good tips on getting more work from your client

[Arborlord]

You cant do quality jobs at cheap prices the maths and times dont add up.

[Frank]

No you cant but having a real passion for what you do and the way you conduct yourself contribute massively to getting work. I have got loads of work when I've not even been the cheapest quote. Ive told people to let the cheaper company have the job because I'm not prepared to do it for any cheaper and still had them ring back saying "when can you do it"?

 

 

 

Another little thing I find helps is how you answer your phone, first impressions and all that. If you ring my work phone you will be greeted by "Good Morning/Afternoon East Yorkshire Trees" every time.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I've just got a job because when the householder asked the tree man for his advice, he said and I quote, " I'll just cut and you tell me when to stop, I'll cut off as much as you want"

 

Jesus H christ, what a card!!

 

Now that's what I call a Pro

[Frank]

you nicked me job off me

[munkymadman]

hmmm, smart trucks and company logo's are good for advertising if your seen at work. but the customer has given you the job based on your initial meeting. and will give you more work based on the finished product, and how close it came to the expectations of the client.

look at the garden not the tree(unless the tree is the garden), listen to the client, and understand what type of people they are. give idea's of what you feel would improve the garden. what are the problems? convey your advice and idea's in an artistic fashion rather than a scientific one. whats always best for a tree is not best for it's surroundings. the more the client feels you understand them and can relate to them the better job you will do. the happier they will be and the more work you will get.

[Mr. Bish]

Also turn up on time for the quote.

 

Boots off before entering.

 

Phone if arriving late.

[Big dog]

[quote

 

Boots off before entering.

 

Are you the local version of the milkman?!

 

 

 

Around where i used to work there were two companies in particular which used to do very good business. Within the the local scene both firms had a pretty ropey skills reputation with other reputable companies. They both had very similar traits though, smart, sign written vans. All their guys wear the same sign written clobber. The bosses could sell sand to the arabs and bizarrely enough they both charged the big bucks. Not sure why their recipe worked so well and for so long, i prefer the old school scruffy, battered look but with mad skills! I always felt it was a more honest way of working for people who appreciated good work over apperance.

[Marc]

 

Around where i used to work there were two companies in particular which used to do very good business. Within the the local scene both firms had a pretty ropey skills reputation with other reputable companies. They both had very similar traits though, smart, sign written vans. All their guys wear the same sign written clobber. The bosses could sell sand to the arabs and bizarrely enough they both charged the big bucks. Not sure why their recipe worked so well and for so long, i prefer the old school scruffy, battered look but with mad skills! I always felt it was a more honest way of working for people who appreciated good work over apperance.

 

 

I remember the first day with one of said companies the boss was on site with me and said to me

"the most important thing when you work for me is to leave the site tidier than when you arrived, you can do the most shocking tree work in the world but as long as the site is tidy the client is happy and will pay"

 

He was'nt implying that i do bad work just that appereance is everything, and it seems to work very well for him.

 

To me though the tree's and the qaulity of skills we use is far more important than site tidyness, so i went back self employed.

 

Unfortunatly most clients can not recognise good skills or appropiate tree care, so maybe we should all concentrate on looking good and being tidy rather than being good at what we do.

[Tommy_B]

I remember the first day with one of said companies the boss was on site with me and said to me

"the most important thing when you work for me is to leave the site tidier than when you arrived, you can do the most shocking tree work in the world but as long as the site is tidy the client is happy and will pay"

 

He was'nt implying that i do bad work just that appereance is everything, and it seems to work very well for him.

 

To me though the tree's and the qaulity of skills we use is far more important than site tidyness, so i went back self employed.

 

Unfortunatly most clients can not recognise good skills or appropiate tree care, so maybe we should all concentrate on looking good and being tidy rather than being good at what we do.

 

 

I know what you're saying Marc, you could do an amazing reduction but if there is a bit of sawdust on the drive, the customer won't be happy. I think that if you can convince the customer that you're passionate about what you're doing and care about trees then the battle's half won.

 

I don't think that anyone on this forum wants to work for someone that would rather do a cr@p job but leave it really tidy, thats why we all use this forum, because we're passionate about trees.

[Mr Ed]

Have you ever seen the state a builder, plumber, window fitter etc will leave a customers site? Its disgusting the mess they leave behind themselves. And we come along, and for a lot less return, leave the site tidier than when we started? Stuff that.