Missed calls

[sgreanbeans]

I miss calls all the time, but my message directs them to my website before it tells them to leave a message. Message tells them to give me a couple days, they always do. Then after the message, they go to my site and that always seals the deal. If I get a call, with no message, then it must be a telemarketer. I wouldn't worry to much about it.

 

[imagineero]

I think it very much depends on how you've marketed your business. If you're marketed extensively, web page, facebook, flyers, yellow pages etc etc then you're going to get plenty of calls. But be prepared to sort the wheat from the chaff, and the chaff from the telemarketers! I don't really advertise at all, so most of the calls I get are referrals. I leave my phone in the truck (or even at home) and call back at the end of the day. I only quote saturdays. I've put up some pretty detailed posts in past about the benefits of that.

Hi, It's shaun calling from xxxxx I had a missed call from you today about some tree work?
Yeah thanks we already got someone else
No problem. If you're looking for a comparison quote please give us a call, we'd be happy to look at your work we quote every saturday.

Hi, It's shaun calling from xxxxx I had a missed call from you today about some tree work?
Thanks for calling back, James gave me your number he said that you did a great job for him
Oh yeah, James is a great guy. We'd be happy to look at your tree and give you some advice. We quote every saturday
That sounds fine, could you come out sometime before lunch?

Hi, It's shaun calling from xxxxx I had a missed call from you today about some tree work?
Yes this is praveet from telcomupyourass you have been selected to receive a special offer of a 50% discount on your calls
*click*

 

[pdqdl]

I dont help hacks! Unless maybe it was a situation where somebody was gonna get hurt. I have a friend whos a contract climber and another friend who has his own tree company. We help eachother out from time to time. But... We all do these bu the book, insurances, isa certs,workers comp. Ill never help sumone who thinks the rules dont apply to them. Ive worked my ass of to get where Im at. Hacks come and go like storms.

You can wear yourself out hatin' the hacks. Myself, I just make money off of them.

Had I taken the time to climb the tree, I would have made about $150 in one hour; maybe a 11/2 hours. As it was, I was keeping a well intentioned damned fool idiot from killing himself, a different hack climber/competitor gave me a nice stump grinding job in exchange for the reference, and everybody will still call me when they get a job they know they cannot do.

I don't dislike the hacks; I used to be one. You cannot get rid of them, but you might be able to educate them. They are just trying to scratch out a living, mostly off the sweat of their brow and discomfort and risks they will endure that the customer cannot or will not do.

Along the way, I pass out a little knowledge, I show them a better way to work, and at the end of the day, I don't go home with any regrets, nor anyone regretting that they know me.

BTW: In my area, there are two markets. There are the customers that want to pay for good service and get all the insurance expense that goes with it, and there are the "hack customers" that do not care about the quality of the work done, they just want a cheap price to make the tree go away. You cannot cater to both kinds of customers, cause the hacks will beat you to death on an underbid job. They are working for beer/dope money, and you are working for payroll/insurance/equipment/advertising/building overhead/profit money. You might as well make some money off the hacks when you can; they are already cutting into your market whenever they can.

 

[treeclimber101]

My voicemail says " hello ...... Hello ...........Hello ............I can barely hear you ....... We must have a awful connection , give me 40 minutes and I will give ya a ring back when I have better reception ! Hey Jack it works , first thing they say is hey Ed I can hear ya now just fine , can you hear me ?

 

[NCTREE]

Hi, It's shaun calling from xxxxx I had a missed call from you today about some tree work?
Yes this is praveet from telcomupyourass you have been selected to receive a special offer of a 50% discount on your calls
*click*

Tell me about it! I get 4 sometimes 5 a day. I've started answering my phone when it's an out of state area code just so I can tell them to #### off. It's a good release of negative energy when i've been having a bad day. This one call is always a different number, it say press 1 if you would like to update your internet listing. I just sit and wait hoping to get someone to ##### out but it just hangs up. If I call the number back it says it's been changed. Go figure!

 

[Norwayclimber]

Just invest in a set of peltors and you won't have to miss a phone call ever again 3M Peltor Wireless Series 5 Headset with Bluetooth Wireless Technology, model number MT16H21FWS5UM581-Shop 3M

 

[treecutterjr]

you rent out your saws?

I've had people ask me about renting a saw and things like that here and there but I have steered clear because A: I'm afraid of them hurting themselves. &B: yOF My stuff coming back.

Do you do the whole rental process? License, credit card, etc. Or just like a cash and carry "I hope my stuff comes back?" And is there any extra renter insurance you need to rent out small equipment?

You can wear yourself out hatin' the hacks. Myself, I just make money off of them.

Had I taken the time to climb the tree, I would have made about $150 in one hour; maybe a 11/2 hours. As it was, I was keeping a well intentioned damned fool idiot from killing himself, a different hack climber/competitor gave me a nice stump grinding job in exchange for the reference, and everybody will still call me when they get a job they know they cannot do.

I don't dislike the hacks; I used to be one. You cannot get rid of them, but you might be able to educate them. They are just trying to scratch out a living, mostly off the sweat of their brow and discomfort and risks they will endure that the customer cannot or will not do.

Along the way, I pass out a little knowledge, I show them a better way to work, and at the end of the day, I don't go home with any regrets, nor anyone regretting that they know me.

BTW: In my area, there are two markets. There are the customers that want to pay for good service and get all the insurance expense that goes with it, and there are the "hack customers" that do not care about the quality of the work done, they just want a cheap price to make the tree go away. You cannot cater to both kinds of customers, cause the hacks will beat you to death on an underbid job. They are working for beer/dope money, and you are working for payroll/insurance/equipment/advertising/building overhead/profit money. You might as well make some money off the hacks when you can; they are already cutting into your market whenever they can.

 

[RVALUE]

My voicemail says " hello ...... Hello ...........Hello ............I can barely hear you ....... We must have a awful connection , give me 40 minutes and I will give ya a ring back when I have better reception ! Hey Jack it works , first thing they say is hey Ed I can hear ya now just fine , can you hear me ?

That's funny here, but when my high school aged son did it a few years ago, I hated it. The more irritated I was at him, the better it worked on me.......

 

[treeclimber101]

I've had people ask me about renting a saw and things like that here and there but I have steered clear because A: I'm afraid of them hurting themselves. &B: yOF My stuff coming back.

Do you do the whole rental process? License, credit card, etc. Or just like a cash and carry "I hope my stuff comes back?" And is there any extra renter insurance you need to rent out small equipment?

I think your lost Jack ! Wrong thread to be asking insurance questions ! :msp_sneaky:

 

[treeclimber101]

That's funny here, but when my high school aged son did it a few years ago, I hated it. The more irritated I was at him, the better it worked on me.......

Yea my brother has it too , and sure as #### I fall for it every time I call .

 

[RVALUE]

My son's was: "Hello" followed by a long pause......

 

[pdqdl]

Just invest in a set of peltors and you won't have to miss a phone call ever again 3M Peltor Wireless Series 5 Headset with Bluetooth Wireless Technology, model number MT16H21FWS5UM581-Shop 3M

Yes! I have the older version, that does not play music, but does a fine job of answering the phone. They have absolutely unbelievable noise cancelling feature, you can literally be running a chainsaw or feeding a chipper and have a phone conversation.

Unless you are in a crazy loud environment, the folks you are talking to think you are still sitting in your office. They don't handle wind noise nearly so well though; they will cut off what you are saying.

 

[RVALUE]

Yes! I have the older version, that does not play music, but does a fine job of answering the phone. They have absolutely unbelievable noise cancelling feature, you can literally be running a chainsaw or feeding a chipper and have a phone conversation.

Unless you are in a crazy loud environment, the folks you are talking to think you are still sitting in your office. They don't handle wind noise nearly so well though; they will cut off what you are saying.

You left yourself wide open with the 'wind' comment.........:hmm3grin2orange:












(But after I saw yours, I bought two pairs, they work great.)

 

[pdqdl]

I've had people ask me about renting a saw and things like that here and there but I have steered clear because A: I'm afraid of them hurting themselves. &B: yOF My stuff coming back.

Do you do the whole rental process? License, credit card, etc. Or just like a cash and carry "I hope my stuff comes back?" And is there any extra renter insurance you need to rent out small equipment?

No, hell no, I don't rent out my saws. I couldn't rent that particular saw, because it was a POS that I wouldn't own.

The "rental" saw he had was from a rental yard. I told him that he could save five days at $45/day, and go buy that homeowner crap Stihl MS170 for himself. He didn't care; he knows he can't save any money.

 

[pdqdl]

I happily rent out my saws, along with an operator. :msp_biggrin: I have several hacks that will pay me to come chop up the base of a tree for them, just because their crap saws take too long.

They think I charge too much, so that doesn't happen very often.

 

[HuskStihl]

I rent out my masterminded 394 for $5 a day paid upon return of the saw. So far I've made $15, and I'm on my 4th 394. It takes smarts to be a good bidness man

 

[sgreanbeans]

I don't let anybody use anything. I have had people actually want to rent my bucket truck to do side jobs! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! Have had peeps ask to use my big saw for firewood, peeps ask to use my skid loader over the weekend. Its funny how people become your good friend again.......... after not seeing them for a while, when they need something form ya.
I had a guy get pissed at me "well ya hardly ever use it, why the fk not!" Because its mine A hole and u and jacking it up!

I do let my nephew use stuff tho, it always comes back cleaner and full of fuel, he respects other people's property, whatever he uses. Something that lots of people around here have forgot how to do.