[craig jwc]

I have started a window cleaning round in the last few months and found that people prefer to see a face than a piece of paper at their door.
I am getting more work now through recomendation but will still door knock if my new work starts to slow down.
Like Kirral1404 said on post alot of people say they can never find a window cleaner plus there is no hard selling just a simple question.
It would be nice to see the areas though they are looking at bringing this ban into.
If they do bring this into effect what will be next.
Window cleaners work alot outside the building and occasionally have to enter the property but Carpet cleaning is inside work, so would they look at vetting everyone in every sort of business that enters the property??
I can see where they are coming from with cold calling but they will probably at a later date come up with a licence you have to pay a stupid amount for to allow you to do it. 

[Ian Gourlay]

I have been busy recently , but will try to find time to look on The Local Government Sites, and find out the full details on which the report I heard on the highly respected Today Radio programme was based,.

[Mike Halliday]

this is my first reply on this topic, how can the T/S or the police enforce a ban on doorknocking?

The police & T/S enforce the Law, unless goverment make it illegal to doorknock (and you don't break any other laws while Doorknocking eg Tresspass ) they are powerless.

I would ignore any ban

Mike

[nick.solution]

 Hi I tend to agree with Mike

Unless you were abusive, causing offence or continued disturbance I don't see what could be done, lets face it you could stand on the pavement and hand out flyers if you wanted to as long as you did'nt cause and obstruction.

Best regards nick

[George-Reid]

Here is what I have found so far.

Ban to hit cold-calling companies     
Small companies relying on door-to-door sales could run into difficulties after plans to create 140 no-cold-calling zones across the UK.

The areas will show signs and stickers warning potential salesmen they have entered into a no-go area.

The initiative is being introduced by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), which has been given a £50,000 grant by BT, which stopped doorstep selling in June this year, to set up the scheme.

It is hoped the no-cold-calling zones will lead to a reduction in crimes targeted against vulnerable elderly people. A similar scheme introduced in Cambridgeshire has already led to an 11% reduction in burglaries.

"In the absence of improvements in the law, this scheme helps communities to equip themselves to deter those unwelcome doorstep cold callers," Ron Gainsford, chief executive of TSI, said.

But the move has been criticised by business groups, which fear the move will only serve to deter genuine companies while failing to halt bogus callers.

"This is an attack on a long established and genuine mode of business," said Richard Berry, director at the Direct Selling Association.

"Consumers don't want their shopping choices restricted to the big retailers and supermarkets - they want a wider offering with better customer service with free delivery to their homes.

"The initiative assumes all cold callers are potential criminals and fails to recognise legitimate traders," he added.
  Posted: 01/11/2005 10:34 | Posted By: Nick Martindale | Source: BBC   

Cheers
George

[ValueValeting]

If it is just the police and trading standards taking the law into their own hands, well fu** em!
AFAIK
They will not be able to levy any fine unless it is either national law or a local council bylaw (ala alcohol free zones + the like)

[George-Reid]

Another Article


'No cold calling' zones extended
Doorstep salesman
Legitimate doorstep sellers will be penalised, says the DSA
About 140 "No Cold Calling" zones are to be created next year in an effort to discourage doorstep salesmen.

More than 100 zones, which have signs saying cold callers are not welcome, have been set up since the summer or are in the process of being set up.

Now the scheme by the Trading Standards Institute has been given a £50,000 grant to extend it across the UK.

Some business chiefs are alarmed by the news and say it will put off legitimate firms but not the rogue traders.

Avon ladies

Richard Berry, director of the Direct Selling Association, said most direct sellers were women who ran small part time businesses selling the products of long-established companies.

And Jerry McDonald, president of Avon UK, where 99% of salespeople are women, said it was a threat to the business.

He added: "I think this will make them ["Avon ladies"] feel very uncomfortable and may actually threaten them into believing they are doing something illegal. That is not the case."

   
This scheme helps communities to equip themselves to deter those unwelcome doorstep cold callers
Ron Gainsford
TSI chief executive

But the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) says cold calling has been linked to crimes like burglary.

In the zones, signs are put up telling cold callers they are not welcome, residents are given stickers and often a hotline to call if they are bothered by unwelcome visitors.

The £50,000 grant has been donated by BT, which has stopped its own door-to-door selling practices.

The TSI wants new laws to ban cold calling at private addresses for repairs and maintenance.

Chief executive Ron Gainsford said: "In the absence of improvements in the law, this scheme helps communities to equip themselves to deter those unwelcome doorstep cold callers."


Cheers
George

[Ian Gourlay]

Sorry to keep posting on this subject.

Nick,

Handing out Leaflets in Town Centres is also to be banned, by  some Local Authorities.

This time it has an Act of Parliament.


George Regarding BT.

That is interesting as they are loosing custom to other Companies who door knock.

Probably why they are also pluging Telephone Prefrence Service. To prevent other companies switching their customers.

They are trying to shut down marketing merthods.

[George-Reid]

Ok this is the last one I will post

End of the road for Doorstep Selling?
For twenty five years or more, rogue traders, cowboy salesmen, and intrusive direct selling of a wide variety of products have had a deservedly bad press. More recently junk mail, and its equivalent via telephone, fax, SPAM email and door knocking have been the targets of consumer guardians such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Office of Fair Trading, Watchdog and the tabloid press. It is an area where gross behaviour and excesses, sometimes criminal, occur. When they do, they make headlines. We empathise with the victims and want to put a stop to it. But emotive issues gather momentum and stick in the mind. However rare the event it becomes a focus for action, and attracts those with a broader agenda. Before long a disproportionate solution to an occasional problem is proposed and a roller coaster is on its way.

The Citizens Advice Bureau issued a 74 page 'super complaint' report to the DTI in 2004, and the Office of Fair Trading produced a 119 page report last May urging a total ban on cold calling. Trading Standards also weighed in linking doorstep selling to crime. A private members bill was taken up by the DTI and in the autumn there was media blitz complete with 'direct selling the inside story' from a reformed direct salesman and a countrywide mailing from the OFT warning us to be on our guard. After strong lobbying from the home improvement industry, among others, the government is mulling over the results of its consultations. But don't hold your breath, this one won't go away.

Trevor Conway, Retail Managing Director of Anglian Windows Limited, Norwich: “You may have seen the comment on this in the press and thought: 'nothing to do with us. We don't do any of that. Everything we do is by appointment inside the home', well think again.

“If you sell replacement windows, conservatories or a host of other home improvement products you will be affected. If you are a trade supplier to these businesses, the impact on your customers won't escape you.

“There are a host of measures being considered, including a prohibition on any work or taking any cash during the cooling off period - which may affect surveys and deposits on all sales included in the home.

“But the big one is a threatened ban on cold calling for property services. So far this appears to have been defined by the DTI to include all sales concluded in the home via agreed appointments resulting from proactive marketing contacts. So anyone who uses tele-canvassing or door-canvassing would be banned.

“Anglian has been working very actively with the GGF and their independent public affairs consultants to get this dropped. We urge all potentially affected to get behind their trade associations and lobby their MPs to stop the government decimating our industry.”

Nigel Richmond, President of the GGF and Chief Operating Officer of Bowater Home Improvements, Norwich adds: “Following super complaints from the National Association of CABS and the OFT the DTI launched a consultation programme regarding the introduction of potential legislation on doorstep selling to deal with the subject of rogue traders.

“The definition of doorstep selling used by the DTI is extremely wide and some of the potential legislation would outlaw many of the traditional and legitimate marketing methods, as well as having a devastating effect on the legitimate part of the industry and possibly leave the rogue element untouched. Many professional bodies, including the GGF and business, have responded to the DTI's consultation paper with constructive comments as to how practical changes in legislation can be implemented and how to eliminate the undesirable rogue trader in the home improvement market. It is critical that businesses keep abreast of proposed and actual changes in legislation to ensure that their marketing methods remain legal, and are not unfairly restricted.”

The irony of this campaign is that it is a government and organisation inspired movement, not something driven by consumers as the OFT report reluctantly concedes. There are unhappy consumers about, but on the whole satisfaction with purchases, particularly high value items, in the home is high. But, even if your customers are happy, and you are planning a sustainable business it's time to consider alternative methods of generating leads and selling.

So watch this space I guess

Cheers
George

[Eddie Conroy]

Hi All,
There is quite a large article on the trading standard web site regarding door step selling and again quite a large reply by the direct sellers association on theirs.
Guess what, on the local trading standards van they have a poster describing a good tradesman, one of the things  on the list is the ability to take credit cards.
Ok it's possible but when I tried to get info on accepting cc's this year from a supplier featured  in the NCCA's mag, I got bugger all (excuse language) response
Regards
Eddie

[ValueValeting]

Any Tom dick or harry can accept credit card payment just setup a paypal account

S'funny innit one govt dept warning on the dangers of credit cards and another promoting their use.....

[Templar]

Some very informed comment on this post, but despite comments such as stuff em' it's not law yet, as someone who has just started cold calling and got over my initial stage fright to start getting positive results, if I was in an area with lampost stickers etc outlawing me such as the one described in Luton I would feel intimidated.

Some old dear saying "can't you see the signs it's illegal, I'm going to call the police." wouldn't help my motivation either no matter what my self belief.And then if someone else came over to see what all the fuss was about, as they do, I could well imagine being heckled out of the street.

If this is the future, then as a window cleaner I would opt for some kind of registration to promote the fact that I was bona fide.

[HQCS (John Kastrian)]

I think doorknocking is anti social and a nuisance.
I used to work nights in my previous job and was woken up many times by some scruffy git trying to sell something or other,they always got verbal abuse,nothing worse than being woken up in the middle of the day for no reason.
Now all the window cleaners will say it is the only way to advertise their business,not necessarily true,the legit cleaners can advertise in local mags/papers etc.
Here is a prime example,a few months ago a window cleaner knocked the doors in our area saying that he was joining a franchise based in Bristol,and could offer cut price window cleaning if paid for 6 months in advance,lots of people paid up,and that was the last they saw of him.
John

[Templar]

I have re read the above post and thought about it. Not many people (about 8% max) give you the chance to clean their windows on a cold call. Of these I haven't met any willing to pay in advance for even one clean from an untried door knocker, let alone six.
Either the street the poster lives in is the most stupid and gullible in the country, or this is an urban myth. It's a shame that he should choose to pick on window cleaners, or has he not heard the stories about people whose carpets either shrink or stink?

[Mike Osbourne]

Well I get woke up at 4am in the morning by nightworkers. So now I doorknock. 

I think doorknocking is anti social and a nuisance.
I used to work nights in my previous job and was woken up many times by some scruffy git trying to sell something or other,they always got verbal abuse,nothing worse than being woken up in the middle of the day for no reason.
Now all the window cleaners will say it is the only way to advertise their business,not necessarily true,the legit cleaners can advertise in local mags/papers etc.
Here is a prime example,a few months ago a window cleaner knocked the doors in our area saying that he was joining a franchise based in Bristol,and could offer cut price window cleaning if paid for 6 months in advance,lots of people paid up,and that was the last they saw of him.
John

[Matt_Benton]

It's not just the efficiency of door knocking, but the geographical benefits too. Having tried local newspaper adverts, i was frustrated that, although people responded in sufficient quantity to render it an economical marketing tool, they were too widely distributed, resulting in excessive time spent travelling between houses.

Doorknocking ensures that any customers you get are located within a relatively concentrated area, meaning less time travelling between jobs and consequently, more money per hour.

No matter what people say, nobody is truly "harrassed" by door knocking; at the most, it's a minor incovenience. Think about it, it takes less than a minute to get up, go to the door and say "no thanks" or "sod off" to someone.

The way i work is that someone usually calls me from either an internet ad or one in the Yellow Pages. When i go to price up the work, i canvass the road as well, to make travelling there worth my time. Those people who answer the door and don't want it done will never hear from me again, and if i've wasted even a modicum of their time that would've otherwise been spent watching "Naked D-List Celebrity Fat Fighting in the Jungle" or reading the Daily Mail, then that makes me even happier.

Sorry for the rant, i'll get down from my soapbox now.

Matt 

[seanmcshane]

Templar...you have just jumped a whole year...!!!
check the date on the post before yours.

[Templar]

Oh yeah, er soz Mcshane, and it took me several figure outs to figure out what you mean't. Very well spotted. At least I gave the post legs again.