Have you had to go up on your pricing due to fuel and just overall costs? I'm trying to maintain current pricing. But can't do it for very much longer. Especially when your running 180- 220 miles a day sometimes. M
Most of my government contracts start a new fiscal year July 1st. So, if im going to do it, then its going to happen fast.
What are your plans?

Sarge

I have, just up the set-up fee.
I got a square mile radius that I stay with in.
As far of miles, 30 miles radius.

No one ever wants to pay my above charge.
Also not my sole income, got a full-time pay job.

I'm not in adc but I've doubled prices since 2020. Wages, fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance, etc have also seemingly doubled.

Fuel prices are no higher than they were during the Biden years. My insurance is the same price.

I do mostly beaver work. Not able to do large property predator work anymore. I charge by the day based on miles from my residence. Within 30 miles is my base price. Beyond 30 to 45, I bump it up $25 per day. Over 45 to 60 is another $25 bump per day. I measure straight-line miles from my residence to the jobsite....not actual highway miles. I also only charge for days I check traps. I do not charge for the day I visit the site to meet with landowner/manager to look it over or the 1st day I set traps. Sometimes those 2 days are the same...sometimes not. Most jobs are done in 7 days or less. Georgia has a 24 hr check law.

I'm the sole beaver guy for a local timber company. When it's wet, they give me a lot of work. I charge them the base rate no matter how far away the job is. Their land holdings are all within 60 mile radius of my home. Most within 30 miles.

I trap beavers when called for a large farmer that has multiple properties all with 15 miles. He is the only customer that I charge by the beaver.....$75/beaver. He's usually good for one call a year.

This is just how I price my beaver work. 99% of potential customers are satisfied with the pricing. I have all the work I want.

I saw this and just went and immediately raised some of my prices. I've been considering it on and off for weeks. . Inflation is up 25.67% since 2020. Some weeks, I make what would have seemed like good sales back in 2020, that now barely cover expenses. Money feels worthless now, because it is worth less.

Keith

This is completely off topic. But, I used to have this same discussion with food business owners who were afraid to raise their prices for fear of complaints. Across the board they were small facility operators. 100 seat or smaller cafes and supper clubs. The owners were all working 60-100 hours or more a week. And they were all afraid their customers, who were also their friends, would complain.

The discussions were always the same. I’d explain that this is America, and as such, customers feel they have the right to complain. After all, they bought the meal. But at the same time, you have to be realistic. If your costs go up, you have to not only cover your costs, but you are entitled to make a profit. Let me repeat: you are entitled to make a profit.

ADC is no different. You have to reflect your present costs and build in enough cushion to provide some percentage of profit.

A friend taught me this years ago -

When quoting out a job , you should get 20% refusal on the high cost. 80% buy , 20% refuse.

If you sell 100% of your work , you are priced too low.

What Teacher said. I sold lots of small square bales of hay. Mostly to horse people. Off the field was one price. If it was on the hay rack that was higher. Once it was in the barn that was even higher. That was for first cutting. Second and if I was lucky enough to get a third cutting those went right in the barn and the cost was even higher. You can't give your time and equipment costs away. Yes, most of my buyers were repeat customers.

Absolutely correct.

Does anyone here do yearly contracts for beaver? I try and set them up this way mostly for government entities.
Gives me time to balance out the year and not feel rushed in 95 degree heat and high humidity which feels like 105 sometimes. Deadly heat is no joke. This week it will get to 108 with the humidity. That sucks and is deadly. I have indoor jobs to take up the slack.
Headed out to inspect a grocery store for a snake. Pays well and AC isnt bad. Might even get a free sub from the deli out of the deal. You'll be safe out there.

Sarge

I absolutely agree. I average 90% approval. My key is keeping my expenses low and passing the savings on to my customers. Repeat customers and word of mouth make up the difference if I were to charge a higher price.

Sarge

I have several online retail businesses. I don't fear complaints. I fear pricing myself out of business. I've raised prices several times over many years of being in business. I wish there was a way to know the "right" price. My rule of thumb is my costs, including labor X 2. It's worked so far but sometimes it feels like the income is not worth the effort.