[Whizz-Bizz]

Just thought Id repost this, due to having an inside track of ropey crews popping up, YET again 4th name change. 

What I’m going to do is just highlight a few things that you should look out for to avoid hiring the wrong person or the wrong team for your business.

1: Do they have a telephone number?
2: Do they always answer their phone or if they miss your call do they contact you back?
3: Do they have a website?
4: Are they on facebook?
5: Are they on twitter?   
6: Is there a contact address on any paperwork?
7: Will they produce photo identification?
8: Do they provide references that you can actually ring and verify using Google / Bing etc as genuine clients?
9: Have they been involved in window cleaning a long time or just starting up?
10: When paying money do they always insist on cash hence no papertrail?

If you’re considering hiring a canvassing firm and you have said no to 5 or more of these statements, be wary of hiring them and I would perhaps start small or not all.
Now here are some additional things you should ask your prospective canvasser / canvassing team and the things you need to hear.

Q: How soon can I start cleaning the work after you have booked it?
A: In traditional high pressure sales environments such as double glazing, kitchen, bathroom, timeshare sales the normal procedure is to service a customer as soon as possible i.e. same day or the next day this is done as the level of interest is at its highest point and doesn’t allow them to think about it, as time goes by the level of interest drops. Now in window cleaning as most people actually want that first clean your better off getting the customers to wait and to think about it, after all if they were really that interested waiting a week is no big deal. I also believe that if you allow the bookings to be made for the following day you’re letting the canvasser control your business. Also what if it rains? or van blows up? You end up looking unreliable.

Q: What exactly am I getting for my money?
A: If it sounds too amazing or over the top get your calculator out do the math, at that point if your thinking this team are not good business people i.e. not making decent money, chances are they are just trying to con you by offering too much. 

Q: What is the canvasser’s liability on cancellations?
A: The minimum you should ask for is 2 cleans, if this is agreed the canvasser should be prepared to either re-knock or refund the difference if this occurs. 

Q: How are they going to present the customer information?
A: This should always be presented on a spreadsheet if they just give you a scribbled in notepad it just says laziness’ if they are lazy on the paperwork what are they going to be like on the door or with representing your business.

Q: How soon can you get to me?
A: If they are ready to drop everything and take you on straight away it’s not a good sign, particularly if they have contacted you. 

Q: How quickly can you knock the work in?
A: I would suggest £200 a day per man as an average ask how many people they have working at any particular time and again get your calculator out do the math.

Q: Ask yourself have I found these people advertising themselves in a clear and transparent manner?
A: You occasionally see canvassing teams advertising established rounds that turn out to be canvassed work. It’s not a great way to start a business relationship. At this stage I would walk away.

Potential problems you may encounter whilst hiring canvassing teams.
• Customers can cancel stating they are not happy with the work
• Simply change their minds
• Just wanted a window cleaner for a 1 off clean and didn’t tell the canvasser or yourself that this was the case.
• Homes/Access maybe difficult to locate
• Maybe a wrong telephone number
• Claim they were told it was free

Canvassing horror stories that I’ve heard over the years

Over the years I have heard some really terrible stories about cleaners handing over large amounts of money and getting nothing like they was promised, with some of the worst cases being canvassers point blankly not turning up after receiving payment. Phones off or ignored to the point the cleaner just gives up. I’ve heard stories of canvassers just making up addresses and handing them over thinking no one would know

In closing I really hope that people have found this helpful and that it saves a few people from parting with their hard earned money to any dubious canvassers or canvassing teams.

Many thanks for taking the time to read.

Mark

[mike john tom]

Reminds me of doorknockers paul bass

[Whizz-Bizz]

Thankyou for your comment Mike John Tom, As regards to Paul Bass I dont know a whole lot about him, other than hes been around a while and considering your stating you've only been around since 2013 and that he really isnt that active online in forums etc would suggest you've been doing it to people since at least 2010.

Chances are you know him from 1 of your aliases a few years ago, perhaps TC marketing, Perhaps Tom Cronin canvassing, Perhaps your current personas or even your fake facebook window cleaner profile for refs Braintree Window cleaning.     

 Hes obviously a good communicator if your comparing him to me, he should be very proud.

Now please please put your flat cap on, ( yes I know one you boys regularly wears 1 ) turn it backwards, get a note pad and pencil out your about to get schooled.

Now I dont know if your stupid or brave ( Im going with stupid, but Ill come back to that shortly ) for commenting on this post but heres some tips on client retention

1 Do NOT use weed smoking teenagers to knock your work in.
2 When it goes wrong dont go and hide and refuse to take calls or when you do take calls DONT promise them youll sort it, but just hide over at your mums house at High Garrett your a 30-40 something year old guy. Grow some will you ? ( How I know your not brave, just stupid )   
3 Do NOT resale the same rounds to other cleaners ( Layne + Darryl ClearVue for example and just waiting on email details on 2 others )
4 Do NOT advertise rounds for sale on gumtree as established when its all freshly canvassed.
5 Do NOT assume window cleaners are mugs that don't talk to each other.
 
Now what Im going to do is save everyone the time and money from contacting you with one of your victims details

shaun@clearviewnortheast.co.uk he is more than happy to receive enquiries from interested parties as you screwed him out of £700.

Heres another chap you upset, who coincidently Ive just had a nice little sit down with in South End Mr Dean Big Red Monkey whose good lady frequents this forum. Luckily for them no money changed hands.

So in closing, turn your flat cap round the right way, and take your phoney-jabronie-pony elsewhere ( Oh I even know your into horses ) and remember the large claw like hand of Whizz-Bizz reaches far across this wide and beautiful land and Im watching you.               

[colin bird]

Thankyou for your comment Mike John Tom, As regards to Paul Bass I dont know a whole lot about him, other than hes been around a while and considering your stating you've only been around since 2013 and that he really isnt that active online in forums etc would suggest you've been doing it to people since at least 2010.

Chances are you know him from 1 of your aliases a few years ago, perhaps TC marketing, Perhaps Tom Cronin canvassing, Perhaps your current personas or even your fake facebook window cleaner profile for refs Braintree Window cleaning.    

 Hes obviously a good communicator if your comparing him to me, he should be very proud.

Now please please put your flat cap on, ( yes I know one you boys regularly wears 1 ) turn it backwards, get a note pad and pencil out your about to get schooled.

Now I dont know if your stupid or brave ( Im going with stupid, but Ill come back to that shortly ) for commenting on this post but heres some tips on client retention

1 Do NOT use weed smoking teenagers to knock your work in.
2 When it goes wrong dont go and hide and refuse to take calls or when you do take calls DONT promise them youll sort it, but just hide over at your mums house at High Garrett your a 30-40 something year old guy. Grow some will you ? ( How I know your not brave, just stupid )  
3 Do NOT resale the same rounds to other cleaners ( Layne + Darryl ClearVue for example and just waiting on email details on 2 others )
4 Do NOT advertise rounds for sale on gumtree as established when its all freshly canvassed.
5 Do NOT assume window cleaners are mugs that don't talk to each other.
 
Now what Im going to do is save everyone the time and money from contacting you with one of your victims details

shaun@clearviewnortheast.co.uk he is more than happy to receive enquiries from interested parties as you screwed him out of £700.

Heres another chap you upset, who coincidently Ive just had a nice little sit down with in South End Mr Dean Big Red Monkey whose good lady frequents this forum. Luckily for them no money changed hands.

So in closing, turn your flat cap round the right way, and take your phoney-jabronie-pony elsewhere ( Oh I even know your into horses ) and remember the large claw like hand of Whizz-Bizz reaches far across this wide and beautiful land and Im watching you.              

WOW !  that's very interesting reading.

[8weekly]

Thankyou for your comment Mike John Tom, As regards to Paul Bass I dont know a whole lot about him, other than hes been around a while and considering your stating you've only been around since 2013 and that he really isnt that active online in forums etc would suggest you've been doing it to people since at least 2010.

Chances are you know him from 1 of your aliases a few years ago, perhaps TC marketing, Perhaps Tom Cronin canvassing, Perhaps your current personas or even your fake facebook window cleaner profile for refs Braintree Window cleaning.    

 Hes obviously a good communicator if your comparing him to me, he should be very proud.

Now please please put your flat cap on, ( yes I know one you boys regularly wears 1 ) turn it backwards, get a note pad and pencil out your about to get schooled.

Now I dont know if your stupid or brave ( Im going with stupid, but Ill come back to that shortly ) for commenting on this post but heres some tips on client retention

1 Do NOT use weed smoking teenagers to knock your work in.
2 When it goes wrong dont go and hide and refuse to take calls or when you do take calls DONT promise them youll sort it, but just hide over at your mums house at High Garrett your a 30-40 something year old guy. Grow some will you ? ( How I know your not brave, just stupid )  
3 Do NOT resale the same rounds to other cleaners ( Layne + Darryl ClearVue for example and just waiting on email details on 2 others )
4 Do NOT advertise rounds for sale on gumtree as established when its all freshly canvassed.
5 Do NOT assume window cleaners are mugs that don't talk to each other.
 
Now what Im going to do is save everyone the time and money from contacting you with one of your victims details

shaun@clearviewnortheast.co.uk he is more than happy to receive enquiries from interested parties as you screwed him out of £700.

Heres another chap you upset, who coincidently Ive just had a nice little sit down with in South End Mr Dean Big Red Monkey whose good lady frequents this forum. Luckily for them no money changed hands.

So in closing, turn your flat cap round the right way, and take your phoney-jabronie-pony elsewhere ( Oh I even know your into horses ) and remember the large claw like hand of Whizz-Bizz reaches far across this wide and beautiful land and Im watching you.              

WOW !  that's very interesting reading.

It just looked like a load of competitor bashing to me. Amusing at best. Does Wizz bizz have to pay for all his advertising on here?

[AuRavelling79]

Handbags, dawn, popcorn.

 

[Don Kee]

He's on the ropes whizz.....finish him!!!!!!!

[windiewasher]

Great post I remember reading all there posts a year or so ago and find it amazing every post that Tom posted was to slate Paul Bass.
 Well done whizz in warning people that they could be scammed by fly by night canvassers and if anyone is considering using them email clearview.

[James chapman]

My mate has just got stung by a guy Mark warned me off of. He got this guy to canvass for him, who if you google has a bad report on gumtree as going under various aliases and has had a couple of different company names. Anyway the guy sold the round to two other cleaners he has just found out. He is going by the name of Martin at the moment.

[Paul Coleman]

There's an old adage that say, "If you want a job done properly, do it yourself."
My experiences lean me towards that.
I bought a chunk of work several years ago.  It had been very well looked after.  Oddly, that was a big part of the problem.  The customers had been allowed to decide when the cleaner could have "permission to clean" etc. and some were quite put out to discover that I wasn't prepared to do a 30 mile round trip especially to clean their £25 house at a particular time of a particular day.  The previous guy had been able to do this because he lived much closer and also, he had a full time job in addition to the window cleaning.  So, for him, it was less problematic to "serve" the customers' needs in exactly the way they wanted.  Also, a couple of them were sold to me as regular customers when they actually only wanted occasional ad hoc. In fairness, there were several cancellations that would probably have happened anyway.  Of the 23 jobs sold to me, I ended up retaining just 5.  Most of them were well priced but the messing around never comepnsates for that.  By the time everything had settled down after about 9 months, the exact figures that I ended up with were that I paid £2k for work that has ended up earning me an average of just under £100 a month - so slightly over 20x monthly take.  Mind you, it is a bit better than that in reality as I took more from it in the earlier months.
I'm not saying that the guy intentionally scammed me - though those regular to ad hoc jobs seemed a bit dubious.  It's more that we have differing views of what constitutes a good customer.
So, I'm back to that old adage at the beginning.
Just to clarify:  This did not involve anyone mentioned on here.

[Whizz-Bizz]

A couple of people think I'm canvasser bashing, please dont think that, Ive actually waited ages for these fools to pop up to expose them as wrong uns, vagabonds and jippers. Im very passionate about what I do and have worked too long and hard to allow this sort of behaviour to carry on. Besides when they do what they do they bash themselves.     

[Whizz-Bizz]

Heres another thread that was posted recently on here  http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=181674.0 if anyone knows anything lets get it out there. You all work hard for your money dont let con artist take it of you.