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Canvasser...what Do You Think?

vespawho

Member
Messages
179
I have got someone canvassing for me and when we spoke he said he goes out monday to thursday getting work and then friday and saturday i go and do what he has booked in.

I told him the area, asking for him to start close to my home and work out from there. Was told he would average 8 to 15 a week. I would pay him 2 x for any work.

The first week he got 6, they are good prices and he does get £5 - £10 extra if they are really dirty as a first clean. the second week he got 6 as well. Both weeks saying its been really tough going.

He called tonight and has one for tomorrow, and is out again tomorrow with leads that he hopes will be all good for saturday.,

All of the work so far has not been close to my home, its all about 15-20 mins drive....heading towards where he lives.

I dont mind paying for a service, i did it as i need to build up a round as quick as possible. And i have had other work to complete.

What do you all think, surely if your going out doing this as a job then you should be able to get more work than this each week?

I had half hour spare this afternoon and walked a small close and picked up two jobs!!

Also while he is canvassing he wont drop any leaflets into doors that are not in.....i know thats coz he wont get the lead and comission.....which i didnt mind as i did think he would be getting a better result than this.

Some advice would be good, am i expecting to much?

 
vespa i think you would be better going out yourself say tea time, its your graft you will pick up more work.

summer nights dressed to look the part

Six houses in a week!!! I think he is having a laugh, bet you could get that your first night on your own easy

best of luck tell him to sling his hook you could do better yourself

its a bonus if your work is close to you fuel is that expensive now

 
15-20 minute drives no real drama I don't think, I've got guys happy to drive an hour or so for work. He is either over conditioning them looking for that perfect deal, rubbish at knocking or just not doing the hours. Personally I would keep him on and just say give every customer a card that he speaks too and write his name on it. Tell the customer if they ring they must show the cleaner the card and mention his name. Then you reward him accordingly.

I too would be reluctant to drop cards thru empty houses due to the fact I'm not a postman and you can't be sure the cleaner will pay up 6 months down the line. The only time I do it is if I knocked it a few times, no answer then I will put my name on it and post it and thats only on the real dirty ones.

I would maybe go 2 ways with him,

1st one go to the bank and draw a £1000 out in cash and say I want to give you this next week show it to him,( let him touch it, let him smell it ) BUT I need 50 (or whatever) first cleans minimum.

2nd one you go the starving route, and what I mean is you tell him you want all deals set up to be cleaned over the next 3 weeks as hes not getting enough to make it worth your while each week you need a big chunk built up that you can do in 2 days. Now me being me waiting 4 weeks to get paid is no good so I would go get that big chunk in quick and force you to do it sooner.

Now he could go 1 of 2 ways, go get the chunk in or tell you hes not doing it no more. If he gets the chunk in it shows he can do it and he will become a deal machine or if he quits this isn't the job for him.

Now please don't take this personally, he might be dribbling in the deals as he feels you're not capable of handling large quantities, he might think if he works all week really hard, hands over a load that you might not pay him or he's just killing time until he finds another cleaner he likes more. Or what I said in the first paragraph.

Hope this helps

 
Question as always is, are you happy with what you pay compared to the results.

We could all say he's doing good, but based on the information you have shared and the fact you feel you could do a better job... well, you already know your answer.

 
Bit of an update....

I have found out that he has been trying to canvass for 4 window cleaners at a time!....And after various conversations over the last few weeks also found out that on average he was doing between 4 - 10 hours a week tops.

Whizz....yes i agree 20 minutes away is not bad. What i was getting at was that not once had he even come to my town. Which maybe im wrong, but surely you start close and work outwards?

When i first met him he asked how many i wanted a week....i said 15 more if he can, but 15 would be min and he agreed that he could do that....but like i say now turns out he has overstretched himself.

I've told him i have the cash here waiting.....Maybe sticking it under his nose would help lol

I decided to stick with it as the work he gets is good paying, just not enough. But after a few mess ups on his part (not telling me he had given two customers specific times....Lots of grovelling to keep them happy on my part) Last week we had words.....

Basically i said that he offered me a service, knew what i wanted but has overstretched himself so can't do more than 4 hours a week....for me that is not fulfilling his service to me. Told him that i am happy to pay, money is here...more you put in for me the more cash you will earn!!

Basically put a rocket up his backside, get the results that you said you could get or we will be parting ways.

Well this week he got me 8 first cleans and one massive facia, soffit and gutter clean. And also has taken on a new canvasser so he can put in the hours needed to get me work.

Only shame was again he didn't tell me one of the customers had a time booked!!....one unhappy customer on the phone and me having to grovel again.

And the facia clean i was told was £340.....customer had £300 in an envelope ready, a lovely couple who i don't think would be the type to be trying it on. All it would of taken was for him to write the price on the letter he leaves, that way i could of questioned it......

He was recommended to me, i spoke to my mate who recommended him......he said yeah i know, he is a k**b, gets good prices but will only work how he wants and when he wants!!

Mate then said i never question it, just let him get on with it!!

Maybe I'm different to all the others he has worked for, I believe if you tell someone you can give them a service, then you give them that service.

See how we go now his a**e has been kicked and the new guy is helping him.

 
Fingers crossed Whizz!!

At the moment my work is about 8 mile radius of New Milton. If i can keep within that and earn enough then i will. But if something comes up worth the travel then will do it.

Your based in hampshire?

 
Im from Portsmouth, but Im never there these days, I mainly been floating between South London and Essex where the main core of my work is. I didnt realise your hampshire as well, until I see your website.

 

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