Friendly Competition

[Outlaw333]

Hi Folks,

 

I have recently set up my business and things are going well so far.

I came across a bit of a phenomenon on my last job and it has raised a few questions.

Now as far as I am concerned I want to maintain a good friendly relationship with fellow arborists in the area, I frequently sing the praises of those I know who are doing good work, I have some whom I consider friends and some well thought of acquaintances and knowing the quality of their work I often recommend them to potential clients when I'm pricing up jobs as I feel it is good for the soul, good for business and good for everyone that way(just my personal feeling).

 

So I did a job yesterday and the client had had another chap in to price the job before I had, I won the job but not because I undercut him(my rate is actually considerably higher) but he had failed to point out, for what reason I genuinely don't know, that clearly the simplest and most cost effective method was not to dismantle the tree but to seek permission from the neighboring farmer to take down the stock fencing at the perimeter of the garden and straight fell it into the field. The response the client received from the other chap however was shocking, without going into detail here, he said to me that he had got angry, told him never to contact him again and proceeded to badmouth me(on what premise I have absolutely no idea!). This particular episode hasn't really bothered me but it has raised some questions. So I just wondered if anyone had any words of wisdom really, is this behavior frequently encountered? Should I expect to come across a lot of hostility? I'm not living in lala land but I would have thought that surely most accept that this is a game, there is competition out there, you're not going to win every job and you just need to bloody well man up!

My main concern is that clients get a good contractor who will look after them and do a pukka job, whether that is by myself or somebody else it doesn't really matter, as long as I am getting by ok, I hope the same for everyone else.

[Richard 1234]

I had this last year with a chap from the next village. Complaining I stole his customers(I didn't ) blah blah blah....

Just ignore and move on.

I think the same as you by the way. There is loads of work out there if you do a good job. Why be acrimonious with other business's.

Throw each other work you don't want/ can't do it can't get to in s timely manner. What goes around comes around.

Keep smiling 😀

[diervek]

I think you know who that customer will use and recommend...

 

Sounds like the guy is desperate for the work.... you have to wonder why...

These types are in all walks of life. take it and keep doing what you're doing.

[Midge]

I think the same as you by the way. There is loads of work out there if you do a good job. Why be acrimonious with other business's.

Throw each other work you don't want/ can't do it can't get to in s timely manner. What goes around comes around.

Keep smiling 😀

 

Well said there. I currently work with a lad who used to work for a tree firm and he told me if his team couldn't get to a job or didn't have time to do it etc. they would recomend another firm and vice versa. Personally that is also how I would work. If I turned up to a job I couldn't do, didn't have time to do or thought it was to big a job I'd recommend somebody who could do it, we all need to make a living so theres no point been a d*ck about it and I'd like to think people would do the same back for me!

[wicklamulla]

Well said there. I currently work with a lad who used to work for a tree firm and he told me if his team couldn't get to a job or didn't have time to do it etc. they would recomend another firm and vice versa. Personally that is also how I would work. If I turned up to a job I couldn't do, didn't have time to do or thought it was to big a job I'd recommend somebody who could do it, we all need to make a living so theres no point been a d*ck about it and I'd like to think people would do the same back for me!

 

Agree, I often recommend fellow arbs that i know are honest and do a good job and are basically the type of folks i'd want at my own property doing tree work for me. A customer told me last week of a few people that turned up to price a large oak fell and he was wary of them as he felt they were 'blagging it'. After he informed me of these blaggers plan on how to deal with said tree i had to agree with he. I won the work despite being £200 more expensive. I think it's 'childish and poor form' to go round slating the competition regardless of how good or not so good they may be. I usually dispense with the 'blaggers' by providing references of recent work and showing a customer my relevent quals and insurances as quite a few down this way run without any of these !

[Richard 1234]

Well said there. I currently work with a lad who used to work for a tree firm and he told me if his team couldn't get to a job or didn't have time to do it etc. they would recomend another firm and vice versa. Personally that is also how I would work. If I turned up to a job I couldn't do, didn't have time to do or thought it was to big a job I'd recommend somebody who could do it, we all need to make a living so theres no point been a d*ck about it and I'd like to think people would do the same back for me!

 

 

I do think it's more to do with the bad mouthing persons business not working quite right and needing the money.

The guy who did it too me recently had to move(I presume had to) out of a really expensive house in the cathedral quarter in Lincoln to one of the local villages to a property worth less than half the old one.

I made me think he was struggling for work and getting frustrated.

[leswold]

I wouldn't badmouth other arbs whether it be to the customer or anyone else. It smacks of desperation & anyway, life is too short & there is always enough work to get by if you price reasonably & are any good. Forget him.