Pricing - too high?

[TREE-SURGEON-ESSEX]

I did say that to them on the phone and they said no you cant, i also said im not paying for the bill for the last week said you have to.

 

Im well psssd off with them amatures probly 6 blokes looking into a hole while one 16 year old does the work

[skyhuck]

I did say that to them on the phone and they said no you cant, i also said im not paying for the bill for the last week said you have to.

 

Im well psssd off with them amatures probly 6 blokes looking into a hole while one 16 year old does the work

 

Is it a business line??????

 

If it is, I think they have to get you back on within 24 hours.

 

When my was cut off, I just rang them and they redirected my land line calls to my mobile.

[Rob D]

I reckon your spot on price wise Mark.

 

Do you follow up your quotes with a letter on headed paper with copies of insurance and certs? Detailing the work to be done etc.

 

Still quoting the same price but at least they have it neatly in writing so if they think about having the work done further down the line they have alll your details to hand.

 

I was always a little jealous of a firm near here called Wessex Tree Surgeons who quoted between x2 and x3 times my prices. I saw a couple of the quotes they did on this beautiful embossed paper with all their terms and conditions on the back...

 

I never got round to doing this when full time tree working but it did look good....

 

 

 

 

[Mark Bolam]

Interesting idea Rob.

 

I carry copies of my certs and insurance when quoting, and make a point of showing them. Quite a few people have been really pleased, saying they were worried about the insurance, but were scared to ask.

 

I'll provide a written quote if asked, or on bigger jobs, but this is only run off on a standard printer. May think about smartening that side of things up a bit, but I doubt it would have made a difference in these cases.

 

On a more positive note, the lady from the job that never got back to me rang this evening. She is still waiting for another quote (they looked at the job last week) to come in, so fingers crossed.

 

Actually, after listening to some of the really good advice from this thread, I may tell her the price has gone up!

 

Some top input fellas, thanks.

[gibbon]

Ever thought of getting a duplicate pad of nice quote forms made up Mark? If you get a nice template you can write them out a quote there and then that looks smart and have a carbon copy for yourself to keep

[combined tree services]

the biggest problem that i have had are other firms that quote for the same work as me but are not prepared to put out traffic lights where needed or not prepared to consult with highways , or netork rail etc etc . What im getting at is that they wil quote to do the samw job as me but to save money will not bother with what i would term " the professional approach to tree surgery , worse still i have recently been asked by one client to go round and look at some work that was done early last year by another company because they feel some of the work quoted for was not caried out and alot of it was not caried out to a decent standard .

 

i dont mind competition as it is healthy but the competition is not quoting honestly then it beggins to grate !!!

[Beezy]

Ever thought of getting a duplicate pad of nice quote forms made up Mark? If you get a nice template you can write them out a quote there and then that looks smart and have a carbon copy for yourself to keep

 

I used a headed carbon copy pad to quote for the firm I worked for in Oz, had all the T&C's printed on the back, it's a good way around the quoting side of things (no paperwork in the evening), you can give it to them straight away, or post it through the door, and some peeps like the upfront approach, the ozzies seemed to almost expect it!

 

That said, the older school folk often only like a written, posted quote, so they can phone you up and accept your quote!

 

Horses for courses I guess, I like to go away and send something through the post personally.

 

Good thread.

[combined tree services]

so how many of you place a date to which the quote is valid untill ?

[gibbon]

Yep 60 days. If they come back after that its up to me whether I choose to requote or just take it

[Mark Bolam]

Ever thought of getting a duplicate pad of nice quote forms made up Mark? If you get a nice template you can write them out a quote there and then that looks smart and have a carbon copy for yourself to keep

 

I've thought about that mate, but I don't always give a price on the spot, especially on a bigger job. Wouldn't hurt to have it in the truck, though.

 

For some reason I find that domestic customers who demand written quotes are often timewasters who never have the work done. Might just be my own prejudice there, would never tell them that!

 

A few years ago I quoted a very small cherry to reduce (steps and loppers). I quoted the guy £40 (pick up on the way home job). He asked for a written quote. When I dropped it off he thanked me and said he had another six quotes to come in. Never got that one. I was inconsolable.

Edited January 12, 2011 by Mark Bolam
Grammar