How do they get away with it

[nailer]

I think there is way too much talk about 'being professional, qualified and insured'. It means jack to any and every customer with any sense. It means nowt. BS3998? Fully qualified? Think about it from the customer's point of view and think about what you look for when you buy a service or product. Are you looking for 'tickets' and insurance documents when you go out for a meal or get the roof fixed? You're probably looking for results. Give the customers evidence of results you can deliver. If a doctor started babbling on to you about how he's got all the right qualifications and how he's insured and how professional he is, would you be impressed? If another doctor showed you how she could make you well again in basic language a 5-year-old could understand would you be interested? Just a thought.

[skyhuck]

I think there is way too much talk about 'being professional, qualified and insured'. It means jack to any and every customer with any sense. It means nowt. BS3998? Fully qualified? Think about it from the customer's point of view and think about what you look for when you buy a service or product. Are you looking for 'tickets' and insurance documents when you go out for a meal or get the roof fixed? You're probably looking for results. Give the customers evidence of results you can deliver. If a doctor started babbling on to you about how he's got all the right qualifications and how he's insured and how professional he is, would you be impressed? If another doctor showed you how she could make you well again in basic language a 5-year-old could understand would you be interested? Just a thought.

 

:congrats:

 

Spot on mate!!!!!!!!!!

 

Reading this thread I just get sick of people bleating about other people, just concentrate on what you do and forget about what others are or aren't doing!!!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I think there is way too much talk about 'being professional, qualified and insured'. It means jack to any and every customer with any sense. It means nowt. BS3998? Fully qualified? Think about it from the customer's point of view and think about what you look for when you buy a service or product. Are you looking for 'tickets' and insurance documents when you go out for a meal or get the roof fixed? You're probably looking for results. Give the customers evidence of results you can deliver. If a doctor started babbling on to you about how he's got all the right qualifications and how he's insured and how professional he is, would you be impressed? If another doctor showed you how she could make you well again in basic language a 5-year-old could understand would you be interested? Just a thought.

 

Compairing a meal in a public resturant to having a potentialy mental retarded idiot removing heavy lumps of wood from over your private residence requires too different levels of trust!

 

Though i guess it is a little different if said meal is blow fish in a sushi bar! but how often is that happening in the suburbs?

[Gareth Dalzell]

:congrats:

 

Spot on mate!!!!!!!!!!

 

Reading this thread I just get sick of people bleating about other people, just concentrate on what you do and forget about what others are or aren't doing!!!

 

 

I agree, like I said it's not about slagging off another company, its about making your company look better. From a business point of view, it's the company who gets the job at the highest price not the lowest that makes the money - especially in the commercial market. Interesting I notice on the Manchester Tree Surgeon website Nailler there's a lot of information about insurance, BS and trained staff etc. I still think it's the right thing to promote.

 

Also in the medical field professional qualification is the be all and end all. Amongst themselves they via for position with their specialisms etc etc. We all know doctors have their qualifications - its a given that's why they don't have to tell us, although they all use their "letters" after their name to remind us and (unless they're consultants) they have that giveaway of putting "Dr" in front of their name. Their beside manner is something some have and some don't, but they all have the qualification, insurance, certificates and we don't need to be reminded of that.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Gareth Dalzell

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Hi Rupe, thanks for the post.

 

RE-'sub-contract arborist' & EL insurance, I didn't think so (that they were covered) but I'll check and get back as I'm really not sure.

 

ALL, several people mentioned about 'educating the client' as to what 'credentials'(?) they should expect a reputable and competent tree surgeon (a recognisable term in the domestic consumer world)/ 'arborist' to have which is a very valid point AND part of a 'professional service'.

To assist with this the AA produce a leaflet called 'Choosing Your Arborist' (see Leaflet "Treework - Choosing your Arborist") which may help. I know many arborists leave a copy of this with the client, explaining the content (obviously, sorry!), when they first meet....as a consumer in an unknown world I'm convinced it would reassure them.

Cheers..

Paul

Edited February 24, 2010 by AA Teccie (Paul)

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Reet Rupe, here we go (re-'subbies' & EL insurance)...I'm still not sure so will seek a view from HSE but the guidance (see http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf) states:

"You may need employers’ liability insurance for someone who works for you where:

■■ you deduct national insurance and income tax from the money you pay them;

■■ you have the right to control where and when they work and how they do it;

■■ you supply their work materials and equipment;

■■ you have a right to any profit your workers make although you may choose to share

this with them through commission, performance pay or shares in the company;

■■ you require that person only to deliver the service and they cannot employ a

substitute if they are unable to do the work; or

■■ they are treated in the same way as other employees, for example, they do the

same work under the same conditions as someone else you employ.

You may not need employers’ liability insurance for people who work for you where:

■■ they do not work exclusively for you (for example, if they operate as an

independent contractor);

■■ they supply most of the equipment and materials they need to do the job;

■■ they are clearly in business for their own personal benefit;

■■ they can employ a substitute when they are unable to do the work themselves;

■■ you do not deduct income tax or national insurance. However, even if someone

is self-employed for tax purposes they may be classed as an employee for other

reasons and you may still need employers’ liability insurance to cover them."

 

Helpful no?...aghhhh!!!!

Cheers..

Paul

[Rupe]

Hi Rupe, thanks for the post.

 

RE-'sub-contract arborist' & EL insurance, I didn't think so (that they were covered) but I'll check and get back as I'm really not sure.

 

 

 

Yes, but I'm not talking about sub contractors.

 

I mean people who are in for the day working with a company. They usually call themselves "subbies" but they are not sub-contractors.

[Rupe]

Reet Rupe, here we go (re-'subbies' & EL insurance)...I'm still not sure so will seek a view from HSE but the guidance (see http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf) states:

"You may need employers’ liability insurance for someone who works for you where:

■■ you deduct national insurance and income tax from the money you pay them;

■■ you have the right to control where and when they work and how they do it;

■■ you supply their work materials and equipment;

■■ you have a right to any profit your workers make although you may choose to share

this with them through commission, performance pay or shares in the company;

■■ you require that person only to deliver the service and they cannot employ a

substitute if they are unable to do the work; or

■■ they are treated in the same way as other employees, for example, they do the

same work under the same conditions as someone else you employ.

You may not need employers’ liability insurance for people who work for you where:

■■ they do not work exclusively for you (for example, if they operate as an

independent contractor);

■■ they supply most of the equipment and materials they need to do the job;

■■ they are clearly in business for their own personal benefit;

■■ they can employ a substitute when they are unable to do the work themselves;

■■ you do not deduct income tax or national insurance. However, even if someone

is self-employed for tax purposes they may be classed as an employee for other

reasons and you may still need employers’ liability insurance to cover them."

 

Helpful no?...aghhhh!!!!

Cheers..

Paul

 

 

Very helpful!! There are five points there (includign one major one!!) that confirms what I've been trying to explain to people for ages.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I'm off to price a job in a few minutes.

 

The woman rang yesterday and I could tell she was price orientated, after 22 years of retailing and providing a service you just know.

 

She said she had seen me down her road and that I had a branch shredder, she asked me if I had insurance because the last lot she had in just called one day and she was not happy with their work.

 

If people are thick enough to allow a total stranger knocking on their door to take down or work on their trees how the hell are you to educate them.

 

I told her I had all the neccessary qualifications, insurance and equipment to carry out any task, probably went in one ear and out the other.

 

I also made a point of telling her all the waste the last lot took away was probably dumped in a layby somewhere and cleaned up at public expense.

 

I like to tell them how it is

[Mark Bolam]

Errr, so how much then Dean?