Is honesty really the best policy!??

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

Things have slowed down a bit lately and i have not had much calls until yesterday. I went and quoted 6 of them today....but 4 did not need much work done.

 

1/ Deador - cedrus deodara aurea. 25 years old with perfect shape. told costumer is is a nice looing tree and just to leave it be. - Costumer happy with honesty...

 

2/ Large ash - costumer wanted it removed as it was dead ..was not dead..just not in leaf and all it needed was a deadwooding job. told them i would come take a look again when it comes into leaf but most likely it won't need removed. Costumer happy with honesty.

 

3/ Small birch - Costumer worried about roots on foundations - tree was far enough away. told them to leave it be.

 

4/ Large branch on beech in middle of garden costumer wanted removed - would have really changed structure of tree and i did not think it was best for the tree so told them to leave it and maye just take some weight of them end.

full day job turned into small 1 hour job.

 

I have been honest with all my jobs and told costumers that they need to think about conservation ..this has lost me a lot of work and with things slowing down ,expense of driving around looking at jobs. It makes me think - 'Its my helath or the trees health'

 

I also find that about 30% of costumers don't care about there trees and just want it felled or topped. When giving these costumers professional advice they look at me funny and i already know that they will get joe bloggs to hack it down.

 

oh well.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Czlowiek Drzewo

[Neil Frost]

Mate I think what you're doing is totally professional and spot on. It's really hard when things are quiet and we earn our living from the trees, but I'd much rather go to sleep with a clear conscience. At the end of the day, if the customer is adamant and I know that they'll have the work done anyway, even after I've given my advice, then I'll do it, if only to make sure it's done properly. Fair play for sticking to your guns.

[Scott Walker]

Honesty is defo the best policy and good for you for being this way thats what our job is all about advicing customers to do the best thing for them and the tree, ye sure you may lose work but in the long run your be better off and customers will repect you for being honest with them.

[Andy Collins]

If you believe honesty is the best policy then be honest. Hungry, but honest. What i would suggest, to maintain your integrity, is a side line where you can afford principles in tree work, supplement your income in other ways, perhaps gardening, fencing or hard landscaping.

[Rob D]

artyn1;675534][/u]

I have been honest with all my jobs and told costumers that they need to think about conservation ..this has lost me a lot of work and with things slowing down ,expense of driving around looking at jobs.

 

 

It has cost you a lot this time but hopefully these same folk will help get your name around etc... or if something else comes up they'll call you.

 

Unfortunately free quotes are part of the job rightly or wrongly.

 

Always was a slow time of year for me i.e. April and May when saps rising and hedges haven't grown enough to warrant cutting.....

[Old WoodChip]

To most, no I would say all on here! honesty is the best, and we have a conscience so we can sleep at night even if we are poor.

So many crooks out there doing cheap jobs that often cost twice as much but they get the work because they lie & have the gift of the gab, dump the cuttings in the nearest gateway or quiet lane and off with the money:sneaky2:

Some customers even feel bullied into saying YES, buy them folk who creep around taking your tools & anything else that is not bolted down:confused1: on no, they take that too:laugh1:

 

Stick with what your head tells you:thumbup1:

[Czlowiek Drzewo]

Thanks for replies.

 

Yeah i do feel good after i have walked away from job because i feel like i saved a tree.

 

I also think that the longer you do tree work you end up becoming more into conservation and i hope that in 10 years time i won't be a certified tree hugger / hippy chaining myself to leylandi's.

[Billy]

I've had spates of quotes like that just happens occasionally, hopefully you'll get some more calls soon. But remember we do this to make money not to save trees 99% of what we do is detrimental to the tree in some way.

[Tom D]

Nothing wrong with being professional, but a lot of those issues could have been cleared up at the phone call stage. If you had asked the species you could have told them that ash flushes late, same goes for the one near the house. Asking a few simple questions at the phone call stage can save you loads of time and fuel..

 

TD Tree & Land Services Ltd.

[easy-lift guy]

Things have slowed down a bit lately and i have not had much calls until yesterday. I went and quoted 6 of them today....but 4 did not need much work done.

 

1/ Deador - cedrus deodara aurea. 25 years old with perfect shape. told costumer is is a nice looing tree and just to leave it be. - Costumer happy with honesty...

 

2/ Large ash - costumer wanted it removed as it was dead ..was not dead..just not in leaf and all it needed was a deadwooding job. told them i would come take a look again when it comes into leaf but most likely it won't need removed. Costumer happy with honesty.

 

3/ Small birch - Costumer worried about roots on foundations - tree was far enough away. told them to leave it be.

 

4/ Large branch on beech in middle of garden costumer wanted removed - would have really changed structure of tree and i did not think it was best for the tree so told them to leave it and maye just take some weight of them end.

full day job turned into small 1 hour job.

 

I have been honest with all my jobs and told costumers that they need to think about conservation ..this has lost me a lot of work and with things slowing down ,expense of driving around looking at jobs. It makes me think - 'Its my helath or the trees health'

 

I also find that about 30% of costumers don't care about there trees and just want it felled or topped. When giving these costumers professional advice they look at me funny and i already know that they will get joe bloggs to hack it down.

 

oh well.

 

It really depends on weather you have a conscious or not. That being said your reputation will depend on your honesty and desire to do the best job for your customers. It does not always put bread on the table or fuel in the tank, however no one ever said it would:sneaky2:. I have always been honest with my customers since I enjoy sleeping at night. There is alot to be said for having a clear conscious and knowing you are serving your customer well:thumbup1:

Treat you customers like you want to be treated.

easy-lift guy