Where has all the business gone?

[arborworks1]

You know what the worst part is the economy is going to improve and the trees are going to continue to grow. They will still be there when people can afford them again. You should not lower your prices that much. People will expect you to keep low prices next time they use you. When you don't you lose the customer anyway

 

[stihlhere]

You know what the worst part is the economy is going to improve and the trees are going to continue to grow. They will still be there when people can afford them again. You should not lower your prices that much. People will expect you to keep low prices next time they use you. When you don't you lose the customer anyway

YOUR RIGHT BUT I HAVE LOST 8 BIDS IN A ROW ALL LARGE JOBS AND I'M HURTING ALSO I DIDN'T'T MENTION 10 or 12 can be topped and dropped if fence 1 fence can be taken down i priced the job with that stipulation. he also offered to trade it out in advertising on a few local radio stations as he is a local radio host. even so your right it is still peanuts if you could see the rest of the trees. luckly local co just got a tubgrinder and i can use my 8x20 dump trailer to dump all the mess less about 5 miles away for free. but the sawmill is 45 miles away!!!

 

[mckeetree]

You know what the worst part is the economy is going to improve and the trees are going to continue to grow. They will still be there when people can afford them again. You should not lower your prices that much. People will expect you to keep low prices next time they use you. When you don't you lose the customer anyway

That is 100% right. And the thing is they equate YOU with the cheap prices. Lots of guys get reputations for being cheap and when they try to go up it doesn't work.

 

[fishercat]

truth is what it is.

No better way to drum up business than letting colleagues and clients know you have anxieties of different skin colours in the industry. WTF

why sugar coat it?

 

[fishercat]

you're welcome..................

There was a thread a little while back asking if Arboriculture is "Recession Proof"? It appears to be quite the opposite and may be the 'canary in the coal mine' for the economy. One of the first things to go is maintenance of landscaping, independent of storms or disturbances. My business has seemed to slow down a few weeks before the financial markets contract.

As for hacks and lowballers, Warren Buffett talks about impediments to entering a certain business dictating the relative profit margins of that business. It is in our best interest to make getting into the business as difficult as possible. For example mandatory licensing, insurance requirements, training and certification requirements, ect... I know this may be unpopular for some, but if we want to be treated like professionals, we have to do things professionally including creating impediments to entering the business.

to pack your stuff and move to Europe anytime.

 

[fishercat]

you guys want change?

start with voting for politicians that will actually do their job and represent YOU!
Not the illegals and deadbeats!

passing more laws and requiring more laws isn't gonna stop Johnny Chainsaw & Pickup.it also isn't gonna stop the homeowners from being cheap.

my buddy mows a lot of lawns.has always done it and does a great job.he's 100% legit.last year some yuppie in a golf course subdivision he has done for years dropped him over $3 a cut.i ain't kidding.

gun laws,licensing,permits,classes,and more government control over firearms sure slowed down crime. Give me a Friggin' break.

these potential customers have learned a game.they call everyone in the phone book and classified ads and gets an estimate.they pick the guy that will work for the least.eventually,these idiots are gonna work themselves to death or get hurt and they will start getting out of tree work.or a few homeowners are gonna get trees through their houses.unfortunately it has to happen.just the cycle of life.

i got a referral from a guy i know for a tree job last week.i call the woman and she says the big landscaping company took the tree down.she just needs the stump ground.i told her to have the landscapers do the stump.she says they don't do stumps.i told her i don't do landscaping and good luck.

 

[Blakesmaster]

That is 100% right. And the thing is they equate YOU with the cheap prices. Lots of guys get reputations for being cheap and when they try to go up it doesn't work.

Very true. We started out with the intentions of being cheap to get our foot in the door. Thanks to the guys on this site I changed it pretty quick but we did a job about a year and a half ago for my bro's co worker, nice lady. My bro notoriously under estimates jobs but he's getting better. Anyway, we busted ass for a full day for only $650 on a good size sugar maple. This year the lady decides to get the next one taken down. Same size and obstacles. 3' dbh and about 75 feet tall, garage on one side, house on the other. Half day to rig down and chip up the other half we'd spend moving wood. I bid it at $1200 ( which is still super low, IMO, but she's a good customer. We've sold plenty of work because of her references. ) and she about fell on her ass. "NO WAY!", she cried, "That's almost twice as much!" What am I gonna do? Say I ####ed up last time but I can't work for peanuts now? Unprofessional reason to say the least. Most likely she'll find some hack to do the job super cheap and I'll never hear from her again...unless something goes wrong on the job. What can I do?

 

[GlenWimpy]

trees

I like it when you give someone a cheap "winter price' , then they'll call you back 3 years later , the tree is dead , new pool under the tree with 4 power lines , and want the same price!

 

[Mike Van]

There's no magic answer guys - The people that constantly try to lo-ball you do it to everyone. Shopping for a car, new roof, septic system, whatever. They're going after CHEEP, some get burned, some don't. Worse yet is actually doing the job, then not getting paid or having to fight for your money.

 

[newsawtooth]

Not a bad idea

to pack your stuff and move to Europe anytime.

Europe has a lot to offer. I would end up lying in a gutter in Amsterdam with a fist full of ones and contagious sores.

I have reconsidered my stance on more regulations, especially at the state and municipal level. More regulation would be of little help and would likely makes things even more frustrating. A more powerful and relevant ISA or TCIA would be of the most benefit. If we could tie it to reduced insurance rates for people with accreditation it would be a start.

 

[Brush Hog]

Slow....... that's a understatement

I start working for a company on Monday.

 

[GlenWimpy]

work

How about we just enforce the laws on the books and send the Mexicans home!

 

[mckeetree]

How about we just enforce the laws on the books and send the Mexicans home!

That is the comment a fellow from Sweden made the other day. He said it looks to him like we don't need a lot of new immigration laws we just need to enforce the ones we have (and send the Mexicans home).

 

[ropensaddle]

Amen to that!

Me comprende vaghto +20000000000000000000000

 

[fishercat]

sorry newsawtooth....................

How about we just enforce the laws on the books and send the Mexicans home!

logic wins out on this topic.

we got enough people dipping into our pockets,getting the government or some association aint gonna make it any better i promise you that.i say turn every tree company you see running migrant labor in to the I.N.S..landscapers too.get involved in your local politics.that is the only thing that will really matter.if you don't start voting third party,nothing is gonna change. we can keep electing these deadbeat Repukes and Demacrooks till we are blue in the face and nothing will change for the better.i just keep wondering how long it will take the majority to figure this out.

 

[fishercat]

you're lucky you found something.

I start working for a company on Monday.

no one seems to be hiring but i get a lot of inquiries if i'm hiring.

 

[outofmytree]

The answer to the OP is....





Here!

Kicking ass and taking names downunder! Maybe you guys should move to Australia! Oh by the way, there are almost no Mexicans here. Although we have a few Kiwis I would like to see swimming east out of Botany Bay!

 

[TimberMcPherson]

The answer to the OP is....





Here!

Kicking ass and taking names downunder! Maybe you guys should move to Australia! Oh by the way, there are almost no Mexicans here. Although we have a few Kiwis I would like to see swimming east out of Botany Bay!

Then who would do all the work?

 

[fishercat]

i tell them the truth.

Very true. We started out with the intentions of being cheap to get our foot in the door. Thanks to the guys on this site I changed it pretty quick but we did a job about a year and a half ago for my bro's co worker, nice lady. My bro notoriously under estimates jobs but he's getting better. Anyway, we busted ass for a full day for only $650 on a good size sugar maple. This year the lady decides to get the next one taken down. Same size and obstacles. 3' dbh and about 75 feet tall, garage on one side, house on the other. Half day to rig down and chip up the other half we'd spend moving wood. I bid it at $1200 ( which is still super low, IMO, but she's a good customer. We've sold plenty of work because of her references. ) and she about fell on her ass. "NO WAY!", she cried, "That's almost twice as much!" What am I gonna do? Say I ####ed up last time but I can't work for peanuts now? Unprofessional reason to say the least. Most likely she'll find some hack to do the job super cheap and I'll never hear from her again...unless something goes wrong on the job. What can I do?

we underbid it last time but honored our word and price.we have a lot more equipment and bills since we did the last tree.

maybe she'll get an even higher quote and see that you guys are being more than fair with her.tell her to be thankful she doesn't live in New England.

 

[fishercat]

kind of a reversal to this story.

i bid a job this morning for a lady.limb came off a swamp maple and ripped her power line down at 7 AM.guy stopped by in a red Volvo and told her he could take care of it for $700.she told him to get off her property.even the utility guy said he was nuts.i charged her $150 just because i had to bring a truck and chipper.i am not the cheapest guy around but i think i am fair.