You're the boss. If the boss says use the comms for important stuff, same as your voice, it's what it is. If you say they can jibber jabber all day, they will.
What do you do when you can't be heard from the top a tree? Use a phone, scream? You can use the comms with the same frequency.
Reg, have you tried offering crush the garden service, as well as don't hurt a petal service? If you bid both ways and tell them both are possibly and supported by your reputation, then they won't think there is no choice. It will put you head and shoulders above the rest. If they decide to save a $1000 and go the replanting route, you're still in the race. If they only want no damage, you have clearly, confidently told them that a qualified treeworker can do what they want, but there is no free lunch.
I ask people what plants they are having bid to keep, and what they are getting bids to accept as going away or possible collateral damage. I tell them I can do anything that they want and are willing to pay for, and that most people choice a practical route, and don't need to keep every saw chip vacuumed off their lawn, or every tiny twig combed from the lawn.
You and I are in the same climate, mostly. I imagine that your area can have some immaculate gardens, high-end gardens, regular, and open drop zones. The vast majority of folks don't have the skills or experience that you do to make any of those work.
I have to remember that most guys around here can't climb a spreading tree for crap. Spurs and a flipline don't do crap when the leader goes to horizontal.
If you spent your days only doing end-weight reduction, spurless pruning, ornamentals, fruit trees etc, you wouldn't be competing against wrecking crews who can only climb a pole. Wrecking crews can always cut stuff smaller, rather than going big. You can't cheat at more skilled work.
Offering tree care, or at least show the knowledge of tree care, and caring about trees, you will get some work because the other bidders didn't notice and offer spurless pruning of the birch close to the corner that might use a cable and brace, or just show interest in their palwonia/ empress tree that you could recognize out of leaf and bloom.
"Oh that empress must make your garden shine when that blooms. Its looking good and healthy, not needing a thing, really."
"Oh, I see that cedar has a big stem-girdling root that is torniquetting the top of the buttress root. We will prune that off when we come. It would benefit the tree."
Tree wreckers can only compete against tree wreckers. A well-rounded pro can offer things that the rest don't.
What is your approach to sales? Humble is fine in some places. Sometimes you have to show off your skills and experience.
That next guy at the gate might might bawk, or price himself out of it.
If Davey wanted $8K,
He might want $5K, but not be very confident/ experienced at a bigger lombardi.
If you put down $5k, and say... ya hard work, hard job, a walk in the park for our crews' skill set, no worries, and we'll get that girdling root.
Maybe you only need to get 2 out of 3 of those jobs to make the same profit, in 2/3s the time.
Same with putting down big wood. A lot of guys are unable or scared. You probably just think, ya, so the big rope is going to catch the big wood, just like a small rope catches small wood. So what?
Maybe, not...it possibly you don't realize how big a fish (capability, dependability wise) you are. Just because there are a lot of fish swimming, it doesn't mean they can swim in the big current.
I think wrecking spreading trees is fun. A lot of guys are scared.
Bid strong! Especially for the rest of the year, until winter. Its time for people to get work done. Demand is high. Winter storm prep work (oops, meant to do that this summer, bought a new house, etc) comes after more of planned summer work.
$0.02
