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Cutler tree

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2010
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Location
Ohio
It's happened on our last 2 big trim jobs. We were called to bid on some big trim jobs (30ish trees each) we bid them out as basically we want the homeowners input as to how much they'd like trimmed as we go to make sure they're happy. As we go around the jobs grow(shaping hedges, may as well just remove that little 20' pine there, prune those bushes that weren't in the bid etc) we end up making about 2/3 of our hourly rate on these jobs because of this. How should we handle it when this comes up and keep the client satisfied?
 
"If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk, when you give him the milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw..."

Usually I tell the customer, "We have to make a certain amount hourly to cover the over head, so we can talk about it when we've finished the work that's been bid, this way we don't put the cart in front of the horse." This usually deters little things from adding up to a walk around the property with the ho as one would a day rate.


When it's a side job of mine, I usually tell them my bid to come back, then my bid to add it into the rest of the work. If it's cutting one or two dead branches off with a pole saw, no problem, no charge. Especially if it's in the front. Once I'm asked to do the second tree like that. I'm not going to be as generous, once one asks to use my equipment while I am doing the work that was bid, they get a hell no.
 
I always answer with: yes we can do that! do you want me to just add it on to the current bid?

funny thing with this answer is how the home owner replies, if they wanted it for free......this deters them (some any how) others will have no problem paying the extra.

those that want it for free usually feel that "its not that much" & I always reply: how often do you give your employer a "free" hour?...



LXT...................
 
I usually let them go on for about 3 little things. 3 Branches then I tell them any thing else will be added to the bill. Some people are ridiculous about it. Lady the other day added 8 90' pines she wanted perfectly pruned. And some trees removed etc etc. I saw it coming so we finished our bidded work and then put her on an hourly rate. Problem was we filled the chip truck and now have to return to finish chipping. I added a little for it but its about a 45min drive. Yuck.... Mike
 
Some will keep you there all day for free if you let them

Franky,they'd be a fool not to.

"Honey, he keeps doing whatever I ask and they aren't charging extra for it....doesn't the fence need painted too?"!!!

lxt had the best response - anything along the lines of: "No problem, we'll just add that to the final invoice".

Of course, that depends on what your original bid/contract was. If it said "prune all trees in yard as directed by homeowner", that is a communication problem/bidding mistake on your part and you will just need to eat it and call it a learning experience.
 
Franky,they'd be a fool not to.

"Honey, he keeps doing whatever I ask and they aren't charging extra for it....doesn't the fence need painted too?"!!!

lxt had the best response - anything along the lines of: "No problem, we'll just add that to the final invoice".

Of course, that depends on what your original bid/contract was. If it said "prune all trees in yard as directed by homeowner", that is a communication problem/bidding mistake on your part and you will just need to eat it and call it a learning experience.

Moral of that story dont let them take advantage of you.:clap::clap::clap:
 
Franky,they'd be a fool not to.
Of course, that depends on what your original bid/contract was. If it said "prune all trees in yard as directed by homeowner", that is a communication problem/bidding mistake on your part and you will just need to eat it and call it a learning experience.

Thats why I always give a price to prune everything in the yard, and a price for what they ask for......


:cheers:
 
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For prune jobs 95% of the time I bid them hourly. Otherwise its the same old story.... Go to the Bid. They want a hazrd prune. "Just the big limbs" Then when you do the job they are pointing out pencil sized deadwood you missed. Bidding by the hour solves all those problems..... Mike
 
I tell them up front "I'll do what ever you need, everything you add, the price goes up"
Usually stops it from even starting.
 
Had one a few weeks ago...walked the property with the wife, bid the job, bid accepted...night before I called to let them know we were coming the next morning, talked to the husband, he started to say, 'there was some other stuff I wanted done as well'...I said, that's fine, we'll just get the work done that I priced for, then we can look and see what else you'd like attended to!

When I was done (post hurricane cleanup & repair) they said they had been expecting a more radical cutting of the trees, had to give them the whole mass energy ratio, recovery, new leaves, I'll revisit in the spring, speech...it seemed to work.
 
Thanks for the input

That was a lot of good suggestions. I was thinking of doing like 3 small freebies and then telling them that any more and we will have to charge. As I've said I'm new to this and I feel that I can't afford to upset a customer if I can help it, but if I do a few small freebies then the I could say" how often do you give your employer a free hour because we're geting close" and then laugh so they don't see me as confrontational.
 
If asked to do extras I let them know what sort of time on job I have quoted for, if there is time left of the quoted job, we will do it, otherwise we will charge them by the hour. Its fair for both parties.
 
they said they had been expecting a more radical cutting of the trees, had to give them the whole mass energy ratio, recovery, new leaves, I'll revisit in the spring, speech...it seemed to work.

Good strategy. People understand dose, and are reminded these are living things. That leads to an ongoing care contract which is the best program for all concerned imo.
 
Did one a couple/few weeks back where I started out doing 4 trees on one of the guys rental properties (4 small dead Oaks) and one medium Oak at his home. I hit him a little harder than I meant to so when he asked me to give him a price on pruning 25 and removing 11 more on his property I gave him a very reasonable rate. Especially being that this was a gated, million dollar community and I wanted the referral. He stalled on me and got another bid. I was confident that no one would beat my price as I was really trying to make it up to him for hitting him so hard on the earlier removals. He called me about a week later and said that if I would throw in one more medium oak removal for my price he would go with me. I agreed.

Fast forward to the next week doing the job which took me 2 full days and two return trips, about an hour each time, for brush and little things to make him happy. My second day on the job, while I was doing the large prunes in the front yard, he asked me if I would remove two small trees for him, one in the front and one in the back... Took me about 5 minutes a piece so it was no biggie. He added something else to me, can't remember what but I had a trick up my sleeve to stop him from requesting anymore freebies. Initially I was going to sub the stumps out on the smaller removals. He said he wanted all the old stumps ground as well. My sub was supposed to be rolling to the job and I couldn't raise him on the phone so I just told the guy to work it out with the sub, that he was reasonable and would work with him. Well When I bid the subsequent work I told him I would throw the stumps from my removals in, being that he had already paid for the stump on the initial removal (which the sub never did). When it came time for me to grind the stumps I walked around and counted all the stumps and came up with 19. I called him and asked if he wanted me to grind out the old stumps in the yard and he said he wanted every stump gone. I told him it would run him another hundred dollars (all small, old, rotten stumps). LOL, he acted like he had been gut shot. He said he thought that the stumps were included in the price. I told him that all 11 stumps from my removals were included but he had added three more trees in all and had 5 older stumps that he was adding on. Told him that that was a deal at less than $20 a stump. He didn't like it but what could he do??? I had the stump grinder on site and it would cost him two or three times as much to get someone else out there... He said fine, whatever, just do it... LOL, that stopped the add ons... And the best part is he is a car salesman... LMAO, love getting one over on those guys!
 
Will he rave?

I am not trying to be a prick here but it seems like you got one over on him on the first job and he slammed you on the second. I just wonder if after all was said and done with that transaction if he'll be happy to refer you. As a first year tree service trying to get my name out there, referals are the name of the game. I'm not sure you didn't just shoot yourself in the foot with him for $100. Being that the guy is a great salesman, I would probably ate the hundred and told the fellow that I went far above and beyond for him, that I didn't mind it but he should do his best to get my name out there. To me, that's worth way more than $100
 
I am not trying to be a prick here but it seems like you got one over on him on the first job and he slammed you on the second. I just wonder if after all was said and done with that transaction if he'll be happy to refer you. As a first year tree service trying to get my name out there, referals are the name of the game. I'm not sure you didn't just shoot yourself in the foot with him for $100. Being that the guy is a great salesman, I would probably ate the hundred and told the fellow that I went far above and beyond for him, that I didn't mind it but he should do his best to get my name out there. To me, that's worth way more than $100

LOL, I made his trees look beautiful. He was definitely happy when all was said and done. Have already worked on another of his rental properties since then and have done two other jobs in that neighborhood for passersby that I handed cards out to. Have another one I just bid Thursday that I am waiting to hear back from. My work speaks for itself.

And quite frankly, I would rather tell someone to shove a referral up their wazoo than to allow them to take advantage of me.

Anytime you deal with an old car salesman you better bring your A game when it comes to negotiating and expect a little bump and grind. Nothing personal, it's just business and they now that better than most.
 
LOL, I made his trees look beautiful. He was definitely happy when all was said and done. Have already worked on another of his rental properties since then and have done two other jobs in that neighborhood for passersby that I handed cards out to. Have another one I just bid Thursday that I am waiting to hear back from. My work speaks for itself.

And quite frankly, I would rather tell someone to shove a referral up their wazoo than to allow them to take advantage of me.

Anytime you deal with an old car salesman you better bring your A game when it comes to negotiating and expect a little bump and grind. Nothing personal, it's just business and they now that better than most.

:agree2:

A good referal for a job well done is one thing,but having
someone tell people that you can be taken advantage of is another.

How's the old saying go? ''With friends like that ,who needs enemies.''
 

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