# Unprofessional ?



## reachtreeservi (May 6, 2008)

Got a referral from a friend and went to see a lady about cutting a tree.
Gave her a price of 500.00 to cut and remove a large dead pine in the front yard, job takes 4 hrs, she comes home and is tickled pink at our clean up.

As I'm finishing up the job, her next door neighbor asks for a quote on 3 dead pines in her back yard. Tell her 450 apiece. 
Cut and removed them the next day, takes all day.

All these trees above have a good drop zone , something to rig my safety off nearby and I climb them and take'm in 3rds. We drive the chipper right up next to the wood.

As we are rolling up, another neighbor asks me to look at 3 pine trees in his backyard. These are a little different, they sit right next to 2 fences (one chain link and one expensive looking wooden one.) Every thing will have to be roped down and it's a long brush drag to the chipper. 

The guy tells me a sob story about his wife is sick and they are on a fixed income .... etc.

I feel sorry for the guy and tell him 500 each. I figure 2 days for everything.
I wouldn't make alot on it , but I figured I'd keep all the work in the neighborhood. 

We agree on the price, I tell him I'll call him monday and schedule it sometime that following week. We strike the deal.

Saturday he calls me and asks me to drop my price. Says he was looking at a bill for some tree work he had done 7 years ago and it was 150.00 a tree.
After an ice storm, all were felled whole and they used a bobcat to move the wood. The guy says he was shocked at my price. I explain that it's not apples to apples. 
Go over the differences and tell him absolutely no dropping the price. I tell him to think it over, get some more bids if he liked and I would drop by to talk with him Wednesday. 

When I met with him he told me he wanted me to do the work, didn't want to get any other bids but asked me again to drop my price. 

I tell him that I withdraw my bid. That I'm not interested in doing the work and would be happy to give him the numbers of 3 good tree companies in the area.

The old guy explodes ! Says I've insulted him, I'm trying to take advantage of a seniour citizen.... blah, blah , blah. And wants to know my reason for not working for him.

I tell him it's purely professional. That we had not signed the contract yet, that his attempt at renegotiation had negated the oral agreement and I no longer wished to do the job.
I looked him in the eye, never raised my voice and offered to shake hands upon parting. He refused. I wished him a great day. 

My other customers called me and told the guy was going to everyone and badmouthing me. 

What could I have done ?
I couldn't go any lower on the price.
And I only tell someone something 3 times.


*Was my conduct unprofessional ?

How would you have handled it ?*


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## ropensaddle (May 6, 2008)

reachtreeservi said:


> Got a referral from a friend and went to see a lady about cutting a tree.
> Gave her a price of 500.00 to cut and remove a large dead pine in the front yard, job takes 4 hrs, she comes home and is tickled pink at our clean up.
> 
> As I'm finishing up the job, her next door neighbor asks for a quote on 3 dead pines in her back yard. Tell her 450 apiece.
> ...



Been there he would not have liked my price. Anyway do nothing people like that are well known for antics. Its like in court the hooker calling a housewife a ho I always go up as soon as they start that game, they say; can you come down to x I say no it just went to xx. We have to make a living and can't do so by working too cheap, overhead will swallow a tree company fast.


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## TomSawyer (May 6, 2008)

I would have given him my own sob story. Price of labor, gas, safety gear, OSHA compliance, yadda yadda. I would have told him that I would love to do the work, but I can't break even for less than X. Some people just like to #####, and I think this was one of them. I bet if you would have stood your ground and let him vent, he would have paid up. I'm a newbie, so take it for what it's worth.


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## clearance (May 6, 2008)

You did nothing wrong. I would have asked him if he wanted a cheap price to move the fences and do the cleanup himself. Then I would have stripped and chunked like mad, rained down blocks on the branches. What a cull.


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## reachtreeservi (May 6, 2008)

When I talked to him on the phone , I explained the difficulties and difference between his old tree job and the neighbors tree jobs. 
He asked me again to drop my price. I broke down my expenses to show him i wasn't making a killing. Even told him my profit. 
He asked me again to lower my price. That's when I told him again to get some other bids, think everything over and I'd talk with him later.

When I met with him in person, He asked me again to drop my cutrate price.

What can I say, I snapped (in a mild kind of way) LOL


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## ropensaddle (May 6, 2008)

reachtreeservi said:


> When I talked to him on the phone , I explained the difficulties and difference between his old tree job and the neighbors tree jobs.
> He asked me again to drop my price. I broke down my expenses to show him i wasn't making a killing. Even told him my profit.
> He asked me again to lower my price. That's when I told him again to get some other bids, think everything over and I'd talk with him later.
> 
> ...



One thing that helps me in those situations is; I don't want every job
and customer I want customers that care that I do ok. I have been
trying to get my client base established that wants good work for fair
I repeat fair pay! People that only care about themselves I don't want
to work for.


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## Mikecutstrees (May 6, 2008)

some peole allways want things for nothing. Tell them $1 a tree they want it for 50 cents a tree. thats just the way some people are. Don't sweat it. I don't lower my prices anymore. I have more than enough business and I keep my prices low enough. I'm sure the people in the neighborhood know how the guy is anyways...... Mike


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## treeman82 (May 6, 2008)

Maybe 2 weeks ago a business associate of mine called at 6:00 wanting me to go look at a tree for him. I got the voice message on my phone at 8:00 and went over to look as he just wanted to know if I could do it or not. Get over there, he says I should just deal with the client directly. So it's about 8:30 at night, I'm looking at a half failed, rotten tree which is resting on a lightpost and over a utility shed... plus the unfailed half which is leaning right over a dock, concrete patio / walkway, and another building. The client came out, I told her $2,200 for both halves... wood gone, chips gone. There were 2 other trees on the property as well. "I'm offended by your pricing... blah blah blah, I had work done a few years ago for a lot less... somebody else came by this morning and quoted a much lower price... blah blah blah." After a few minutes I just went off on her. Gave her the numbers and names for some people who weren't qualified, but who might fit into the budget for the job she wanted done. She asked who I could recommend who was qualified... I recommended some other companies who are known for being high priced, but good.


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## Sprig (May 6, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> One thing that helps me in those situations is; I don't want every job
> and customer I want customers that care that I do ok. I have been
> trying to get my client base established that wants good work for fair
> I repeat fair pay! People that only care about themselves I don't want
> to work for.


Good point Ropin'. In this particular scenario I can see a person getting frustrated, having already taken/given a break in price and having a person get on your case about taking _more_ of a cut in pay for an obvious deal, yikes, I probably would have lost my patience a bit before breakin' down the costs etc.. Some of the jobs I've done on this Island have been gems, "What do you mean 15$ and hour! The last guy worked for 7$ for the same stuff!", the fact was the last guy was a neighbour's kid ten years earlier doing the lawn, sheesh, the noive of some folk. The trouble I have found with several older people over the years is that they forgot the world is still turning and nothing is getting cheaper, the fact that gas has doubled in the last short while seems not to be computed into the world they live in, I always love hearing "Yah, in the 30's I made a buck a day!" while I'm looking at a job, like whoopdeeee-doo! Does this mean I should feel guilty about getting a fair wage for work performed? I really don't think so. I mean, sure sometimes a person like me can give someone a break and I admit to bein' a softy (I do a fair bit of charity work in this community btw), but man, some folk expect this from everyone for everything, makes me want to stay in bed man!
Kk, I got that out of my system, end of minor rant, better now (hey I'm doing one of 'them' jobs right now, scratching my head, wonderin', wonderin', wonderin' how the heck I got into it agin), GAH!!       



Serge


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## treeman82 (May 7, 2008)

I hate to admit to this... but last year I helped out the father of a friend of mine. She told me that her father didn't have much money, so I did stuff for a highly reduced rate. I didn't exactly lose money on the deal, but I didn't make it either. Even the old guy told me that he didn't have much money. Forced retirement kind of. So one day I am helping the guy out, and he says something to me about "How can you afford to work for so little?" I got kind of mad after that, told him I could charge him what I charge other people, but he wouldn't be able to afford it. Heck, a few weeks ago he wanted some work done that I'd have to rent a machine for. Told him roughly how much the rental would be... he almost had a heart attack. VERY demanding guy... wants everything yesterday, but very nice at the same time. Always there with the green, as well as some good home cooked meal for me to enjoy. Kind of felt like a wierd "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" type deal.


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## clearance (May 7, 2008)

"You wouldn't mind....." and "Just a little tree, couple of minutes" and "Are you going to split that?" and "That didn't take very long, for what you charged". It goes on and on.

I try to remember the good folks, they out number the mutts.


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## ropensaddle (May 7, 2008)

Sprig said:


> Good point Ropin'. In this particular scenario I can see a person getting frustrated, having already taken/given a break in price and having a person get on your case about taking _more_ of a cut in pay for an obvious deal, yikes, I probably would have lost my patience a bit before breakin' down the costs etc.. Some of the jobs I've done on this Island have been gems, "What do you mean 15$ and hour! The last guy worked for 7$ for the same stuff!", the fact was the last guy was a neighbour's kid ten years earlier doing the lawn, sheesh, the noive of some folk. The trouble I have found with several older people over the years is that they forgot the world is still turning and nothing is getting cheaper, the fact that gas has doubled in the last short while seems not to be computed into the world they live in, I always love hearing "Yah, in the 30's I made a buck a day!" while I'm looking at a job, like whoopdeeee-doo! Does this mean I should feel guilty about getting a fair wage for work performed? I really don't think so. I mean, sure sometimes a person like me can give someone a break and I admit to bein' a softy (I do a fair bit of charity work in this community btw), but man, some folk expect this from everyone for everything, makes me want to stay in bed man!
> Kk, I got that out of my system, end of minor rant, better now (hey I'm doing one of 'them' jobs right now, scratching my head, wonderin', wonderin', wonderin' how the heck I got into it agin), GAH!!
> 
> 
> ...



15 per hour wtf I am at a 100 and still lose money wow no wander I miss alot
of jobs I can of course get 200 per hour done as equipment gets er done! I was making fifteen something working on powerline clearance as
a foreman was there 13 years for that co#. I would not even consider
15 as fair pay that does not even cover basic expense!


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## treeseer (May 7, 2008)

You snapped, you blew it, coulda kept your 

"I bet if you would have stood your ground and let him vent, he would have paid up." +1

If the trees were alive and he's so dam poor, why did he want em down in the first place?

You could send him some Limburger cheese, and say, "This goes well with your whine".


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## oldirty (May 7, 2008)

Mikecutstrees... I'm sure the people in the neighborhood know how the guy is anyways...... Mike[/QUOTE]
glad someone said it. probably done this type of thing before. sounds like a jerk to me bub.
[QUOTE=treeman82 said:


> After a few minutes I just went off on her. .



did you bust out the finishing move and give her a DDT? 



ive found it tougher working for people i know than those i dont.


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## Sprig (May 7, 2008)

ropensaddle said:


> 15 per hour wtf I am at a 100 and still lose money wow no wander I miss alot
> of jobs I can of course get 200 per hour done as equipment gets er done! I was making fifteen something working on powerline clearance as
> a foreman was there 13 years for that co#. I would not even consider
> 15 as fair pay that does not even cover basic expense!


Lol, it was a bit back and for doing basic yard work with a beater ww. 



Serge (no wandering eh!)


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## M.D. Vaden (May 7, 2008)

He ought to be glad it was you and not me. I'm easy on people. But when the wierd ones come out of the woodwork.....

Anyway, with some of these unusual encounters, I figure why not have a little bit of fun. If people are going to get hot under the collar, why not respond out-of-the-ordinary. Some of them will freak out, some will become friends, and some will just go their own way.


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## reachtreeservi (May 7, 2008)

oldirty said:


> did you bust out the finishing move and give her a DDT? QUOTE]
> 
> As always, Oldirty, You crack me up. LOL


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## Dadatwins (May 7, 2008)

I propbably would have told him to call the $150 a tree company from a few years ago and get them to do it. Once I give the price and they agree I am pretty much commited to the job. The only renogiating is if they decide to keep the material, not grind the stump, ect. The price is the price. I would not have pulled back my bid. I will tell people up front I will not be the lowest price you get, but I will do the best job that can be done.


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## Treetom (May 7, 2008)

*You were a nice guy.*

Very professional. Could have told him you'd meet his price for dropping the tree only. Or referred him to Two-Crackheads-And-A-Pickup Tree Service, of course, then you're stuck with the referral. Seriously, I think you've left a professional impression, overall, in that neighborhood. Expect more work.


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## tree MDS (May 7, 2008)

Its that time of year again, they're all out there, cheap $#@#s. Yesterday I looked at 14 trees for a lady, she says times are tight but they have to go, but price is an issue, at least I allready knew what I was up against with her-fair enough. Then she starts with "my friend has cut some for me for the wood, but he does'nt have the time now, you can leave the wood and he will take it latter"-translation: your five razor sharp huskys can sit there along with two groundmen as they watch me climb my a$$ of/run the bucket, wow, how much can I take off for that? I mean we got honest hundred foot ash trees some of em! no roping but still! But we need the work as we've been eating up quite a bit lately so I gave her a real fair price, 3600. Well she did'nt seem real thrilled with that, lol. I said its alot of work, blah, blah, she says again starting off for the what felt like the hundredth time "oh I know, my friend took down 6 in just one day by himself-allmost to say that I suck because there are only 14 and I told her it might even take 3 days, well at that bit I think I actually felt my ears getting red, f#@#$#@ old b#@#$- and F yer "friend" and his saw too! Funny how this guy left all the big ones, and then " does'nt have the time", gotta love it. Its really not worth it, but I kept my cool anyway. We shall see, I wonder if all the other tree services will give her a break in may because "her friend" is a master chainsawer guy, lol. F#@#@!$ old b#@$#.


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## TDunk (May 7, 2008)

tree MDS said:


> Its that time of year again, they're all out there, cheap $#@#s. Yesterday I looked at 14 trees for a lady, she says times are tight but they have to go, but price is an issue, at least I allready knew what I was up against with her-fair enough. Then she starts with "my friend has cut some for me for the wood, but he does'nt have the time now, you can leave the wood and he will take it latter"-translation: your five razor sharp huskys can sit there along with two groundmen as they watch me climb my a$$ of/run the bucket, wow, how much can I take off for that? I mean we got honest hundred foot ash trees some of em! no roping but still! But we need the work as we've been eating up quite a bit lately so I gave her a real fair price, 3600. Well she did'nt seem real thrilled with that, lol. I said its alot of work, blah, blah, she says again starting off for the what felt like the hundredth time "oh I know, my friend took down 6 in just one day by himself-allmost to say that I suck because there are only 14 and I told her it might even take 3 days, well at that bit I think I actually felt my ears getting red, f#@#$#@ old b#@#$- and F yer "friend" and his saw too! Funny how this guy left all the big ones, and then " does'nt have the time", gotta love it. Its really not worth it, but I kept my cool anyway. We shall see, I wonder if all the other tree services will give her a break in may because "her friend" is a master chainsawer guy, lol. F#@#@!$ old b#@$#.



You should know by now that a guy that owns a chainsaw and has cut down A tree before considers themselves an "AXMAN".


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## czar800 (May 7, 2008)

TDunk said:


> You should know by now that a guy that owns a chainsaw and has cut down A tree before considers themselves an "AXMAN".





LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

\





...


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## Adkpk (May 7, 2008)

*A+*

I think you were very professional. 

Same kinda thing happened to me the other day. Spend 30 stupid minutes on the cell talking to a senior in his law office. Arranged a price to maintain the property for the whole year. He kept telling me really liked the sound of my voice and it looked like we were going to get alone fine. (Didn't need any of that but he said it). Drop a written estimate in his mailbox. Get a message Monday, Your fired don't come to my property, the deal is off and then some. I'm like what the hell is this guys problem. The written esti was $200 more then the verbal on a $1500. job(that's as small as they get), about what the tax came to. Now I gotta just think the guy is slacking in his law business because he's losing it. wtf


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## ASD (May 7, 2008)

I think you were professional.

We give prices all the time and get the " how much  " but we work all year round and try to weed out the people that we would rather not work for and this persons job sounds like one that we would pass on because when they are bs ing you up front it can be worse during and after the job


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## hornett224 (May 9, 2008)

*i think you handled it better than most.*

i had some older folks ask me for a price so i gave it to them.i knew them but i gave them my price like i didn't.they were shocked.

said they were going to call an old black guy that used to cut trees for them.i said sounds good.

they called me back a few days later when they found out he died years ago.i guess we are supposed to live forever so we can give them prices from the great depression. 

these are usually the folks that want twice top dollar when they are doing or selling something.amazing.


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## Farmer Ferd (May 9, 2008)

it was probably James the narcoleptic tree cutter.


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## Farmer Ferd (May 9, 2008)

A couple weeks ago I had given this guy an estimate for some trim work on a large pin oak which was over his house over his wires and over his neighbors fence. 2 Limbs 14” diameter 40” long 2 others 12” diameter 30’ long. I could tell this guy was cheap and truly did not have a lot of money and I gave him what I thought was a very good price of $750. He said he didn’t have enough money and we decided not to do one of the larger limbs and the cost would be $525. I called the day before to confirm everything. Seems a ok. I get to the job set up luckily before I start getting serious he says he wants to review I do and he says we agreed on the original quote but for $525. I disagreed he says” o no that is what we agreed on”. I told my groundies to pack it up. I got down, took a deep breath, apologized to the man for the miscommunication and left as quickly as I could.


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## tree MDS (May 9, 2008)

Farmer Ferd said:


> A couple weeks ago I had given this guy an estimate for some trim work on a large pin oak which was over his house over his wires and over his neighbors fence. 2 Limbs 14” diameter 40” long 2 others 12” diameter 30’ long. I could tell this guy was cheap and truly did not have a lot of money and I gave him what I thought was a very good price of $750. He said he didn’t have enough money and we decided not to do one of the larger limbs and the cost would be $525. I called the day before to confirm everything. Seems a ok. I get to the job set up luckily before I start getting serious he says he wants to review I do and he says we agreed on the original quote but for $525. I disagreed he says” o no that is what we agreed on”. I told my groundies to pack it up. I got down, took a deep breath, apologized to the man for the miscommunication and left as quickly as I could.



That sounds typical of the cheap f#@#$, thats right up there with this old rag bag broad stuffing 350$ in my flannel shirt pocket, patting it down in thanks and saying "oh its all there, don't worry-good job"-it was supposed to be 400$. So I take it out (luckily) and count it anyway right in front of her, and she says "oh, my daughter must have taken it"-I mean the daughter may have been a crackhead as well, but this old bag was way cheep, that job should have been 7 or 8 hundred, I was just starting out and had only been making 12$ an hour for my old boss, so I did'nt care.


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## Sapling (May 9, 2008)

We get these type of people all of the time too. I guess if they really want it done bad enough you can tell them to go price out their own truck and chipper. Maybe then they will get it. Its not as though those machines just dropped out of the sky for us to use. We have soooo many expenses associated with what we do.


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## (WLL) (May 9, 2008)

Treetom said:


> Very professional. Could have told him you'd meet his price for dropping the tree only. Or referred him to Two-Crackheads-And-A-Pickup Tree Service, of course, then you're stuck with the referral. Seriously, I think you've left a professional impression, overall, in that neighborhood. Expect more work.


 ^^^


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## hornett224 (May 9, 2008)

*ever wonder why.......................*

you have never seen a Korean or Indian tree service?


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## Adkpk (May 9, 2008)

tree MDS said:


> That sounds typical of the cheap f#@#$, thats right up there with this old rag bag broad stuffing 350$ in my flannel shirt pocket, patting it down in thanks and saying "oh its all there, don't worry-good job"-it was supposed to be 400$. So I take it out (luckily) and count it anyway right in front of her, and she says "oh, my daughter must have taken it"-I mean the daughter may have been a crackhead as well, but this old bag was way cheep, that job should have been 7 or 8 hundred, I was just starting out and had only been making 12$ an hour for my old boss, so I did'nt care.



 Holy cannolies, now that is low.


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## oldirty (May 9, 2008)

hornett224 said:


> you have never seen a Korean or Indian tree service?



no. now that i think about it. why?


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## reachtreeservi (May 9, 2008)

We actually have an American Indian tree service around here. 

Little bears Tree service. 

I've never met him , just seen his ads.


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## hornett224 (May 10, 2008)

*bid a job for one.*



oldirty said:


> no. now that i think about it. why?



it will make you wish you charged for estimates.the don't want any tree work done.they just drug you out there because it was "free" entertainment.


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## ropensaddle (May 10, 2008)

hornett224 said:


> it will make you wish you charged for estimates.the don't want any tree work done.they just drug you out there because it was "free" entertainment.



Awwww heck just invite em for a steak:hmm3grin2orange:
I did it once invited a motel owner to a steak dinner!


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## TNTreeHugger (May 21, 2016)

I just noticed this thread, with the same title as mine.
Interesting read.
I totally agree that the OP handled the situation in a professional manner.
As a customer, when I call in a professional for an estimate, I expect the quote they give me to be the going rate, or what the job is worth.
While I may dicker over price on eBay, I would never do that with a professional tradesman.
As a business owner, I've also been on the receiving end of this kind of situation. I go out and do a free estimate, calculate what the job is worth, present the bid, and either they accept it, or not. If not, I say thank you, good bye, and good luck.

Dickering is never a good idea - makes you look desperate. The more you lower, the less likely they'll be to accept.


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## Stayalert (May 22, 2016)

When my customers haggle I offer to modify the scope to meet their budget.


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## DR. P. Proteus (May 22, 2016)

reachtreeservi said:


> Got a referral from a friend and went to see a lady about cutting a tree.
> Gave her a price of 500.00 to cut and remove a large dead pine in the front yard, job takes 4 hrs, she comes home and is tickled pink at our clean up.
> 
> As I'm finishing up the job, her next door neighbor asks for a quote on 3 dead pines in her back yard. Tell her 450 apiece.
> ...



Nah, don't fall prey to the sob story you will end up sobbing yerself.


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## tidy (May 24, 2016)

I ****in hate big mouth customers that try to act righteous about prices: its not compulsory to like a price- take it or leave it and and shut up already. Sad thing about tree work is that its so irregular in scope- its not easy to bid accurate.


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