company bashing via equipment.....

[ez_tree_w.ny]

i just wanted to touch on the fact i have read a lot of guys stories about the local hack with barely running equipment.... All things aside they might be a hack that does shotty work. But on the other hand what if your bashing a local up an comer like me.. Starting a business in this economy is like juggling chainsaws not everyone could.. But there are a few of us out there that simply dont have the best equipment or for that matter the best saws... But still most of my work comes from referalls... I think if i was a hack that would not be the case.. All im saying is never judge a book by its cover... We all put our boots on the same way in the morning and even thou my operation may look a little rag tag i still use my tree knowledge to make a difference.. And at the end of the day that is what really matters knowledge is more powerful than equipment.

 

[timberjak]

I am in your corner of thinking here but prepare to be judged, seems most forums attack people with views that are not as "normal" in looking to the public. not shiny and new your a hack they seem to say.

I do not agree with the new shiny equip. hard to fix all the electrical etc. I can rebuild motors cheaper than some of the new computers and controls.

I am a veteran around my area for trees over 15 yrs. which is long compared to most services in area. I have a lot of equip. but none is new minus ropes and important climbing gear, slings etc.

most would roll their eyes and nose about my 1976 c60 bucket truck. 80's skidsteer, 80's chipper and stump grinder. but they all run great and I can fix anything that comes along if it does.

Oh by the way I own a resort too, so yep I am kinda a side job type, I just like to be in around or cutting trees. its been in my blood since 14. been chainsaw carving since then also.

I get a lot of return business and no adds in the paper, I do have business cards 500 of em lasted for as long as I can remember.

bottom line whoever does the best job wins, price is definately a motivator on both sides. but do a hack job and the name follows.

I am ready for the smart all comments

 

[ez_tree_w.ny]

besides i kinda like chaging customers minds ive gotton a few " well i was a little un sure about you when you got here. But from now on your gonna be the one i call over everyone else... You did a great job!"

 

[arborpros]

My two cents.

A hack is someone that comes in and bids a $800 job at $150 and then leave stubs or cuts in to the branch collars all over the tree. Someone that low balls every bid they give and muddys up the bidding waters is a hack. Someone that tops trees is a hack. (Very rarely is it justified, and I mean VERY rarely). Just because you don't have nice shiny new trucks and equipment does not make you a hack. How you do the job and present yourself makes you a hack. Someone that has a chainsaw and a pickup truck and has no clue what propper pruning techniques are is a hack. Someone that has never picked up a book or gone to a website to expand their knowlege of new deseases, new pruning techniques, or the changing industry is a hack. Someone that puts on spikes to prune trees is a hack. Someone that does not know simple industry terms like co-dominant, included bark, crown reduction, ect is a hack.

Hacks suck and they mess up the whole industry for everyone else. People that care for the longevity of life for the trees they prune by using propper pruning techniquesand educate their customers on why they did what they did are not hacks and I value people like that. Hacks suck.

Now you've got me fuming............

 

[tree md]

Snapped this pic this morning out on the road. In my opinion, guys who leave this in their wake are hacks:

Poor tree...

 

[deevo]

Snapped this pic this morning out on the road. In my opinion, guys who leave this in their wake are hacks:

Poor tree...

Agreed

 

[lone wolf]

Agreed

That one should be ticketable for being an eyesore!

 

[Bomber]

I agree with you EZ. I base my judgment on quality of work. If you prune the tree and it is scalped and looks like a lolly pop when your done your a hack. If your using 3 pole saw extensions, while hugging the trunk, to get out at the tips your a hack. I dont base judgment of the type of equipment you can afford, but if you have a bucket truck and or a chipper that is leaking oil and pissing hydro fluid onto the customers property then your a hack.

 

[Blakesmaster]

There's a difference between, older, well maintained equipment, and bombing down the road in a rust bucket. Much of my equipment is older, but I keep it painted and looking decent. But to be honest, I don't keep my stuff looking nice to impress the competition, I do it to impress the clientele.

In my opinion, a client ( or more importantly a potential client ) would rather see a truck like this

on their property, than one like this.

Not that my truck is all that and a bag of chips, but it looks a heck of a lot more professional than option 2.

 

[tree md]

Your average client is not going to have any clue in the difference between bucket trucks. They would be happy just not to have ruts left in their yard by one... Or oil in the driveway.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Your average client is not going to have any clue in the difference between bucket trucks. They would be happy just not to have ruts left in their yard by one... Or oil in the driveway.

I know they aren't going to understand the difference in booms and trucks, the point I was making is that one looks old and beat up, while the other looks like a solid truck. Perhaps I used a poor example. I'll try again.

Would a potential client rather you show up in a truck like this for an estimate

or a truck like this?

 

[tree md]

I'll say this and I'll be done with it:

A proven track record and a good name will take you much further than shiny new equipment ever will.

Case in point: There is a guy who is well known in my town. He had a big name around here and is known nationally, made some quick money and ran out and bought a bunch of shiny new equipment. He even had his own TV show at one time. His name is now #### and they have nearly ran him out of town for doing shoddy work and tearing up property. As I remember it, he used to roll up to the job in a Mercedes or an Audi, can't remember which.

Doing good quality work, keeping your word with people and developing a good reputation will take you a lot further than a bucket truck in this biz.

 

[ez_tree_w.ny]

my truck is deffenatly a piece of crap.... Most of my money is in my climbing and rigging equipment when it comes to booms and other such items i rent.... It sucks but i at least don't encounter enviromental probloms from leackage do i wish i had more of course but at the end of the day i know im no hack because im so anal retentive about my work and any time i leave ruts i bring in topsoil and grass seed and fix. I even bring a few buckets of soil and grass starter for any divits i leave as an extra courtesy.... I aim to keep my company doing the best work possible and i judge my employees like i judge myself.... Proper pruning... No gaffs on prunes... No shotty work and on toping i do my best just to talk em into full removals or suggest they find someone else... I have found if you stick to some basic principals,keep an open mind to learning and understand that the more you know the easier it is to make a difference, it will be easier to look back at the tuff times and know you didnt comprimise your tree morals....

 

[mckeetree]

I have thoughts about some of this but I'll keep them to myself. I will say this...if I didn't add in new stuff on a yearly basis I couldn't pay my taxes. My CPA looks at things around Nov. and advises me. I ask him once what about all these guys running that old depreciated out equipment that claim they are making good money. His reply was "Well, hmmm, something doesn't add up there does it."

 

[mattfr12]

I have thoughts about some of this but I'll keep them to myself. I will say this...if I didn't add in new stuff on a yearly basis I couldn't pay my taxes. My CPA looks at things around Nov. and advises me. I ask him once what about all these guys running that old depreciated out equipment that claim they are making good money. His reply was "Well, hmmm, something doesn't add up there does it."

ya thats we buy some stuff every year might as well turn it into something you can use than pay it in taxes.

 

[mckeetree]

ya thats we buy some stuff every year might as well turn it into something you can use than pay it in taxes.

Exactly. It's equipment or taxes. That seems like a no brainer to me. Like my CPA said...some things just don't add up.

 

[tree md]

LOL, starting to sound like Newt Gingrich up in here...

Everyone must render unto Caesar. No escaping it.

 

[Slvrmple72]

About the time you start buying nice brand new large equipment is also about the time your body is starting to go to ****. One of life's funny little ironies. :frown:

 

[mckeetree]

LOL, starting to sound like Newt Gingrich up in here...

Everyone must render unto Caesar. No escaping it.

Nope, there is no escaping it.

 

[mattfr12]

Nope, there is no escaping it.

ya i don't beat paying them by a long shot but you don't have to give it all away.