The problem
Many window cleaners go years without a price rise because changing 300 prices in a book and telling every customer takes a weekend. On 300 cleans a month, a $1£1€1A$2C$2 rise is $399£300€357A$576C$564 a month, and every year it's put off, that money stays off the table.
What the AI does
Squeegee's Ultimate plan adjusts prices across your customer base in bulk, and customers are told through its automated customer notification process. Price changes can be scheduled ahead of time, so you can announce a rise for the next round and let it apply on the date you choose. Message templates let you explain it in your own words.
A worked example
A one-person window cleaner in Chelmsford has about 300 customers cleaned every 4 weeks at an average of $24£18€21A$35C$34 and hasn't raised prices in 2 years. They use Squeegee Ultimate ($44£33€39A$63C$62 a month excluding VAT) to schedule a $1£1€1A$2C$2 rise starting six weeks later, with a short message to every customer.
Before
About 300 cleans a month at $24£18€21A$35C$34 no rise for 2 years
After
$1£1€1A$2C$2 more per clean from the next round; 5 customers leave
What it's worth
About $273£205€244A$394C$385 a month more profit: 295 remaining cleans at $1£1€1A$2C$2 more ($392£295€351A$566C$555), less 5 customers lost at $24£18€21A$35C$34 a clean ($120£90€107A$173C$169). A price rise adds no cost, so it is almost all profit; that is against $44£33€39A$63C$62 a month for Squeegee Ultimate.
How to set it up
- Decide the rise and the start date, at least one round ahead, so every customer hears before it applies.
- Write the message in your own words: the new price, the date, and a line on why, such as fuel and insurance.
- Use bulk price changes in Squeegee to schedule the rise for that date.
- Check GoCardless's rules on notifying Direct Debit customers of a changed amount before the first higher collection.
- Reply personally to anyone who questions it.
What goes wrong
- Bulk price changes are only on Ultimate ($44£33€39A$63C$62 per user a month); Core and Advanced don't include them.
- Under the Direct Debit Guarantee, customers must be told in advance when the amount changes. Check the notice rules before collecting more.
- Odd amounts like $24.47£18.40€21.90A$35.33C$34.59 make life harder for customers who still pay cash. Round to whole pounds or 50p.
- Some customers will leave. Work out beforehand how many you can lose and still come out ahead.