[RO-Sheen]

I really do need moral advise from you guys...............

As a rule, when I am canvassing, If a potential customer tells me that they already have a window cleaner but would like a quote from me I will thanks them for their time and tell them that I would rather not take someone elses work away.
But yesterday I knocked on a large detached 3 storey house and they asked me for a quote. I quoted it as £17 and the couple then told me that they pay someone else a lot less but they can only do ground and 1st floor due to ladders (I am wfp). They also said that they like the fact that I did frames and sills so they offered me the job. I took it on the grounds that the other W/C cant do top floor and although he was asked to do the frames, he never does.

It gets worse.....
They had a friend with them that has the same window cleaner and she asked me for a quote. I went around to her house and found that she has a 2 storey house which the W/C can reach all windows but he wont do the frames. I quoted this house as £11 which is more than the other W/C but she wanted her frames done properly. She wants to run it past her husband 1st but she is 99% that he will say yes.

What should I have done. I do feel really bad for taking 2 customers of someone but then again he cant/wont do what the customers require!

Your views will be greatly appreciated.

[Tim Morton]

In this sort of situation i always say to the potential customer that they have to get rid of their present wc before I'll take them on, that give's their present wc the chance to do the work that the customer wants. That's what i'd want if i was the present wc, i'd like the chance to keep the customer by doing what was asked.
If you do this then the old wc can only blame himself for losing the customer.
Tim

[callum macleod]

I personnaly would have no problem doing this work.  If the current W/c was doing his job he would not lose the customer!!!  Maybe i am being harsh but i don't think you should feel guilty about it i wouldn't 

[stuart webster]

It's always a good idea to ask them to tell their current WC.
By all means give them a quote, if they accept, fine.
I always make sure I dont charge less, by giving a higher than normal price, if it's someones work.

If they accept and you are charging more, their must be a problem with their WCer.

In short, charge well, dont worry.

[bumper]

last time a wfp undecut me, i cut his pipe when he was doing the backs  then drove off fast

[Sir Squeaky]

last time a wfp undecut me, i cut his pipe when he was doing the backs  then drove off fast

Still fighting for the cause then Bumper?

[telboy]

Bumper

A--hole


Telboy

[Pole2pole]

Telboy. That has to be the shortest AND funniest posting EVER 

[David 'Duck' Clare]

I was on the recieving end of this kind of thing a couple of weeks ago  as some of you may remember.

I think the main thing to rememer is we are all in business not charlty - but that doesnt mean we need to cut each others necks! there are literally millions if not billions of windows in the UK, there is no need to fight over them OR to cut hoses over them (although i would have loved to have seen Bumper do that).

My best advice is this, if a customer is not happy with their current cleaner then that cleaner has more than likely done something wrong and once that trust is gone its gone. However the customer could just be a t**t and get a w/c then bin them 2 cleans later in which case RO you will know about it soon enough.

I always practice in business how i think it should be done, by not under cutting others and by not actively stealing other w/c work! It has happened where ive quoted for work then the customer says your £2 cheaper than the normal cleaner ill bin him - in this position what can i say other than 'that wasnt my intention?'

However RO if you are intentionally going out to 'steal' other w/c work then my man in my opinion your a g*t and ill cut your hose myself! and i dont mean your WFP hose either!!!!!!

DC

[bumper]

telboy delboy cowboy

[mark dew]

As long as prices keep going up then no problem.

mark

ps am not wc elder though. Still a newby finding my feet.

good luck

[pjulk]

Myself i won't even give them a quote if they have a window cleaner.
As they will do it to you a few months down the line.

I just say if you are not with the window cleaner that you have at the moment and want a quote you can give me a ring after you have finished with him then and i would be more than happy to quote.
But i am one of the dearest in this area.

And if i do quote them it is top rate.

Some people are just trying to get it done cheaper we don't need these customers.

Paul

[RO-Sheen]

Thanks for your comments guys. Just to clarify, I priced HIGHER than their current WC and on the first house they didnt tell me that they had a WC until after I quoted. Although I was higher they still wanted me as I can do top floor and I also clean frames and sills on every clean.

They also said that they will phone their WC before I come around on Monday so this will give him a chance to convince the customers that he will do a better job.

Judging by your posts my conscience is clear and I can now sleep well tonight!!!

[stuart webster]

Sleep well my friend.

The only time there should be a problem is if you undercut to get the work.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[AuRavelling79]

Galatians Ch.6 v 1!

[Londoner]

I would want to know a bit more about this other cleaner. Such as

(a) Is he a real WC or just some part time chancer

(b) Is he a 6ft 4in karate black belt

(c) Is he going to turn up at the house next time expecting to do the windows only to be told he's off the job? that would P**S me off whatever the circumstances.

[Jago]

You are offering a service that the other guy can not provide with the Town House thats is fair in my mind. and you charge more also fair.
Go for it Bro

[gaza]

bumper the last trad/w/c who undercut me .I kicked his ladders from under him,and didnt run away only joking

MR GOULD :

 DO THEM BEFORE THEY DO YOU

 GAZA 1 CHAPTER 1
GAZA

[Terry_Burrows]

bodjit and scarper