[AJ]

Basically, there is no code in commercial work. If you are asked to give a quote, thats what you do.
Its a bit gutty when you lose a contract but companies do not take this kind of thing personally. it just helps them to sort out whats wrong and hopefully better their service.
You might not be any cheaper anyway, so just get your price in.

[Tim82]

I agree with you not taking customers off other people if you can help it.

But I also would agree with a previous poster and give the potential customer and a quote if they want one.

Afterall, it's the customer's choice who they employ. Some people wouldnt think twice about taking customers off you!!

Maybe the guy who's already cleaning them would take your work if he could.

[RO-Sheen]

I think it is bad practice to deliberately under quote someone especailly if your 'underquoted' price is lower than you would normally charge, but being invited to quote is ok.

[Oakley Windows]

Nobody said anything about deliberately undercutting, not in the original post anyway, just should he put in a quote.

[seandyer2003]

Perhaps stick in your normal price and maybe its lower?? Then you arent deliberately under cutting ??

[Rogue Trader]

i personally wouldnt bother putting  in a price as in my experience people who ask for quotes when they are happy with their window cleaner do it because a: they want to see that they are not paying over the odds with their current w/c - and if they are will use your quote as a bargaining tool with them and b: if they do go with yoy they will drop you as quick as they dropped their previous w/c to use you.

[Small but perfectley formed]

Probably a time waster.you did the right thing ,more chance of getting work if the customer has not got WC or is not happy.

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

On commercial work this sort of thing is standard practice, you might keep a job for 10 years, you might only have it for 1.  If your phoning the nursing home to put in a quote and they say yes and then you say no, you can kinda understand why he's a bit puzzled.

Nothing wrong in putting in your own quote, if however you ask how much it is at the moment and then undercut by X amount of money, then that I believe is breaking the law. (might be wrong but believe I'm not).

Simon.

[William Tyndale]

If you are going to cold call it only makes sense that you give a price to those who call you back and ask for one. To me it seems a waste of time if all you do is find out if they have a window cleaner at present.

[dai]

You can't blame anyone for seeking a cheaper quote, we all do it when buying insurance etc, and you invited them to do just that.
If they are happy with their present cleaner,. my guess is your quote would have to be considerably cheaper for them to switch.
I'm in business, and if asked to quote would do so, and if they were happy with my price and asked me to do it I would.
If it was a days work and they were prepared to pay £200, I wouldn't worry for one minute what the other guy was charging.
This code of ethics that some cleaners seem to believe in, defies common sense and good business practice.

[Tosh]

In my limited experience, though there's probably plenty here who'd disagree, care homes aren't good earners.

They're managed as cheap as possible, full of Philipeanos; some of whom can't speak English; and the owners cut every corner they possibly can; window cleaning included.

I used to clean the windows of two care home owners; lovely homes by the way; one had a swimming pool and they were both 'million pound houses'; at least.

Unfortunately the customers were tosspots, so I binned both accounts.

[gerard mcmanus]

I agree with you mate on you reasoning for not giving him a qoute, but if he never told you he had a cleaner, and asked you to go by and give a qoute.

Would you have went?

You would I hope, so I would still do that, but put out of your mind the other cleaner, as the guys only trying to have you knock your price down.

Again not a loyal customer but if he want cheap he will get cheap. I dont think you would have been doing it for long, but if you have spare time in your schedule then why not, even if it is only for a while.

Not good for window cleaners, and he will end up with a very unproffesional window cleaner and an unreliable one if he continues to do that.

I do think you might have saved some hassell by not, he does sound like a time waster.

gerard 

[jefftemperley]

if your asked to quote then you should , i always  quote but i never undercut anyone

[johns window kleen]

To be honest I would only quote what I think a job is worth to me so I wouldnt have asked for the other guys price anyway. They can then take it or leave it.
I think in large commercial "dog eat dog" is acceptable, but this I think was just a guy like many of us who just cleans the home on a monthly roll. There was no contract as such.
For various reasons, many of which you have stated, I wont give a qoute.
There are plenty more fish.