Don't get mugged by your customer

[Mesterh]

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

 

 

 

They do employ us, and we do work for them.

 

They pay our wages.

 

Without customers we on the dole que.

[Gollum]

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

 

I know what you mean sometimes they think we are there to be their skivvy for the day.

 

I had one customer that wanted a tree report on 20 plus trees on a neighbours boundary.

I gave them a price for the report, reply from the customer was we did not want to pay for it you've only got to write something out in case we have to go to court

[Lyn Ed]

i find it better to give a price for the job instead of x amount a day, if you give a day rate and you finish the job early they think they have "got" you for the rest of the day

[skyhuck]

i find it better to give a price for the job instead of x amount a day, if you give a day rate and you finish the job early they think they have "got" you for the rest of the day

 

If you give a day rate, they have, surely

[Highland Forestry]

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

 

These aren't rules - they're common bloody sense!

 

If you need any rules in place to make sure you don't get mugged by your customer then you need to grow a pair of balls and learn how to run your business properly!!

[Pat Ferrett]

Worked for a couple doing bits and pieces in their garden for about 5 years on and off. I'd give them a price but when I got there it would take them 20 minutes to clear the drive, and each thing I did they would have a chat about between them and then change their minds and want a bit more taken off or whatever. This got my goat up so the last time I worked for them I did it all on an hourly rate. When I got there and saw that the drive was clear gates open and they'd made a list and had drawn diagrams I laughed my arse off.

I worked there all day and never got a cup of tea as per normal when working for them (WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY RATE MAKES ) urm sounds abit like a song:001_rolleyes:

[Dean O]

theres always a very fine balance -

happy customers makes for a good business and going that extra mile can make all the difference as long as your not working for too little.

this can be frustrating especially if you think you were the cheepest quote (and if you were planning on going home early) - but next time you might be a referal employed on recomendation rather than price.

 

or - on the other hand....

you might be refered because you were cheep and did loads of extras

[Littletree]

I am still new into the world of all my own customers so this is just my exp . so far I have been lucky and all of them but one have been really lovely . tea cakes lunch smiles and tips .

 

I usually do a price if its one tree . if its a garden cut back clearance type job then I will price for the job but if it looks like more then a days work then I do a day rate and give them an estimate of how many days it might take .

 

I always bend over backwards to give them bit more then they have asked so when I leave they are very very happy and feel they have great value for money and they are really happy to spread the word to there friends. With the climate the way it is I am just happy to get the work .

 

I don't mind doing more but the thing I wont do is work for customers /people that treat me badly .When I visit them to give a quote ,if for any reason I don't like them or feel uncomfortable and my instinct's are telling me get out of there then I don't do the job . I tend to know very quickly when I meet people usually how its going to be if I were to go and do a job for them .

 

. when I look at a job and what they want I look at the little extra stuff I will do for them but I keep this to my self its usually minor stuff that will make there garden /trees look beautiful not just finished .

 

I did a job the other day for a really nice lady it was a back garden cut back all round . I did the job and made the back garden lovely then as I had some daylight left so I went and did the front garden as well it was a Small front garden that needed some shrubs cut out and some ivy removal from the walls this was not part of her quote but just extra that I had spotted on my first visit .

she was so happy and delighted she gave me a 20 quid tip on top of my cheque and gave me a lovely home made lunch I did not expect anything , it was just a pleasure to work for her and see the delight on her face when it was all done .

 

when I have done this type of work for 20 years I may feel different about customers but so far so good .

 

Littletree:thumbup:

[John Russell]

As a customer, I hate the business of getting three quotes and taking the cheapest. So I never ask for a quote: I only ever employ craftsmen on a daily rate -- electrician, carpenter, plumber, and yes, tree surgeon. But they all came originally by recommendation and I know them all personally and they know me; in fact they often become friends. They put in a bill for their hours and I pay immediately. My regulars also know that if they do a good job -- and they always do, or they wouldn't be there -- I'll go out of my way to recommend them to others. I respect them and they respect me.

 

Look after your good customers -- they are your best bet for getting you more good customers.

[Taupotreeman]

Jeez littletree, I could do with a couple of people with your mind set and work ethic in this neck of the woods. Service providers down here are pretty arrogant and think because it's a small town they can charge what they want and get away with poor workmanship. If you go home happy with your day's work and the money you earn from it then it's all good.