competitor at neighbors house

[KevinL]

Stanley Steemer 2 blocks from my house this morning. Anybody ever stop at a neighbors house after a competitor leaves to ask how they did or ask them " don't you see my f'n truck parked at my house 2 blocks away?"

 

[AJR]

ouch

 

[AshleyMckendree]

I see neighbors use SS all the time, they KNOW im a ccer...
IDGAS

 

[Johnny]

Maybe if you cut your grass and had some of them junkers hauled off.........

 

[Jim Martin]

I have good neighbors but I have no desire to clean there carpets....

 

[Becker]

Never cared in my hood.

One neighborhood I lived in, the people right next door used chem dry.

Last neighborhood, one old sweet lady told me flat out. My process would ruin her carpet. She was like 80.. She also used chemdry.
But I cleaned and still clean 60% of the neighborhood.

I know where to stick my nose, and it is not in the houses cleaned by my competitors.

Just don't give a sheet.

 

[Out of Character - 0]

I have good neighbors but I have no desire to clean there carpets....

Exactly. I would also never hire a neighbor for anything.

 

[mirf]

I would rather not clean neighbors carpets. Hard to make a neighbor happy when you take money and do the job a few times. Can be like family, if its free white sheep take money black sheeet

 

[KevinL]

It's definitely not my yard. I get complements on it all the time. What I really wanted to know was, should I go introduce myself to the neighbors that used a competitor and let them know the have the areas best carpet cleaner living right down the street?

 

[Brian R]

I had 2 other carpet cleaners on the same street with me (probably more) High end guys like chore boy and mid rangers like 5 star.

We would STILL see other cleaners come in and clean our neighbors...funny how that works.

And yes, all of us had our vans in prominent view...some more than one.

Nice area...not trashy. Nice vans...kept clean too.



But sometimes you just don't crap where you eat. It's a bit of a blessing not cleaning close to home.
You never know what kind of customer you'll get.

I remember one time I was asked to clean by a picky customer. I just went ahead and installed new carpet because I knew she wouldn't be happy with any cleaning by anyone.
She was still not happy. Said she saw some spots.
True story. :roll:

 

[Desk Jockey]

It's an ego thing, your ego takes a hit that your neighbor called someone else.
Maybe they didn't know you clean carpets for a living, or if they do they might have found it awkward using a neighbor. ???

If you can't let it go and knowing you Kevin, you can't! :mrgreen:

Then yes go over introduce yourself, explain to them that you saw they had their carpets recently and offer them a neighbor special on their next cleaning.

The only problem is what if after meeting them and giving them a special offer, they still call someone else. :shock:

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Clean my neighbor's carpet????? heck no, I hate working in trailer parks.

 

[Johnny]

It's definitely not my yard. I get complements on it all the time. What I really wanted to know was, should I go introduce myself to the neighbors that used a competitor and let them know the have the areas best carpet cleaner living right down the street?

I'm sure your yard is nicer than mine.

I would not approach the neighbor. Would you want your competitor following you? And that competitor might be his relative.

I clean a lot of my neighbors because they deserve the best. When I see a competitor in my hood I don't give it a second thought. It's a free world and I've probably cleaned carpet in his hood.

Let it go.

 

[Zee]

I personally don't like to work for neighbors.

Therefore I don't even ask for their business and I don't ask them to do stuff for me in their area of expertise.

 

[Lyman]

I clean all my nieghbors carpets but I think it is a small town thing. My wife hates going to the grocery store with me, she says I know everybody.

 

[boazcan]

I have good neighbors but I have no desire to clean there carpets....

Yep. Rarely does it turn out well. Neighbors hate paying neigbors for "stuff". Get past the ego and go find plenty of business outside your 'hood'. I had to come to same conclusion after a few tries.

 

[Art Kelley]

Most of my neighbors don't even know that I'm one of the top 25 cleaners in the country. Only those within my aura even know what I do. 8) If they call Sears or Stanley, it doesn't bother me in the least.

 

[Mr. 007]

only people in my hood are Big Bobs simple n quick n Ken Snows Barney trucks , Can't beat the marketing, I see the commercial on channel 4 every morning like clockwork, 6:12am Ken. How long you planning on running them anyway, JK lol !gotcha!

It really get's under my skin at first thought, then I think about how I'd feel if someone followed my truck offering a lower rate just to get in the door next cleaning, There is enough work out there for all of us, let it go, throw a neighborhood BBQ if you want your neighbors business that bad. It Probably was a family member anyhow....

 

[Vinnie]

I had a SS 5 houses down the street from me this afternoon when I got home. Leaking their waste water all over the place. I went over looked in the van, nothing I wanted in there.

 

[Doug Cox]

Most of my neighbors don't even know that I'm one of the top 25 cleaners in the country.

You're telling me Kelley is on "The List" also. Now we know the list is tainted.

 

[Art Kelley]

 

[bob vawter]

[quote="Art Kelley":128conyi]Most of my neighbors don't even know that I'm one of the top 25 cleaners in the country.

You're telling me Kelley is on "The List" also. Now we know the list is tainted.[/quote:128conyi]
do you even KNOW what a taint ...IS?

 

[Brian R]

I thought I saw taint...turned out to be just some butt crack.

 

[Doug Cox]

LOL!

 

[Ron Werner]

SOmetimes your neighbours just aren't your target market.

the other thing is make sure your truck is visible, or clean your own carpets ina day or two. If they weren't happy, they may finally see your truck and ask you to reclean theirs, of which you'd be happy to to at your price +50% for restoration shiteatinggrin

 

[steve frasier]

I clean for about 6 neighbors, enough for me. Never really cleaned for the neighbors to much. But they would have visitors over and the visitors would call me to clean for them. So then would have to clean for the neighbors.
Have quite a few fireman we clean for because of it.

 

[Billy]

We avoid doing business with neighbors good or bad. If one calls we usually end up being too high anyway.

Besides I get entertainment when I happen to be home while SS is cleaning my immediate next door neighbor.

 

[steamclean]

Egg there house.