[alboy]

is it ok to flyer on a road that already has a window cleaner? flyered three areas this week and done a quote in each area, on all three occasions the customer wanted my services  but was to scared and  intimidated ( who always cause damage to there property and charge peanuts)  by the one they have to accept.

[cozy]

Who is doing their windows at the moment, the krey twins? Get in there mate, you have nothing to lose.

[Mark Sadler]

I flyer drop on all of my competitors streets. A consience is nice but business is business go for it matey dont let them scare you.

[gerard mcmanus]

depends where you are, licenced or unlicenced area, but legally not one can stop you, your are entitled to offer your service to the public and the public is entitled to a compeditive market, but that doesn't mean someone wont try.... to stop you. If you are in scotland they could have there licence revoked if they try anything like that with you. But unfortunately the legal system doesn't always work, so be smart.

[pt]

Leaflet away!

[Lee Pryor]

there is no such thing as someones patch

[Niall McAllister]

if you are leafleting a whole area then fair's fair, if they ask for a quote give them one, don't ask what the other window cleaner charges. give them your price and stick with it. we are all running businesses, as long as you can stay honest to yourself, that's what matters.

[trevor povey]

 

my view on this..

If over a number of years you clean the windows to a high standard , charge competively, look right,come across right, and have built up a good working relationship/trust with the customer  they WILL NOT WANT TO CHANGE YOU.

..however  you may go and canvass up someone elses round who doesn,t give a F$$k about his customers and hasn,t ticked all of the above boxes you will probably end up with some of his work ....but probably a good deal of hassle as well!

[steve bell]

When I first started I always said I wouldn't step on anyones toes. But lately I have been asked by a lot of my competitions customers to quote due to the fact they think he's charging too much and doing a crap job. I definately do not ask what the customer is being charged at the moment. I quote a price I'm happy to do the job for and in nine times out of ten get the job.
In fact yesterday the customer told me I was quoting too low and suggested more. Perhaps it's my genuine nature?
And then I had a phone call..... Bad news. A customer that I cleaned yesterday morning complained that there was water marks all over the windows and were worse than when I started. Sure enough checked the water supply from my new van tank and it was up to about 16ppm. Normally with the trolley it was as low as 2ppm. So I'll be popping round to do the windows again Free of Charge to keep the customer happy and probably re-doing all of yesterdays work as a good will gesture.
So guess who's going to be checking the water every job from now on???

[Mr Sparkle]

Keep leafleting alboy theres no such thing as patches.
When i first started i was the same as you everywhere i went to leaflet drop i'd see window cleaners and would go somewhere else. Then i realized it's either them or me who's going to make the money and i'm damn sure it's not going to be them.
So my advice is stuff everyone else and leaflet were you want to and good luck.

[Ian Lancaster]

This old chestnut again :

There is no legal reason why you should not leaflet and canvass wherever you like, I do it all the time.

HOWEVER - in the interests of fair play and avoiding nasty confrontations, it is advisable not to POACH.  That is, to deliberately target jobs you know are done by someone else, with the intention of undercutting or using some other dubious method (like telling his customers he's a part-time burglar, for instance ) in order to take work off him.

I have a self imposed strict code of conduct when I canvass - I knock on the door, introduce myself and offer a quote for my services.  If the person says "I already have a window cleaner' I say 'thank you' and walk away.  Sometimes they will say as I turn away: 'What would you charge anyway?'

I then give them my pitch, explaining the benefits of WFP and using an established well known firm, and give them a quote.  I DO NOT ASK WHAT THEIR CURRENT WINDOW CLEANER IS CHARGING. 

If they decide to change to me, that's their prerogative - they've made the decision and I can't be accused of poaching.  my quote may be higher or lower than their current price, I don't know or care.

Providing I stick to this formula I know I have acted fairly and ethically.  If the other window cleaner takes offence, that's up to him.  If there's any hint of threat or intimidation I would report it to the police.

I'm happy to say I can't ever remember any occasion when this happened.

[jonisondell]

yes right, no such thing as a patch, if the customer is asking you to quote she is unhappy with her current windy cleaner their loss your gain, i think the only naughty is undercutting i would never do it

[kenaltobelli]

sometimes it just happens i have stept on others toes they step on mine.
never do it intentionaly its part of the game tell him to grow up
no such thing as patch i go any where for a good payday

[EZclean]

This old chestnut again :

There is no legal reason why you should not leaflet and canvass wherever you like, I do it all the time.

HOWEVER - in the interests of fair play and avoiding nasty confrontations, it is advisable not to POACH.  That is, to deliberately target jobs you know are done by someone else, with the intention of undercutting or using some other dubious method (like telling his customers he's a part-time burglar, for instance ) in order to take work off him.

I have a self imposed strict code of conduct when I canvass - I knock on the door, introduce myself and offer a quote for my services.  If the person says "I already have a window cleaner' I say 'thank you' and walk away.  Sometimes they will say as I turn away: 'What would you charge anyway?'

I then give them my pitch, explaining the benefits of WFP and using an established well known firm, and give them a quote.  I DO NOT ASK WHAT THEIR CURRENT WINDOW CLEANER IS CHARGING. 

If they decide to change to me, that's their prerogative - they've made the decision and I can't be accused of poaching.  my quote may be higher or lower than their current price, I don't know or care.

Providing I stick to this formula I know I have acted fairly and ethically.  If the other window cleaner takes offence, that's up to him.  If there's any hint of threat or intimidation I would report it to the police.

I'm happy to say I can't ever remember any occasion when this happened.

this is the Golden Rule of window cleaning, you wont go far wrong if you follow this advice, its easy to say oh there's no patches or whatever you'd like to call a patch. but until your work has been canvassed aggresively by someone who doesnt follow or care about the above advice, and you lose money every month on work that has taken you years to build up, your best work,you will not be as blase about people canvassing and leafleting your customers. some times people compare it with supermarkets, like you dont get the manager of asda going off at the tescos store for being cheaper on stuff that week, and taking there customers, well, these firms deal in the £billions of turnover. what do we deal in, a few hundreds or thousands. its a different ball game.
its natural that we gain and lose customers kind of organicaly really, and its funny how you sometimes lose one and then pick another up that is as good if not better. but to lose 20 or 30 of your good work, everyone will miss that kind of money and it will have to come from somewhere. if the reason is because of a canvasser leafletting my work and the only reason it can be is that they are cheaper, then i'm gonna have a hard word, and protect my livliehood. i dont believe in patches either, but i believe in my round.

[s.w.c]

i always say there is room for everyone, leaflet drops are good then its down to them to contact you, called calling is good although i wont do it, but if you called call and do it correctly it all good, but word of advise the blatant under cutting is not tolerated by many, there is a right way of doing it and a wrong way, if there a honest hard working person and are all legal insurance paying tax and get work the right way , far play and good luck i say there is always room, but no room for the doggers do it right and its all good.