Trim to bid, or bid to trim?

jefflovstrom · Sep 21, 2006

Hi people, I am back after a brief leave and noticed ISA forum shut down. Anyway, I have asked this question before and never got a good answer. Do you trim to the bid or do you bid to trim.
I know the answer but never got one in a forum.
Jeff Lovstrom-WE7624A

rebelman · Sep 21, 2006

Bid to Trim. Try to figure out what the tree needs ahead of time, and bid that job. If you find hidden damage, or change your mind mid climb, then trim to the bid.

squisher · Sep 23, 2006

I usually bid before I trim but maybe I didn't understand the question. :laugh:

jefflovstrom · May 29, 2009

Seems like a simple question. You know the answer.
Jeff
(tangled?)

TreEmergencyB · May 30, 2009

rebelman said:
Bid to Trim. Try to figure out what the tree needs ahead of time, and bid that job. If you find hidden damage, or change your mind mid climb, then trim to the bid.

:agree2:

tree md · May 30, 2009

I go to great lengths to make sure there is no confusion on a prune job. I usually go so far as to itemize the actual limbs to be pruned. So I bid to trim I guess. If all I am going to do is deadwood then I will get a count of how many dead limbs I'm going to prune, go over it with the client, have them sign off on the work order then do it. If they want more taken out I usually ask them why because it is usually unnecessary but if they have a valid point and I add something on it is added to the bill.

jefflovstrom · May 30, 2009

What if you are op's and did not sell the job?

treemandan · May 30, 2009

I dole it out depending on what the customer feels like spending on trimming the trees. I do what they pay for.

treemandan · May 30, 2009

jefflovstrom said:
What if you are op's and did not sell the job?

I don't understand. op's?

tree md · May 30, 2009

treemandan said:
I don't understand. op's?

Operations.

If I have someone else doing one of my jobs I usually meet them on site and tell them exactly what is to be done. If not, My work orders are usually descriptive enough and I kind of count on whoever is running the job to have enough common sense to know what needs to be done. I do hear you on that though. A lot can be lost in communication between sales and operations. Sometimes it can be challenging at best. HO's know this and will try to exploit it. I am speaking mostly from the experience of the operations side when I say that.

ozzy42 · May 30, 2009

tree md said:
Operations.
Sometimes it can be challenging at best. HO's know this and will try to exploit it. I am speaking mostly from the experience of the operations side when I say that.

:agree2:
I have had HOs try to tell me what the sales guy promised them, not realizing I WAS the one who bid the job.
Usually goes fairly smooth after that is settled.

treemandan · May 30, 2009

ozzy42 said:
:agree2:
I have had HOs try to tell me what the sales guy promised them, not realizing I WAS the one who bid the job.
Usually goes fairly smooth after that is settled.

Ha, I was just about to start in myself on the topic but it could get outta control but yeah I gottcha. :cheers:

treemandan · May 30, 2009

tree md said:
Operations.

If I have someone else doing one of my jobs I usually meet them on site and tell them exactly what is to be done. If not, My work orders are usually descriptive enough and I kind of count on whoever is running the job to have enough common sense to know what needs to be done. I do hear you on that though. A lot can be lost in communication between sales and operations. Sometimes it can be challenging at best. HO's know this and will try to exploit it. I am speaking mostly from the experience of the operations side when I say that.

I love to get a work order that just says "prune the tree". Some advice I got from a guy: " yer an idiot if you send guys out to do this work and you don't go with them, it is certain to be your downfall "

Legit_Arborist · Mar 23, 2010

jefflovstrom said:
What if you are op's and did not sell the job?

If you are ops and didn't sell the job...then it is your responsibility to teach your sales rep to bid appropriately. You run the risk of losing customers by doing simple raising cuts or only low visible cuts to make the bid work. Does you sales rep know anything about tree trimming or is he just a numbers guy? A good ops manager helps establish the quality of work a company dishes out. If the ops manager is a shady character...then the trees will always be full and pruning cuts will always be made just in the first few visible feet. Happens all the time and it's unethical.

jefflovstrom · Mar 23, 2010

Legit_Arborist said:
If you are ops and didn't sell the job...then it is your responsibility to teach your sales rep to bid appropriately. You run the risk of losing customers by doing simple raising cuts or only low visible cuts to make the bid work. Does you sales rep know anything about tree trimming or is he just a numbers guy? A good ops manager helps establish the quality of work a company dishes out. If the ops manager is a shady character...then the trees will always be full and pruning cuts will always be made just in the first few visible feet. Happens all the time and it's unethical.

You obviously have been searching the site, but , don't think you can preach to me. Search more and maybe search where I work. Taking a post out of content is jumping to enhance your ego.
Jeff Lovstrom
urbantreecarecare.com

ozarktreeman · Mar 28, 2010

opcorn: This should be good.

jefflovstrom · Mar 28, 2010

ozarktreeman said:
opcorn: This should be good.

Yeah, If the troll comes back, should be good.

Jeff

jefflovstrom · Mar 28, 2010

It is kinda cool going back thru the archives,tho.
Jeff

Legit_Arborist · Mar 29, 2010

Wow

Wow...I thought this was a serious question. I didn't know you would be so offended by my opinion. Are you ops or sales? Based on your reply I'd imagine that if you are either...then something about my reply must have struck a chord with you. If ops...do you skimp to make the job come in good? If sales...do you lack the necessary knowledge to bid correctly? What's your problem?

I saw your website and am familiar with your company. I'm sure you don't top trees like most hacks...but in my circle of influence...your company is not spoken of respectfully. Hence your reply I suppose. Want to see a real company website? check this one out...these guys are serious in not only San Diego but in California in general. www.arborwell.com

You would do well to take after this company. I know the owner and have a great deal of respect for him. Do you know who Peter Sortwell is?

jefflovstrom · Mar 29, 2010

Arborwell hires the guys I won't. Yeah, I know Butch! They were Stay Green and they still are even tho Arborwell bought them. Arborwell! Ha!
Jeff

Trim to bid, or bid to trim?

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