Thought a few people might have been down this road and could throw out some thoughts or comments. I worked for a very good boss for 14 years started with him, got my journeymans, and master's while working for him. I would always take any job that he had coming up- spec homes, upscale homes, strip malls, carwash, commercial remodels, resi remodels, about any that came down I wanted to do it. I left the company to start my own about 4 years ago and receive calls from fomer clients of his wanting to know if I am interested in bidding some work, I usually pass (mainly because I was swamped) but am now starting to reconsider. I left on good terms, but we don't speak to each other much. Any thoughts?
Former employer
- Thread starter eds
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Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
Fair game IMO.
Oakey
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
4 years is fair pickins
ultramegabob
Senior Member
- Location
- Indiana
if they are searching you out it is totally fair game.
electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
4 minutes would be fine in my view. Take whatever you can whenever you can get it.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Jim W in Tampa
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa Florida
Many new guys keep phone numbers and names of customers and once on there own will call or send a nice letter telling them your in buisness now. Go for it , all part of buisness. You owe him nothing and he no longer feeds your family.
JWCELECTRIC
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
I would Bid the projects then call him back and hire him, then make money on him just like he did with you in the past. Just ask him what his profit margin was when you were running the whole show at the wage he was paying you. You wouldn't think twice about him.
brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
I never solicited old customers when I was still with my old employer (I knew for two weeks that I was leaving, not by choice). When we left I let all my regulars know we left. If they called I went.
They called, at first my ex-employer brought me up on charges, now they use me.
No body owns customers, this is a FEE MARKET, better service, better relations, better pricing what ever draws them.
They called, at first my ex-employer brought me up on charges, now they use me.
No body owns customers, this is a FEE MARKET, better service, better relations, better pricing what ever draws them.
Jim W in Tampa
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa Florida
Curious as to what charges. This is a free world and we do not own anyone. When i opened my night club i took over 70 % of another clubs buisness. Simply put they are not mine but they prefer how we run ours. Seen same thing happen 35 years ago when i was fixing TV's for living. Guy i was working for sold out to another company. When they called they found out Jim had left. I went up the road 1/2 mile to another shop and customers followed.
When I hung out my shingle, the first decent-sized job I got was a build-out in a strip mall.... the same strip mall I had worked on for my recently-let-me-go employer.
Seems they had bid on the build-out as well, but I got the job. They were still there wiring the house circuits in the mall.
My old foreman came in and asked what I was doing there. I said, "Working." He asked what was going in there. I said, "A store". He was convinced that I had been rehired to run the build-out, so he couldn't get his phone out of his pocket fast enough to call the office and ask why the h-e-double-toothpicks I was there taking away 'his' work!
It was a classic! I loved it! I wish I had a video camera!
Seems they had bid on the build-out as well, but I got the job. They were still there wiring the house circuits in the mall.
My old foreman came in and asked what I was doing there. I said, "Working." He asked what was going in there. I said, "A store". He was convinced that I had been rehired to run the build-out, so he couldn't get his phone out of his pocket fast enough to call the office and ask why the h-e-double-toothpicks I was there taking away 'his' work!
It was a classic! I loved it! I wish I had a video camera!
buzzbar
Senior Member
- Location
- Olympia, WA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Just ask yourself one question, would you tell your former boss BEFORE you bid the work for his previous customers? If you WOULDN'T tell him, I don't think you're being ethical. The very fact that you're asking all of us about this makes me think that you don't feel quite right about what you are doing. Just look at your conscience, you'll find the right answer.
If you WOULD tell him before, then all is cool. Like previous posters have said, it's a free market. Go for it. Just don't be sneaky about it.
If you WOULD tell him before, then all is cool. Like previous posters have said, it's a free market. Go for it. Just don't be sneaky about it.
iMuse97
Senior Member
- Location
- Chicagoland
My former boss was always so afraid that someone would leave his company and start up as competition that I would consider myself to have failed if I did not bid against him on occasion.
SegDog
Member
- Location
- Philadelphia
funny world...
funny world...
Not all, but most of my bosses had some sort of major personality disorder.
Continue to act professionally, and remember that one of your guys may be leaving to be your competition.
funny world...
Not all, but most of my bosses had some sort of major personality disorder.
Continue to act professionally, and remember that one of your guys may be leaving to be your competition.
brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
Things like do not happen often but when they do SWEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!
I am a poor typist and have lopped off 2 finger tips and part of my thumb, so I miss more keys that I hit.
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