You guys get estimate calls like this?

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they just dont get it

I ran an add in a local free shopper for 6 months. I got all kind of crazy calls the best was and i quote (how mutch do you pay to remove trees?) to which i answered ( what...excuse me!) I proceded to explain that I charged for this service. They actualy thought I was tring to steal there two pine trees. They were so convinced there trees were worth hundreds of dollars. they just did not get it untill i told them I would down there trees for a fair price and even break them down in to log lengths and they could sell them. Boy did there atitude change!!!
 
I get those calls too but once a gay guy called asked if I trimmed bonzi trees and I said well I don't get many calls for them but suppose I could trim it. Then he say's he has a large tree growing out of his greeting room and asked if I could climb it. I say yes and he asks how I climb, so I ask removal , he says yes and I say put spurs on and buck up. Then he say,s brutal and say's can you give an estimate I say yes what is your address and before I get it all out he cuts me off with will you climb in shorts and let me take pics for extra and I say this is getting sick and hung up. I for days kept trying to figure out which friend was setting me up and I get a call from another local service yelling you sob this and that and said he got the same call and he got in trouble thinking it was me and said all kinds of willd things which the guy evidently recorded. I laughed my azz off and was so glad I held back not knowing the voice of the caller.

c'mon rope...all he wanted was to see if you were a "Husky" man....
 
here is the answer to this entire thread











these are people who already have a tree service in their back yard cutting as you are on the phone with them, or the company just left.

the caller, is ONLY CALLING YOU to find out if *they got ripped off or not*


i get these calls once a month. i tell them bluntly that i can not give a price for any job, big or small over the phone.
 
I forget where I heard this, it may have been on here somewhere. When this tree service would get a call like that they would ask how much the tree weighed! Said they charged by the pound. People would be pretty stumped by that question I would think.
 
Estimates

I have never received a call for a blind estimate, but I have have many people try this tactic in person. I finally asked one guy what he did for a living, and he replied that he sold cars, so I asked him "how much to buy a car from you?" , and he replied "as much as I want it to cost" , so I quipped back "You just answered your own question." Some people.....
 
the blind bid

when asked for the over the phone estimate, I reply. Thats easy... small tree, small money..Big tree, big money. don't really care if they laugh or not. as long as it amuses me
 
I may be in the wrong area, but im looking for what ever directory it is to find a two man crew that would cut down approx 20 trees, mill them into lumber and set them up for drying.

Thanks!!
 
I did a lot of retail while going to school. My absolute favorite was when I worked in a college book store. I would get several calls a day from students wanting to know how much their books cost. Figure on at least 3 professors for any given subject, several different levels of each class, all different books. I finallly got tired of going through their entire schedule over the phone (company policy), and would tlee them, "Somewhere in the range of $10,000 if I sell them to you over the phone, they are much cheaper in the store."
 
You guys made me laugh. I get idiot calls all too often. A bit different than what you get, here are a few.....

When I used to train and field trial Labs, people would call and ask "do you breed dogs".....my answer was always no as it is wrong and illegal. They usually hung up, called back later.....after they figured out how dumb their question was....

Now I do a bit of tree removal and logging (NO Urban trees, ever!!!)

Then put the logs on my sawmill or make it into firewood.

The questions and statements from these idiots are...."How long does it take to saw up a log?" or my favorite..."there are NO nails in these logs, I grew up with these trees". As long as they buy me new blades I am happy, or make them pull the nails out.

Kevin
 
Maybe one like that per month.

Not only do I want to see the trees, but likewise to see who I'd be working for too. I think they should feel the same. Find out who represents the company in person, and hope the tree person can see the trees.
 
Same story

We get variations of the same stories, people call and say they will give you the wood if you cut the tree down, people stop at the job site and point out a tree to ask how much it would be to cut down a tree like that, or they call for a price per tree.
 
I remember an old lady asking what we charged. I began my usual response, "Our minimum charge is $350 and..." she cuts me off and starts freaking out and saying that was robbery. I calmly explained that it's likely that it will be a lot more than that and explain why tree service is expensive (insurance, equipment, etc.). She continued freaking out and wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. I started talking over her and said, "Sorry, but that is our minimum price and I'm afraid we can't go lower than that. Thanks for calling." Bare in mind that she was freaking out and screaming about our price the whole time I'm talking and I just hung up the phone. She didn't call back. I forget what she wanted done but it sounded like something a chainsaw charley couldn't even get done for less than $300.
 
I forget where I heard this, it may have been on here somewhere. When this tree service would get a call like that they would ask how much the tree weighed! Said they charged by the pound. People would be pretty stumped by that question I would think.


:laugh:

I am absolutely using that one the next time I get a phonehead call!
 
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