[Dave Willis]

I've been picking up customers of another cleaner who a) charges the earth and b) wants money up front before he cleans. One customer says he takes the money then runs off to the bookies. He's charging £20 for a three bed semi and can't reach all the windows.
I can feel lots of lucrative work coming my way anytime soon.

[daz1977]

probably on the dole or sick as well

[Frankybadboy]

dave i have a guy near me,who only haves 6mths or 12mths money up front.doesnt do a bad job i must say.he is wfp.

[Dave Willis]

can't believe customers can be so gullable 

[jonnyald]

i would normally say never stand on the toes of another cleaner but in this case you are doing him a favour by taming his gambling habit. be sure you tell him this if and when you meet him 

[Murdie window cleaning]

So you are basicly undercutting this guy. He maybe asks to be paid upfront because he's had problems getting the money after he has done work in the past and as for the gambling then it's no ones business but his what he does with his money.

Before slating him the customers must have agreed to the price and his terms of pre payment so if there not happy with his service and want to change cleaners then that's up to the customer, but it could be they want a cheaper cleaner.

[Dave Willis]

Yep.
Customer asked for a quote because they are not happy with him. Just happens my price is cheaper anyway. They approached me - I don't need the work. I couldn't give a fig about the other cleaner that's business. They are entitled to choose whoever they want to clean their windows at the end of the day.
I'll take anybody's work if they are crap. The only work I don't touch are cleaners who have done me a favour or ones I consider a friend.
Whenever you pick up any jobs they are nearly all from a previous cleaner anyway - last bloke retired/ never came back/ is rubbish/ we don't like him/ he misses that window/ ran off with our money/ we had a break in and think he was involved/ he pushed his prices up/ he fell off his ladder/ he broke our tiles etc etc.

[awcs]

i'm with you Dave, got to look after #1

[dmlservices]

Yep.
Customer asked for a quote because they are not happy with him. Just happens my price is cheaper anyway. They approached me - I don't need the work. I couldn't give a fig about the other cleaner that's business. They are entitled to choose whoever they want to clean their windows at the end of the day.
I'll take anybody's work if they are crap. The only work I don't touch are cleaners who have done me a favour or ones I consider a friend.
Whenever you pick up any jobs they are nearly all from a previous cleaner anyway - last bloke retired/ never came back/ is rubbish/ we don't like him/ he misses that window/ ran off with our money/ we had a break in and think he was involved/ he pushed his prices up/ he fell off his ladder/ he broke our tiles etc etc.

thats exactly how i operate , sometimes my prices are cheaper then previous cleaners,very often though i am dearer

daz

[williamx]

I could just image Sainsburys bosses turning away customers because they shop with Tescos.

 

[cozy]

Thought about taking money up front, but when you do that, it's like spending on credit. You have the dosh before the work. Not doing that.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Thought about taking money up front, but when you do that, it's like spending on credit. You have the dosh before the work. Not doing that.

Yep, then you feel like you're working for nothing!!

[Sir Squeaky]

Thought about taking money up front, but when you do that, it's like spending on credit. You have the dosh before the work. Not doing that.

Yep, then you feel like you're working for nothing!!

Worse still... I had a customer who pays £15 give me the money in Tescos carpark the week before I did them, and only had a £20 and I had no change.

When it came to do them it was worse than a free one, it felt like I had to pay her a fiver!