Do your competitors do this to you?

[David Sorge]

...almost annoyingly try to gain access to you prices, sevices, methods, documents etc ?


I'm so sick of the obvious attempts at "inspection intel" that I vow to my competitors...if you were to be up front about your identity and intentions...I'll speak with you for hours, and likely buy the drinks

Otherwise I might tell you a bunch of "wrong" stuff.

[kpierce]

I'm not following. Who's trying to be 007 and how?

[David Sorge]

Don't exactly know who it is, but they ask questions that a customer likely wouldn't think to ask.

When I ask how they heard about me they'll say they were looking at my web site or found me in the yellow pages.

I'm not in the yellow pages and I'm too far down on Google for anyone to find me yet.

[ldapkus]

It happens all the time. Get used to it. It ain't gonna stop.

[George A. H. Luck]

Could be worse! I've got one locally, who regularly removes my business cards and brochures, spreads stories about my being forced out of business by a court action and grills the local agents to find out what I charge.

And he is one of the oldest inspectors in the business up here !!

[David C. Macy]

I receive a few calls a year from other inspectors pretending to be a client and every time I start giving to much info. I do not realize until after or towards the end of the call that they are just calling to get info.

The only thing that bothers me is that I am to dense in realizing it is not a client. But I need to be as professional as I can client or competitor.

Actually I should start calling my competitors and do the same. Just been to busy inspecting and studying.

[Fred Duemig]

Yes, it can even come to this!

[jrichards]

Originally Posted by dsorge

Don't exactly know who it is, but they ask questions that a customer likely wouldn't think to ask.

When I ask how they heard about me they'll say they were looking at my web site or found me in the yellow pages.

I'm not in the yellow pages and I'm too far down on Google for anyone to find me yet.

You to? It happens to all of us. You'll get used to it. I used to talk with John Alonge. Give me a call sometime.

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Originally Posted by dmacy

I receive a few calls a year from other inspectors pretending to be a client and every time I start giving to much info. I do not realize until after or towards the end of the call that they are just calling to get info.

The only thing that bothers me is that I am to dense in realizing it is not a client. But I need to be as professional as I can client or competitor.

Actually I should start calling my competitors and do the same. Just been to busy inspecting and studying.

Nice website, your prices (like mine) are posted so what are they asking?

[David C. Macy]

Originally Posted by jburkeson1

Nice website, your prices (like mine) are posted so what are they asking?

Thanks for the comment on the website. Typically they ask about all related aspects of the inspection industry. Lots of questions.

I start giving out too much information.

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

The worst is when you give a fellow inspector an inspection and in turn claim that client as their own!

I was given several inspections from fellow NACHI members and when asked for a business card for future inspections I simply tell them I work for the inspector they originally called.

[Mark A. Timpani, CMI]

Ya this messes up my numbers. I keep tract of every call and every sale. The fake "price shoppers" make my monthly numbers go down.

[Vince Santos]

When I take brochure and card holders to offices I always write my phone number on the bottom. There have been a couple occasion when I've arrived to refill them and have found competitors information in my holders. I simply take theirs out and place them on the counter. I don't let it bother me but I have to wonder about the character of those who would do something so ridiculous.

[Mike Jewett]

Originally Posted by jrichards

You to? It happens to all of us. You'll get used to it. I used to talk with John Alonge. Give me a call sometime.

What about John? Did he have some crazy stories?

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by dsorge

...almost annoyingly try to gain access to you prices, sevices, methods, documents etc ?


I'm so sick of the obvious attempts at "inspection intel" that I vow to my competitors...if you were to be up front about your identity and intentions...I'll speak with you for hours, and likely buy the drinks

Otherwise I might tell you a bunch of "wrong" stuff.

David I am buying a place up by you.
How much will you charge me for a 1400 sq foot Ranch.?