Maybe it's coming down to this----

[Sparky8370]

Well we have one of those running around here too. My cousin is messing around with the guy's wife (she started it) and provided me with the inside info that the bank is about to move in and wipe him out. He has been bidding jobs so cheap the last few weeks they wouldn't even pay my labor. There is no way I can touch his bids. I bid against him last week on a job in Tyler, TX where he was less than half my price.

I am an electrician. We are one of those trades where people don't call until they are in danger because they don't want to pay. Wish things were different.

Oh, and your cousin is scumbag whether she started it or not.

 

[pdqdl]

Working for free: I lost a customer to a contractor that isn't charging ANYTHING.

No fooling. One of my oldest customers terminated all our grounds maintenance services because they got an offer from someplace to do it all for free.

1. Regular mowing, edging, & trimming.
2. Lawn applications with weed control
3. Fall cleanups.
4. Tree work as needed.
5. Snow removal.

Total invoice: $00,000.00 !

Honest! This really happened to me. The customer is a semi-public school in a depressed area, that services troubled and low-performing students. Who is doing the work I don't know, but they seem to be doing a decent job...for no billing at all to my former customer. The only thing I can figure is that it is some sort of company that has government money to put people to work.

Honestly, I can't blame my customer for taking them up on the deal.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

we are booked solid well into the 2nd week of february

I'm not trying to start anything, just proving a point. If any company doing any service or selling any product gets booked too long out, they're probably not charging enough. After 2 weeks out I raise my prices. My wife's dad who is a carpenter taught me this. The man has been hugely successful for over 15yrs doing it. And it makes sense. I could book into next september if I wanted to drop prices far enough, I'm sure.

Have a blessed holiday everyone

 

[treevet]

Has anyone considered that this may be the era of the cheap, inexperienced or even inept tree guy? This may be the natural sequence of events prior to a depression.

Being good does not even matter anymore. People delude themselves into thinking they are getting top quality services because the economy is so bad and there are so many tree services out there now that have just started. Kind of like if there is a new restaurant people go there because they tend to give more in quality, quantity and service.

A new tree service must be just the same in their minds? If this is the thinking then it will take quite a while of poor service and decisions to reverse this thinking.

Look at the thread with the new arborist that is hired to remove a huge dead elm with bark all off it that is over the house and garage. He bangs up the garage and it is just incidental damage in his mind. He doesn't even know one tree from another and makes cuts like one missing his notch with his back cut by a foot or so. He lucks out into no major damage but what about next time?

Our insurance rates go up (if they even have insurance) and it is all part of the beginning of the end (along with losing good clients and cold bids to them).

 

[mckeetree]

Oh, and your cousin is scumbag whether she started it or not.

No, he is actually a great guy.

 

[treesquirrel]

You mean you won't remove a 5 foot DBH oak with huge leads overhanging a residence just to get the firewood?

Where is your spirit?

 

[mckeetree]

I'm not trying to start anything, just proving a point. If any company doing any service or selling any product gets booked too long out, they're probably not charging enough. After 2 weeks out I raise my prices. My wife's dad who is a carpenter taught me this. The man has been hugely successful for over 15yrs doing it. And it makes sense. I could book into next september if I wanted to drop prices far enough, I'm sure.

Have a blessed holiday everyone

Hey, I know what that guy is doing seems crazy. Crazy like a fox. You are booked up solid in the middle of winter for eight weeks.....what's your next move? Start giving work away, that's what. You heard me right Mister, giving work away. You might not know anything about it. Like Ozark said, old school stuff. Yes sir. That is a trick from the old book.

 

[treeslayer]

Hey Wayne come back and finish what you started.LOL:hmm3grin2orange:

Heck, he never stopped, he works in a different dimension.

tell em wayne, job security!

 

[treeslayer]

Being good does not even matter anymore.

Look at the thread with the new arborist that is hired to remove a huge dead elm with bark all off it that is over the house and garage. He bangs up the garage and it is just incidental damage in his mind. He doesn't even know one tree from another and makes cuts like one missing his notch with his back cut by a foot or so. He lucks out into no major damage but what about next time?

.

That thread summed it up well.

Was a good moneymaker at $2000 +, and looked like a war movie.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

Hey, I know what that guy is doing seems crazy. Crazy like a fox. You are booked up solid in the middle of winter for eight weeks.....what's your next move? Start giving work away, that's what. You heard me right Mister, giving work away. You might not know anything about it. Like Ozark said, old school stuff. Yes sir. That is a trick from the old book.

Doesn't seem crazy really. Its not a horrible idea. Just economics says to raise prices if you're booked too far out, ask any financial guru. (Note: financial guru, does not mean my broke mom, sister, or family. Lol)

But serious, its never seemed like a bad idea to book up like that. But I'll bite, how exactly does it work? I'm never too proud to learn.

Thanks, and God bless

Jeff

 

[treeslayer]

put a real phone # on it, and post on a few sites. I bet Google picks it up and you actually get calls.

 

[John464]

Let me get this straight, I have heard you say this stuff before....You are booked every day, 5 days a week for the next straight 8 weeks, in the dead of winter including Christmas and New Years week?

yes, 5 days a week. we are off for Xmas eve and Xmas, NYE, and NYears. and the 18th is our annual Xmas BBQ at the shop. for 3 crews we are on 6 days a week 2 crews from november till spring. it is mostly commercial work we handle in the winter. have had some of these contracts for over 34yrs(church), 30yrs(state), some approx 10(municipal). Favors go a long way...................

when residential slows have the annual contracts to keep you busy. just because the phones arent ringing off the hook now. selling work for your slown season when its ringing like mad is good planning.

 

[mckeetree]

Doesn't seem crazy really. Its not a horrible idea. Just economics says to raise prices if you're booked too far out, ask any financial guru. (Note: financial guru, does not mean my broke mom, sister, or family. Lol)

But serious, its never seemed like a bad idea to book up like that. But I'll bite, how exactly does it work? I'm never too proud to learn.

Thanks, and God bless

Jeff

Aw, come on, Garden Of Eden. I was just being sarcastic. I would never do anything that stupid.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

Aw, come on, Garden Of Eden. I was just being sarcastic. I would never do anything that stupid.

Internet sucks for tone. Especially sarcasm. I appreciate it.

Hows work going?

God Bless