Blurb for proposal text.

[treesquirrel]

What do you think of this as a generic blurb that I will add to all my written proposals.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide a quote for the services described below. Company name is a 100% drug and alcohol free company dedicated to top customer service. We provide all details of the job and proof of insurance for your peace of mind. We strongly urge you to insist on the same from any competitors in order to be clear on what you are getting. We will make every effort to match or beat any written estimates by a liscensed and insured company.

 

[b1rdman]

As a consumer of services I have to say that the "100% drug and alcohol free company" is a huge selling point.

Looks good... maybe lost or replace the 100% before liability.

 

[treesquirrel]

Thanks, I will edit that out as it does kinda sound funny.

This is just my attempt at making sure people getting quotes from me know the risk of hiring the hacks.

 

[ckliff]

Not bad, but imho drop the pricing bit. Even a licensed & insured outfit will underbid. Around here any guy with a pickup & chainsaw thinks he knows how to trim trees. It's only a small step to get a city license & insurance. After bluffing their way past the City Forester, they hack & underbid like crazy. Just don't set yourself up against that. A pro is worth the extra $.

 

[kevknep]

I think it sounds good and I understand the intent, but I don't think it is completely true.

You are probably a drug and alcohol free WORKPLACE, unless no-one in the company ever drinks or does drugs. Do you test your employees for drugs? If not, how do you know?

I personally would also leave out the last sentence, or re-write it to say that the home owner COULD be responsible for certain things.

I'm not sure that the homeowner is responsible if someone they hire drops a limb on someone else's house, and I'm pretty sure that the homeowner does not become an employer if they hire someone who is uninsured. Unless you are confident that the statement is completely true, I wouldn't include it as written.

And as a previous poster mentioned, do you really want to get into the underbidding game? What do you do if another company has the same policy, do you two keep lowering the bid until the job is done for free?

 

[ASD]

" If you receive a detailed written proposal for the work as described below for less we will beat the competition by 5%.


Becareful what you are doing / saying as this would be considered price shopping an is not legal in most states (for contractors)

and

You are entering on to a legal contract to beat all prices buy 5% and your competers will get wind of it and when they know that they are biding agenst you they will bid at .10 on the dollor and you will have to do the job for 5% less and they will drive you out of bis.

 

[kevknep]

That was what I would also be afraid of. I could picture a competitor who has a friend that needs work done and gives his buddy an embarrassingly low bid just to watch you have to do the job for almost nothing.

 

[treesquirrel]

I definitely understand about the 5% bid commitment. I've already reconsidered that.

The comment about homeowners hiring non legit workers is pretty much true.

Recently in our neighborhood a homeowner hired an woman and her son to clean their gutters. There was an accident and basically the homeowner was getting sued to provide the coverage for the injuries and their insurance had to pay.

I will talk to a local workers comp lawyer and verify how the situation would be handled but you also have to keep in mind if you hired an illegal immigrant to work in your yard you are open to all sorts of interesting stuff. First and foremost employing an illegal.

This is just something I am tossing around.

Thanks for all the useful feedback.

 

[treesquirrel]

Edited blurb to incorporate suggestions.

Thanks again.

 

[kevknep]

The more I think about, the more I like the idea of having a statement like this on estimates. The new wording really makes the point without sounding like you are trying to scare the home owner. Very nice job.

 

[ASD]

my only other idea would be to put it at the bottom of the page not the top put you letter head at the top and the info about thir job first

 

[ponderosatree]

What do you think of this as a generic blurb that I will add to all my written proposals.

We will make every effort to match or beat any written estimates by a liscensed and insured company.

Desperate for work?

 

[treesquirrel]

Desperate for work?

Not at the moment. We have a high concentration of tree services around here. About 70% are legit and the others hacks. Just making the point that I will be competitive on pricing if my potential customer goes shopping.

Why do you ask?

 

[B-Edwards]

You are a very lucky guy to make the statement about 100% drug free. I have been in this biz for almost 20 years and around here most tree guys are dope suckers or drunks or both. Glad to see it's possible to hire clean people. I would notice that in your blurb and be impressed by it.

 

[treeslayer666]

matching prices

Around here you would be considered the HACK. Why dont you tell your potential customers this is the best you can do on the price and to watch out for "hacks" claiming to beat or match prices.

 

[treesquirrel]

Around here you would be considered the HACK. Why dont you tell your potential customers this is the best you can do on the price and to watch out for "hacks" claiming to beat or match prices.

An interesting comment.



I actually enjoy it when I get an opportunity to snatch biz from a lowballer. I will not however match verbal, non detailed quotes. You never know exactly what they are really proposing to do.

There is the idea of making efforts to undermine the "hacks" when it is prudent to do so.

 

[appalachianarbo]

I like the idea. It gives just a little bit of an extra "sell" when they look at the bid sheet after you leave.

I wouldn't put anything about your price matching. If someone thinks there is a possibility of you changing prices, they'll take every opportuity to try and get you to go lower. If you've bid it correctly, you shouldn't have a problem. Value yourself and your work, and have confidence in your bidding ability.

BTW, before you print your new bid sheets, change the spelling on "licensed"

 

[John464]

Price matching or beating qoutes is just about the worst thing you can have on a proposal.

Sell yourself on doing a better job than anyone, using the best methods.

The customer that is looking for the lowest price is not the customer I want. Id rather have my competition busy on those types of jobs just spinning their wheels. While Im out doing the quality well paying jobs.

There is no point in doing a job unless you are making your minimum profit margin, not someone elses.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

Our company ranks about third as the " HIGHEST BID QUOTED " ! A fairly noteworty position , considering 46 other companies also advertise in the same Yellowpages & have web sites listed locally . We are proud to explain our insurance coverages , available equipment , experience , employee training & the satisfaction they will get upon a great clean-up effort . Our company list of both local & non-local referals along with their published phone numbers . We use this as a hard selling point ! A photo album of before & after jobs is also used in conjunction with presentation of current insurance certificates ; phone numbers displayed ! PLEASE VERIFY OUR COVERAGES OR ANY OTHERS BIDDING ... Our company books only 60-70 percent of reviewed estimates . Good cash flow & profitability ! Longevity in a tightning economy !
Equipment owned not financed . Hopefully all will remain good & looking foward to 2008 !

 

[BobbyBee]

Price Matching and Beating

Good Thread Guys,

My two cents. The price matching / beating thing doesn't sit right with me for some reason. It as if it says to the customer ...

"I could do the work for a lower price but I will try to get you at this higher price first."