Whats your back log?

[Abbershay]

I know i want to keep as short of a backlog as posible.. I try to get everything with in a 2 week period.... lately it hasnt been working for me. Manytimes in the summer we get threats of bad weather . People think i may want a wind to come but the truth is if a wind did come i wouldnt be able to get to allot of new jobs because i am already booked for 2 weeks... THen you have the insurance company adjusters who are jerks bigtime..

 

[goboilers]

Backlogs are a sign you are doing good work. The company I work for runs two crews and we keep a six to eight week backlog almost year round. We do lose business occasionally because of the length of time needed to get to the job. Most however are fine with the wait. Emergency jobs are bumped to the front of the line.

Blake

 

[Nickrosis]

I don't think backlogs are a great thing to have. No customer wants to hear that they have to wait 6 weeks before they can get a limb removed. Scheduling work - that's different.

Part of it is education, to be sure, but I think that many jobs are done out of season simply because it's work or because the customer is pushy. In reality, a lot of pruning should be done in the winter, and a lot of removals could be done more easily when the ground is frozen.

Having a booked winter is a sweet thing to have, but having a long backlog is frustrating to a customer.

Nickrosis

 

[NeTree]

Usually 1 to 3 weeks; more if there's a storm, then I rechedule the "regular" work, and nobody has cancelled over it yet.

 

[Ax-man]

Originally posted by Nickrosis
I don't think backlogs are a great thing to have. No customer wants to hear that they have to wait 6 weeks before they can get a limb removed. Scheduling work - that's different.


Having a booked winter is a sweet thing to have, but having a long backlog is frustrating to a customer.

Nickrosis

IMO If a person can't be patient then they can get some one else.

I refuse to work 12 - 14 hr days just to keep " caught up " unless we have a storm. I've been down that road it really doesn't get you any more gain than a 8 - 10hr. day.

Adding more people and equipment doesn't help either. Sure income doubles but expenses triple, and more pieces of equipment get tore up resulting in more down time overall.

Your going to have a backlog if your good. That is best thing you can have it's called security in knowing you have work and people are willing to wait for you.

People who can't be patient really don't turn out to be good clients.

If they are impatient, they usually find the clowns in the business that never have much work any way and there is a reason for that to. Good clients know who do good work and are willing to wait.

 

[Tree Machine]

Good clients know who do good work and are willing to wait.

As well, most clients realize that a tree (outside the 'emergency' arena) is not going to change much in the next month or two. When I sell the job and write GO on the estimate, I let them know right there that the wait time could be 'just over three weeks at this point' when I know it could be six or even more. With some luck, though, it could actually be three.

The key, I've found, is to simply let your clients know, every now and then, that they haven't been forgotten. A little 'courtesy call' every other week or so, to let them know where they stand, goes a long way in that person's mind. Thanking them for their patience in advance, and telling them you look forward to caring for their trees can quell a person's thoughts that maybe you've forgetten them, that you're too busy for them or that you don't need the work bad enough to show up and do it.

Customer service is an art, as much as the tree work itself. Just staying in touch lends you credibility as a professional. Treat your clients as if they're the people putting food on your table. It's OK to lose a client because your price was too high, but to lose a client because of poor followup, or bad customer service, is to shoot yourself in your own foot. -TM-

 

[xander9727]

We usually are booked 10 days in advance. Lately we have been running closer to 20 days. With the holidays we already have December booked. This has turned out to be a real blessing for us. Last year we were dead in December and January.

 

[Stumper]

Tm, Telling your customers that the wait will be"just over 3 weeks" when you expect 6 doesn't seem like the right way to treat customers to me. I offer people a date. Then I discuss the option of moving them up if have an opening. I call to confirm if the they are scheduled more than a week out. I also call if I am unable to do it on the day selected. I try to leave at least one day per week unscheduled so that raindays ,underestimated jobs etc. don't require calling more than 1 or 2 people to reschedule. Those "free" days also provide a slot to slide in "urgent" work.

 

[Tree Machine]

Customer relations and back log

I never 'expect' six weeks out. It's just that, historically, that is sometimes (OK, often) the case. I always set a goal to get to that person's tree work within a three week time window. That's the goal. Sometimes it doesn't happen, and after that period, I feel I owe them a courtesy call.

I've found that when I tell someone 'six weeks', they get a disappointed look on their face and I can tell they're thinking maybe they should look for someone who can do it sooner. "Just over three weeks" seems like a more reasonably sized pill to swallow.

I leave two days a week open, for emergencies, or contract work from other tree firms. Emergencies might be able to wait a day, but contract calls are most often "How soon can you get here?"

Also, I don't 'schedule jobs'. I book them. I absolutely do not make appointments or set dates to do the job, as I'm somewhat at the mercy of the weather, my mood (techno-dangerous vs. artsy fartsy pruning), emergencies, contract calls and whether Elizabeth wants to keep me that particular day.

If someone's waited what they feel is too long, they'll usually call and rattle my chain. I repond very well to that. If I jump right on it, it shows them I care. I work in that 'squeaky wheel gets the oil' mode at least six months out of the year. Some treeguys would hate this, but I embrace it, as it give me a chance to step up and make a client feel 'prioritized', even though they've been stuck somewhere in my backlog.

The key, of course, is to do the work before they squeak, but if they do, thank them for having called you, tell them their estimate is actually up near the top of the list, and then take care of them soon.

I don't find this approach in any way deceitful. I do tree care on a tree by tree basis, taking as long as it takes to do the best work I know how, and with an exceptional cleanup. My clients know that patience will get them that level of service, and it never ends up being about how long they waited. I get referred on, based on the end result . Results are what ultimately count. -TM-

 

[Nickrosis]

From a customer service perspective, though, I still think that getting work done within a couple weeks is the best time frame. If you can't do that, adjust. Sub it out or pick up another crewmember, whatever.

I strongly favor scheduling winter work for projects that can be done in the winter. Tell the customer it will save them money and that the work is best done then or won't hurt to be delayed.

Nickrosis

 

[Tree Machine]

Points well-taken, Nick. Subbing out is not really an option, as the folks who hire me, want me, otherwise they'd hire someone else. The only thing I could potentially sub out are takedowns. I've done this in the past, asking for a 10% commission and asking that they DO NO DAMAGE to the clients' lawns, shrubbery, power lines, etc. After a couple of those miserable failures, and the fact that I really like doing takedowns, it became not an option. I can't, and won't, place myself in a position of being liable for someone elses mistakes, misjudgements or accidents, and then have to chase them down for a measly few bucks, or go fix their sub-par work. This may work for others, but it just hasn't worked for me.

'Adjust' was done years ago by limiting my work zone, and referring to other tree companies the work I was unwilling to drive to. I ask no commission and I request Zero involvement. In the Summer I turn away about half the calls that come my way so I can keep my local backlog somewhat reasonable.

Hiring another guy into my solo work model means I am no longer a solo working model. I have taken on help recently, though this has only come about in the last month and a half, with the advent of the Musicom headsets. Now that I can communicate into a guy's ear in a noisy environment over distances AND with music, my working model has been revolutionized. Efficiency has gone up, stress stays down, morale is magical, and safety is so much better. Unplanned, though thoroughly welcomed, income has shot through the roof. I didn't expect it to be this good, but I'm still catching up on my backlog, nonetheless.

As far as scheduling Winter work projects that can be done in the Winter, I've been doing that since June. Crown reductions, mostly, but a few woodlot cleanups. I'd like to take care of my jobs within two weeks, but first, I need to take care of my estimates within two weeks. Can't sub those out, either, but I CAN call if they've been waiting more than three or four days and let them know they're on my mind.

If it sounds like I am spoiled, I am. I'm very, very spoiled, but I've worked diligently for years to have it this way and I'm willing to share what experience I have. -TM-

 

[MasterBlaster]

I bet that headset thing IS neat!

I'm gonna Google it right now!

 

[Tree Machine]

It's sorta new...

I don't think you're gonna find it, but let us know. -TM-

 

[Ax-man]

TM

Our two businesses and thinking are carbon copies.

Nick has some very good points, but on a day to day basis things just don't go like clock work when your running a business, there are always snags and set backs to work around that contribute to the back log and delays to getting jobs done on time.

I never sub any thing out, if we can't keep it in house, I would rather turn it away than take responsibility for other peoples work. If you hire subs your responsible for them, if they screw up it comes back on me. Every one loses, the customer and my reputation suffers in the long run.

Sheduling for winter is great, but seems like your always playing the weather game, most times it works against you more than it works for you. I always have a few aces in the hole for winter, like work off driveways or roads. Cold temps I can work around, mud and excessive snows are your worst enemies in winter.

 

[Scars2prove-it]

Right now my backlog is five weeks which I have whittled down from eight weeks. I look forward to February when work is slow. I enjoy the break.

 

[Tree Machine]

Never a break

February is when my Summer season officially begins. -TM-

 

[SilverBlue]

Just when things calm down the calls start comming in. Rush work, demanding clients.... just last week I have set up a months worth of work that's on top of the 3 week bookings that have to be done before Christmas. Then hopefully things will quiet down.

 

[Koa Man]

My usual backlog is 3-4 weeks. I do not advertise, I do not even have the company name or ph. nbr. on my trucks or equipment. 98% of my work is repeat or referrals. The other 2% is someone asking for a business card when they see us working, or calling from the free yellow page listing (no bold print either) that comes with the business number. I try to screen the yellow page calls by asking if they are shopping for the lowest possible price. If they say yes, I tell them that we are not the people they are looking for. I got fed up wasting my time looking at jobs and they tell me what someone else quoted them before I even looked at what they wanted done. My backlog occasionally goes out to 6 weeks, but I don't feel comfortable with that. My customers will wait, but I don't like to keep them waiting that long.