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ER....., well that esculated quickly
- Thread starter Baldmonkey
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You can't steal customers. If the customer is reasonably happy with the service and the price then you can flyer or canvass them all you like, it won't make any difference.
The only reason a customer would want to switch to you is if they were unhappy with their current cleaner for some reason.
Why does the old window cleaner think it's his right to clean that particular houses windows? Doesn't the customer get a say? It's like any service, if your unhappy, you switch.
Trying to hold onto customers who want to leave by threatening competition and saying that you are the only window cleaner allowed on that street is ridiculous.
To be honest though, I think this will be the exception rather than the norm. It's not likely something you'll have to deal with much or at all in most areas.
The only reason a customer would want to switch to you is if they were unhappy with their current cleaner for some reason.
Why does the old window cleaner think it's his right to clean that particular houses windows? Doesn't the customer get a say? It's like any service, if your unhappy, you switch.
Trying to hold onto customers who want to leave by threatening competition and saying that you are the only window cleaner allowed on that street is ridiculous.
To be honest though, I think this will be the exception rather than the norm. It's not likely something you'll have to deal with much or at all in most areas.
Tango
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What window cleaners code? What a load of tosh that is.
If there was a window cleaners code then there would be a window cleaners method of identifying each others customers, areas, where to steer clear of etc. The fact that there isn't speaks volumes.
I'd think it's rare too. I've heard of it happening locally, but I've never had an issue with it personally. The guy with the reputation hasn't been seen for a couple of years. The rest of us all smile and acknowledge each other here. We're all just trying to make a good living. Some of us stop and have a quick catch up on the rare occasion we are on the same street at the same time, and we pass work to each other if enquiries are just out of our round area.
I wouldn't be letting someone aggressive intimate me out of making a living. Can't understand how anyone would.
chris clean
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@Baldmonkey I totally get why this has un nerved you and your mrs but you cant give up so easily cos a couple of d#ckheads! Let's be honest you could pack in this game where you can make a very very good income and go to a job that you may think will be less stressful but problems can happen in any job. You could go work in a shop and it gets robbed! Go work as a builder and fall off a ladder! Work for the council and have residents threaten you, be a care worker and have patients go crazy at you! You cant run away from stuff this will very likely never happen again and what you gonna do when you start a new job if something bad happens or you cross paths with an idiot?
What a load of b@llocks !!
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- Rotherham, South Yorkshire
It's funny, these people are terrified of someone coming in and undercutting them by a quid and the customers all jumping ship.
Think about it though, back when it was common to have 'patches' and one or two people basically had a monopoly on the street, prices weren't great at all.
Now that people can find other windys on the internet and it's not unusual to have several different window cleaners on a street, they have choice! You would think that the extra competition and the fact that people's rounds are far more spread out would drive prices down, but that hasn't happened.
The rag man who is worried about being undercut doesn't understand his market. Choice of different window cleaners on Google, Facebook etc has forced a competitive increase in the quality of the service- market forces haven't forced the prices down but the quality up.
Basically, despite the fact that the first thing people say when they call is "how much do you charge", cost isn't the most important factor. People want a good, reliable service, they want the frames, sills and doors doing to a high standard, they want someone who they can trust having access to their premises.
They don't want the creepy guy who tries to catch your missus in the shower on the ladder, or who thinks your windows are portholes and always charges for last time as well even though you know you left the £3 on the upstairs window sill for him. He's cheap, but people want more than cheap.
They need to up their game, not scare off competition.
Think about it though, back when it was common to have 'patches' and one or two people basically had a monopoly on the street, prices weren't great at all.
Now that people can find other windys on the internet and it's not unusual to have several different window cleaners on a street, they have choice! You would think that the extra competition and the fact that people's rounds are far more spread out would drive prices down, but that hasn't happened.
The rag man who is worried about being undercut doesn't understand his market. Choice of different window cleaners on Google, Facebook etc has forced a competitive increase in the quality of the service- market forces haven't forced the prices down but the quality up.
Basically, despite the fact that the first thing people say when they call is "how much do you charge", cost isn't the most important factor. People want a good, reliable service, they want the frames, sills and doors doing to a high standard, they want someone who they can trust having access to their premises.
They don't want the creepy guy who tries to catch your missus in the shower on the ladder, or who thinks your windows are portholes and always charges for last time as well even though you know you left the £3 on the upstairs window sill for him. He's cheap, but people want more than cheap.
They need to up their game, not scare off competition.
Cleanco
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Oops, sounds like I’ve hit a nerve with that one. I’m sorry but this is very real issue and whether you like it or not is still happening in this industry. Times change and some people don’t, it’s as simple as that.
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In all honesty, I know how it can impact on you been threatened and beyond, without wanting to go into specific's and it's not connected to window cleaning it can affect you more than some realise. from the outside looking I would guess this guy has been on go for quite some years possibly trad and sees all and any newbies as threat to his business which equals fear of someone coming along onto his patch and doing a better job and him losing customers to someone better.
About 20 years ago one of these neanderthal types threatened a lad I know, because apparently he was stepping on his toes, he went to clean a flat which one of his long term clients recently moved into, but this guy had cleaned the lot for years so wasn't happy at all, in over 19 years I have been going this bully boy never liked anyone new and any attempt I made to speak to him as in a quick hello he would look straight through me, now this guy to this day still does half a job and has openly admitted to me he fiddles
So of course 7 years ago he wanted to go wfp and approached me for advice ? I had no issue with him so told him the crack and we have spoke on and off every once in a while, do I take his customers yes I do, does he lie about me and say I charge to much and he has took loads of my customers yes he does ? he charges £10 for a 4 bed detached with a conservatory and does half a job and doesn't clean the window above the conservatory and I have seen jobs were the upper sills are green, he calls me cheeky for charging the prices I do but has no idea of the real difference in the service I offer.
My advice to you is there is no patch, and his proposal sounds reasonable as you can take more of his customers and his inbred neanderthal types work also, if he approaches you be at the ready to record the conversation on your phone, he is simply trying to scare you off in the hope in 6 months you will be done and over, don't let him be a decision maker in your life, he isn't worth it and he isn't one who's paying your bills
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Cleanco
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Your choice of phrase “threat to his business” is spot on there. People generally have two outcomes when they feel threatened, fight or flight. The majority will usually take the latter option and try to be the bigger man(or woman) and do the right thing in our modern society but then there will always be the ones that go the other way and that’s what we are dealing with here. It’s imprinted into our genes that comes from a dog eat dog society. Times are changing though and people can say it’s a load of “tosh” or “boll@cks” but it’s a real issue that’s not going to go away any time soon.
Tango
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LOL!
Good job i didn't have some drink in my mouth or that would've been all over the desk now!
That's tosh. I'm still in early round building days and I'll tell you it's bloody hard to gain clients from another windy. I get so many "we already have a window cleaner but thanks anyway" type responses that it's quite depressing. I didn't bother with any canvassing in August and haven't done any yet this month either. Most won't even bother to ask me what i charge to try and skimp on their current windy costs.
Your argument that there is a threat to the other guys business is not a strong one.
Ana
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As many others have said @BaldmonkeyI wouldn't let tools like that bother you, I know it's easier said than done but there will be no comeback, it's all bluff and bluster imo. When I was doing trad I dropped leaflets in a certain area, around 400-500 dropped just that day. I got one call back for my efforts along with a angry window cleaner.
this cleaner rang me to say "you don't go about window cleaning that way, you buy your round?" "Your treading on toes and stealing MY work".
I very calmly explained I had zero interest in in his customer base, I want my own, I won't steal. Futhermore, providing he does a good job he has little worry about, he didn't understand any of that. I also made a comparison when choosing your next takeaway meal, your NOT linked to one specific outlet, nor are your customers linked (legally) to you doing the work, it's a trust relationship, you do the work to a good standard, you get paid and the repor develops.
i later found out this "cleaner" did a s**t job and ended up subbing on a construction site, he later had a accident (falling bricks) and died!
End of the day i understand your distress and my fiancé was worried about my safety for a while after but nothing came of it, I'm sure it does happen but it's surely rare.
Just keep doing what your doing mate, flyer, advertise whatever you like. I would say tho I don't actively canvas much anymore, work comes in on FB or Instagram etc, walk ups, word of mouth much more often. I bagged two just this week, quoting another job on Sunday.
this cleaner rang me to say "you don't go about window cleaning that way, you buy your round?" "Your treading on toes and stealing MY work".
I very calmly explained I had zero interest in in his customer base, I want my own, I won't steal. Futhermore, providing he does a good job he has little worry about, he didn't understand any of that. I also made a comparison when choosing your next takeaway meal, your NOT linked to one specific outlet, nor are your customers linked (legally) to you doing the work, it's a trust relationship, you do the work to a good standard, you get paid and the repor develops.
i later found out this "cleaner" did a s**t job and ended up subbing on a construction site, he later had a accident (falling bricks) and died!
End of the day i understand your distress and my fiancé was worried about my safety for a while after but nothing came of it, I'm sure it does happen but it's surely rare.
Just keep doing what your doing mate, flyer, advertise whatever you like. I would say tho I don't actively canvas much anymore, work comes in on FB or Instagram etc, walk ups, word of mouth much more often. I bagged two just this week, quoting another job on Sunday.
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Tango
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Yeh, you can fight for sure. If you don’t your business will grow slowly. But fight by being a better businessman. Put the competition out of business using legitimate methods.
Cleanco
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Maybe not but that’s still how they see it. And maybe if you put as much effort into building your round as you do in to your essays on here you may just start getting somewhere?
Cleanco
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That’s exactly what I have done. I’ve never been an aggressive type, more flight than fight in me. I started by buying a well established and some would say underpriced round. I then monopolised areas gaining loads of work by doing a top notch job at below par prices. Even though prices were under par I still achieve very good hourly rates as the work is ultra compact with virtually no travelling whatsoever. Now that my round is full for me and my helper I can concentrate on rising the prices slowly over time so that I have the best of both. I’ll also add that I have never knocked a door or dropped a leaflet to gain work and it has all come from wall ups and referrals that has evolved from the work that I bought when I first started. Some will say that’s lucky but I say it’s come from starting with a solid business plan, knowing your industry within your specific area and sticking to it.
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Clisty1989
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Ive only had one run in before, when i first started. I canvassed an area and a windy stopped and started gobbing off at me saying its his patch, any work round here is mine, blah blah blah. I just smiled and calmly pointed out that im not after his work, just trying to make a living. He carried on shouting, people startwd looking out the windows seeing him kicking off whilst i was being calm and professional (on the outside, inside i wanted to deck him). Long story short it got around "his patch" what happened, lost 90% of his custys, i bagged a large chunk of them. Karmas a ***** ?
Tango
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Dude we're saturated round here! Like i said, it's hard to gain clients from other windys - really hard.
It's not for the lack of trying.. although as previously mentioned i don't do this full time as i have a missus and kid to work around and she's the breadwinner so takes priority (at the moment lol).
Cleanco
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FairPlay but I never try to actively take work off other people. I know business is business but that’s just me. There’s plenty of work out there for everyone if you look hard enough. All my customers have come to me and I find they are the best ones as they actually want a window cleaner and haven’t been baffled with some marketing spiel only to find that after a couple of cleans they not really that bothered and end up messing you about.
