Hosing The customer

[ducaticorse]

Bet that was intense Wonder what that makes me !! I must be several thousand oak trees that I have cleaned up by now ... Oh well.. maybe I will figure it out someday



Good point. However, bring it into proper perspective. Do not compare a lowballer to a legitimate tree service company and assume the legitimate guy is "hosing the customer". Look at what a plumber or electrician charges.. neither one of them has overhead any more than a mid-size tree company, and in fact I can guarantee some items such as insurance and workers comp are almost certain ally lower for them. Yet people will pay them the rates they ask, and barely question it.



Good points..

What I meant by my quote that is positioned midway on your response is

Dont try an gouge a HO. That only makes them distru####l in all of us when we come out and quote. In turn, they call more tree services, and eventualy go to craigs list. F-that. Give people honest prices, regardless of where they live, and you'll do fine, providing you fall into the scale.

 

[TreeClimber57]

What I meant by my quote that is positioned midway on your response is

Dont try an gouge a HO. That only makes them distru####l in all of us when we come out and quote. In turn, they call more tree services, and eventualy go to craigs list. F-that. Give people honest prices, regardless of where they live, and you'll do fine, providing you fall into the scale.

I agree.

Although, at least around here, you will get the bottom feeders who will always go to CL or similar places.

Where I used to have business (moved to new location a while ago for family reasons), had a partner - been there for years.. at any rate there is a local guy who rides around on a bicycle with a chainsaw. He will fell a tree for a few dollars.. Although I personally only experienced it once, have heard stories more than once of where he caused property damage -- and HO was responsible. We cleaned up a tree with crane once that he actually dropped on end of cottage.

Unfortunate part in our area is legally, if HO hires a contractor without insurance, and there is any damage (to the HO property, neighbor, personal injury.. anything).. and if the contractor is NOT insured then the HO is responsible for damages. The way the law reads the HO is the employer of the contractor - and it was their responsibility to ensure that insurance was in place.

Have even been workers comp claims where contractor was not covered and HO was responsible to cover claim (their insurance company had to cover it). I know of once case related to workers comp that was actually written up in paper.

Now suspect workers comp went after contractor with fines, etc afterward.. but not sure what happened.

And agree.. don't gouge and drive customers to CL or similar.. on other hand DON'T lowball.. it is just as bad one way as the other.

 

[Toddppm]

The tree is behind a rental unit I am buying, .

You don't even own the property yet?

 

[ducaticorse]

I agree.

Although, at least around here, you will get the bottom feeders who will always go to CL or similar places.

Where I used to have business (moved to new location a while ago for family reasons), had a partner - been there for years.. at any rate there is a local guy who rides around on a bicycle with a chainsaw. He will fell a tree for a few dollars.. Although I personally only experienced it once, have heard stories more than once of where he caused property damage -- and HO was responsible. We cleaned up a tree with crane once that he actually dropped on end of cottage.

Unfortunate part in our area is legally, if HO hires a contractor without insurance, and there is any damage (to the HO property, neighbor, personal injury.. anything).. and if the contractor is NOT insured then the HO is responsible for damages. The way the law reads the HO is the employer of the contractor - and it was their responsibility to ensure that insurance was in place.

Have even been workers comp claims where contractor was not covered and HO was responsible to cover claim (their insurance company had to cover it). I know of once case related to workers comp that was actually written up in paper.

Now suspect workers comp went after contractor with fines, etc afterward.. but not sure what happened.

And agree.. don't gouge and drive customers to CL or similar.. on other hand DON'T lowball.. it is just as bad one way as the other.

Ex ####in zactly.... Look up Boston ma CL and check out my "tree service" propaganda campaign. I PAY FOR INSURANCE FOR A REASON GATDANGITTTTTTTTT

 

[squad143]

I have to ask this, have you guys ever just gave someone a high price because you thought they looked like they could afford it? QUOTE]

NO. The size of the house or the cars in the driveway does not reflect on my price. I'm pretty meticulous in my work, so I usually don't even raise prices for picky customers.

I know of a company that will quote higher (a lot higher) prices when they are extremely busy. Problem with this is that word gets around that you're an expensive company. When I'm busy, I give my price and inform the customer on when I can do the job. If it needs to be done sooner, I can usually adjust my schedule to suit the customer.

As others have said with your tree, it is hard to quote on a computer without seeing the tree and the work area.

 

[TreeClimber57]

I'll shoot a photo today when I go out later, it really is easy in-out and not a big tree,

Did you get photo yet.. shoot photos of tree, surround area, and ensure you show how much room there is to drop it.. and pathway to road if not right beside roadway. Access is important.. lots of room for dropping is important .. think you said did not need to climb.

But then there is the clean up.. stump grinding.. and what expectations are there as well. In a job like this the clean up and disposal are more time consuming often than the actual take down. Cutting a tree down if lots of room, limbing and bucking takes time for sure.. but cleaning up the twigs, leaves, sawdust, chips.. etc can be far more time consuming in the end (and often what burns new guys in business time wise when bidding on jobs).

 

[wheelloader123]

Clean Up time

We have a real problem here on the issue of stump grinding. We have always ground to a depth of 6 inches of so and then run all the visible surface roots. Then we remove all the grindings except those necessary to truly "level" the area so it can be mowed over. It takes a LOT of time. Most guys though, do a shallow grind, leave most of the roots and them cover them with grindings (Lousy Job). They charge about a third what we do, and so many people fail to see the Value of our quality (that is until they spend their weekend chopping roots and cleaning up "mulch")

 

[ducaticorse]

We have a real problem here on the issue of stump grinding. We have always ground to a depth of 6 inches of so and then run all the visible surface roots. Then we remove all the grindings except those necessary to truly "level" the area so it can be mowed over. It takes a LOT of time. Most guys though, do a shallow grind, leave most of the roots and them cover them with grindings (Lousy Job). They charge about a third what we do, and so many people fail to see the Value of our quality (that is until they spend their weekend chopping roots and cleaning up "mulch")

What loader is that in your avatar

 

[sgreanbeans]

On the CL thing, I know alot of u guys despise it, I disagree, yes, hacks get on there and put all kinds of retarded adds on there. I also put an add on there, the amount of people that, when board, cruise CL is huge! Its also free! So I list on there for 2 reasons, to counter the hacks, and to get my name out, even if someone is on there for a puppy, and they start browsing, come cross my add, maybe they will remember the name when they need a tree worked on. I think you guys are missing out on a huge customer base, ALOT OF PEOPLE USE CRAIGSLIST.
I know, let the beatings begin, but I dont care, I spend about 1g a month in advertisement, so any free advertisement is welcome! I have signed jobs from CL, that indeed up being huge. All the lawyer, Docs and such love it, CL is the new solitary, when locked in your office board out of your mind!
My adds all steer them to my website, then I let it do the work.

 

[ducaticorse]

On the CL thing, I know alot of u guys despise it, I disagree, yes, hacks get on there and put all kinds of retarded adds on there. I also put an add on there, the amount of people that, when board, cruise CL is huge! Its also free! So I list on there for 2 reasons, to counter the hacks, and to get my name out, even if someone is on there for a puppy, and they start browsing, come cross my add, maybe they will remember the name when they need a tree worked on. I think you guys are missing out on a huge customer base, ALOT OF PEOPLE USE CRAIGSLIST.
I know, let the beatings begin, but I dont care, I spend about 1g a month in advertisement, so any free advertisement is welcome! I have signed jobs from CL, that indeed up being huge. All the lawyer, Docs and such love it, CL is the new solitary, when locked in your office board out of your mind!
My adds all steer them to my website, then I let it do the work.

I admittedly do the same thing. I know for fact certain "companies" on there aren't insured. I know this because at least one of them spawned from my outfit. HE IS ABSOLUTELY UNSCRUPULOUS WHEN IT COMES TO LYING TO PEOPLE. And it makes me sick to my stomach. His entire add is a lie. He doesn't even own a chain saw. Rents all of it from a guy who owns a bucket and a chipper as a part time thing. Says he was a forestry foreman, been working in Boston for ten years, licensed and insured, ALL A LIE.
I LOVE when I get a call to a house he's already dropped a quote at. Nothing makes my day like informing a customer to the fact that his whole "companiy" is a lie. When they decide to verify his business license and insurance, I get the call back for the job. The kid is such a hack, he takes pictures of other comany's equipment, and posts it like it's his. (I like to bring my computer and load his add, and point out the different name and number on the boom)
I post on CL still soley to take jobs from this punk. if I take one job from him, or at least cause a customer not to go with his "service, I'm a happy camper.
I dream about the day I catch him working around here, so I can send DIA over to his sight, and get him shut down with a $500 a day fine per person for not having WC. And since he's got no business license, and will have to be picked up by the assigned work pool and pay a year in full, that's preyty much the end of his doosh bag tree service

 

[Rftreeman]

no, but I have priced trees high because I didn't like the first impression of the person and just got a bad feeling about them...

as for craigslist, the last job I did from craigslist paid all my bills for nearly 2 months ........

 

[ropensaddle]

I have never hosed

Never hosed a customer but sure get hosed by the customer. Here the customer cares mainly about price so the market adjustment is way out of proportion. It seems they want to all be non-profit tree services these days.

 

[TreeClimber57]

Never hosed a customer but sure get hosed by the customer. Here the customer cares mainly about price so the market adjustment is way out of proportion. It seems they want to all be non-profit tree services these days.

I don't get it.. people pay (at least around here) over $100/hr for a plumber to come and clean their drain out.. admit dirty work.. but not rocket science and not going to kill somebody likely or destroy your house (hopefully). And frankly they have very little tied up in equipment compared to the average legitimate tree service company. Electricians no different.. they have a bit more investment than plumber.. and a bit more involved in their electrical code vs code plumber has to follow.. but still not rocket science.


But they hire a guy to cut down the old dead oak leaning over their living room.. and figure that maybe they should do it for $20/hr or so.. Admittedly not rocket science either.. but still a lot to learn if somebody is going to do it safely and master all the equipment and procedures involved. Furthermore, at least around here, tree service companies pay higher insurance and higher works comp than either a plumber or electrician.. go figure.

 

[TreeClimber57]

as for craigslist, the last job I did from craigslist paid all my bills for nearly 2 months ........

Shoot.. maybe I better use it.. Sound like potential.

And you know what, the way that was mentioned on here, using it professionally, and linking to your company site may not be a bad idea.

 

[freeweight]

it would weigh on my mind if i charged somone more just because of how big there house was etc

but somthing the HO'ers need to understand is ,u have gas,a crew,equipment ,all the above

pisses me off when sombody looks and gives you a comment like you dont know what your talking about and say "oh i got a price half that" and they dont know what to say when we tell them to get that person to do it ,but are hesitant to show the quote to me/us ,dont ask for the name or anything

then sadly the people that gave the LOW LOW LOW price backed out ...hmmm