Though, I don’t really think this would be stealing.
I have cleaned house for a gal for about 4 years. I always clean the interior windows of my customers and the exterior if they ask me to. I just add whatever time it takes and charge my regular hourly rate. I have always used the Windex and paper towel method (big change coming there since I got interested in a WC biz!)
Anyhoo, this gal has 2 double french doors, 1 single fench door, 2 top window french type doors, and 12 windows of various sizes, 2 are second floor.
A few months ago, she hired a window cleaner to do all the exterior windows. He didn’t do the 2nd floor ones during the 5 hrs. I was there. He didn’t use a pole, just 2 spray bottle a small squeege (10" or thereabout). He was there when I got there and when I left. 5+ hrs. seemed a long time to me then and after becoming more educated on window cleaning, I think it’s really outrageous! Heck, I can do all the interiors plus the 3 largest exterior ones in less than 2 hrs. using Windex and paper towels!
She’s been in Costa Rica (lucky dog!) since I started getting wired up about a WC biz, so I haven’t talked to her yet. When I do, I know that she will forget the other guy and have me start doing the exteriors too. Since she has only hired him once, and I KNOW I can do it faster using better equipment, would this be stealing his customer? I don’t think so, and not even sure I would care since I think I can do it much faster, but I also don’t want to stray into what might be considered unethical territory. Esp since I live in an area where 3 or 4 small towns are with 25 miles of each other, everybody knows everybody and word of mouth travels fast.
No it’s not and here’s why I think that. She is already YOUR customer, you should up sell every one of your customers. You do inside, sell them on outside, you do the windows, sell them on the gutters or Pressure washing ( if you do that). Clients change service people all the time, if you provide a better service at a reasonable price they won’t change you, you’ll have more trying you out than are dropping you. I.E. your business grows. Not unethical at all. Or else sending a flyer out through the post office would be unethical as you are targeting other peoples clients…Nope your fine.
Not Stealing here is why. We all have had a job or a dozen taken by someone else. It is all part of the business. Say I am starting a business I hit EVERY DOOR I can I give a bid . Customer accepts it or not. Be courteous and move on. I dont care if I take someone else’s work. There is a reason they decided to go with me: Price, Appearence, Quality of work. You never know. As long as I dont do an on purpose lowball to get the job. I bid it for what it is worth to me. You need top keep your business afloat. Not worry about the “Other Guy’s” business. Thats just me
Business is war. I have had to fend off lowballers trying to steal my customers from the very moment I went into business. If you can do it better, faster, and cheaper then you are supposed to get the business. Kevin is right. We are not communists after all!
Actually, I use(d) a combination of newspapers, an old t-shirt/lent free towel, and paper towels, so I didn’t really use that many paper towels. Sure hate that newspaper though!
Thanks all, for your opinions. Basically what I was thinking.
I wouldn’t say this is wrong or unethical. I say go for it, but make sure you bid it right. It may seem the other guy was taking way to long, and he may have been. I wouldn’t know since I haven’t seen the house or know anything about the job. Although, the outside generally takes longer than the inside especially if it hasn’t been done in a long time and your doing the inside regulary. Is there any ladder work? Was he cleaning tracks, screens or wiping frames?
[I]Is there any ladder work? Was he cleaning tracks, screens or wiping frames? [/I]
Two 2nd floor windows. While I was there, I didn’t see him use a ladder, clean tracks, screens or wipe frames, but I wasn’t paying that much attention 'cause I was cleaning the house.
[I]Did you know that all that ink that gets on your hand also gets on the glass and windows??? nasty [/I]
Yeah, it is nasty! And, no, I didn’t know that it would leave a film UNTIL I got interested in starting a WC biz and reading this forum. No more Windex and newspapers/paper towels for me!
Your situation is not considered stealing at all. As kevin mentioned, its all up for grabs. The definition of stealing is “theft” (or unless you are talking stealing a base in baseball). You are taking nothing that “belongs” to him. My company cleans thousands of residentials per year and I dont own 1 single one of them. They are up for grabs if I fail to provide great service to them. Even if I provide great service and reasonable prices, its still up for grabs.
On the other hand, if you worked for this guy and went out on your own knowing pricing methods and soliciting his customers, well that to me is customer theft. Just my 2 cents.
