Pelican:
What are you and your family having for dinner tonight ??
Mind if I walk in your house and yank yours and your kids plates from you and eat it right there ??
Thats what that dude is doing, because he is too damn lazy to get business the "normal" way. He is taking advantage of his former employer / employee relationship with you by trying to take customers and MONEY from you.
I have no problem with another legimate company soliciting my clients. They will never get them. I have major problems when wanna be's solicit my clients, or beat me in bids.
Contracting landscape with out license, insurance ???? I will turn you in to the state licensing board before lunch...
Spraying chemicals with out license ?? I will turn you in the Department of Ag right after lunch....
Hook up a sprinkler system to potable without licensing ?? I will have the Water Board and Plumbers on your ass before morning break...
I got beat in 2 bids by the same company. 20% lower price and the customers " had to go with it". I turned them in for no licensing, installing landscape and irrigation with out a license, hooking up backflows with out license and city permit, no workmens comp, no proof of liability insurance and on and on.... the fines will be close to
$ 2,000 PER JOB SITE...
Deal with your management issue like you did, and get proactive with your clients... personal visits, phone calls, monthly newsletter, acknowledege that a foremr employee is taking the unethical business step of contacting clients he served when he worked FOR YOU !!!!
Then hammer his ass with everything Jeff mentioned and do it....
Finally a phone call to the moron.. and I would start it of with " Listen MF, I am talking and your listening....since you made the decision to go after my clients, then I have to assume you have made a conscious decision to pursue my clients and act like a big business boy, I have to make sure we play level, and I WILL BE asking any regulatory agencies for your information. Go after my clients if you wish, but the gloves are off."
Protect your business, protect your clients, protect the income you and your family need.....
I can have him whacked for a couple packs of cigarettes and trvel expenses...
