I removed a cottonwood tree for a customer 3 weeks ago and just today got a call from the neighbor I got sap all over his truck from the sawdust that was blowing that way.Im going to look at it tomorrow.First of all the trucks been parked there for some time and the leaves and cotton would have been falling on it all during the fall.My question is how do I tell if I got the sap on it while removing the tree or if it was already there?He,s wanting me to get the sap removed.I live in a small Kansas town and well word travels fast if something goes wrong.I just dont want to be taken advantage of either.Thanks for any help before I go see this guy...Paul
cottonwood sap
- Thread starter paulstree
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
ozzy42
Addicted to ArboristSite
The fact that the neighbor waited 3 weeks ,kind of sends up a redflag IMO.
Does the truck have a nice new paint job?Or 10yr old faded paint?Hard to tell without being there and seeing it and talking to the neighbor.
Tricky situation for sure.
Again though,the 3 week wait is awful suspicious.
Does the truck have a nice new paint job?Or 10yr old faded paint?Hard to tell without being there and seeing it and talking to the neighbor.
Tricky situation for sure.
Again though,the 3 week wait is awful suspicious.
Saw Dust Smoken
ArboristSite Operative
sap
Someone pulling your leg. Take your camera along for kicks. A picture = a story or end of story.
Someone pulling your leg. Take your camera along for kicks. A picture = a story or end of story.
DanW63
ArboristSite Lurker
customer profiling....
Some folks seem to only be happy if they can complain about something and get an immediate and positive response. I have done work for some people who I don't mind if they bad mouth me to their friends. I have had other customers whose word means more to me. The value of their word (and my reputation) is based on how well they treated me and how easy they were to work with as well as the potential for future business or referrals. Easily half of my work is based on referrals. I might spring for $10 at the local self service car wash to keep everyone happy. (I also would make it clear what I thought about the situation - "I did not cause the problem, and here's why...but I want you to be happy". A ten dollar car wash is not a big deal on a $2000 job, but a $10 car wash on a $50 favor is not worth it to me.
I did some work for a rather wealthy client (another referral). Both the client and his neighbor both said, "I hope you got your money up front from him because he is a real piece of work." Shortly after removing three 70-80 ft cotton woods and dead wooding and trimming another half dozen trees a 90ft oak (sitting right on the property line and on the bank of a creek) came down in a storm. YIKES! I gave a bid and was careful to stay out of their feud. While I am sure there was some basis in fact for each man's opinion, one (thankfully the one I was working for) seemed to be more in touch with reality.
I have intentionally bid myself out of jobs when I just got a bad feeling about the person wanting the work done. I don't make enough profit to put up with too much guff. So I figure I bid some jobs high (for the ####### factor) and if I get the job know that I have taken that into account. Safety, specifically in the way of hearing protection, is especially important when dealing with some people. "What? I can't hear you." Then I lift one ear muff. "Sorry, I still didn't hear you." Then I turn the saw off and have them repeat it again. "Oh, OK, let's talk about it when I am done with the work I agreed to do." Start the saw and resume working. It doesn't take long for them to leave me alone. Now for those people that are easy to work with, I will always ask if there is anything they want done differently or whatever and throw that in "at no extra charge". A job I bid at $800 turned into a $3000 job before it was done. I threw in a few extras and then asked about some other trees that needed attention.... For others, I just want to get the job done and get the heck away from them.
Some folks seem to only be happy if they can complain about something and get an immediate and positive response. I have done work for some people who I don't mind if they bad mouth me to their friends. I have had other customers whose word means more to me. The value of their word (and my reputation) is based on how well they treated me and how easy they were to work with as well as the potential for future business or referrals. Easily half of my work is based on referrals. I might spring for $10 at the local self service car wash to keep everyone happy. (I also would make it clear what I thought about the situation - "I did not cause the problem, and here's why...but I want you to be happy". A ten dollar car wash is not a big deal on a $2000 job, but a $10 car wash on a $50 favor is not worth it to me.
I did some work for a rather wealthy client (another referral). Both the client and his neighbor both said, "I hope you got your money up front from him because he is a real piece of work." Shortly after removing three 70-80 ft cotton woods and dead wooding and trimming another half dozen trees a 90ft oak (sitting right on the property line and on the bank of a creek) came down in a storm. YIKES! I gave a bid and was careful to stay out of their feud. While I am sure there was some basis in fact for each man's opinion, one (thankfully the one I was working for) seemed to be more in touch with reality.
I have intentionally bid myself out of jobs when I just got a bad feeling about the person wanting the work done. I don't make enough profit to put up with too much guff. So I figure I bid some jobs high (for the ####### factor) and if I get the job know that I have taken that into account. Safety, specifically in the way of hearing protection, is especially important when dealing with some people. "What? I can't hear you." Then I lift one ear muff. "Sorry, I still didn't hear you." Then I turn the saw off and have them repeat it again. "Oh, OK, let's talk about it when I am done with the work I agreed to do." Start the saw and resume working. It doesn't take long for them to leave me alone. Now for those people that are easy to work with, I will always ask if there is anything they want done differently or whatever and throw that in "at no extra charge". A job I bid at $800 turned into a $3000 job before it was done. I threw in a few extras and then asked about some other trees that needed attention.... For others, I just want to get the job done and get the heck away from them.
