[simon knight]

Situation:

I'm at the front cleaning for a regular. Woman crosses the road and says: "Can you do mine next?"

She goes on to say that she has a window cleaner but he's in hospital and she's not sure when he's going to come next.

OK; I did her windows (and judging from them it's the first time they've seen a clean in a year).

I gave her my card and explained that I didn't want to nick someone's elses account and that she should call me when she had given up on her usual w/c.

I think so far so good!

However her house is a doddle and I do about 5 or 6 in her road. Now on the basis she's obviously given her chap a good year to call I'm reckoning she'll go another year before I get the call because I sense she's a nice lady who'll give him every chance.

At what point do I move in with the attitude: "You're account is now my account" ?

It's not that I especially need the extra in the road but it's so "do-able" for me that I feel reluctant to not earn an extra £20 while I'm there. But at the same time don't want to take his work!

What's the answer?

[JSMC]

wait n see sounds best mate or try and find the WC and explain situation

[Chris Cottrell]

I would consider it fair game after a year, I would consider it yours now Simon

[Clive McDonald]

Throw twenty pounds on the floor, screw it under your heel into some mud, and then walk away without looking back. You'll always be poor, but your pride and self respect will be intact. When you get home tell mr's k, and she'll be that pleased you'll probably get one of her special dinners.

[elite mike]

why not ask who the wc is and his address, then send him a get well card

good will goes a long way

[tomy jackson]

i  kowe a windy how wos of for 9 muths and most of his custys tuk hm back as it tuk that long to get his smased arm sorted it all plats and pins now , so if hes got genuin probs id let him have em back

[simon knight]

I think Tomy is right. I'll take the work. But, as and when (if) he returns I'll hand it back if:

1. He's genuinely out of hospital (and needs to re-group his customers to carry on with his livelihood).
2. Custy wants him back.

In short I'll act as caretaker and give him the benefit of the doubt.

Me: Saint Simon

[Craig - CW Window Cleaning]

If he hasnt been back in a year, doubt he will be back take the work !

[ZaNo]

No ones in hospital for a year anyway, looks like hes dumped her or dumped w/c.
Otherwise if he is in hospital for that long then chances are he wont want to do w/c again.

[simon knight]

In all fairness ZaNo and Shoreshine people can be hospitalised for a year...unusual, but it does happen!

Anyway, I'm not back in the road for 2 months and then I'll knock on her door and ask the question:

Do I or don't I clean your windows?  And let her decide. If it's a yes then I'll consider her my account...if, as and when "he" decides to return to the scene...then again it'll be her choice as to who she wants to stick with.

I just "smell" that he's been doing her windows for years and that he's genuinely in a position where for a while he can't. As I say I think it's one I play by ear and see what's what. 

[Nathanael Jones]

I'd offer to keep cleaning, but say that if/when the other guy turns up just to let you know. He may never get back on his feet and you'll gain the work long term,... if he does and you've handled it right, you'll gain a lot of goodwill and he may throw work your way in the future.
If you can find out his name/number give him a call and offer to do some "caretaker" work on his round while he's out,...

[Niall McAllister]

you can't garantee any work to be perminant, so take it on as you are there anyway, tell her that you have no problem if he comes back and she goes back to him, she will tell her friends what a good guy you are

[martinsadie]

How would you feel if you were laid up and someone started taking your work,id try and get in touch with him and explain and if you are short of work offer to do some of his untill he is well,or if hes jacked in just take the work 

[sparklebright]

you can't garantee any work to be perminant, so take it on as you are there anyway, tell her that you have no problem if he comes back and she goes back to him, she will tell her friends what a good guy you are

That one gets my vote, a win-win situation. You get the work the customer doesn't feel guilty, you don't get any hassle from the guy, and if he doesn't come back on the scene it's yours fair and square.

I can't believe any of us would go looking for someone to ask if it's allright to do a job they haven't touched in a year...

[martinsadie]

the year is guesswork by Simon it could be 6 months or less

[sparklebright]

Yeah but the point is still the same I think. 

You should do the right thing and give the guy the option by telling the custies if they want him back no problem. But you're right if you contact him it could work in both your favours, you could 'babysit' the work for him...

[ZaNo]

Yeah but if someone in hospital for a year in all fairness, he should have got someone by now to COVER his work otherwise surely he knows his business is going down the pan, that would have been the right thing to do, so its his mistake that, his custys are coming to you in the first place, i bet most of his round is gone by now to newbies that have flyered.

p.s unless hes been in a coma for a year then fair play.

[Rob.Hall]

I have three new custies who have not seen there old w/c since last Oct.

Took them on because if he was that concerned he would have called them with a reason....or got someone else to do it for him.

[Lee Pryor]

my god i would love you lot round my way. I would feel so safe.

pride, good will, self respect, all these things are great but do they pay the bills.... NO. do they buy the big house the porsche the big flat tv's and once in a lifetime holidays NO

guys i dont care if i get slated for saying business is business and i would take any and all work i could get my hands on.

its a dog eat dog world. and personaly my goal is to wipe out my competition entirely and keep earning more and more every year.

now who wants to slate me first?

[gary999]

i was laid up last year for three months last year i let my customers
know and kept them updated to when i was coming back to work,i kept
90% the 10% i lost well its par for the course really.

if you want to keep your customers you find some way of keeping
contact if you havent bothered for months well your asking for
trouble poor customer service really.

i would just crack on end of the day customer decides who they want to
use