Cop It or Shop It! – a new mantra for a new year

It was short, sharp, and left me with two options - cop it or shop it. 

I'm fortunate to have a cleaner, Kerry, who keeps my home in good shape. This was her New Year’s text - 'Sorry but I have to increase my rate to $55 per hour (was $45). Hope that's ok?' 

Two lines, 15 words, and a 22% increase in her fee. Not bad at all. 

My response was equally short and sharp - 'Sure'.

What else was I to do? 

Kerry's good at her work, but I could have found someone else. Did I want to do that? No. It would take time to find someone, show them how I like things to be done, and learn to trust them to be in my home when I’m not there. And in the end, their rate would probably be much the same. 

In short, the pain of paying an extra $10 per hour was less than the pain of getting someone new. 

Kerry could teach us in strata management something about pricing our services for the value we represent to our clients – 

• There is value in being the incumbent - changing cleaners is one thing, changing strata managers is altogether more difficult. 
• When you are delivering bad news to someone, give it to them straight - the only thing I could fault in Kerry’s approach was her apology. She could have skipped that and got the same result. There’s no need to be sorry for asking for what you’re worth. 
• Kerry does a difficult job, one that I, and many others, don’t want to do in our private time – strata management is the same. 
• ‘In for a penny, in for a pound’ as the old saying goes. If you’re going to upset the client by asking for more, you might as well ask for all you think you are worth. Don’t mess around with CPI. That’s not reflecting the real costs of living e.g., increases in interest rates, rent, and wages. 
• Do the numbers. Kerry’s book is full, and yours probably is too. If some don’t cop the increase and leave, so be it. You will have more income and a bit more time to focus on those that do accept the increase. But, I bet, your book will soon be full again. That’s the nature of strata now - more buildings coming online, and little talent about to serve their increasingly complex needs. 

So, be like Kerry. Earn 22% more in 2025 for the same or less effort than in 2024. 

PS. If you’d like to learn how to increase your fees and refresh your marketing material to assist you in your efforts, enrol for our 3 ‘one -on- one’ session tutorials about business growth and development. Only have 4 spots left for February - Business Development Course 2025