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Canvassing another window cleaners area

CM Cleaning Services

Active member
Messages
513
Location
Cwmbran
As the title says what's you guys general opinion in canvassing an area covered by a window cleaner ???

Now I'm currently canvassing to build more customers in an area already swamped with window cleaners but there's also a mass area we live in to cover and work, just yesterday my work partner was approached by the son of a window cleaner telling her his dad covered the whole area and to clear off and not waste our time, now I'm not trying to undercut anyone my prices are average with everyone else in the area and I never try pursue anyone to switch to my services if they have a window cleaner I thank them and walk away but keep canvassing the area .... and surprisingly have picked up a few between his round.

Is this acceptable or should I have left the area ????

Personally I have no worries if people canvass an area I work in we all need to make a living and theres plenty to go round...

What your thoughts please guys

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Knock on every door possible

No one has an "area"

If that lad had tried to warn me off i would deliberately hit every house in the roads he works

Some people seem to think they call the shots when it it the homeowners who make those decisions

 
I have the same problem where I live/work, no one owns the area, if you do a good job your customers will remain loyal 90% of the time. If I canvass where I'm told there's another cleaner I never price the job up and walk away

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this can be a tricky thing im no stay of my patch guy buy any means lmfao, but as long as u just canvice and not try to under cut or be sneaky its all good in my book , when u have prity much every thing in a tite area and see a new guy door nocking it can fiel a bit werrying as u dont wana lose any work buy geting under cut ect , so the wc was probly werryed he defo went about it the rong way tho but we are all different i sapose there is plenty of work out there so there is no need to get nasty with people, its a shame some just sneak about trying to nick your work from time to time , ive picked up jobs were they wernt happy with there wc so cancled them due to unrelible or bad job ect thats fair game ,but its when there happy and the canvser starts saying o ill do it cheeper or tryes to be sneaky , thats my view any way for whaty its worth  :1f44d:

buy the way rarrrrrrrrrr stay off my patch  :1f602: :1f602: :1f602:

 
@tench0771 that's not my style I am evenly priced with others in the area and under no circumstances would I offer to do it for less just to get another customer, what I have plucked out is exactly how u say

those who don't use him for bad cleans ,
unreliable,
new to area and hadn't seen a window cleaner in the area.

Understand the worried about losing work but IMO if I worried about losing work either my pricings wrong or I've provided a bad service if u got both them things right loyalty prevails 90% the time.

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My rule canvas every 3 months write the numbers on roads cross them off when you spoken to them . Never undercut someone all tho I seem to be the cheapest . Only take on other people's work if they are doing a crappy job and as for "your on my patch well ,,,,,,off


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Do what you want mate

This sounds harsh, but i couldnt care less about other window cleaners, im out to get my piece of the pie. 

This must be the only business where you cant undercut or go on patches etc lol, do you think asda wont undercut tesco on a tin of beans if its financially viable for them to do so? 

Do what you want, they dont feed your family.

 
We all need work to get money to buy food.

Backtrack a few thousand years....people had to go out and hunt their food.

Thankfully, things have got a little more civilised since then! :)

Same principle - we just gotta get out there and do what we do to survive. 

 
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Job insecurity in every job i suppose, nothing is stable n set in stone, which is a shame.
Ultimatetly is up to you what you want to do.
IMO at the moment, is canvass area. Ask if they have a wc. If yes. Walk away. Be careful if they critize wc if they have one, ask who the wc is, if its a legitamate business,sole trader or beer money guy, IMO if wc is doing rubbish job in their opinion n they want you, always put the price up, as they might be a messer n drop you in future.
If its a buisness with many workers trying to take over the world to line the pocket of the boss. I wouldnt have to much of a problem being more interested in taking it over. Ive got more respect for sole traders making their own way, feeding their family, if they are above board.
I wouldnt undercut on purpose another wc, thats the first mistake n unforgivable IMO, as once again devalues the job in peoples eyes.
Importantly do whats right n you will feel good, ive only got two that asked me to clean their windows. One after a sole trader, i stuck the price up from £15-£22, the job was a mess with wfp, i do it trad. A bungalow. Another was a buisness spreading its wings, woman said she complained about tbe job many times, she said i was a lot dearer. So im guessing she paid £15, i charge her £25, 10 weekly job on a farm. But i must say i never enjoy those jobs because of the history of them. You have to feel comfortable to enjoy the job, so start out right if you can.

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A quarter of my round is in one area that's tightly knit. Every December I have 2-3 new window cleaners canvass every house I work with, but I'm yet to lose one customer to another cleaner in over 5 years. Personally I think we all have a right to knock and ask, we're trying to make a living after all and most of us have mouths to feed except our own.
Provided we all respect one another, and don't simply try to poach existing customers from other cleaners, I see no harm in canvassing any area that already is inundated with window cleaners. As OP said, there's so many available houses in areas already swamped, it's just finding them out and successfully gaining their custom.
Good competition keeps us working harder anyway. I support anyone trying to make a living!
Just not those idiots that offer a £3 clean on a £12 house [emoji23]


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Job insecurity in every job i suppose, nothing is stable n set in stone, which is a shame.
Ultimatetly is up to you what you want to do.
IMO at the moment, is canvass area. Ask if they have a wc. If yes. Walk away. Be careful if they critize wc if they have one, ask who the wc is, if its a legitamate business,sole trader or beer money guy, IMO if wc is doing rubbish job in their opinion n they want you, always put the price up, as they might be a messer n drop you in future.
If its a buisness with many workers trying to take over the world to line the pocket of the boss. I wouldnt have to much of a problem being more interested in taking it over. Ive got more respect for sole traders making their own way, feeding their family, if they are above board.
I wouldnt undercut on purpose another wc, thats the first mistake n unforgivable IMO, as once again devalues the job in peoples eyes.
Importantly do whats right n you will feel good, ive only got two that asked me to clean their windows. One after a sole trader, i stuck the price up from £15-£22, the job was a mess with wfp, i do it trad. A bungalow. Another was a buisness spreading its wings, woman said she complained about tbe job many times, she said i was a lot dearer. So im guessing she paid £15, i charge her £25, 10 weekly job on a farm. But i must say i never enjoy those jobs because of the history of them. You have to feel comfortable to enjoy the job, so start out right if you can.

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Agree with everything in this post.
Larger cleaning businesses don't typically seem to have the best workers (even tho these lads are usually just trying to make a few quid so fair play to them!) but quality is usually low. They'd be better going self employed and taking over their old boss's round IMO haha.

Agree with random, higher priced jobs that are unenjoyable. I do the odd one that I never look forward to; most drop off after a few months cos of moving or holidays etc, but the odd one stays on and can end up being a good earner.

No matter your experience or income, I say never refuse a job until you've given it a go. Money in someone else's pocket in my eyes otherwise. But play fair [emoji13]


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I am a window cleaner and so my own boss....but the real reality is everyone of my customers are my boss in that they ask me to do their windows and in return pay me for doing them.

They the customer calls the shots as to whether to use you or another.

So if another window cleaner claims he covers the area, he is right in that he works in the area, but he does not own the customers and they can choose who to or not to use.

I should carry on canvassing the area if I were you and give the customer the choice

 
Why do some canvass and ask if the person already has a window cleaner?

I never do, it's none of my business.  I knock, explain who I am (though my pre-delivered leaflets have already done that for me) and ask if they would like a quote.  If they volunteer the information that they already have a window cleaner then I usually say "Thank you, please keep my leaflet in case you should ever need me", and move on.  Otherwise if they ask me for a quote, I give them one.  I don't feel I'm under any obligation to require them to tell me if they already have a window cleaner.  Would Sainsbury's ask you if you usually shop at Morrisons?

As for undercutting, even if they told me they already had a window cleaner, I wouldn't ask how much he charges, again it's none of my business.

If they still want a quote then I give them one based on my pricing formula.

It may be less, it may be more - if they accept it that's fine.  If they say "Oh, my window cleaner only charges......." then I tell them they'd be better off staying with him.

Even if I wanted to undercut (which I never knowingly have done) how do I know they're telling the truth?  They could just be trying it on.

My ethic when canvassing is: 

Ask if they would like a quote - give one if they do, thank them and walk away if they don't, leaving a leaflet.

Anything else is superfluous

 
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respect goes a long way in my book i got asked today to clean a job now a few years ago i no there was a chap cleaning it i no so strate away i said do u have a window cleaner he said no we have just moved in glass was filfy so i gave my price and got the job and i dont have to werry about some one calling me ranting and raving lol if the guy said yes ide have said y do u want a quote if u have some one then go from there again bad job not happy ill take it but if its cos they just wana cheeper price i would walk away . when u get in the the under cuting **** we all lose out there is only one winner and thats the custmer

 
I've only read the title but have made my views clear on this before and therefore must go caps mode to say........

HE DOESN'T PAY YOUR BILLS OR PUT FOOD ON YOUR TABLE!

Free market economy mate. 

If he's any good with a fair price you wont take any off him anyhow. 

If he's **** he dont deserve to have them anyhow. 

 
I was asked to give a cheaper price by a customer, I asked how much is your current windy charging...then I always say "that's about the right price "& walk away. No 1 owns customers but it's down to you if you want to undercut. No good for any of us 

 
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