How Do You Respond?

  • Thread starter Thread starter brendonv
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Good points, Chris.

Brendon, can you give some details on the job you bid?

Removal or Pruning? Impact, low or high?


What did you say? You mentioned before you're more composed in writing than on the spot, in person? Was this the case, at all?
 
Tucker943 said:
I disagree. When the client doesn't care, they usually thank you for your time and you never hear from them again. If they are asking you about the price difference, you still have a foot in the door. They're trying to sort out the range in price and what causes that, in some cases. That's your time to sell work. Saying nothing when they are asking you a question, and turning your back to an inquisitive potential customer is a great way to go broke.

If a person gets quotes from 2 tree companies that came strongly recommended to them, and you act like a cock, you can guarantee that will get back to whoever gave you a recommendation. See if they call you again after they raved about you to their co-worker then you turned around and ignored an honest question and walked away from them. Not to mention, they ask you a simple question about pricing, you ignore them and walk away, and the first company doesn't show up..... You just lost work that probably went to you by default.

Justifying your pricing is a must. We are business men. This is business. Acting as though the customer is a minion that doesn't rank highly enough to get a moment of your thoughts will surely ruin your business, regardless of the quality of your work. This is just my thoughts though, and maybe Im wrong. Ive been wrong before.
Click to expand...

Didn't mean it quite that literally, always be polite and professional.

On the subject of referrals, I often find I'm the only bidder or I'm pricing against a similar company so it's a fairly level playing field. If I went to price a referral and they came out with another quote half the price of mine I would be very surprised, and would certainly investigate further.

For a new client who has got my number out of a phone book or a google search, if their first response is to tell me my price is double the going rate, we are never going to agree a price. Only exception is if they said, I got this cheap price but I thought there was something fishy about it.

Like I said I will negotiate, but 50% lower? No way, I'm out of there. To be specific I would probably say, "ok so your still getting prices, I'll email you a written quote and let you weigh up the options".
 
Ya, I wouldn't negotiate down 50%. Id have to be in pretty bad shape to even discuss that, and even then I think Id refuse.
 
Of course you don't have to wait to see if the customer will be wanting to mess you around later with some cheaper estimate that they have received. You can look them in the eye and right out tell them that they can find cheaper, and maybe where. A little reverse psychology can work in your favor sometimes. If they ended up using your alternative suggestion and got screwed, they will feel a bigger fool than if they went about it all by themselves, knowing that they had the gift of honesty in their hands and blew it.
 
B, You could respond by showing him the picture you posted of the partially wrecked house caused by a lowballer. You posted it a few days ago, I'm not sure how to copy /paste something from a different thread into this thread, the photo wouldn't replicate. MB, do you know how to do it? It is post #38727 in How'd it Go Today
 
If I have a estimate and they say "you're double" I say " then that's your guy, but if I can be of help in the future feel free and call me" or I just thank them for their time and walk away. One time I laughed and got the job. There is enough tree work out there and I don't need to do it for free/cheap.
 
...to Jay's point about the truth .. my market is small, I have told potentials that there a cheaper and more expensive. On top of that we all know eachother and actually compete in a friendly respectful way for the most part. Has led to some frank discussion comparing services...
 
I will honor a bid for 30 days (a blank on my contract to be filled in with a number), unless weather or leaf-out of the like is going to factor in.

I will rebid a job, mostly the same price or add the appropriate amount.

I tend to have a clause about the price being predicated on access to a neighbor's yard. This can change in the course of a year, or they can put a greenhouse underneath.

If your name, or company rep's name is signed to the contract, you're bound to do it. I have a 5k job bid by my guy for 2K. Luckily the HO claimed to have gotten a lower bid. It was an established customer that bought a house then wanted to cut the 2 very large firs down. Fear! Probably didn't want to start the neighbor relationships as the clear-cutters.



Another things is that storm damage could drive the price way up over the course of the year.

If there is no stipulated time frame, are your stuck?
If you don't stipulate the time frame for service, can you work that against them, like the customer is trying to stick the 2K bid to me, so I'll get to it in 5 years?

I wouldn't want to do that, and never have, nor anticipate doing it. Erik has gotten much better at bidding since 2 years ago.

Sometimes, the climber's job looks easy from the ground, and it can work against the company if the bidder gets misguided in the challenge or risk. If you are really good at not breaking things, and shooting into a tight drop, it can become hum-drum for a groundie to see the climber hit the hole all day.
 
My invoices say my bid is good for 30 days. I haven't held anyone to that yet that I can remember but its in there just in case. My invoices also give me right to cease the job in the event of unforeseen problems or things out of my control. Havent used that either, but its there.
 
Tucker943 said:
Ive also said many times... "I price my work so that I can afford to have the right people and equipment on the job and allow ourselves ample time to do a safe and thorough job. I try not to price things so low that we are hurried and rushed to get the job done in order to meet our necessary numbers. My price allows us to work in a productive, yet safe manner".
Click to expand...

Ha ha! Bump. Good thread.

Im going to use the above quote verbatim in answer to some folks who are balking on the price of 2 big jobs. I want to get the jobs but not unless I can get my price, and being big jobs, I could easily get underbid by some desperado. There are septic fields, manicured lawns, pools, trees overhanging mansions etc etc. I try to avoid working for nothing when working for folks who appear to have assets well in excess of several million $$

Thanks, Tuck! That is one seriously well-worded pitch.

Ill keep y'all posted.
 
I've watched some big jobs get done by poor business men recently. Horrible pricing. I drive by and laugh to myself. I just think "the only winner there is the customer. The industry didn't win, I didn't win, and you sure as hell didn't win".
 
With a marketing pitch like Tuck's on my side, I actually feel confident I will get the job.


Jinx…

lol
 
I'm glad I don't have to mess much with bidding. Man it takes a lot of time from a small operation.
 
You're already in there;)8)

So anyway, did you think that up word for word or get it from someone else or what? It is badass.
 
Well maybe you should be a salesman and quit getting your clothes all dirty everyday.

It was a kick writing the custy that email, I could just feel it in my bones that she was gonna go for it hook, line and sinker after reading that pitch. :thumbup:
 
Tucker943 said:
Ive also said many times... "I price my work so that I can afford to have the right people and equipment on the job and allow ourselves ample time to do a safe and thorough job. I try not to price things so low that we are hurried and rushed to get the job done in order to meet our necessary numbers. My price allows us to work in a productive, yet safe manner".
Click to expand...

This is a bump for this thread and the above priceless bit of verbiage supplied by Tucker to help get the go ahead on some nice jobs where there was price resistance. What the heck is the custy gonna say to that, other than, after they have time to consider it, "when will you start?"

It is gold. :drink:
 
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