[geefree]

Hi ..

a friend moved into a new house out of our town...asked me to clean her windows..
i said i dont really go that far out but i will do it etc..

anyway i cleaned them and thought i may as well leaflet drop on a nice new estate.. large detached and semis,,,

first of all i had a couple of calls for quotes.. did them.. nothing came of it.. then another couple.. nothing again...

so the next time i had a call, i quoted and knocked a few doors to find out how much basically they pay....

£ 4  !!  LARGE DETACHED.... no wonder my quotes were coming to nothing..!

so i left it and forgot about it..

next, the phone starts ringing,.. i know you are more expensive but please can you do them... ( i advertise windows, frames and doors leaving no dirt behind)....

i said yes no problem.... then she said the lady next door, and her ...and him... and the house above and the other one, here there and everywhere also want you to clean them.. our present window cleaner says he has done them when he hasnt.. never leaves a card then turns up when he feels like it for 2 months money... never touches the frames and we are sacking him !!!

and the calls are still coming !

but i feel really bad... i would not like that to happen to me... even tho i would never dream of working as he does... i still feel as if i am stealing work.

What do you guys think please.

[windowwashers]

Hi ..

a friend moved into a new house out of our town...asked me to clean her windows..
i said i dont really go that far out but i will do it etc..

anyway i cleaned them and thought i may as well leaflet drop on a nice new estate.. large detached and semis,,,

first of all i had a couple of calls for quotes.. did them.. nothing came of it.. then another couple.. nothing again...

so the next time i had a call, i qouted and knocked a few doors to find out how much basically they pay....

£ 4  !!  LARGE DETACHED.... no wonder my quotes were coining to nothing..!

so i left it and forgot about it..

next, the phone starts ringing,.. i know you are more expensive but please can you do them... ( i advertise windows, frames and doors leaving no dirt behind)....

i said yes no problem.... then she said the lady next door, and her ...and him... and the house above and the other one, here there and everywhere also want you to clean them.. our present window cleaner says he has done them when he hasnt.. never leaves a card then turns up when he feels like it for 2 months money... never touches the frames and we are sacking him !!!

and the calls are still coming !

but i feel really bad... i would not like that to happen to me... even tho i would never dream of working as he does... i still feel as if i am stealing work.

What do you guys think please.

Not at all they will go to someone else if you do not take them up, the cleaner from the sounds if it does not run his business as one, sounds like beer money to me. Go for it, you are not undercutting him in any way, he is doing wrong not you, so from what you say if is not stealing anything more picking up new work for a new job. if you was under cutting or trying to take the work from another window cleaning I would say thios is wrong, I dont do it nor should others, there is one member that did it to me a few months ago, I am like an elephant i forgot nothing. cant say no more but I guess it will get posted on here in time

[Russell Macdonald]

They are not happy. A satisfied customer will not look else where apart from a few that are always looking for cheaper that you don't want any way.

Like you i do a full clean & my customers know i've been because they either paid me or have had an envelope left fof payment to be sent.

If i was you i would get in there.

[macmac]

It's all yours gaza, take it, you're doing nothing wrong mate
I've come across w/c's like the said guy, & the customers complaints are usually valid, especially if so many complain. I've seen windows apparently cleaned that if it was my work i'd be ashamed.

tony

[cybersye]

I would'nt worry too much, youre not undercutting him after all, I could however understand him being pi**ed off at a newcomer to the estate and several cancellations. I've been in this situation before and on a couple of occasions I have told the customer to voice their concerns to their w/c and if not resolved to keep my number and ring me once they have cancelled/sacked their previous one, that way imo you have less to feel guilty about and you did atleast give him the chance to redeem himself, but hey at the end of the day we are all free to pick and choose what we buy, who we employ etc. so no, I dont think you could be considered as stealing customers.
Simon

[windowwashers]

They are not happy. A satisfied customer will not look else where apart from a few that are always looking for cheaper that you don't want any way.

Like you i do a full clean & my customers know i've been because they either paid me or have had an envelope left fof payment to be sent.

If i was you i would get in there.

Macc is spot on there, only thing is i dont do the envelope just a card

[ronnie paton]

customers though are funny people how many lose there slips you put through the door or say they havent had one when you know you posted it, and  then you call for 2 or 3 cleans and they dont want to pay.

but has for the rest well there not happy has hes not cleaning the frames so crack on.

Has for asking for the price was that just to know for knowing sakes or was you thinking of under cutting os matching(which would change my opinion!!)?

[windowwashers]

customers though are funny people how many lose there slips you put through the door or say they havent had one when you know you posted it, and  then you call for 2 or 3 cleans and they dont want to pay.

as for asking for the price was that just to know for knowing sakes or was you thinking of under cutting os matching(which would change my opinion!!)?

charge a late payment fee and they always find the card/slip 
under cutting is wrong, maybe im old school but still think its wrong what ever anyone says "domestic I am talking about here not commercial as that another kettle of fish"

[geefree]

Thanks lads,

customers though are funny people how many lose there slips you put through the door or say they havent had one when you know you posted it, and then you call for 2 or 3 cleans and they dont want to pay.

but has for the rest well there not happy has hes not cleaning the frames so crack on.

Has for asking for the price was that just to know for knowing sakes or was you thinking of under cutting os matching(which would change my opinion!!)?

no i was curious as to why i was getting nothing at all from the quotes i gave... so i decided to see why>>>   and if it was because of the area being so low priced i would leave it be... in fact thats what i did....

 then the calls came in..... i dont ever undercut. i dont work that way.

i keep my prices up, thats the only way to build a round that pays.

[windowwashers]

Thanks lads,

customers though are funny people how many lose there slips you put through the door or say they havent had one when you know you posted it, and then you call for 2 or 3 cleans and they dont want to pay.

but has for the rest well there not happy has hes not cleaning the frames so crack on.

Has for asking for the price was that just to know for knowing sakes or was you thinking of under cutting os matching(which would change my opinion!!)?

 then the calls came in..... i dont ever undercut. i dont work that way.

i keep my prices up, thats the only way to build a round that pays.

Good On you GAZZA and good way of thinking m8, IMO it's the right way 

[andyp]

gazza go for it.if the ex windowcleaner done his job properly you wont be getting the phone calls in the first place plus your charging more

[petski2]

Well I have to say I think what you are doing is underhand and devious
This poor chap is obviously doing his utmost to make his customers dislike him  :
Then in steps you to take advantage of the poor guys situation and highlight to his customers the fact he is crap
I have to say Gazza how surprised I am at the fact you are stooping so low as to offer a better service than a cowboy and on top of that steal his livelehood.(I wish there was a smiley with his tongue in his cheek)
Dude me thinks you knew the answer you would get for your question you just wanted reassurance didnt ya,aww thats touching
Seriously mate just fri g g i n clean em its dog eat dog