An old thread revisited

[conkers]

So you all probably know the deal.

You charge what you consider to be a sensible amount given all the costs but you also know that apart from the customers you have a built up, whenever a job goes to three or four quotes the same people keep getting the work at knock down prices.

I know it is tough for some guys especially if they are just setting up- but the temptation to play the -we will beat any written quote- game just to stop the silliness is getting greater.

Is this happening in your area?

[Mac McLennan]

Clients dont always go for the cheapest quote.

 

You should be charging for the quality of work you provide.

 

But yes it happens around here loads.

[Mesterh]

-we will beat any written quote-

 

Yep theres even one company around here who uses that as there slogan

[Andy Collins]

We had a business around this way advertising "Tree work at affordable prices" Oh wait........ he's packed up now, wasnt making enough to live on!

[Dean Lofthouse]

Just a quick explanaition of your working practice usually helps.

 

If you do give a written quote go into detail of what exactly they are getting then they can ask the lower quote if it's the same spec. I have quoted for a certain spec only to find the tree has been done to a lower spec.

 

One little tip, is on your written quotes write down things you have noted around the tree in your spec ie:

 

Noted Hazards / Targets

 

Public footpath

Greenhouse

conservatory

Telephone wires

Cable TV wire

Basal cavity

 

It just make the customer aware that you are observant and are not just plucking a price out of thin air.

[tree monkey]

Im in the same boat customer asked was do you do with the wood i said chuck it on the pile with the rest and maybe put it on my stove.They said oh if you can use it then you can knock some money off the price cos its an ash tree.I quoted 275 for the day including the ash and some pruning on other trees.I said no potential woodsales dont pay wages and left them with it.

[Arborlord]

I dont go cheap im not a pikey my work is good that takes time i simply explain to my customers they will be getting it done the way they want it if they use my service.

 

I know how much a decent company can charge so any less and there not insured or qualified to offer silly low prices.

[Big 'Ammer]

Interesting thread this.

 

Last year, I too was getting a bit sick of quoting against a local competitor who was ridiculously cheap against other firms.

 

As time goes on you get to hear snippets from here and there about how these jobs were or wern't done and realise how he was charging what he was.

 

He has since fizzled out.

 

I picked up two jobs last week despite being the most expensive quote.

 

I don't expect to get every job I look at, if I did, I would be too cheap.

 

I know very well that I am not the cheapest tree surgeon in the area, however, I'm not the most expensive either and I'm always busy.

 

I sell myself on value and service.

[conkers]

We are also busy, because we have a wide work base but we tend to loose out on take downs, not pruning because that is what my competitors tend to be cheap at.

In the current economy I think it is realistic to cut overheads, scale down and where possible reduce the burden on customers.

 

Dean- Good idea but I always verbalise such things on site visits, without putting in writing.

 

When somebody has no interest in trees and wants the tree down, they usually are faced with a large cost they do not want to pay and though we know how much we need to charge, a day rate of £275 -£450 is alot of money!

Hence they tend to choose the cheapest + most of my compitition are perfectly good at what they do!

 

What we need to avoid as mentioned by others on other threads is the de value of our industry.

[Mac McLennan]

Just a quick explanaition of your working practice usually helps.

 

If you do give a written quote go into detail of what exactly they are getting then they can ask the lower quote if it's the same spec. I have quoted for a certain spec only to find the tree has been done to a lower spec.

 

One little tip, is on your written quotes write down things you have noted around the tree in your spec ie:

 

Noted Hazards / Targets

 

Public footpath

Greenhouse

conservatory

Telephone wires

Cable TV wire

Basal cavity

 

It just make the customer aware that you are observant and are not just plucking a price out of thin air.

 

Like the noted hazards thing Dean....Great Idea