[philhart]

Hi been out today canvassing and found a new housing estate, knocked on a few and got their windows, then I knocked on a few more houses and they all said that they have got a window cleaner, but are looking for a new one because he is S***. This was not just 1 house but around 3. Anyway I said that I would not take work off another window cleaner but if he should stop turning up I would be happy to take the work on. Did I do the right thing, if someone is not providing a good service then the customer should be able to choose who they want to clean their windows?

Thanks Phil

[reah]

Hey
They have said they are looking for a new window cleaner.
So if you do not take the work eventualy some one else will.

[Trevor Knight]

With situations like that I always leave my card and explain I will not actively take work away form another w/c, however, if they ever do look for someone else please give me a call.

Like its been mentioned, if they are going to go elsewhere then why not to you.

best wishes,

Trev

[mfwindowcleaner]

i had the same problem when i took on a new part of town ....... i explained if they cancel their own window cleaner then give me a phone then i dont see the problem ........
when confronted by the said window cleaner i just told him they  phoned me and asked me to clean  .........
wheres the problem in that
he just huffed and walked away 

[Londoner]

Unless they have just moved in all new customers are somebody's ex customer. Quite what has happened in the past is sometimes a bit debatable. Who dumped who for example.
I know many cases where a window cleaner has just walked away and left a good round and has never been seen again. You wonder what has happened.

The question then, as raised in a recent thread by Tosh, is how long do you leave it before you jump in.

However, if the present window cleaner is still turning up and doing the windows, however badly and however irregularly, my advise is keep out. Leave a card and explain why but don't become a poacher.

[marc al]

   If I am asked to quote I will, whether they already have a window cleaner or not, his price is non of my business either - I give them my quote and let them make thier own minds up.
   I have recently took a fair bit of work off another window cleaner who will not do the frames - my prices are usually more than double his but the customers want a good service - no problem as far as I am concerned - he hasn't seen it that way and has got mouthy, but I explained to him what had happened and what would happen next time he starts shouting abuse at me.

  marc

[windows_chepstow]

Having recently started up from scratch (three years now; but still consider myself wet behind the ears), I've had a few problems with 'fellow' window cleaners thinking I'm poaching their work or working on 'their' patches; especially at the beginning.

I have taken other window cleaner's accounts; I doubt anyone on this forum can honestly deny they haven't, but I've never done it by price.  Reccommendation or personality; yes; undercutting, no.

I think each case should be judged on it's merits.

If someone asked me for a quote and it was a window cleaner I regularly net work with and like; then I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole and my advice to the potential customer would be to speak to the window cleaner and raise any concerns they have with their current WC.

However, there's one or two local window cleaners whom I'm not keen on and would be more than happy to 'poach' thier work; as they would mine.

There's also other window cleaners who I have neutral feelings about; and these would cause me some 'thinking', but I'd still probably engineer a situation where they cancelled their window cleaner then took me on after; depending on how much I fancied the account.

At the end of the day we run businesses, in the same way that Orange, O2, Vodaphone etc run businesses.

I don't undercut, try to charge as much as I can and provide a decent level of service for the payment I receive.

What better compliment is there (work wise) when you take on a window cleaner's account, whom you don't much care for; and charge more for the privellage too!

[Andrew McCann]

When out canvassing if someone says they are unhappy with the quality/regularity etc of their pesent window cleaner and that they are looking for another I will always quote for the job.  UNLESS it's in an area I know someone who does a good job works. To get 3 saying the same thing suggests that they are genuinely unhappy for good reasons. So.. like has been said above why not be their new.. good window cleaner?

Like Tosh says this is a business. OK it has it's unwritten rules to which the majority of us stick. But an opportunity like this shouldn't be missed. My addvice is to go back and offer to quote for the work. If you get it it will very probably lead to a lot more there as well.

Cheers

Andrew

[abacus]

Hi
I have lost work simply because at the time I could not get round quickly enough for one or two people I was not cross with them and have taken them back on now that I get round  more regulaly I dont know what happened to the wc who cleaned the windows inbetween its not my business If customers ask for a price give them one. If thier not happy with the service they are getting give them a better service. You drop people your not happy with the customer has the same right.

regards grant

[rosskesava]

I agree with the posting above.

The window cleaner doesn't own the customer and if the customer wants to change w/c's then that is up to them.

If it's a w/c I know.... sorry, but it happens just as it has happened to us a few times. (Only since using wfp though)

Cheers

[Trevor Knight]

My phone went yesterday and the caller was another local window cleaner who has picked up 2 of my jobs.

The reason he has these jobs is because he charges 50% less than what we do?

However, the purpose of this post is to show that we can all work together. After discussing everything we have agreed he will ask before taking on any new work who is their present cleaner and if it is us, walk away, however, on his new stuff that is nothing to do with us he will increase his prices as he was missing out.

Its all about talking.

Now, when I lose anyone in that area or I get asked to clean a house that I don't want I shall pass them on to him.

Communication is so valuable.

Trev

[Spursboy1972]

Trevor if you are based where I think you are (Winchester) I would happily work the same way with you.

Tony

[jeff1]

Trevor has a very good point
In my area there are six wc, each month we all meet in our local, and out come our books, we take note of bad payers and add them to our books,

its not just the bad payers we add, its the moaners,people who try to pull fast ones' by trying to dump one of us in favour of cheaper wc, (ie the beer and fAg brigade.) like Trevor we contact each other if we are unsure if one of the other guy's do a paticular house. by working together it enables us to keep the beer and fAg brigade down to a minimum as over the years the people in an area get to know they won't get a reliable wc if they mess one around.

If you know wc in your area get a meeting set up, and create a book system, our's has been in place for about four years now, and is working well

[twt]

ive had loads of new work from another wc's ex customers im always more expensive than him but the customers are always pleased with the better service. He might not turn up for six months then suddenly goes round and sticks a bill through the door so people aren't pleased with him even if he is cheep. Its a free world and im not actively poaching his work it just comes my way.

[Trevor Knight]

Trevor if you are based where I think you are (Winchester) I would happily work the same way with you.

Tony

Hi Tony,

Sounds like a good idea to me, am always in favour of working with other window cleaners rather than against each other, just makes so much more sense.

The guy I mentioned in my earlier posting is from Romsey so maybe it would benefit us by getting together and having a chat like Jeff is doing. His set up sounds like a good idea.

Let me know what you think?

Regards,

Trev

[Spursboy1972]

I have no problem with that. I live in Romsey but have lots in Winchester and Southampton

[Ian_Giles]

If I know the window cleaner in question then I wouldn't take the job (well there is one I'd take off, and I'd really hope he would drive past as I was cleaning it so I could look at him and give him a smug grin...no, a smirk )

If it was a stranger to me then I'd ask what he was charging, and whatever he was charging I'd charge more.

Or if I know the window cleaner in question I'll tell the customer that I'll have a word with him, it may be that he is a week or two late and nothing more.

I'd never undercut on price though.

I gave a price for a couple of houses in a street where I do some work, was done over the phone (I knew the houses).
Was going to do them a couple of days later, only for them to ring and cancel the day before I was due to start them.
My daughter took the call, so I was unable to know the reason why they cancelled.
When i cleaned the other houses in the street I checked them over and of course they were spotless.
They hadn't had a window cleaner for over 12 months!
Someone else obviously happened along, I'm sure i know who, and I'm positive it was a guy that worked for me over 20 years ago (I do know he has started up his own round now)
I'll bet a pound to a penny he called by and got in through a lower price..and I'll bet his prices are 20 years out of date too!!

This is a case of 'I wish he'd come see me', I'd be more than happy to help him on his price structure, and I'd also point him in the direction of the forum too.

On a slightly different tack: Squeaks will be pleased to know I have lost my first domestic account due to spots….
Except this particular account always came up mint…
The customer has actually used the spotting thing as an excuse to cancel me!
I told her at the beginning that it may take more than one clean to get right, as it happened they were spot free and perfect from the beginning.
For her though (and she’s a lovely lady too) money is a big issue, things are very tight and she could only afford to have it cleaned every 2 months.
Yet again I am certain that it is this other guy that has taken it, it isn’t his fault, he’s just starting out and is canvassing and leaflet dropping all over the place.
But the only way he will have got the job will have been because he will be as cheap as chips!

Ian