Competitors calling

A customer of mine asked if I could give her friend a quote, which I did and cleaned the windows there and then.

When I had finished I thought I would put a few leaflets out in the nearby properties.

Only dropped about 20, saw a guy sitting in his car with a ladder on top outside one house so just in case he was a window cleaner I missed that house.

The porch was open on the next door house so I left it in the porch.

When I speak to residents I always tell them I am not interested in taking another cleaners work, and I have been told my prices are higher than most around here.

My leaflet has my services, my first name and phone number.

Drove home a got a call from an unfriendly sounding guy who asked me what the name of my company was, I asked who was calling, he said a potential

customer but I am pretty sure it was the guy I saw in the car, we went back and forth a bit but I did not give him anymore information.

He must have grabbed my leaflet out of the next door porch.

Just wondering how you deal with another window cleaner calling you and trying to get information about price etc.

windymillers said:

A customer of mine asked if I could give her friend a quote, which I did and cleaned the windows there and then.
 
When I had finished I thought I would put a few leaflets out in the nearby properties.
 
Only dropped about 20, saw a guy sitting in his car with a ladder on top outside one house so just in case he was a window cleaner I missed that house.
The porch was open on the next door house so I left it in the porch.
When I speak to residents I always tell them I am not interested in taking another cleaners work, and I have been told my prices are higher than most around here.
My leaflet has my services, my first name and phone number.
 
Drove home a got a call from an unfriendly sounding guy who asked me what the name of my company was, I asked who was calling, he said a potential
customer but I am pretty sure it was the guy I saw in the car, we went back and forth a bit but I did not give him anymore information.
He must have grabbed my leaflet out of the next door porch.
 
Just wondering how you deal with another window cleaner calling you and trying to get information about price etc.

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I talk to most the other window cleaners round my way think we all know roughly what each other charges as you say you are slightly higher than most so wouldn't worry

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Just tell him you will visit his house and give him a quote, it really is that simple. All he can say is, no thanks.

I am also friendly with the cleaners around here, and whenever possible buy them a danish to share over a cup of coffee.

Nudel said:

I am also friendly with the cleaners around here, and whenever possible buy them a danish to share over a cup of coffee.

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With 50k population I thought you would be on first name terms. :1f602:

scottish cleaning service said:

With 50k population I thought you would be on first name terms. :1f602:

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Oh, we are for sure.  :1f609:

Wouldn't be bothered in the slightest, With respect to all what tradder's and some wfper's can't compete with is a 5 star service if your competitors are only giving a 3 star service then it will bug them because they feel some what threatened. 

And in some cases what they can't get their rounds is how you are able to charge higher rates, Offer a 5 star service and maintain it and you will win through. 

I try to talk to all of my competitors
But they always try to turn it into a wangle contest which doesn’t interest me in the slightest


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I’m yet to have this window cleaning, but in my last job, childcare, our competition just down the road would call up and claim to have a child they were needing looked after. The thing is, we knew them all and always recognised their voices!  :1f602:

I am civil if I see another window cleaners.

A few weeks back there were 3 of us all working in the same small close, I could see one of them keep looking over so I said hello, we had a long chat, mostly him telling me how many customers he has and how much he earns (way more than me, I have 32 now), but at the end he asked me to pass work his way, he would pay me a tenner for each one.

The call I mentioned in the opening post was different, he was unfriendly (as if I was on his patch) and pretending to be a "potential customer".

windymillers said:

I am civil if I see another window cleaners.

A few weeks back there were 3 of us all working in the same small close, I could see one of them keep looking over so I said hello, we had a long chat, mostly him telling me how many customers he has and how much he earns (way more than me, I have 32 now), but at the end he asked me to pass work his way, he would pay me a tenner for each one.

The call I mentioned in the opening post was different, he was unfriendly (as if I was on his patch) and pretending to be a "potential customer".

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Just keep your calm with people like that mate. Give them a ballpark figure that’s really vague if they push you on it but advise you can’t give an exact price until you’ve seen a property etc etc. It could turn out to be a potential customer who has had issues with window cleaners ripping him off (I’ve had this before) if you keep calm and vague you will have chance to build a bridge during a quote and if it’s another windy he will be off faster than you can say boo!!

Most customers are loyal to the guy they’ve got but the round will always evolve with moving, deaths and the odd housewife going through pmt and suddenly getting bolshy. As long as you do a good well priced job of course. Always working over with other windies, quick chat and that’s it, move on.


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I’ve got one so called ‘competitor’ in my area (Bromley), but we’ve become mates and he’s recently bought some of my round off me

windymillers said:

I am civil if I see another window cleaners.

A few weeks back there were 3 of us all working in the same small close, I could see one of them keep looking over so I said hello, we had a long chat, mostly him telling me how many customers he has and how much he earns (way more than me, I have 32 now), but at the end he asked me to pass work his way, he would pay me a tenner for each one.

The call I mentioned in the opening post was different, he was unfriendly (as if I was on his patch) and pretending to be a "potential customer".

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Most of us have been confronted with the odd windie trying to protect his patch at one time or another.

That's life. About 9 years ago I was asked to clean an existing customer's mother home on the edge of a rather rough council estate. As I was packing away a woman came across, baby on her arm and asked me why I was canvassing on her boy friend's patch. She said he was a legitimate window cleaner, fully insured and pushes this gear around in a home made cart. :1f602:

I simply replied that I was asked to clean this particular house and I didn't intend to canvass for any work in this rundown area. She turned and walked off happy with my answer. I later found out he was the local druggie and alchie and sent his girl friend to challenge my intentions.

I got a few more customers on that estate by default but we only have a couple of the good ones left. I haven't heard about the other windie for years since and only ever saw his cart the once. I had a good laugh to myself when I saw him.

bet it wasnt soapy water he had in the cart [emoji3]

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Lol, now that would be a window cleaner with a ‘load of gear’ 

spruce said:

Most of us have been confronted with the odd windie trying to protect his patch at one time or another.

That's life. About 9 years ago I was asked to clean an existing customer's mother home on the edge of a rather rough council estate. As I was packing away a woman came across, baby on her arm and asked me why I was canvassing on her boy friend's patch. She said he was a legitimate window cleaner, fully insured and pushes this gear around in a home made cart. :1f602:

I simply replied that I was asked to clean this particular house and I didn't intend to canvass for any work in this rundown area. She turned and walked off happy with my answer. I later found out he was the local druggie and alchie and sent his girl friend to challenge my intentions.

I got a few more customers on that estate by default but we only have a couple of the good ones left. I haven't heard about the other windie for years since and only ever saw his cart the once. I had a good laugh to myself when I saw him.

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I clean a lot of flats and houses on this one estate and it was one of these customers that asked me for my card to give to her friend (a couple of miles way) that was looking for a window cleaner.

She telephoned me the next day and when I went to give her the quote she told me that she suspected her previous window cleaner had an alcohol problem and he used to turn up every week ?

I told her I did not want to take anyone's work from them.

Apparently he had not been for a few months so I got the job. 4 weekly.

Then dropped a few leaflets, I remember the guy (I guess not her previous cleaner) watching me from his car but there was no sign writing so I did not realise he was window cleaner.