sales

[cory]

Not selling the business after being assured it was a done deal was very hard on me mentally. I don't know what has changed since then but I have reached a state where I don't stress too much about it now. Still making great money but just don't give a shit anymore. When shit gets broke I tell the Mrs. to call a repair man and pay to fix it instead of fuming over it for weeks.

I'd call that serious personal growth.

And aint it funny how 'The Universe' works- the biz sale snafu made you feel like things were fooked, and yet now it sounds like you're at a different, higher level as a result. Soon to be followed by yet more hurdles and more levels.

 

[cory]

Still like to know how @kevin bingham is doing re his salesman search.

Also would like to know how folks approach writing estimates, especially @treebilly, as Rich has indicated he does a heckuva lot of it.

Back in the day before smart phones, I wrote thousands of estimates on site after the walk around. It was murder.

Lately, I meet with the custy and then walk around again and dictate the estimate into iPhone voice recorder. This vastly reduces time spent on appts. Then at home, transcribe the recording with pen on paper estimate, then scan and send estimate with cover letter. A year ago I bought a voice transcription device in hopes of eliminating the handwriting but it had so many kinks to work out that I gave up on it.

We are buried in calls and estimates and in my advancing years now, I basically can no longer stand to do any paperwork at all. Just filling out the header with name address phone email and date drives me nuts. And if the estimate is more than a single line (remove large front oak, cut stump low. $xxx-) I'm having trouble getting it done. It's like I"ve hit a breaking point. El wifo offered to do the writing but so far that isn't the answer either.

 

[Mellow]

Hire a secretary. Part time, hour or two a day to do paperwork and call backs. It's money well spent. You can thank me later.

I've had the same girl for about the last 20 years. She's great with customers re phone calls, follow ups, etc. I send her my notes, she writes up the bids and sends them out. It's all done remotely, she doesn't even live nearby.

 

[Bodean]

Jobber is an ap... I’d email or text them a bid before I left.
out of sight out of mind. On to the next one.

 

[kevin bingham]

we still havent figured it out cory. Ill keep you posted though.

 

[cory]

Nice, up early on Sunday! Moi aussi.

Thanks for the info.

Speaking of which, since your Mrs does the appts afaik, does she have a system to minimize the work and time involved?