[alansavvi]

Just a follow on from the doom and gloom thread about change on the way, how many of us have lost a job to a rival this year through undercutting?

I have not lost one in two years, perhaps the change is a little slow?

[scrimit2]

not to speak to soon, i havent lost any to under cutting, ive someone try but my customers didnt have it.

[paul mather]

I don't think I have ever lost a job to another WCer. Customers like people they can trust & who are reliable. I sometimes think I am more fussy over their windows than they are.,

[Majestic]

A few years ago I lost some , but most of my customers have been with me for a few years and are very loyal.

[alansavvi]

so not a lot of doom and gloom here!

[scrimit2]

i dont think, the possible company mention on the other thread will be under cutting people, here there price calculator, http://www.ezy-clean.co.uk/website/default.asp?active_page_id=14

i know i posted it on the other thread, but its at right at the end of the posts

[julianbiggs]

I've never evr lost a customer to someone else for undercutting or anything else. If you do a good honest job, that's all people want.

[Moderator David@stives]

Same here , never lost none to another window cleaner

[dai]

Lost 4 when I switched to wfp, got loads of new ones since. Dai

[Cleaner Windows]

never lost any to another wc.

I used to work for seeboard doing the old door to door work, trying to switch ppl from british gas etc to seeboard to get both their electric and gas from us
wasnt always impossible, but you could tell...especially with old ppl that they like to stay with someone they trust and have been with for a long time.
YES ppl are obviously tempted by cheaper prices but dont like "change".

So i reckon it is a ppl thing, and unless the other wc has excellent sales experiance or can naturally charm the pants off of everyone..then he aint very likely to rob other ppls customers

[Trevor Knight]

Have experienced two window cleaners undercutting me.

One I spoke to and clarified the errors of his ways and he disappeared.

The other actually rang me to apologise and we agreed it would stop, and it did.

So all in all not a bad show.

Trev

[Mike George]

I've lost one customer to another window cleaner who quoted half what I was charging.

I've gained 5 customers from other window cleaners who were charging less than me.

[Fast 1 *]

i dont think, the possible company mention on the other thread will be under cutting people, here there price calculator, http://www.ezy-clean.co.uk/website/default.asp?active_page_id=14

i know i posted it on the other thread, but its at right at the end of the posts

they seem well cheap.Saying that,my mate had one of their canvessors try to undercut him.Watch out for them

[Ian Rochester]

I have just lost 2 together last week, the first ones ever.  We've only cleaned them once last month, they are both large 4 bedroom houses with conservatory on a new estate just being built.  My price was £14.00 each which I thought was fair (Ezy Clean calculator price -  £25.58)

One of them phoned me last week saying they both want to stop, although they were very happy with the job the lads did (first clean!) they have been quoted less than half my price for the same job!!

Good luck to them and to their "new" window cleaner, however I'm expecting to get a call from them in about 3 - 6 months when their window cleaner hasn't been back and when my price will have gone up to around £18.00 !!  IF I HAVE THE TIME FOR THEM.

[Paul Coleman]

I have just lost 2 together last week, the first ones ever.  We've only cleaned them once last month, they are both large 4 bedroom houses with conservatory on a new estate just being built.  My price was £14.00 each which I thought was fair (Ezy Clean calculator price -  £25.58)

One of them phoned me last week saying they both want to stop, although they were very happy with the job the lads did (first clean!) they have been quoted less than half my price for the same job!!

Good luck to them and to their "new" window cleaner, however I'm expecting to get a call from them in about 3 - 6 months when their window cleaner hasn't been back and when my price will have gone up to around £18.00 !!  IF I HAVE THE TIME FOR THEM.

So someone is doing a 4 bedroom house with conservatory for under £7?
I see that you live in a part of the country where prices are cheaper but that's ridiculous.  I live in the southeast and a job like that would be a bare minimum of £20 and quite possibly rather more.  I really don't think that other window cleaner will last.  Either he'll get fed up working for rubbish money or he will have to rush so much that his work will be rubbish.
As far as I'm aware I have never lost a job due to undercutting.  I have lost jobs for other reasons and I have lost jobs mysteriously (possibly undercutting but who knows?).

[dustycorner]

I have lost one job this year to another wc ( toerag ) a school i was doing every 6 months, not unduly bothered about it always see schools has an infrequent bonus. The wc in question is currently undercutting several wc's in Bury St Edmunds and being economical with some of the things he is telling customers.

I won't say much more than this guy is being dealt with.


Cheers Mark.

[bobby]

i had 1 wc cavasing my work so we had a little chat he said sorry end of story oh 1 month later he gave me a job @ £70.00per month nice one!!

[Roy Harding]

A window cleanner called a few months ago on houses I do in Itton nr Chepstow, he was looking for new work. I have been cleaning for most of the houses in this area for nearly 22yrs, and I did not loose one.

If you havent proved after that lenght of time that your regular, they can run and jump.

Roy

[master cleaner]

i have been undercut twice this year both on houses i didnt really like doing , dont you find that it is mostly on the houses you dont want to do that you get undercut,
ie 1 house 12 windows all frames i charged £7 and was undercut .
2, 4 front windows and frames i charged £2.50 and was undercut.

i rest my case he is welcome to them , but when they ask me to do them again . no chance.

gary

[Paul Coleman]

I didn't think  had ever been undercut but, come to think of it, it did happen quite a few years ago.  I had a job that I priced around £6.  It was awful access (ladders through the house etc) and I was doing it far too cheaply.  One day the owner proudly announced in front of her neighbour that she was employing another w/c who had quoted £3.  I said to her (in front of the neighbour) that he wouldn't last long at those rates.  A year later they wanted me back and I wouldn't do it.  It was one of those jobs that I wished I'd never taken on to start with.  I bet they had trouble getting anyone to do it due to the access.