This Really GRINDS MY GEARS!!

[Pelorus]

My biggest PITAs are demanding customers that expect me to jump when they snap their fingers. They seem to always want a few extras thrown in at no charge, and/or they take longer than everyone else to pay when the work gets completed. Or, they don't pay attention when discussing a proposed job, or don't actually read what is written in a quotation, and act all suprised when the wood didn't get split (cause that wasn't part and parcel of what was agreed upon).

Had this very thing happen last week. Customer wasn't home when we did the job. Receive a phone call from him a couple of days later "I see you were here and got most of the work done" "Most" my ass. Ended up going back and spent almost 2 hours slicing and dicing pine blocks "that are too heavy for me to move" For free of course.
The guy was a referral from another customer, and I have worked for several others in the same neighbourhood, so that is that, and not risking getting bad mouthed is worth more than those two hours of my life. I don't know if he was scamming me, or it was an innocent misunderstanding on his part. Grrrrr.

Anytime I do an estimate from now on (not often - it is the "estimator"s job), every last little nitty detail is gonna get clearly specified so there won't be a repeat performance. If he calls me back for more work, those 2 hours will get factored into the quotation.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I often get approval for job's that were bid month's ago. HOA's sometime's take awhile. When estimating, it would be nice to know when the job will get approved. I use my camera and I take note's and, etc..
Jeff

 

[Rickytree]

You guys crack me up....
Like if you were going to spend a few grand on a service like, getting your house painted or tiled, getting landscaping done etc, and if you were unfamiliar with the work... you wouldnt get a couple of quotes? Of course you would, unless you're an idiot!

But at the same time, if you did get a guy who turned up, and his price was reasonable and you had a good feeling about him, you might decide not to waste other peoples time and simply go ahead with it, then have the courtesy to let the other bidders know that the job has been lost, right? Seems like fair play to me.

What were you thinking, he emailed you for a quote so he should have waited as long as you want, and then automatically given the job to you? You win some, you lose some. I bet you don't complain when you're the first guy there and win the job and you're grinding other guys gears ;-) Oh wait, maybe that customer shouldn't have given you that job! He did promise to let another guy bid on it.... Now you'll be complaining that the other guy came in and underbid you and you hate being the first bidder, you want to be the last bidder who undercuts everyone else and that people are just wasting your time to get a price that other people can beat etc etc etc.... Some people to nothing but complain ;-)

Shaun

Hey Shaun just discussing obstacles that we may go through in this business. Oh by the way I got alot done this week other than complaining. And you think this is complaining you should stop by the garage sometime when I got about 7or 8 OV's in me and start talking government.. Here we GO!!!

 

[pdqdl]

"OV's" ?

What would that be?

 

[treemandan]

"OV's" ?

What would that be?

I shudder to think its VO backwards?

 

[Rickytree]

Old Vienna's is a beer here in Canada.

 

[treemandan]

I think you guys have the wrong idea about sales.

A potential customer extends an offer; a competitor beats you to it. You blame the customer?

I take those missed opportunities and try to leave a favorable image for the next time. Most people that call me have more than one tree. I just thank them for calling me and I ask them to think of me next time they need some work.

Then I make notes in my database, so that I will be ready for the next time they call.

That's right. And I guess Rick should be grateful they called instead of making him come out. I think they were very thoughtful to do that.

The lady who I told I would the job for 125 didn't call me to say she got someone else to handle the tree that was about fall over in the storm. She called everybody to look at it and had a lot of guys pissed because they all went over there in the storm when she had had it handled. I didn't go because I got a couple calls from guys #####ing about her, I was actually about to go look at it when they called telling me not to go so I called her and said I would do it for 125.

People who do this work sure have attitude. People who don't do this work but still make money off of it don't understand why... but it helps to have someone always at the ready to get to an estimate.

 

[Treepedo]

We got a call to be the 11th estimate on a Pine removal on Sarturday
MY wife/biz partner said that we will not enter a bid and told her she had more than enough bids and to pick one.

HO got pissy and demanded our bid.
Takes all kinds.

 

[treeman75]

I got a call a couple years ago from a women she wanted an estimate and ask if I could meet her at a truck stop and pick her up. I met her there and we went and looked at her trees and she went in the house for a little while and came out with a bag and ask if I could drop her back off. I said ya for fifty bucks and she paid me. I think she was trucker or with one looking for a free ride to get some clean clothes. I had my pistol by my side the whole time!