[colley614]

Hi Guys,

Just had a phone call from a guy saying " I've got one of your leaflets here, my customer gave me." So I told him I had been delivering leaflets. He said " Well were I come from we don't canvass on other peoples patches." I told him that it wasn't his patch because I've been doing work there since early last year and the reason why I did canvass these few business parks is because I drive past them on the way to a business park I work on, which is about 200 metres from were I was canvassing. I tried explaining that I'm not after taking peoples work but I'm trying to find a gap in the market for myself. I honestly think he feels intimidated by the professionalism of my leaflets and the fact that I have wfp, uniforms and insurance and so on. All the little things that make you look like a true pro. This guy was really rude and insulting and if I was to lower myself I've seen him about and his equipment is really shoddy and his ladders are well beyond illegal and he is doing really high commercial work with them.

Have any of you guys had idiots on the phone to you with threats, How did you deal with them without jumping in the van and going toe to toe with them? 

[dave0123]

I had one the other week ring me saying he had been doing the area for 20years! i went oh right... i think he thought i was canvasing his work but i just said i had got work around that area due to another customer!!

what really anoys me is! if you was the main person in that area and he come into it sure as hell would be diffrent then!

if he has been doing around the area for 20 years he obv hasnt got anything to worry about if his customers have been with him for that long :

[colley614]

Thats basically what he said to me about being there for 20 years. Funny thing is the place I was advertising only got built last year. I know this because I picked up 3 units and 2 big buildings as they were opening.

I don't do any toe treading but for someone to speak to me like that it really winds me up. You know I work along side capitol cleaning, hallmark and clean and clear every morning and we have a laugh and a bit of banter not this stupid attitude.

Rise above it really I think. The funny thing is the guy puts his life at risk doing some of the units I do. Because I use a 50 foot pole and the winds nearly took that out my hand a few times, never mind dodgy old ladders.

[dave0123]

just ignore it.


have u seen the window cleaner who goes around in a green ford monfeo? uses old dectorating step ladders as a A ladder for bottoms lol its quite funny really stars at you when you drive past.. proberly because have all the right gear. But that step ladder must slow him down loads.

[colley614]

I think I've seen him.

Right here's one that confuses me. If I rent a unit that I was looking at down there, is it my patch is his then?  :

[dave0123]

what you mean a unit?


expensive them units commercial units if that what you mean, have to pay business rates and with the water its all on meter!

[colley614]

I know mate, but I've got a van full of kit a garage full of kit and I'm bursting at the seems. My mate runs his own graphics firm so I've been talking about going halfs with him for now.

[NWH]

It never bothers me to be honest if it ever happens,i have faith in my customers.It happened a couple of years ago when a customer showed me a leaflet from John Wayne,we both had a laugh about it lol.

[Ian Lancaster]

Take the stress out of the situation.  The guy feels threatened because he doesn't know anything about you, and the unknown is always worse.

Tell him you think it might be a good idea to meet up and have a chat.  Assure him you're not trying to poach his work, but if you get together you may be able to help each other.

I regularly stop and chat to window cleaners I see working, and some have become good friends.

Once you take the "threat" element out of the situation, the other man will start to see the benefit of getting to know the competition.

Cheers,

Ian

[colley614]

I was just about to ask if he fancied a cup of tea and a chat to be honest. But when his tone of voice started getting more and more funny and louder I started getting a little defensive. Then when I explained I was looking for a few gaps in the market and wouldn't pinch another window cleaners work he barked "GOOD!" THEN JUST HUNG UP.

[pingu]

I had 3 calls within about 2 months of starting....at the time my Dutch was not all that and the g/f had to do all the talking for me...however she told the guy that we were not out to take anyones work, would not quote if they told us they already had a cleaner...and would not undercut....

This seemed to do the trick and have not heard a peep from anyone since...

Just rise above it....I would not give it much more thought....just carry on.

Easier said than done I know but this guy just is trying it on from what you have said...and as for patches...this is laughable...no such thing....as you well know...so this must tell you that this guy is not worth your 'bother'.

Daver.

[steve m]

I have at least two w/c'ers a week come round canvassing, dont bother me cos if I'm as good as I think I am then they'll stay with me, if not they'll go elswhere. The only one that bothers me is a polish guy and his missus, thyere doing 4 bed houses for £8.00, and I know he's a doloy

[williamx]

What you need to think first about is, its your business that is at stake if you don't get enough work to survive on.

Any property with windows is fair game to be canvassed, if they have a window cleaner and they are happy with him then they won't move, if they are unhappy with him, then you might gain them.

I don't take on anyone because of price, I give my price and that's it, no "haggling".

With commercial work the rules do change a bit, because commercial work is normally bigger, the earning power can be higher than domestic customers, so competitive pricing is normal, on a lot of the tenders that I go for the cleaning budget is known to every company that is tendering, all you have to do is work out what you are happy with.

I don't take kindly to treats and if someone did telephone and got nasty then I would make a point of canvassing every single customer he has.

For dole cheats, why worry, one telephone call to the DSS and they are soon gone, if you think this is "grassing" and against your principles then don't complain about them working in the first place. 

[NWH]

Just say you`ve got my number hold on i`ll give you my address,that should shut him up.

[Helen]

A few years ago we lost a couple of custies in one area and they were very honest in the fact that they said the new wc'er was a few pounds cheaper than us and that is why they went to him...OK no problem, One told us who it was and it turned out the guy was travelling 30 miles one way, waiting till the evening to collect and 30 miles home!!!   We phoned him and introduced ourselves and made a joke about him taking on custies at a stupid low price and did he not realise he could get more and should be charging more for all the travelling he does! We also said why not leave envelopes for these custies, we know they send them in the post and are good payers.   "I'd rather have the cash" was the answer to that one. Talk about making it hard for yourself! We can only presume that he was not declaring. He lasted about 3 months in that one area and has disappeard of the face of the earth. The old custies.....yes back on tails bewtween legs at first time cleans (as he really was not that good) and a higher regular price than before The point here is that not everyone wants to be friendly and some just want to muck things up for others on purpose..

[Paul Coleman]

Some years ago, a guy was leafletting an area where I did quite a bit of work.  A couple of my customers showed me his leaflet.  I had some work I wanted to offload so I phoned him to give it to him (didn't want any money for it).  It turned out that he only wanted a certain amount of work to top up his regular  income and by the time I phoned him, he already had enough work.  We got chatting and he put me onto Soap National and I saved a fair bit of money on my trad supplies (this was early 90s before I had internet access).  I haven't seen him around for about 5 years but as recently as about a year ago, a couple of jobs came my way via his recommendation.  Strange how things pan out.