Strange phone call

[mckeetree]

I had a competitor call today and start out saying "Man, can you keep something to yourself. I know you probably can't because that's just the way you are." I tell him I would try depending on what it was. He then goes on with "Do you have any jobs you could cut me in on or anything or some stuff you could send my way or something." I told him I didn't but I actually do know of a kinda undesirable job he could have had but this is the last guy I would send anything to. This jackrag has said all kinds of crap behind my back that has got back to me. I would give some of the illegal aliens running around here a lead before him. He says "I know you are going to tell everybody you see that I called looking for work. That's the way you are." I pretty much hung up at that point. Anybody else ever have that happen?

 

[jefflovstrom]

Nope.
Jeff

 

[Mikecutstrees]

So.... he insulted you and then wanted a favor? Sounds like the guy who backed into my truck and then drove off. 3 others saw him do it and got his plate # desc. and name off his truck, including number. The cops brought him back, he denied it but later admitted to it, then asked me to do him the favor of not calling his insurance and to let him just pay for it. I don't think so!

I would have hung up on him earlier. Sounds like you will have less competition next year, not that he sounds like real competition.

Mike

 

[treemandan]

I see the guy was right, yer blabbin all about it!:msp_thumbsup:

 

[mckeetree]

I see the guy was right, yer blabbin all about it!:msp_thumbsup:

Yep. But the other tree guys that I have told know who he is. Mentioning his name wouldn't mean much here.

 

[mckeetree]

I would have hung up on him earlier. Sounds like you will have less competition next year, not that he sounds like real competition.

Mike

He was giving us some problems last summer. He somehow got his hands on a fairly new bucket truck and talked a guy that worked for me several years ago that is a damn good PHC man to run a spray rig for him. He was hitting some of our main neighborhoods hard. I mean like camping out there. He actually took some good clients away from us. Bucket got repossessed long about Oct. PHC guy got a couple bounced paychecks and that was it for him. I heard through the grapevine his spray rig got repoed early this month.

 

[sgt7546]

Could always call him back offering to buy his equipment if it's any good. Sounds like he's on his way out anyways.

 

[treeclimber101]

Sounds a the same conversation the old blue hair ladies have down at the hair salon about the new "hussie" neighbor , but they only have it when she's not around ..........:msp_wink:

 

[TreeGuyHR]

Sounds a the same conversation the old blue hair ladies have down at the hair salon about the new "hussie" neighbor , but they only have it when she's not around ..........:msp_wink:

We could just rename this the "Snark thread".

The arborists in a given area are actually a small community -- smaller than loggers in my neck of the woods. We all know who the turkeys are. (Nicest thing I can say, so I'll stop there):msp_biggrin: I trade referrals and sometimes team up with the good ones.

 

[wottiv]

Sounds a the same conversation the old blue hair ladies have down at the hair salon about the new "hussie" neighbor , but they only have it when she's not around ..........:msp_wink:

That is pretty funny!

 

[treeclimber101]

Last run in I had with a #### of a competitor was 2 summers ago when I was dumping my wood truck and this moron crammed his really nice 550 right along side of mine , so close he had to slither out the door ! So I said F it dumped anyway knowing that sumpin would prolly roll his way , well I was sooooooooo wrong the wood pile basically avalanches right into the side of his truck and put a nice dent right into the corner of his cab and wedged itself under there . Well ........ He had some choice words for me ! And instead of arguing with that very angry douchebag I just laughed at his ass crack that was all hanging out as he tried to get the huge piece of white pine out from under his truck and drove away with a cloud of dust to add insult to injury !

 

[treeclimber101]

That is pretty funny!

Thanks !

 

[mckeetree]

Could always call him back offering to buy his equipment if it's any good. Sounds like he's on his way out anyways.

What he had is gone. There is nothing to buy. He had a nice late model bucket, a 2006 or so f350 that looked OK, a 16ft dump trailer that looked worn out and a new looking PHC rig (nice one) on an OK looking f250. The only thing I can tell from seeing him around that he still has is the f250 that used to have the spray rig on it and some old 16ft utility trailer he came up with here lately I guess. He was trying to do jobs for about half what we normally charge. He could have had something there with the guy he hired that used to work for me as for as PHC goes. That cat knows his #### pretty good when it comes to diagnosis and treatment IF you can keep him sober. He missed every Mon. when he worked for us and I finally got tired of it.

 

[deevo]

He was giving us some problems last summer. He somehow got his hands on a fairly new bucket truck and talked a guy that worked for me several years ago that is a damn good PHC man to run a spray rig for him. He was hitting some of our main neighborhoods hard. I mean like camping out there. He actually took some good clients away from us. Bucket got repossessed long about Oct. PHC guy got a couple bounced paychecks and that was it for him. I heard through the grapevine his spray rig got repoed early this month.

Hmmmm that's a very familiar story I have about someone who I won't mention here! Been there done that! You can have all the equipment money can buy, but if you can't climb or do the work and shaft people by not paying them it all catch's up to you in the end!

 

[mckeetree]

Hmmmm that's a very familiar story I have about someone who I won't mention here! Been there done that! You can have all the equipment money can buy, but if you can't climb or do the work and shaft people by not paying them it all catch's up to you in the end!

Aw, the deal with that guy is he managed somehow to scam somebody into financing some equipment for him and then the only way he could keep it busy was to charge about half of what the jobs were worth. I know he can't stand my ass and I know calling me looking for something to do had to be his last damn resort. I still can't believe he did it. I used to just tell clients what the guy is when they would question our rates versus his, and of course it got back to him. I would give them the facts...no insurance of any kind, has a track record of tearing things up, hardly ever shows when he says and never has enough help.

 

[deevo]

Aw, the deal with that guy is he managed somehow to scam somebody into financing some equipment for him and then the only way he could keep it busy was to charge about half of what the jobs were worth. I know he can't stand my ass and I know calling me looking for something to do had to be his last damn resort. I still can't believe he did it. I used to just tell clients what the guy is when they would question our rates versus his, and of course it got back to him. I would give them the facts...no insurance of any kind, has a track record of tearing things up, hardly ever shows when he says and never has enough help.

Wow, you just described the numb numb I mistakenly partnered up with briefly to a T. I dumped his a@# immediately after I found out he shafted 2 of my friends thousands of $'s! Bucket queer, can't even climb! Biggest BS'er you would ever meet! Always showed up with the truck and chipper (mine) on empty or would run out of gas on the way to a job! Chains duller than a bowling ball,real piece of work! Has a cuban guy working for him now wears a straw hat! lol

 

[squad143]

I know he can't stand my ass and I know calling me looking for something to do had to be his last damn resort. I still can't believe he did it.

It probably took wherever pride he had left. (If he ever had any). What goes around comes around, and it has finally come around for him. Take it as a compliment, a last ditch effort of a loser, or the affirmation that you have won the war against a unscrupulous competitor. Or all of the above.

I probably would have hung up as well.:msp_smile:

 

[gtrees]

I had a competitor call today and start out saying "Man, can you keep something to yourself. I know you probably can't because that's just the way you are." I tell him I would try depending on what it was. He then goes on with "Do you have any jobs you could cut me in on or anything or some stuff you could send my way or something." I told him I didn't but I actually do know of a kinda undesirable job he could have had but this is the last guy I would send anything to. This jackrag has said all kinds of crap behind my back that has got back to me. I would give some of the illegal aliens running around here a lead before him. He says "I know you are going to tell everybody you see that I called looking for work. That's the way you are." I pretty much hung up at that point. Anybody else ever have that happen?

Maybe you should start drinking heavily again and it won't bother you as much

 

[mckeetree]

Maybe you should start drinking heavily again and it won't bother you as much

Hey there. How did you know I used to be a heavy drinker?

 

[gtrees]

Hey there. How did you know I used to be a heavy drinker?

You usually comment on everything I post with some smartass remark and then follow up with something about boozin.