What would you do?

I received a request via DM from a member on here asking if I could pass on some leads that I receive via the lead generation I'm doing. The requests were for those that I turn down due to the wrong locations. 

This was my reply: 

"Hi, sorry for the delay in replying. The problem I have with your suggestion is that I'm a Ltd company and fairly new thus I'm still in the process of building my reputation and brand. 

By using my business to advertise for customers, I don't want to risk breaching any data protection laws by passing on personal information without permission. 

In addition to this, even if I sought permission from people to pass on your details, I don't know who I'm passing them onto. When I used others for lead generation, they did their due diligence on me and checked I was legit and working to their standards. They do this to protect their brand and reputation. 

So I'm very sorry but no, I don't think it would be prudent to pass on people's personal details. 

Hope you understand but I wish you the best."

The response I got was that it's a very arrogant and condescending reply! 

Did I break any etiquette here in our industry? Not sure what I said that is arrogant and condescending! 

I try to be helpful to those that message me but I simply don't want to fall foul of any data protection laws by passing on personal information. 

What would you guys do? Do you pass on potential leads to strangers? I've no objections to doing this if I know the window cleaner to be reputable and with permission from the leads.

I agree, I think it's important to protect ourselves from potential legal and reputation problems with passing on people's private details. Especially with the new data protection legislation and with how precious and important our businesses are to us, or should be. 

I will only link customers and traders provided I have good reason to trust the integrity of both parties. I would give the customer the contact details of the tradesman : plumber, gardener, gutter, window repair-man and let them make contact.

I say again ; I'd generally let the customer make the contact as the tradesman's name and contact details are surely for recruiting and organising business so there should be no privacy issues there. I would only do this if I was confident of the quality, integrity and reliability of the tradesman.

I wouldn't like to get the reply you received in all honesty. I think all your points were valid and honest.

So someone tried to get you to do the donkey work for them and then spat their dummy out as you said no. Wouldn't lose any sleep over that one.

The person being quoted here is myself. Taking a private message then quoting and then messaging me seems a very immature thing to do. 
 

regarding spitting dummy out, you couldn’t be further from the truth. What I meant was if your taking enquiries for work that you don’t want. You could tell the person that your fully booked or what ever you rather. however there was a guy looking for work, his details are this. Not seen his work blah blah so don’t know if he is any good. You get the jist of where I’m coming from? 

however it’s not for everyone and that is fine. But the reply is certainly arrogant and condescending for a simple not for me answer. 
 

But then set up this thread up from a private message, seems very petty. 

JP WC said:

The person being quoted here is myself. Taking a private message then quoting and then messaging me seems a very immature thing to do. 
 

regarding spitting dummy out, you couldn’t be further from the truth. What I meant was if your taking enquiries for work that you don’t want. You could tell the person that your fully booked or what ever you rather. however there was a guy looking for work, his details are this. Not seen his work blah blah so don’t know if he is any good. You get the jist of where I’m coming from? 

however it’s not for everyone and that is fine. But the reply is certainly arrogant and condescending for a simple not for me answer. 
 

But then set up this thread up from a private message, seems very petty. 

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In all fairness he asked our opinions. He didn't name you.

Seems to me that you could have made the suggestion that he might have been willing to give customers your details and explain to them that you were looking for work and had contacted him but that he couldn't vouch for you personally. A good plan and one I've used myself to help customers and tradesmen make contact. Perhaps you should have asked that question of him rather than asking for customer details?

I don't recall @NewGuyever being in the slightest way rude or disrespectful to anyone on the forum and I'm confident he meant no offence.

We ALL need to be a bit mentally and emotionally robust in life and in business, and we need to be able to see things from the point of view of others. Regardless of how we're told everyday by "experts" and media, to walk on eggshells lest someone might disagree and get offended.

@Davy G

Your suggestion seems like a sensible one going forward. Perhaps I ought to have thought of that myself but it's definitely how I will consider any future requests going forward.

Thanks. 

JP WC said:

The person being quoted here is myself. Taking a private message then quoting and then messaging me seems a very immature thing to do. 
 

regarding spitting dummy out, you couldn’t be further from the truth. What I meant was if your taking enquiries for work that you don’t want. You could tell the person that your fully booked or what ever you rather. however there was a guy looking for work, his details are this. Not seen his work blah blah so don’t know if he is any good. You get the jist of where I’m coming from? 

however it’s not for everyone and that is fine. But the reply is certainly arrogant and condescending for a simple not for me answer. 
 

But then set up this thread up from a private message, seems very petty. 

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At the end of the day you asked him to pass you his, that he worked to get, enquiries. He could've totally ignored your request but out of decency replied and explained the reasoning why. He can't tell someone that he is fully booked pass you the enquiry and then continue to advertise for work.

Now you obviously didn't like his reply so decided to call his reply arrogant and condescending, in my world that's spitting the dummy out.

I can see both sides of the situation, personally I thing I would give anyone enquiring that I didn’t want his number but say don’t know the guy etc then it’s up to the customer to decide if they want to call him or not .There is no data protection breach doing that . But there is no right or wrong with this what ever both parties do is up to them , I doubt there was any malice on either ones part we do all however rub each other up the wrong way at times though . 

If @JP WC wishes to provide his details to me, I'll be happy to provide them to leads outside of my area in future. 

PS - to be fair, I quoted myself in this thread and not @JP WC. I posted this thread to guage views on my response/explanation. There's no childish behaviour on my part, nor any intentions of arrogance or condescendion. I'm new to the game, I'm still building up my work. I cannot canvas and am thinking outside of the box to generate customers. If anyone wishes to seek any help from me, I'm happy to do so where I can. If I can't, I'll explain why. 

Pjj said:

I can see both sides of the situation, personally I thing I would give anyone enquiring that I didn’t want his number but say don’t know the guy etc then it’s up to the customer to decide if they want to call him or not .There is no data protection breach doing that . But there is no right or wrong with this what ever both parties do is up to them , I doubt there was any malice on either ones part we do all however rub each other up the wrong way at times though . 

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Yeah I’m sick of you lot ??

?

@NewGuy  I don’t think your answer was offhand at all. I think it was a fair answer. You do have to be so careful these days. You only need one to complain about you passing their details and it could spell trouble. 
@JP WC 

He asked for advice, if you look at the comments no one has said anything unkind. Why don’t you canvass a bit yourself?  put the hard work in and it will pay off. Or a good thing to do if your building your round, the ones you clean ask them if they know of anyone in their area requiring a window cleaner, or knock the doors where you are working. 
All the best to both of you.