Communicating a price increase without losing customers
How you announce a raise matters more than the percentage you raise.
Give meaningful notice on existing customers
30 to 60 days for service customers, longer for ongoing contracts. Surprise hikes are the ones that lose accounts.
State a reason, briefly
'Material and labor costs have risen and we're updating our rates effective [date].' That's enough. No apology, no over-explanation.
Keep delivery consistent
The team raising prices has to deliver the same quality (or better) the next visit. A price hike followed by sloppy work is a churn event.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.