Competition?

[ducaticorse]

Well it is somewhat anoying to go around giving quotes.. and only find out that 75% of them are given to some low ballin' scum suckin bottom feeder..

Spend evenings doing estimates.. now ArborGold does help there with the paperwork and office flow.. but is a pain in butt ..

I am looking at 2010 and frankly there are dozens and dozens of estimates that did not go any farther. Ok.. maybe I am a bit too high.. or maybe there are just too many freakin low ballers out there.. So does that make me want to become a lowballer.. not really likley..

Now there are some good customers who always call you back.. and don't even ask the price .. just need a few hundred more of them

They are certainly out there, even legit guys. How they do it, I don't know. All I know is that I won't.

I went out on an estimate last month, bid $950. I followed up and the guy said I was in the middle, as I usually am. Got a price from a large outfit for 1400, (absurd). The other estimate was for f'ing 500 bucks (equally absurd). thats almost 50% of what I quoted him, and thta NEVER happens.
I told the guy there's nothing I can do for him, but warned to verify the business license, and the insurances with the guy that gave him the 5 hundo quote.
What a waste of time. I woulda budged 1-150, but forget going 50% off.

 

[TreeClimber57]

They are certainly out there, even legit guys. How they do it, I don't know. All I know is that I won't.

I went out on an estimate lst month, bid $950. I followed up and the guy said I was in the middle, asI usually am. Got a price from a large outfit for 1400, (absurd). The other estimate was for f'ing 500 bucks (equally absurd). thats almost 50% of what I quoted him, and thta NEVER happens.
I told the guy there's nothing I can do for him, but warned to verify the busines license, and the insurances with the guy that gave him the 5 hundo quote.
What a waste of time. I woulda budged 1-150, but forget going 50% off.

There are some huge ranges out there.. I recall one last year ..

Bottom two quotes HO told me were not insured.. but lowest was $800 if memory serves me correctly.. lowest insured was $2200 I think.. and top bid was I think almost $5000. I think ours was around $2800. HO did not want to give to uninsured to their credit..

 

[beastmaster]

Sticks and stones may ........
I was expecting some strong feelings but wow! I've always worked for some of the best companys in these parts. I was a Cert. Arborist tell I couldn't make my re-cert payment back in Sept. I'm close to completeing my AS in horticulture, but can't afford to finish right now. I have a hard time getting a decent wage between the illegals and the slow economy right now. I have a mortgage, and a daughter in College.
Throw all the stones you want. If you were in my shoes and you didn't go out and try to survive doing the only thing you know, what would you do, get on welfare?
Hate all you want. I'll lace out a small tree to pay my phone bill, or what not.
I state in my ad I am not a buisness, I have no insurance, and have no employees.
I do first rate work and get paid when the job is done and the HO is happy.
I recently been working for a really great Company. I get paid pretty decent money as I'm worth it.
For 25 years I've done trees to ISA standards. I live and breath trees. Call me what you want, but saying I don't know what I am doing is just ignorant Since you don't know me.
You don't want me under bidding you, stop hiring illegals, and doing substandard work. I am an employee not a owner but there hasn't been much work out here these day so Im surviving the only way I know.
If I'm working I'm not out side jobbing. Be thankful Im working because I do better work them most of you. Beastmaster.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I never got into that facebook stuff myself but I guess its pretty big eh?

Ha ha ha ha, I guess....u 2 funny!
Jef :kiss:

 

[jefflovstrom]

Rope, I've got 2 big jobs out of my busch league FB page in the last 2 months. Totally worth setting one up bro.

Yup, Friends know friends that know friends, ya know?
Jeff, we got one. Not for marketing tho,

 

[jefflovstrom]

Nothing meant toward you at all Jeff

I know what you mean, Rope.
Jeff

 

[sgreanbeans]

Rope, ya need to! I do da facebook thing, has helped quit a bit, it is tied in with my site as well. again its free! and kinda fun!

 

[Blakesmaster]

Did you just say



































Free now ropes can get into free lol

I just set one up this morning, Rope. It wasn't to difficult.

Welcome to Facebook

Feel free to link to it Ducati, and even you Sgrean if ya wanna bury the hatchet that is.

 

[tree MDS]

Oh, this is REALLY getting jumping the shark like gay now! LMFAO.. I'm embarrassed to say I have a facebook page for the business now too (only a couple of pics I think). Someone else set it up for me though, said it was the wave of the future, or some crap. I don't even know how to use that thing and it scares me! lol.

 

[ducaticorse]

Oh, this is REALLY getting jumping the shark like gay now! LMFAO.. I'm embarrassed to say I have a facebook page for the business now too (only a couple of pics I think). Someone else set it up for me though, said it was the wave of the future, or some crap. I don't even know how to use that thing and it scares me! lol.

Ha, don't be shy with your FB! it's evolution, pure and simple. Although, now I'm gonna have to spruce it up a bit if we're all gonna be friends!:kissing: HAHAHAHA!

 

[TreeClimber57]

Ha, don't be shy with your FB! it's evolution, pure and simple. Although, now I'm gonna have to spruce it up a bit if we're all gonna be friends!:kissing: HAHAHAHA!

Frankly I think it is a bit silly.. but if it works who am I to knock it..

 

[Blakesmaster]

Frankly I think it is a bit silly.. but if it works who am I to knock it..

I still think so too but people are on that #### non stop so why not try. When a customer on there "likes" my page every one of their friends see it. Free advertising.

 

[ducaticorse]

Frankly I think it is a bit silly.. but if it works who am I to knock it..

On a serious note;

Nothing is silly as long as it's making me money, and my page has generated some very high quality leads. It's a very basic and rather underdeveloped page at that.

I didn't want to seriously launch it until I have my trucks painted and lettered in the spring. Then I will market it a bit better.

Definitely worth having in my area.

 

[ropensaddle]

I'm gonna have to try face book before going under I guess. Today made the third consecutive cancellation this month This customer was a repeat too. I bid reasonable I thought, three pines easy but still 900 bucks is what I bid. He called and told me he found someone to do them for 750 and not to worry about them:monkey: I was like thinking hell, I might of came down but crap three 18" 80 foot pines still require work to clean-up. I wished I would have said ok, just call them from now on because; I am going under and you will be stuck with them whether you like their work or not This same guy bragged to my wife on the last job saying he would never call anyone but me for trees.

 

[Rftreeman]

I'm gonna have to try face book before going under I guess. Today made the third consecutive cancellation this month This customer was a repeat too. I bid reasonable I thought, three pines easy but still 900 bucks is what I bid. He called and told me he found someone to do them for 750 and not to worry about them:monkey: I was like thinking hell, I might of came down but crap three 18" 80 foot pines still require work to clean-up. I wished I would have said ok, just call them from now on because; I am going under and you will be stuck with them whether you like their work or not This same guy bragged to my wife on the last job saying he would never call anyone but me for trees.

I feel your pain, thought I had at least one of the last three I bid on in the bag but no go....

 

[ropensaddle]

I'm gonna have to try face book before going under I guess. Today made the third consecutive cancellation this month This customer was a repeat too. I bid reasonable I thought, three pines easy but still 900 bucks is what I bid. He called and told me he found someone to do them for 750 and not to worry about them:monkey: I was like thinking hell, I might of came down but crap three 18" 80 foot pines still require work to clean-up. I wished I would have said ok, just call them from now on because; I am going under and you will be stuck with them whether you like their work or not This same guy bragged to my wife on the last job saying he would never call anyone but me for trees.

Damn it, sorry for whining.

 

[ropensaddle]

I feel your pain, thought I had at least one of the last three I bid on in the bag but no go....

I already adjusted my bidding to bottom dollar to not go under but I will not work for nothing. 300 per tree at 18" 80 foot tall cleaned up is dirt cheap imo.

 

[ducaticorse]

I'm gonna have to try face book before going under I guess. Today made the third consecutive cancellation this month This customer was a repeat too. I bid reasonable I thought, three pines easy but still 900 bucks is what I bid. He called and told me he found someone to do them for 750 and not to worry about them:monkey: I was like thinking hell, I might of came down but crap three 18" 80 foot pines still require work to clean-up. I wished I would have said ok, just call them from now on because; I am going under and you will be stuck with them whether you like their work or not This same guy bragged to my wife on the last job saying he would never call anyone but me for trees.

Totally unacceptable. Doesn't loyalty mean anything anymore? Shouldn't one go with a sure bet for a mere hundred bucks more than go with strangers for that much less? I would maybe understand if there was a deep difference in price, but this is tree work for god's sake! Some on people!!

 

[ropensaddle]

Totally unacceptable. Doesn't loyalty mean anything anymore? Shouldn't one go with a sure bet for a mere hundred bucks more than go with strangers for that much less? I would maybe understand if there was a deep difference in price, but this is tree work for god's sake! Some on people!!

It was my third job he already used me twice he did not even ask if I could match the price. I may have, not that I want to get in that game but its winter and I need all my business. I guess were all in trouble but damn ole ropey may be looking for a job soon:monkey: I actually applied to the forestry tech and hope I get it. I will sell everything but my climb gear and pick-up and stumper and just do side work. No truck expenses might helpI will still carry general liability though I doubt my competitors do.

 

[Rftreeman]

I already adjusted my bidding to bottom dollar to not go under but I will not work for nothing. 300 per tree at 18" 80 foot tall cleaned up is dirt cheap imo.

Same here, I'll stand on the corner with a sign before I do this work for peanuts....