Is it wrong to contact your customers?

richje100

Hi guys. Whilst I'm serving my notice period I have a long list of customers who I have dealt with for many many years and keep in regular contact during the year (Just As work capacity). Am if I politely email them to advise I will no longer be serving them as I am moving on to somewhere else? Can I advise that I'm leaving to do do the same work (but better worded)? I have no intention of stealing clients as I'm not that way inclined but I know how it would seem. Am I playing with fire? Is it better to use social media instead?
These customers have helped me massively both from a work perspective and financially (It's sales so bonus etc..)
Thanks.

suki1964

No

A big big No NO

Diamandis

Definitely don't contact them on social media of tell them you're leaving to do the same elsewhere. Discuss with your employer if they wish you to inform them providing an alternative point of contact.

richje100

Thanks guys. I don't want to jeopardise anything so think I'll leave it.

ACG

If you have no intention of stealing them as customers, why would you tell them you are leaving to do the same thing elsewhere?

I suppose it really depends on what your contract says. I used to work for a bloke where when I started, he said if I leave only the customers I bring in I can "take" with me. However the contract never mentioned what happens to customers when I leave so on paper I would have been free to contact anyone and everyone.

In practice, that is not how I work. As much as I did not particularly like the bloke, he gave me a job when I needed one and gave me somewhere to learn. Why would I dump on someone who has done that for me?

Les79

ACG wrote: »

If you have no intention of stealing them as customers, why would you tell them you are leaving to do the same thing elsewhere?

Indeed, me thinks OP does want to steal them but in a way which means that they can't be implicated. "I only sent a goodbye email, they decided to get in touch"

Theoretically, if the relationship with the clients was that good then the clients will cotton on pretty quickly that OP is no longer there + may well seek out OP off their own back. But I wouldn't hold my breath over that one.

Brynsam

They aren't 'your' customers - they are your employer's customers. Don't!

TBagpuss

Ask your employer how they would like you to deal with it.

When we have someone leave, normally a letter will go out to them from introducing the new person, so that they have a named contact straight away. And where relevant, the outgoing person may need to say to them, "Your meeting will be with [name] as I won't be in the office after [date]"

But it is up to your employer to decide how they tell their customers so you should not say anything unless you have cleared it with your manager in advance.

richje100

TBagpuss wrote: »

Ask your employer how they would like you to deal with it.

When we have someone leave, normally a letter will go out to them from introducing the new person, so that they have a named contact straight away. And where relevant, the outgoing person may need to say to them, "Your meeting will be with [name] as I won't be in the office after [date]"

But it is up to your employer to decide how they tell their customers so you should not say anything unless you have cleared it with your manager in advance.

Thanks. I'm already in talks now after advice off here.

jameshouston135

hahahaha is this question to ask ??

TELLIT01

If you genuinely just want to thank customers for their support you should ask your employer if they would be willing to pass on your thanks once you have left. Something along the lines of "Richje100 has moved on to pastures new and has asked to us thank his customers for all their support over the years".
That way there can be no suspicion that you have been contacting them with a view to taking them to your new employer.