Window Company "declined" my business!

J

Jools

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I am currently looking for new windows & doors for the house. Like anyone with a bit of sense, I have have made arrangements for a few people to come out and give quotes. One of the company's just called to re-schedule. I had originally arranged for them to come out at 7.30. Now I mentioned that I had other companies coming from 6-7.30, and so I couldn't meet him any earlier. He then asked me how many companies I had called, or plan to call to which he promptly said that "he's not into that" and then hung up fairly sharpish?

Is it just me or is this extremely strange? This guy doesn't want to compete with other companies? Or just wants customers who he can rip off? Window company's seem ten a penny - can they really afford to be declining business for no good reason? Or is it just that it's Champions League night???
 
If your question is, can window companies afford to decline business, I think the answer is, in many cases, yes.
 
Jools said:
....... I have have made arrangements for a few people to come out and give quotes.......
Click to expand...

How many would that be then ?


An extreme version of this is responding to some of the tenders that come up on eTenders.

Last year we responded to one of these. It involved work in multiple sites and to tender for it should have required a visit to each site.

As it turned out we didnt get the work but did find the actual 'end user' was easy to talk to. So, after the event we got talking to him. They had received over 30 tenders for the work. The value of the work was such that at most the profit would have been of the order of 15k. The cost of preparation of the tender for each bidder was certainly over 1k ( nearer 2k if costed at anything like market rate ).

In summary :

1. The end user supervised over 30 site visits for would be tenderers ( how much of his time did that take ? )

2. Between 30k & 60k was spent on preparing tenders for work which could be expected to generate a profit of 15k.

In this case is anyone being ripped off ?

If so, who and by whom ?
 
five of my double glazed windows need replacing. ( middle gets steamed up during the full sun of summer) to date I have rung 3 local companies to come and measure up and quote me . none has bothered . contrast this to velux. 17 years ago I built an extension and changed all the windows to double glazing and installed 3 velux roof windows' about 7 years ago two of the velux windows started misting/watering in the cavity. Rang Velux and after I gave them the serial numbers the replaced the windows free of charge no problem. I know the other windows are not free but I cant even get anyone to bother calling. not urgent I know but if I cant replace them in the next month or so it will have to wait till next may. anyway the full sun 'syndrome' is not visible during this weather.
 
It's frustrating alright, but these guys are doing so well at the moment that many of them couldn't be bothered with small jobs. Here's the way I look at it - if the guy doesn't turn up to quote, it's a blessing in disguise because you can automatically assume he wouldn't turn up with the windows on time either, if you gave him the job.

Things were a lot different 17 (and even 7) years ago, I agree.
 
Dealing with him would have been a nightmare. You had a lucky escape.
 
Like carto said - your likely better off without that company that hung up. On the other hand no company is going to be happy to hear that there are many other companies coming to give quotes. I would just let them know that 'one other' company is coming - that way they know that they can't rip you off unmercyfully but at the same time they have a real chance of getting your business.
 
I agree I had a lucky escape. If this is how their sales people carry on, I shudder to think how they treat their actual customers. I considered calling the company to let them know how I was treated, but then figured - what's the point?

Old dog - I assume that most businesses would factor the cost of lost tenders into their business plans, and price their actual business accordingly. So I don't think that by shopping around, I am wasting anyone's time or money. To answer your question, the 15k profit would greatly benefit the company that won the tender, I'm sure, for a 1k outlay.

I have called five companies in total - and the two that came out last night were extremely professional and informative. This is not necessarily a price sensitive decision - I want to ensure that I get a quality product and after sales service. So I was pretty appaled by the guy who hung up!
 
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