of your company or how long you have been in business but if there is only yourself and possibly another and been in business 2-3 years I would not think showing your prices will affect you to much. as I would think you would have a core of loyal customers that will always use you so those calls will still come in.if you have only just started out may be a different story.the only way to know for sure is try it and worse case if the phone call to job ratio is not supplying you with enough work you can always remove prices of your website.if you do show your rates the customer can see you are up front and honest and good customers do not expect some thing for nothing.
I don't show my rates on my website. to be honest my site is not very good.are existing customers recommended us a lot and keep three vans busy.but we do tell customers the rates before we go to jobs to prevent wasted journeys.

 

[Keefy]

Keefy I am not sure of the size of your company or how long you have been in business but if there is only yourself and possibly another and been in business 2-3 years I would not think showing your prices will affect you to much. as I would think you would have a core of loyal customers that will always use you so those calls will still come in.if you have only just started out may be a different story.the only way to know for sure is try it and worse case if the phone call to job ratio is not supplying you with enough work you can always remove prices of your website.if you do show your rates the customer can see you are up front and honest and good customers do not expect some thing for nothing.
I don't show my rates on my website. to be honest my site is not very good.are existing customers recommended us a lot and keep three vans busy.but we do tell customers the rates before we go to jobs to prevent wasted journeys.

I have a long term customer base which I've built up over the last 10 years or so but only went self employed at the start of this year (January 1st) and set the website up because of that. I don't soley rely on, and don't think anyone should, people finding my site but I think it's a must these days to have one. Often when I get asked in person (or the missus does or relative whatever) they can be told to just check out the website for my contact details and to see what I do and don't do.

Still in two minds whether or not displaying prices on it is a good or bad idea yet though, some good points so far - for and against.

 

[jase158]

I do for power flushes, bathrooms is impossible, but the reason I don't put my day rate on is because when they ring you get to hear the "how much" and at least you can judge if you are too expensive and loosing a lot of work because of the price. IMHO you can only put your prices on website if you are under cutting others. or want people to be clear of your prices before they call you and can afford to turn work away.

 

[Howsie]

I think he got Max Clifford to help him out too.

Edit: Yes he does. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-rival-court-stealing-celebrity-clients.html

Done some work on Max's house and I'm leaving it there.

 

[leethegasman]

I have a long term customer base which I've built up over the last 10 years or so but only went self employed at the start of this year (January 1st) and set the website up because of that. I don't soley rely on, and don't think anyone should, people finding my site but I think it's a must these days to have one. Often when I get asked in person (or the missus does or relative whatever) they can be told to just check out the website for my contact details and to see what I do and don't do.

Still in two minds whether or not displaying prices on it is a good or bad idea yet though, some good points so far - for and against.

By the sounds of it I don't think it will effect your business if you do try it.the thing with most of us we learn are trade but never really learn how to run a business and just learn as we go on which is fine as most of us don't wont to expand and are quit happy being small so the odd bad choice should not affect us to much.if we learnt business first and are trade seconded I think we all would run are company's a little different There are so many out there that think its normal to take there over heads out there wages,sorry think I've gone a bit off topic long day in the sun.

 

[Spanner2k7]

Done some work on Max's house and I'm leaving it there.

Oooo do tell, I think he has his hands full, with those allegations made against him, to come looking for you LMAO

 

[Keefy]

By the sounds of it I don't think it will effect your business if you do try it.the thing with most of us we learn are trade but never really learn how to run a business and just learn as we go on which is fine as most of us don't wont to expand and are quit happy being small so the odd bad choice should not affect us to much.if we learnt business first and are trade seconded I think we all would run are company's a little different There are so many out there that think its normal to take there over heads out there wages,sorry think I've gone a bit off topic long day in the sun.

I class myself as a local service and keep within my county borders. Don't have any plans or aspirations to go beyond my current limits at the moment. Regular local work is what makes me happy.

 

[Howsie]

Oooo do tell, I think he has his hands full, with those allegations made against him, to come looking for you LMAO

Lol but his has people that would come looking for me.

 

[helpsy]

I want to know who is going to publicise the publicist Max Clifford ?

 

[leethegasman]

Jase158
you can only put your prices on website if you are under cutting others. or want people to be clear of your prices before they call you and can afford to turn work away.[/QUOTE]

I think you are correct in what you say but under cutting others prices.
should not be a problem as there will always be some one with lots of adverts with silly prices for different reasons ,some one just starting out and building up,installers that do not get recommended so every job they do is the only one so rely on adverts with silly prices to get the phone ringing,and the silly price to get there foot in the door but always end up with a bigger bill.
We advertise in a small local book and there has always been a company charging £25 for a service but we still get service work from the same local book charging £66
There is only ever going to Be x amount of work in a area by having low prices does not create more work in a area.it all balances out so we are all working most of the time just at different rates.
And will not change

 

[Keefy]

Personally I know I'm not the cheapest in my area and if I put prices on my website it won't mean I'm undercutting anyone. Not sure why some presume displaying prices means cheap, again, look at Pimlico.

 

[iiplumbing]

HI Keefy

This is my way of "displaying charges"

Rates and charges for plumbing service

I only set up my website in November last year and I think I'm on page one for searches "plumber derby, plumber chellaston" etc.

Thing is that when I go to analyse those searches there are only about 200 searches per month and 30 odd pages of plumbers on those searches!

I only get a few hits per day and have a trickle of calls coming through on the searches that are made.

Most of my work comes from leaflets (local), letting agents, local trusted trader scheme (set up by trading standards), repeat customers and a company I fit integrated appliances for.

I have had a few comments that its good to see my charges as it gives them an idea of costs before they phone, so it keeps away those that wont pay my desired fees (no time wasters then) and provides a sense of relief for the other customers that are prepared to pay, the security that they can denominate what they are likely to have to shell out on.

But in all reality I get so few calls that it does not really matter.

Russ

 

[jase158]

I mean under-cutting as in doing research, finding the average price in your area and reducing your fee by £5, not stupidly low prices, this is just stupidity. people are happy to save £5-£10 but will be wary of paying £10 per hour. the thing is, if we all put prices up then people would go for the cheapest so for instance aa plumbing charges £75 ab plumbing charges £70 and AC plumbing charges £65 would there be much difference between AA plumbing and AC plumbing?