Your Biggest Competitor Just Went Bust: How to Capture Their Customers
Ethical outreach strategies, rescue job pricing, trust-building scripts, and the 30-day customer acquisition plan when a competitor closes down.
Grow market share with How to Get Your First 10 Customers, Local SEO for Trade Businesses, and Google Ads Guide for Local Trades.
You hear through the grapevine: biggest plumber in your area just folded. Three vans, 200+ customers, gone overnight. Phone disconnected, website down, jobs half-finished.
Those 200 customers need a new plumber. The half-finished jobs need rescuing. Maintenance contracts need transferring. That's £150K+ in annual revenue up for grabs.
This guide shows you how to ethically and professionally capture those stranded customers before your competitors do—without looking opportunistic or desperate.
The 30-Day Opportunity Window
When a competitor closes, their customers go through predictable stages:
Days 1-7: Panic & Confusion
"What happened? Who do I call now? I have a broken boiler and no one's answering." Customers are actively searching for immediate replacement.
Days 8-21: Active Search
Googling alternatives, asking neighbors, calling numbers from vans they see. This is your prime window—they're comparison shopping but haven't committed yet.
Days 22-30: Decision Made
Most have found a new regular tradesperson by week 3. Once they book 2-3 jobs with someone new, they're locked in. After day 30, you're too late.
The First-Mover Advantage
The tradesperson who contacts these customers in week 1 captures 60-70% of them. By week 2, you're competing with 3-5 others. By week 4, you're last in line. Speed wins.
Finding Their Customers
You can't help customers if you can't find them. Here's where to look:
1. Google Reviews (Goldmine)
- Find their Google Business page: Even if closed, reviews remain public
- Filter by recent: Customers who reviewed in last 6 months are active users
- Look for names + context: "Sarah from Ealing - brilliant service fixing our shower"
- Cross-reference social media: Search "Sarah Ealing" on Facebook to find contact details
2. Facebook Groups (Local Community)
- Join local area groups: "[Your Town] Community", "[Area] Recommendations"
- Monitor for panicked posts: "My plumber just closed—who can help urgently?"
- Respond professionally: Don't badmouth competitor, offer help
3. Rescue Job Leads (Urgent)
- Watch for unfinished jobs: Customers posting about abandoned work
- Target commercial clients: Businesses can't wait—they need immediate replacement
- Priority response: Offer same-day or next-day assessment for stranded customers
4. Trade Suppliers (Intelligence Network)
Chat with your local trade counter staff. They know who bought materials for which jobs. Casual conversation: "Shame about [Competitor]—I'm helping a few of their customers finish jobs. Anyone else asking around?"
Suppliers will often point stranded customers your direction if you're professional and reliable.
Ethical Outreach Strategy (What to Say)
This is NOT the time for aggressive sales tactics. Empathy + professionalism wins:
For Customers With Unfinished Jobs
Message Template (Facebook/Text)
"Hi [Name], I saw your post about [Competitor] leaving your job unfinished. I'm a local [trade] and I've been helping several customers in the same situation. If you need someone to complete the work, I'm happy to come assess what's needed—no charge for the visit. Let me know if I can help. [Your name], [Your number]"
Why it works: Acknowledges their frustration. Offers specific help. No-pressure (free assessment). Provides contact info.
For General Customers (No Active Issue)
Phone Script (If You Have Contact)
"Hi [Name], this is [You] from [Company]. I understand [Competitor] recently closed down. I wanted to reach out in case you need a reliable [trade] for future work or if you have any ongoing maintenance needs. I've been in business [X years] in [area] and I'd be happy to provide references. No pressure—just wanted to make sure you have someone you can call if needed."
Why it works: Respectful of situation. Positions you as established/reliable. Forward-looking (future work). No hard sell.
What NOT to Say
- ❌ "No wonder they went bust—they were terrible anyway"
- ❌ "You're lucky you found me, I'm way better than them"
- ❌ "I can finish cheaper than they quoted"
- ❌ "They probably ran off with your deposit" (even if true)
Rule: Never badmouth a closed competitor. It looks unprofessional and customers will assume you'll talk about them the same way.
Rescue Job Pricing Strategy
Half-finished jobs are complex. You're inheriting someone else's work, mistakes, and customer relationships. Price accordingly:
The Rescue Job Assessment
- Free site visit: Never charge for assessment—builds trust immediately
- Document everything: Photos of current state, what's missing, what needs redoing
- Identify risks: Bad work that needs fixing, missing materials, unrealistic customer expectations
- Quote completion only: Don't quote fixing competitor's mistakes unless critical
Pricing Formula for Rescue Jobs
Hours to complete remaining work × your hourly rate = base price
Materials needed to finish = material cost
Risk premium (10-20% for unknown complications) = contingency
Total rescue job quote = base + materials + contingency
Example: 8 hours × £50 = £400. Materials £180. Contingency £60. Total: £640
The Goodwill Discount
Consider offering 10-15% off first rescue job to win the customer long-term. They're traumatized, broke, and skeptical. A small discount builds massive goodwill.
Positioning: "I know this has been stressful. I'm going to knock 10% off to help get you sorted. My full rate is £[X], but for this first job, it's £[Y]."
Building Trust Fast (They're Skeptical)
These customers just got burned. They don't trust trades right now. Overcome this:
1. Prove You're Established
- Business age: "I've been trading in [area] for [X] years"
- Public presence: Show Google reviews, Facebook page, professional website
- Qualifications: Gas Safe, NICEIC, insurance certificates (bring copies)
2. Provide References Proactively
- Don't wait for them to ask: "Here are three recent customers you can call"
- Local references: People in their neighborhood if possible
- Similar jobs: "I finished this exact type of job last month—happy to show you photos"
3. Transparent Quoting
- Itemized breakdown: Show labor, materials, and margins clearly
- Written quote: Never verbal—they need documentation after being abandoned
- Fixed price: "This is the total. No surprises, no extras unless you request changes."
4. Payment Protection
Offer milestone payments instead of upfront deposits:
- • 30% after first day of work (not before you start)
- • 40% at 50% completion
- • 30% on final completion and sign-off
Why this works: They've been burned by deposits. Show them you trust THEM by not demanding money upfront.
Conversion Tactics: Lock Them In Long-Term
Don't just finish the rescue job and leave. Convert them to repeat customers:
1. The Post-Rescue Offer
"Job's done—here's what I found and fixed. Given what you've been through, I'd like to offer you a free annual service next year (worth £120) if you book three jobs with me in the next 12 months. Keeps your [boiler/electrics/plumbing] in top shape and means you've always got someone reliable to call."
Result: Immediate loyalty incentive. Positions you as their "new regular person."
2. The Maintenance Contract Pitch
If they had a maintenance contract with the closed competitor, replace it:
"I noticed [Competitor] had you on an annual service plan. I offer something similar—£30/month gets you two visits per year, priority callout, and 10% off parts. First month free for new customers. Want me to set you up?"
3. The Referral Request
Once job is complete and customer is happy, ask:
"I'm glad I could help you out. I know several other customers from [Competitor] are in the same boat. If you know anyone who needs help, I'd appreciate the referral."
The Bottom Line
When a competitor closes, 200+ customers need a new provider. If you're professional, empathetic, and fast, you'll capture 30-50 of them in the first month.
Don't badmouth the competitor. Don't look opportunistic. Position yourself as the stable, reliable alternative who's here to help them recover.
The first week matters most. Reach out immediately, offer free assessments for rescue jobs, prove you're trustworthy, and convert them to long-term customers with maintenance contracts and loyalty incentives.
Build a pricing command center in Toolfy
- •Quote templates, emergency premiums, and deposits all in one library
- •Real-time job costing shows margin before you send the quote
- •Scenario calculators feed straight into invoices and payment plans
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