# Bad Mouthing?



## getsum (Jan 7, 2011)

Ok not sure if this is the right place for this but how do you handle Bad Mouthing by other so called "contractors". I won a large contract for 4 sites to be plowed.. thus expanding my business 2 fold.. Yet the we will just call him "contractor" who had it previously, has called the people i won the bid for and running his mouth about me. He screwed it up so bad they dont even want him on site and he heard that i won and tried to cut me by 20%. And another bid i have pending yet another so called contractor is bad mouthing me to the condo association so they wont give it to me.. He does a horrible job and over charges a ton so they approached me to bid.. i did so, and he was telling a friend of mine that i cant do that to him bc he stands to loose money etc etc... Yet runs his mouth about me even though we have NEVER met... Both of these guys are in there mid 40's and up... Im 24 and am twice as mature as them... do i get involved to counter to the board what this jerk is saying or leave it be??? just sux.. its called COMPETITIVE BIDDING for a damn reason... you screwed up and also took advantage,,, you lost it and i got it,,, get over it and do it right.. what would you do???


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

getsum;1316657 said:


> Ok not sure if this is the right place for this but how do you handle Bad Mouthing by other so called "contractors". I won a large contract for 4 sites to be plowed.. thus expanding my business 2 fold.. Yet the we will just call him "contractor" who had it previously, has called the people i won the bid for and running his mouth about me. He screwed it up so bad they dont even want him on site and he heard that i won and tried to cut me by 20%. And another bid i have pending yet another so called contractor is bad mouthing me to the condo association so they wont give it to me.. He does a horrible job and over charges a ton so they approached me to bid.. i did so, and he was telling a friend of mine that i cant do that to him bc he stands to loose money etc etc... Yet runs his mouth about me even though we have NEVER met... Both of these guys are in there mid 40's and up... Im 24 and am twice as mature as them... do i get involved to counter to the board what this jerk is saying or leave it be??? just sux.. its called COMPETITIVE BIDDING for a damn reason... you screwed up and also took advantage,,, you lost it and i got it,,, get over it and do it right.. what would you do???


Let it go....You won the Bid...Do a Good Job....And chuckle every time you deposit the checks in your Bank account....:salute:


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## Herm Witte (Jan 27, 2009)

Take the high road.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Tim..........................?





JK I'm in my 40's and have been losing bids to younger guys. While bad mouthing is not the way to go...it happens between competitors. You yourself do some in your post. I suggest you ignore it, meets your customers face to face and show them you're above that. Let your work prove them wrong and remember when you're 40 that that snotnosed kid that's stealing your work for cheaper rates was you.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

I had a competitor do the same to me after I won an account. We were plowing the lot and he went into the store (I wondered why he wasn't out plowing....lol) and was bad mouthing everything we did... got the manager so pissed off she told him to shut up and she doen't have a problem with anything we where doing (He didn't have to balls to say it to my face)........ I signed a multi year contract with them that spring! 

Actions speak louder then words.......

And for the record I've had 50 year olds take some of my work in the past........


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

When someone asks me about another company,I just say I have no opinion on them and give a little smile.


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## muffy189 (Jan 26, 2011)

i have that happen to me from time to time at some of my customers and they dont listen to it. if he messed up his plowing its his fault you just go in and show him how to do it by being a pro and doing an excellent job. good luck


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## getsum (Jan 7, 2011)

thanks guys i really try not to bad mouth and take the high road no matter how hard it is. Ya i said a couple small things but when people ask me about it i just tell them they had there feathers ruffled... I learned on here a wile ago that if you say something it ALWAYS somehow finds its way back... the more they crap talk the stronger more mature and better i look Thumbs Up


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

grandview;1316691 said:


> when someone asks me about another company,i just say i havx e no opinion on them and give a little smile.


x2............


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## Camden (Mar 10, 2007)

Herm Witte;1316676 said:


> Take the high road.


I like your posts. This is another good one Thumbs Up


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

We all know what you really want to do.


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## swtiih (Nov 30, 2008)

send him a 50lb bag of salt and tell him to pound it. When dealing with customers don't bad mouth the others just redirect the conversation in a positive way that emphasizes your abilities to get the job done


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## csi.northcoast (Aug 7, 2010)

Like my grandma always said if you can't say anything good about someone don't say anything at all .....

wise lady god rest her soul...


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Let your work speak for itself. 

If the guy keeps it up, have your lawyer send a letter using words like cease, desist, slander, and libel


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## nh785 (Oct 22, 2009)

I am having a similar experience right now. Fact is the person slandering you is doing way more damage to his reputation than you ever could. Let em keep it up. If a customer goes with him after he "bad mouths you" you are better off without that costumer.


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

I always ask a potential client what issues were last season, etc. Probably half the time I end up sticking up for the previous contractor. Other half the time the issue was something I had already made a note about (open times, ) & I'm like "but you just told me you open at "


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## CS-LAWNSERVICE (Sep 3, 2011)

There will always be people like this in the work place,they get there feelings bent when they loose the bid and they feel it in there bank account.
When they resort to bad mouthing you to the customer they just make themselves look even sadder.
There is no way I would even let some one bid on a job of mine if they show up bad mouthing other people ,you know as soon as you let them go they would be talking crap about you as a business owner


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

I ask every potential client what they did and didnt like about their previous contractor. I let them do the bad mouthing. I don't add anything, and i certainly dont stick up for them, but I will sometimes add, "that's interesting to hear, because i've heard it before from other people."


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## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

I'm with Longae on this one. Listen to what the customer wants to share, then maybe concur with them as you might know a thing or two about the previous company they were using. But in the end, all that matters is the quality of work they expect and can you provide them with it?


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## getsum (Jan 7, 2011)

Awesome advice and responses fellas.. I put 110% in EVERYTHING i do. i dont bid it or do it if i know i can not do it right.. i dont do it to keep lights on its a passion/ hobby that has me by the jewels haha but seriously i do my best at everything, ya things happen but you can only control so much. I am just going to let them talk them selves out of town.. I learned the year before last to keep my mouth shut and temper in check bc i lost an account to someone on here taking what i said to the corporate office and ratting me out... Still have never said anything about the guy nor who it was.. i messed up and deserved it. ahh life's little lessons lol


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## MikeRi24 (Dec 21, 2007)

When doing an estimate, I usually ask why they are looking to change contractors. I have found that conversation usually goes 1 of 2 ways:

*1)* They had me doing the lawn or landscaping and were pleased with my work, or were referred by a friend/relative/neighbor who was pleased with my work, in which case I say something to the effect of "well thats great to hear, thank you for giving me the opportunity and I'm sure I'll be able to give you great quality of service when it comes to plowing as well" and that way it lets them know that I am appreciative of the business opportunity and gives me a little pat on the back as well
*2)* They were unhappy with the previous contractor, at which point they either say the "other guy" raised the price and they are shopping for a lower price, or they say they were unhappy with something he did. At that point they either spill it all out and I have no further questions, or I have to specifically ask what their concerns were and address them by saying I can do this or that differently or thats the way it is across the board and I can't really help you there.

Every once and a while I will hear something really crazy and at the end of it I say "if you don't mind me asking, who did you have doing it before?" and they almost always volunteer that information at which point I'll usually just say hmm ok and make a mental note of it. If its something I've heard before I'll say I've heard that about them but never bad mouth them. or they will say they'd rather not say and I tell them I understand.


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## getsum (Jan 7, 2011)

MikeRi24
thats some great advice for all to use Thumbs Up


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