What's wrong with this guy ? ....

[quickestimate 14]

Hello

This guy is trying to "educate" our customers . There is few links on his website to forums like TGS . I don't think it's a good idea to show customers our tricks and problems.

Check this out ! 1234me Pressure Washing L.L.C. Industry Links

[Jarrod 22]

Ed, I REALLY hope that you stop being a $99.00 guy. I have seen your ads and they are a disgrace to the industry. I am so sick & tired of the $99 morons in this industry. Just B/C you have a lower overhead than guys like me and other pros, doesn't make it right for you to be a lowballer.

I have been in this business a lot longer than you, so don't **** in my pool.

I have a family to feed too, so change your ways or GET OUT OF THE INDUSTRY!

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Ed, I REALLY hope that you stop being a $99.00 guy. I have seen your ads and they are a disgrace to the industry. I am so sick & tired of the $99 morons in this industry. Just B/C you have a lower overhead than guys like me and other pros, doesn't make it right for you to be a lowballer.

I have been in this business a lot longer than you, so don't **** in my pool.

I have a family to feed too, so change your ways or GET OUT OF THE INDUSTRY!

I have a friend that does residential and runs ads for drives for 45 dollars. Bythe time he leave he makes hundreds and often 1000's.

[Jarrod 22]

Good for him. These lowball ads are the perfect example of what's wrong with our industry. Now us real contractors have to fight the customer's skewed perception as well as the competition.

I have absolutely no respect for hacks that advertise with low prices to make their phone ring.

I can't believe that you are defending this crap Ron. You know better.

[cdposey26 14]

Sounds like you need to get over it dude. If he can make a business by doing jobs for $99 or if it gets the phone to ring and sales them other services good for him. We live in a free market society and if he has a good business mind he will do fine if not he will be gone. Like you I would not do this, but there is a whole lot of dogging people on this board for guy trying to make his way. Unfortunately more competition means lower prices most of the time. Are you selling your service based on price or the service itself? Good luck, I hope you guys work through your differences.

[patrick 14]

Jarrod-----------very well said

[rholman 14]

Seems to me ALOT like the mortgage companies who call you and tell you that you are approved for a 1% 30 yr loan without EVER pulling your credit or talking to you. Now, I can tell you that it's all BS, BUT they justify it because they can break the bad news to them later and they also say(behind the scenes)..."well I'm still getting them the best deal." OR "what are they going to do? Walk away from the closing table when they are waiting to get $10,000 cashout?" Just because people are making money doing this crap doesn't make it right. If you think your some kind of awesome businessman just because you spend big $$ on deceptive advertising and happen to get upsells on some of those then you've got another thing coming. Trying to justify your "means" by your "end" is ridiculous. You are no better than those slick-talking loan officers out there that have caused so much trouble in the mortgage industry. Now look at them....the customers are hurting....the loan officer is either struggling or has moved on to another profession. And the government will probably have to step in and bail people out. Well, at least the mortgage companies made alot of money before they WENT OUT OF BUSINESS!

Do what you gotta do, but don't expect the PROFESSIONALS to get along with you.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Wow..Am I reading right??...

Ed is not a real contractor that sends out a perception to his customers which can not be satisfied?

He is apparently also a lowballer, makes disgraceful ads, makes for a crap situation, does not deserve respect, is likened to being a moron, and is prone to be acussed of pissing in pools, is a hack, and doesn't need his phone to ring...

Good golly he may need a tar and feathering... Nah, is a free wide open market and far as this pool goes...it is a community pool and I fail to see him popping out #2 floaters. :)

[mr._squeegee 14]

i Looked at the website I didn’t see the $99 offer on there? Did I miss it? If it there could you please post a link to it I would like to read the fine print if there is any.

Sounds illegal to have a $99 price and NOT DO jobs for that price. That is the very basis of the bait and switch. You advertise $99 house you have to advertise the conditions, no conditions you have to wash an 8,000 sq ft 3 story wood sided home for $99.

I don’t like the idea of a $99 wash. If one is professional they would sell on more than just price. Price selling is for commodities, not custom labor work. You price sell Duracell batteries, or Gatorade, you don’t price sell legal advice, tailoring, medicine, auto work etc. Well unless you are admitting you’re not as professional, because if you were you would charge more. Many companies here in the tri county area charge $70 bucks MINIMUM delivery charge for stuff. How can you provide hours of service, and estimate before hand, two trips gas and chemicals for $29 more than the minimum cost to deliver a shrub or a shower door ?

Low balling is driving south east Michigan trades into the ground and I don’t see people lowering their expectations an equal amount to the low ballers. They want low price and top notch work.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Oh and now he likened to not being a professional?. If being a professional relates to pricing and hence means charging more than a non-professional for same job then we have new deffinition...

Rick, How does mortgage co. tactics relate when this fella actually supposedly provides his service as advertised?. If mortage co. did provide you 1% you would be taking them up on it right?.

[StainlessDeal 16]

Lowballin' is lowballin'.

Set your prices low because of a temporary advantage, and your price will stay low in perpetuity. What are you going to tell a customer next year? "Hey I know I sold the same job last year for $99, but now I have actually become a businessman with normal overhead. I'm no longer rooking you with low-quality work and no knowledge base. I have to charge what grown-ups charge."

If you think you've reinvented the wheel, you will likely have a rude and lonely awakening coming.

Business is just that, there is no magic bullet that exempts you from the normal functions of advertising, selling, providing a service, and profitting. Usually when I hear somebody say they work harder than respected veterans, or that their model is more efficient, I find that they have forgotten something.

Or just left it out.

But, whatever, maybe you really have reinvented the wheel. I guess you have to hope so.

[cdposey26 14]

That seems to be how things work and things are cyclical. Instead of dogging the guy, especially not knowing his work and his business model, we should be looking at ourselves and our business and figure out how we will excel in the midst of so called low ballers. Your service is only worth what people perceive its worth. Everyone likes to talk about it being other the other guys fault for driving prices down instead of figuring out what needs to actually be done to raise the perceived value. There is nothing ethically wrong with advertising a $99 house wash and selling other services, like squeegee says, there are probably some terms and conditions to that. The only thing wrong is we don't like somebody doing it for cheaper than we do because it makes it harder to sell our service. If it was easy everyone would be making lots of money.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Mr Sqweegie,

The 'condition' is easy to state.

Instead of Housewashes $99.. you say HOUSE WASHES from $99 or you use * referencing the fine print if ya like. Use both..

[StainlessDeal 16]

Your service is only worth what people perceive its worth. Everyone likes to talk about it being other the other guys fault for driving prices down instead of figuring out what needs to actually be done to raise the perceived value.

This is only one facet of the problem, but it is a significant facet.

If twenty fly-by-nighters are working in the area you serve, and they charge very low rates because they don't understand the actual expenses of doing business, when they go back to working at Wal-Mart or whatever, you now have a customer base that believes they are being gouged when you charge realistic prices.

See?

[cdposey26 14]

I understand that too, thats why I think like most business it is hard to stick and stay viable, we obviously are not the only industry that deals with this problem. Unfortunately, this is a relatively inexpensive business to get into, so we come across more people trying to make a quick buck or give it a shot and they learn the things you are talking about. Trust me I am not in favor one bit of a $99 house wash or anything else that is so significantly lower than what I charge, but I just think people may be putting to much energy and frustrations in the wrong direction. I don't know anything about this guy, he may do great work or horrible work, I can not control that so why waste my energy complaining about. Cheaper work is not a problem that will ever go away, so what can we do to make ourselves better.

[Jarrod 22]

You doubters really need to listen to Scott & myself.

I have been in business for 7 years and I not stupid.

The fact that this has to be explained means that you doubters just don't get it to begin with. You are a waste of my time.

Go work at McDonalds.

[cdposey26 14]

Yeah you sound really educated in smart by putting everyone down that questions you. Sorry, I didn't realize you were the end all be all, did not mean to waste your time with my ignorance. By the way 7 years is nothing.

[cdposey26 14]

I take it back 7 years is good, congratulations, I should not have said that I apologize.

[cdposey26 14]

I respect the fact you have a different opinion, I just do not like being talked down to, I have had many successful businesses and worked my butt off to get my MBA to have a good working knowledge of the business world before I started.

[patrick 14]

What The Guy For 99 Lacks To See Is That When Next Year Comes Around And He Wants To Raise His Price.he Will Not Get The Job And The Coustomer Will Just Shop For The Next $99 Lowballer.

[StainlessDeal 16]

Trust me I am not in favor one bit of a $99 house wash or anything else that is so significantly lower than what I charge, but I just think people may be putting to much energy and frustrations in the wrong direction. I don't know anything about this guy, he may do great work or horrible work, I can not control that so why waste my energy complaining about. Cheaper work is not a problem that will ever go away, so what can we do to make ourselves better.

I hear you, Trey. I admire the drive to stay positive and focused more on things you can change directly.

However, Jarrod has a strong point that bears repeating. (Even though he is sick of repeating it, I'm sure.)

Competition is one thing, damage to the industry and its image is quite another. This is true regardless of the quality of work done by the damager, or even whether he intends to do damage.

I don't know any lowballers, and some may do fine work, but the problem they represent is that they are moving pricing in the wrong direction. Here's an excerpt from one of the first post I ever made (over on TCN):

These guys know this business and know that many, if not most, newbies never really try to get proficient before they just dive in and try something they are not prepared for. That kills the image they are trying to defend: That powerwashers are professional business owners that have a right to charge reasonable fees for excellent services, done with pro equipment, and backed by superior knowledge and resources (like TCN). There is a ton of love here for people that are starting out...

That post was made in May of 2005, and represents the one thing I knew then: The veterans don't need to be told how they are overcharging, people need to realize that services come with costs, and the price is the price.

Lowballers see the world the way the worst sort of customer does: Without regard for the costs involved.

Newbies should be most careful of the tendency to sell on price, or to ask customers what they think a job is worth.

Figure your price based on a logical plan including ALL of the costs of operating.

Nothing else signifies. If you can fight to defend underbidding, you can fight to market to customers that can afford to pay.

Don't encourage people to fund their hobbies by ruining the industry. It will be ruined for the businesses and for the customers alike when there are only lowballers in the field.

[patrick 14]

Scott--------very Well Said

[cdposey26 14]

I agree Scott, and you worded things nicely. When you word things like you are educating and not belittling it comes across totally different. Again, my point was never that I think a $99 house wash is a good idea, but I just know they will always be there. Everyone has a right to run things how they want and I do not think it is effective to dog people out and then think they will see your point.

[cdposey26 14]

If somebody hypothetically speaking finds a way to run a viable business charging $99 and does quality work good for them and we better all watch out. I am with you I don't think its a well thought out long term plan, but to each his own. All we can really control is what we do and how we do things.

[mr._squeegee 14]

If somebody hypothetically speaking finds a way to run a viable business charging $99 and does quality work good for them and we better all watch out. I am with you I don't think its a well thought out long term plan, but to each his own. All we can really control is what we do and how we do things.

"If” .... If grandma had nuts you would call her grandpa. Not going to happen.

Power washing isn't a universe on to itself. A lock smith charges $70 bucks or more for a 3 minute lock out when you lock your keys in the car, call any number of service business and ask what the minimum trip cost is. Window tinting I couldn’t find anyone under $200. Call some lighting companies and ask what the minimum charge is if while power washing you wreck in ground lighting, or in ground sprinkler. I don’t have tools to do in ground sprinklers, its not rocket science, if all these other companies charge you $100 -$200 to drive to a home then the cost rise from there parts, and mark up and hourly wage. Why should power washing be any less? It’s specialized.

Unfortunately just about anyone can say they are a power washer, there is no accreditation required by the state (I know complete loser licensed builders and ASE mechanics who can’t put brakes shoes on the correct side) so the accreditation wouldn’t solve everything but its atleast a minor hurdle. If power washing was sooooooo easy the home owner should just do it themselves. Even if something IS EASY, the fact they don't have the time or the inclination, or its socially unacceptable for them in their ritzy sub or posh address to do their own labor. That alone makes power washing valuable.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Thing is since there is a limited amount of available customers willing to buy we must see that the ones actually building a business is gonna be at the expense or leaching on the ones not building or growing anything that might just be after keeping status quo or feeding faces. How do you explain yerself for coming into an industry only a year ago or 7 years ago with big aspirations of getting it all and try to demand people that been doing their small business much longer to change or up their prices when they have no need to?...oh that's right the pressure washing industry is young and invented and owned by the supposed seniority minded/but new folk...not!!. it owned by the hundreds and hundreds of washers that are just as professional but don't have a need or bother to come here. We aint all that. For every one of you that think you represent your big city there be hundreds of professional run businesses doing so called lowball prices. Where as you think you set the standard and create the pricing it is they and their customers making the prices in their specific market and they been doing it just as long as you or longer. You just want more money and to work less..that fine and all and am all for it... just don't pull the wool over the newbies coming in. They will be eatin up not by your high prices but by the low prices of their fellow pro's that have no time for this silly forum stuff..

Yea there are more people in the world everyday so newbie is needed and welcome to fill gaps but again I'll imply that to label a low priced option as non-professional or wrong mainly serves the goal of those wanting it all or not able to cope or manage... If an industry such as retail or grocery heard your gripes they would laugh at you and I both at what we expect our profit margins to be. Other industry is almost straightup socialistic far as distributing wealth and profit. Bigger the business the more the profit gets spread about to the little man doing the work. At some point they become corporations with the regular folk doing the labor underneith being the shareholders and wreaping whatever margin there is available to that perticular industry. Since when is the world of cleaning a high profit industry?.. since roof cleaning and pressure washing is when. Would say that all the corporations ( the people) will eventually own ya and be able to offer $50 housewashes if it not for big box store having the world trade ability to provide HO with cheap pressure washer. The service field is not like the retail field of being able to import goods and therefore not limited to goobermint effects of trade. Happy HO can't call up China and have them send over a few pair of pants for Johnny so we are beholding to the corporate influence upon goobermint to get the stuff in off the waters.

In this case we can blame HO theirselves for inspiring the box stores to have the cheap washers produced or shipped in. But hey they and the box stores been gearing up for that as long as there been pressure washers so you can't really say you come first...evolve, adapt..take up a new business as everyone knows this one is old and not the big thing to get into like it was a decade or more ago. The money has always been and will be in your actual professional trades requiring many years of college education. You know like doctors and lawyers and such.. :)