So today i was removing a small pine from a ladies yard and 45 min into it she runs out of the house telling me im not doing it right when i am the professional; and she is not. has anyone else ever had a customer try to tell you how to do your job??
Is the customer always right??? i think not
- Thread starter Swamp Man
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It may not be the same thing at all, but I had a lady call me last year and ask me to give her an estimate on a takedown. I asked for some details over the phone and she says, "My neighbour knows a lot about trees and he said it's either a maple or a cedar."
So in response to your question: no.
So in response to your question: no.
Sometimes you just have to laugh at people.
It happens to us all sooner or later.
I have personally had homeowners try to give me advice on bringing down timber. And that is people who have no experience and knowing that I spent years felling large timber out west. Both on my own and working for the US Forest Service.
Sometimes you just have to laugh at people.
It happens to us all sooner or later.
I have personally had homeowners try to give me advice on bringing down timber. And that is people who have no experience and knowing that I spent years felling large timber out west. Both on my own and working for the US Forest Service.
Sometimes you just have to laugh at people.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
Never told me how to do my job but when they call for an estimate they seem to know everything how big of a job it is, how long it should take, and know exactly what needs to be done. But i really love when the tree they describe on The phone is nothing like they described, i had one guy tell me "oh i got this tree out back not sure what kind it is but its medium sized probably about 3-4 hours of work" so i go look at it and its a MONSTER willow about 9ft at the base and 90ft tall with 3 different power wires running through it, it was 12 hours of work start to finish.
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We did an estimate after work today and the guy asked if we wanted him to help us when we do the job.
:msp_scared: "Nooooooooooo, no, no, no, that's okay. We're fine."
He understood. He said he's given estimates - not sure what he does - and he said he'd tell the customer $40 an hour. $60 if you stand and watch. $80 if you help.
Love it. I'm going to use that line.
:msp_scared: "Nooooooooooo, no, no, no, that's okay. We're fine."
He understood. He said he's given estimates - not sure what he does - and he said he'd tell the customer $40 an hour. $60 if you stand and watch. $80 if you help.
Love it. I'm going to use that line.
treemandan
Tree Freak
Last time I just jumped in the truck and went home. She opened up her mouth, I said " I gotta go!"
I didn't leave to much of a mess and later she sent me a couple of bucks along with an apology but its to late now.
But still, we be some hardcore ##### mother####ers up in here so maybe you were doing it wrong.
treemandan
Tree Freak
Oh and that " the customer is always right" BS is for suck asses who work in customer service. They usually are selling ice cream cones, cheap tires, prepared food or their own ass. Its a crying shame what the world has become because in reality the customer don't know diddly squat or they would be doing it themselves.
squad143
Tree Guy
Had a guy call me up this past March and asked if I could give him a price on removing a dead tree that was leaning over the waterfront at his cottage. He was vacationing in Florida and heard that the ice was going to break up soon and he wanted me to hurry up there and call him with the quote so I could drop it on the ice before it melted.
I was going up the next weekend anyway and went to look at the tree, a dead pine that I had spotted the summer before while cruizing the lake. I call him with my price and that I don't require the ice to be there to remove it. He said that unfortunately, he couldnt wait for my quote and had called another tree company. He had heard a lot about my work and was hoping to use my services, but kept insisting that it needed to be dropped right away before the ice goes out and was sorry but couldn't wait. I told him that if things did not work out, to give me a call. I knew the ice was too soft to put a tree on it.
Sure enough, a few weeks later he calls me and says the other company let him down and did not get up there yet. The ice is now gone and he would like me to remove the tree.
No ice, and I didn't drop it in the water. Pieced it out using a floating dock as a platform to rig the chunks on to. Tarped the dock so the bar oil, from cutting the chunks into manageable sizes, did not stain the dock.
I was going up the next weekend anyway and went to look at the tree, a dead pine that I had spotted the summer before while cruizing the lake. I call him with my price and that I don't require the ice to be there to remove it. He said that unfortunately, he couldnt wait for my quote and had called another tree company. He had heard a lot about my work and was hoping to use my services, but kept insisting that it needed to be dropped right away before the ice goes out and was sorry but couldn't wait. I told him that if things did not work out, to give me a call. I knew the ice was too soft to put a tree on it.
Sure enough, a few weeks later he calls me and says the other company let him down and did not get up there yet. The ice is now gone and he would like me to remove the tree.
No ice, and I didn't drop it in the water. Pieced it out using a floating dock as a platform to rig the chunks on to. Tarped the dock so the bar oil, from cutting the chunks into manageable sizes, did not stain the dock.
beastmaster
Addicted to ArboristSite
I just ask them, "do you tell your gardener how to mow the yard?" Years ago my Dad use to go on bids with me, one day he tells me,"you shouldn't argue with the customers so much," But damn, sometimes you have to tell the people what up. I am never straight up rude, but I can be aggressively persuasive. I think people like passion in their tree guys. It shows you care.:msp_smile:
sgreanbeans
Treeaculterologist
I have fired clients several times. Have had them decide..........insist, that I top a tree when I was in the middle of a prune, fired. Had a guy keep walking under us at a removal, had several more to do, finished the one, told him to get someone else for the others. The best tho, had a old dude we were doing a removal for, kept stopping us to ask how we are going to do this or that. I was using the bucket and he would run out and wave me down and say "so what exactly is your plan on that one" after a couple trips back down I was done. I had barley begun to set ropes and this guy had already held me up for a hour. Last trip down I told him I was done "wait,wait,wait, I'll stay out of your hair" I just smiled and said "YA GOT THAT RIGHT"
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