Don't get mugged by your customer

[Gollum]

A few threads have mentioned how we end up doing more work for no extra cash.

the rules i try and stick with are for example

1/ give a written quotation with an hourly rate for extra work

2/ Never say exactly how many days it will take,

(if you do the customer will find you extra work for no extra cost or ask for a reduction in your fee)

3/ when carrying out a crown reduction, don't clear up until you have finished, and before you clear up call the customer to have a look at the finished tree they will see all the material you have cut off, quite often they don't ask for any more to be cut,

 

still get stitched up by customers when i forget these rules,

 

Anyone got any other tips

[Stephen Blair]

If you need to use the rules above then i would get some new rules:001_rolleyes:

[Arborist]

I know of someone that was having a bad day and his reply to the customer asking for extras was can I have a go on your wife!!!

[Mesterh]

I nearly always have a written quotation but thats more so I dont forget what needs doing!

 

If their a nice customer and its going well then I dont mind doing a 'bit' extra, you just have to know when to draw the line, and tell them.

 

When you know its a cutomer who is going to be specific about a thin or reduction just get them out and make sure they are happy as its going along, you just need to firm that once they are happy with the height/ that bit of the tree then they wont be getting anymore done once the climber is moving on etc.

 

You do have to remember we are providing a service and it should be 'slightly' flexible.

[Paul Jenks]

Or different customers

[Martyn Amos]

customers are not the problem?

ive been getting mugged by my wife for years:lol:

[Gollum]

customers are not the problem?

ive been getting mugged by my wife for years:lol:

 

:lol:

[Lorry thompson]

I know of someone that was having a bad day and his reply to the customer asking for extras was can I have a go on your wife!!!

 

Haha that's a classic mate!

[WoodED]

I know of someone that was having a bad day and his reply to the customer asking for extras was can I have a go on your wife!!!

 

haha bet he didnt get a call back in a hurry

[Lorry thompson]

A lot of the time these problem customers think they employ us! I remember my uncle really had enough with one customer who kept taking the Michael and he explained that he didn't work for her, he provided a service she soon stopped trying to belittle him and let him get on with his job