Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: johns window kleen on September 14, 2008, 08:55:00 pm
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Raining heavy on friday so picked up yellow pages and did some phone canvassing of care homes. Got a few breaks and going to give quotes to a couple who havent gota W/C.
However one large one {saw photo in the phone book} said theyve got one but I could visit and give a quote as competition healthy. I asked if they were happy with the present W/C the owner says yes, so I said it wasnt my policy to take work off of people if the customer was happy and they were as regular as they should be. This is a code I have stuck by since starting out.
The response was "well if thats how you want to run your business thats up to you" which is fair enough but it got me thinking am I a mug, or am i stupidly honourable!
What would you guys do, i would be interested to know?
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Would any other trade have this stupid code of honour?
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(http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00wvMEBIVGatiUM/11-Oz-Coated-Mug.jpg)
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no leave j alone how about its one of your jobs you know the one that makes your mortgage every month.............................not so funny now is it good on ya dude keep the moral hogh ground.
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If Im asked to put in a price I'll put in a price.
If you have a set of rules by which you live which is contrary to this I dont think of you as mug, I think of you as being different to me. Thats all.
However, if a potential customer takes the lead conversationally and asks you to quote Id suggest you go ahead and give them a price.
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I wouldn't give them a price, they might be using you to try it to reduce the price they are paying now. This method has been used many times.
Ask them if they put the work out to tender and when, and if they do ask to be added to their list.
At least then you might not be being used, or feeling guilty about quoting.
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I think you did the right thing because if you did do a good price and they droped there other cleaner what they going to say to there old cleaner when they explain why "Sorry but we know longer need your services as another cleaner rung up and asked if we had a cleaner, we told him yes but would like to save some money, he was cheaper then and even tho you did a top job, always on time etc your dropped" if they can do this to a loyal cleaner then you wont be doing that job for long and would probably lose a lot more of your custys when this bloke takes revenge.
Chris
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If Im asked to put in a price I'll put in a price.
If you have a set of rules by which you live which is contrary to this I dont think of you as mug, I think of you as being different to me. Thats all.
However, if a potential customer takes the lead conversationally and asks you to quote Id suggest you go ahead and give them a price.
i just typed a similar reply and then read this as i posted it
wat he said ;D
just quote it,not a cert you will get it anyway so why worry ???
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christ that took 3 goes to post a reply ::)
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'ello Forpy me ol mucka how are ya mate?
Its still 'appenin' 'ere mate aint it ;D ;D
Matt
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its like adrug ;D
only free
which is a very bad combination ;D
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Got the mixed replies I expected on this one. I will stick by my code for now, as my business is growing well and I was just looking to get some biggies in so i could loose some off the remaining lower paid dross.
If I took away a guys mortgage earner I would be sick about it, just because I was being greedy.
I believe in "what goes around comes around", and no one has ever taken work off of me so far by undercutting jobs. I also agree that the owners just wanted to see if they could get a cheaper quote and they will have no residual loyalty. The majority of my custies even the commercials I dont think are like this.
Time and the actions of others might make me change, but I hope it dont.
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Good idea tho as i may spend my day tomorrow ringing companys, did you ask to speak to the managers and what did you say to them.
Chris
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Standard pitch really on the person who answered the phone, some were employees some were the owners. Employees said theyd get owner to ring me {2 did] the one in question was the owner.
Just introduced myself by saying my name, company name and that I ran a window cleaning business in ""**** and was enquiring if they presently had a service or were interested in one.
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The majority of my custies even the commercials I dont think are like this.
very little loyalty in big commercials
smaller stuff where you deal with boss direct not so bad
big companies where a manager is reponsible for securing cleaning contracts different game
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when your ringing always after your pleasantries - hello im from ....window cleaning etc, ask for the person responsible because secretary's and employees will nearly always pretend to know everything and say we dont need a cleaner we got one etc and you wont get very far, managers are always easy to chat too, or so i have found, i do alot of ringing, and when you dont get job because they have cleaner etc, ask for name and send portfolio in still - it can bring work in months, years later!
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Cheers guys, going to ring nursing home, schools, nursaries etc as i have a background in this work and also a crb so its a good selling point for me.
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Cheers guys, going to ring nursing home, schools, nursaries etc as i have a background in this work and also a crb so its a good selling point for me.
I used to do it for it a contract cleaner i worked for, would go on yell.com and print off lists of cinemas, gyms, office blocks housing associations etc and ring one by one making a note of when their tenders were up etc, and have a diary to make a note to send in info in time, or ring back - it was very successful and brought in a lot of work!
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But havent you done this for your own busines
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But havent you done this for your own busines
A bit, but i havent really done enough, i rang round some cleaning contractors for a day a month or so ago and sent out some portfolios but no, i havent done enough :( as i was typing up before i was thinking to myself i need to do more for myself, i concentrate too much on residential and setting up website so far, might spend a day or two nxt week at it....
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Nobody said anything about deliberately undercutting, not in the original post anyway, just should he put in a quote.
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Perhaps stick in your normal price and maybe its lower?? Then you arent deliberately under cutting ??
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 ;D
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if your asked to quote then you should , i always quote but i never undercut anyone
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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.