How far are you prepared to go to get work?

[Matthew Storrs]

This question is aimed at the business owners on here but I'd be interested to know how far everyone is prepared to travel to get work, and at what distance does going to quote the job become more costly then the jobs worth.

Myself I like to have a small catchment area. I rarely travel more then 12 miles to quote a job unless I happen to be in the given area.

Also do most of you question at the customer enquiry stage how big a job it could be- obviously travelling 30 miles to look at a 10 ft conifer removal where they've got 5 other quotes is counter productive but its hard to get accurate information over the phone from the customer sometimes.

[Ropechucka]

I'm pretty much the same as you, I tend to stick local. People have often offered to send photos of a job if it's far away,but I don't like pricing from them as they don't often show the green house/shed underneath and it's hard to gauge the journey the tree has to be taken to the chipper.

 

 

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[Craobh]

I don't do arb work per se but if we get a call from a distance then the first thing that runs in my head is........why they calling me when I know there are folks in that area......I guess maybe not helpful but it is one of many things I do think of.

 

 

Oh I so agree picture quotes are a no no ......I get folks sending me pics asking how to etc etc and as you said they can't show the full situation ......that often causes frustration but I won't bid or quote on jack til I standing there.

 

 

Business is a numbers game (as everyone knows) if they don't stack jog on by no use losing money

[Kenty]

At the moment I'm travelling 40 miles to look at jobs, but I have just recently moved so trying to get established where I am now, so usually a 20 mile radius.

I've given up asking customers how big is their tree as I've had some say it's huge and barely ten foot and some say it's not that big and it turns out to be a monster.

[Hodge]

I will go anywhere if they will pay, I do the groundwork on the phone, get as much info as poss and if it sound ok then I will go and take a look, if they have 5 quotes I don't bother.

 

 

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[lyons e]

I will go anywhere if they will pay, I do the groundwork on the phone, get as much info as poss and if it sound ok then I will go and take a look, if they have 5 quotes I don't bother.

 

 

Sent from Hodge's eye phone using the new fancy Arbtalk Mobile App:)

 

Same as that , do try stay local but if its there then we go

 

 

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[Spruce Pirate]

Domestic / residential I try to stay local, we're rural, so realistically that's about a 20 mile radius to get a decent number of potential customers. Commercially I'll price within a couple of hours travel, even slightly more on occassion, but you always have to bear in mind that the extra travel or digs will push the price up, so you have to be reasonalby confident of having a good chance of getting the job (ie have a good relationship with the client) to take the risk.

[Craobh]

We have an RV so when we go on the road accommodation is with us different scenario granted but saves overheads big style

[Ropechucka]

When i started out i used to travel here,. there and everywhere to get going. Nowadays I have a good local customer base. I still travel a bit for contractors i have got to know over the years but 95% of my work is domestic which suits me.

[DM TREES]

Monday 5 miles

Tuesday 35 miles

Wednesday 3 miles

Thursday 9 miles

Friday 5 miles

Doesn't deviate from that much !!