These conversations are a large part of why the networks and RT's exist. It's funny to see guys saying it helped them next to others who say it hurts. I agree it sucks to give ammo to a guy that's just going to shoot wild, but how many actually become valid competition and help make tha market better for all of us?? Some do some don't and the lowballer will just do it the wrong way for $100, either way the lowballer can not get big enough or support himself well enough to last.
The funniest thing to me is Celeste comment and I agree with her that we need regulation. How blind can a government body be that needs money and ignores trades that are asking, almost begging for regulation to strengthen their price base and industry appearance? Here and a million other places necessary regulation to stop customer damage and strengthen a trade are needed.
Unfortunately with the prize of good regulation comes eventually over regulation and the people in the cleaning industry as a whole would still have to band together and fight the over-regulation.
In the end like many others here I feel that owners have to find common ground to join together even after the bad taste most of the orgs have left.
Kory the people you are seeing lower their price to keep guys working are churning a broken wheel. They will burn out or retire from lack of incentive to continue such an effort. When times get tough we raise our prices too, find ways to seek customers others are not and push our services harder.
Here is an excerpt about companies surviving the great depression:
Cited from:
http://ravitlichtenberg.typepad.com/home/2008/09/in-his-recent-newsletter-courtesy-of-techcrunch-jason-calacanis-of-mahalo-shares-honest-and-moving-insights-into-the-impac.html
'What did the companies who succeeded do right? They were able to
tap basic human needs relevant to the times. They were able to understand the ecosystem within which businesses could operate at the time and to provide solutions that made sense to people. This, I propose, is exactly what startups should focus on as they plan to wade their way through the turbulent waters of the coming years. This is how they will survive.
Let's also put things in order: operational efficiency and cost cutting are baseline for every company today. Unless it has a trust-fund founder behind it who doesn't mind throwing millions of dollars down the drain, no company will survive without hitting these hard. Lean, mean, relevance and focus are key to survival.
But to go beyond, startups will need to demonstrate that they understand what customers today want and need--and deliver to these needs. At the core, people always seek to overcome helplessness, powerlessness, and hopelessness. They seek control over their lives. At times of affluence, people may be more flexible and have a range. But at times of crisis, all three are play and the need for control speaks louder than anything else. How can your company address these in your category? How can you empower your customers? How can you help them feel in control of their lives--lives that are likely to change even more in the coming 2-3 years?'
I suggest that anyone read the whole article. We have found ways to make our customers feel better about spending money to maintain their home and prevent future costs in these uncertain times. Keep your heads up brothers as there is always an answer. I just hope the answer doesn't become that we all buy lawnmowers to replace our pressure washers from low-balling each other out to keep ourselves busy while broke!!
