Its starting already...

[tree MDS]

Disclaimer: I realize i should have gotten a signed contract, so save it! I don't really want to work for people that aren't good for their word.

Picked up a nice little tree job about eight days ago. Job was priced nice and the people were happy (they called back with the go ahead latter that day).

Just got a call back from the customer saying "we got another price that was $300 cheaper than yours, so we decided to go with them". I said " so you're still getting prices??" They said "well, we had called them at first, and they didn't get back to us... they said they were sick". I said "may I ask who it was?". They said they would rather not say.

Now, I suppose I could have just dropped my price (since it was a simple job really), but thats not my style...

Let the devaluing begin. :angry2:

 

[gwiley]

Too bad you didn't get rolling on it sooner, but I suspect that you are right - better to not deal with folks that won't keep their word.

 

[tree MDS]

I'm thinking that in some ways it must be nice to be a lowballing dirtball hack bag... I mean at that rate you dont even have to return the call in a timely manner, or have the ability to sell work. Just the lowest price.

He was sick... dope sick is probably more like it.

Anybody else use these tactics out there?? maybe this will be my new pitch "well, just call me when you're done getting estimates, I'll pull the syringe out of my neck, and be right on over with the lowest bid".

:angry2:

 

[tree MDS]

Too bad you didn't get rolling on it sooner, but I suspect that you are right - better to not deal with folks that won't keep their word.

You're right actually. Its just that I'm still working up the courage to place a help wanted add... it gets tiring over time. I was hoping to put it off until April and get by with subs till then.

 

[HighGuy]

Come on out to Southern Wisconsin! Where GM closed and some of their "still being paid" ex-employees are "low balling" any tree or landscape job they can find, to fill some leisure time(?). Tree trimming, with no insurance or real equipment. Friggen economy is bad enough here right now!:angry2:

Just my soap box stand!

 

[ForTheArborist]

Disclaimer: I realize i should have gotten a signed contract, so save it! I don't really want to work for people that aren't good for their word.

Picked up a nice little tree job about eight days ago. Job was priced nice and the people were happy (they called back with the go ahead latter that day).

Just got a call back from the customer saying "we got another price that was $300 cheaper than yours, so we decided to go with them". I said " so you're still getting prices??" They said "well, we had called them at first, and they didn't get back to us... they said they were sick". I said "may I ask who it was?". They said they would rather not say.

Now, I suppose I could have just dropped my price (since it was a simple job really), but thats not my style...

Let the devaluing begin. :angry2:

:jawdrop:
That's some mystery, kid. I hope you make it through them tough times.

:greenchainsaw:

 

[lone wolf]

that is normal if it is just one out of so many but how often does it happen to you?

 

[tree MDS]

that is normal if it is just one out of so many but how often does it happen to you?

About five times in the fourteen years I'm starting this season.

 

[tree MDS]

:jawdrop:
That's some mystery, kid. I hope you make it through them tough times.

:greenchainsaw:

You aint even worth much of a response "For The Bathhouse Action"... but I have plenty of work and things will be just fine.. fruitbasket... I mean "kid". lol.

 

[lone wolf]

About five times in the fourteen years I'm starting this season.

and how many times a year do they simply not pay do to lack of funds?

 

[tree MDS]

and how many times a year do they simply not pay do to lack of funds?

Never been burned yet.

Thought I might get burned a couple of times.. but no.

Honest work demands honest pay imho - and people around here usually see that.

 

[lone wolf]

Never been burned yet.

Thought I might get burned a couple of times.. but no.

Honest work demands honest pay imho - and people around here usually see that.

we get burned about one out of 500 people.had them just write bad checks.

 

[mckeetree]

I said "may I ask who it was?". They said they would rather not say.

Right. I've gotten that before. That burns me up. What the F is up with that anyway. Are they so damned ashamed of who they hired they had rather not say? I had this moron pull that on me a couple years ago and it made me so mad I told him "You know what, I have an opinion of you and I rather had say." The moron hung up on me before I could tell it all but I see them in Lowe's the next day and continue to let them have it when this guy with them that turns out to be their neighbor starts to laugh and tells me they hired some illegal aliens, that's why they had rather not say.

 

[lone wolf]

Right. I've gotten that before. That burns me up. What the F is up with that anyway. Are they so damned ashamed of who they hired they had rather not say? I had this moron pull that on me a couple years ago and it made me so mad I told him "You know what, I have an opinion of you and I rather had say." The moron hung up on me before I could tell it all but I see them in Lowe's the next day and continue to let them have it when this guy with them that turns out to be their neighbor starts to laugh and tells me they hired some illegal aliens, that's why they had rather not say.

mfers

 

[treemandan]

The lady who called this morning told me she had other bids. Well I just had to ask but she she wouldn't tell me.
So I look at the job and figure around a G. She says the other guy guy said 750. It was this guy:

 

[treemandan]

:jawdrop:
That's some mystery, kid. I hope you make it through them tough times.

:greenchainsaw:

I am sorry, I know this ain't even my fight BUT : Kid? Is that really what just came out of your mouth? Kid?
I dunno but I think you should see a doctor, you might not need one now but you sure a hell are gonna. Kid? Really? Kid?
I am going to up all night with this.

 

[tree md]

It happens. It sucks, I know but dems da breaks sometimes. I got a little hot around the collar with a guy who called to cancel the morning of the job when I had a 5 man crew and two trucks already rolling to the job. I kind of let him have it in the heat of the moment but I normally try to keep my cool when it happens. I don't like to burn any bridges. I had a woman do that to me about two years ago then called me back when the amateur she went with chickened out once he got up in the tree. Now I always tell them to call me if things don't work out.

 

[mckeetree]

I don't like to burn any bridges.

I don't have a problem with burning bridges and I do it ceremoniously and make a production out of it. I am known for it.

 

[lone wolf]

I am sorry, I know this ain't even my fight BUT : Kid? Is that really what just came out of your mouth? Kid?
I dunno but I think you should see a doctor, you might not need one now but you sure a hell are gonna. Kid? Really? Kid?
I am going to up all night with this.

up all nite about the kid part or the h.o. part in this?

 

[kpmtree]

I just had a lady call to cancel after she talked to her neighbor who owns rental property. He has some "tree guys", that I'm sure also do roofing, drywall, and paint, that will do it for "a little bit cheaper" I tried to explain to her the risks of having someone that has no insurance or experiance try to handle a job that size, but all she saw were the dollar signs. I'm starting to wonder if being quick to respond to people and get estimates out is sometimes hurting your chances with the way the economy is. You have guys come in, look at your bid and knock off $75 or $100, and they go with them just to save a buck. Its hard to bid against some of these guys when you aren't comparing apples to apples.