load size education

[borderfirewood]

Is it just me or do people need to be educated more on load size, I had a lady ring me and ask me for a price on a large load of logs at 9"-12" long, we do various load sizes from pickup at 0.8 cube up to 3.4 cube on my 8X5 Ifor Williams trailer with extension sides, I gave her a price on my 3.4 cube load of £240 and she ordered it, 2hrs later she text me to cancel the order and said she could get it cheaper, I text back and asked if she didnt mind could she tell me what price and load size she had been Quoted, she replyed saying that she could get a tractor and trailer load at £70 less, and that she has had it before and it is a big load, the thing is I know the gentleman she had it off and I have a trailer the same size as his and it carries 1 cube less than my Ifor Williams, isnt it about time it was all sold by the cube of split logs so every one knows what they are getting for there money, I am not saying I was cheaper but I wasnt more expensive either.

[farmer_ben]

Is it just me or do people need to be educated more on load size, I had a lady ring me and ask me for a price on a large load of logs at 9"-12" long, we do various load sizes from pickup at 0.8 cube up to 3.4 cube on my 8X5 Ifor Williams trailer with extension sides, I gave her a price on my 3.4 cube load of £240 and she ordered it, 2hrs later she text me to cancel the order and said she could get it cheaper, I text back and asked if she didnt mind could she tell me what price and load size she had been Quoted, she replyed saying that she could get a tractor and trailer load at £70 less, and that she has had it before and it is a big load, the thing is I know the gentleman she had it off and I have a trailer the same size as his and it carries 1 cube less than my Ifor Williams, isnt it about time it was all sold by the cube of split logs so every one knows what they are getting for there money, I am not saying I was cheaper but I wasnt more expensive either.

 

Nightmare isnt it. Personally, I sell everything in multiples of bulk bags. So my small load is 0.6 cube and delivered in a bulk bag, regular is 1.2cube delivered in my truck and large load is 1.8cube and delivered in my trailer. I think most of my customers no what a bulk bag looks like and this way they can get an image of the amount of logs they will get whilst talking to me on the phone.

 

But yes, like you say. Until everyone sells in the same fashion its hard work!

[RobRainford]

I work out from cubic metre cages. Gives me the best accuracy per cube. Customers see a load and see different prices but may not see a quantity difference

[Woodworks]

We advertise on our website how much wood they are getting when stacked and show a picture of the trailer loaded with dimensions. Most of our customers do stack them after delivery and have appreciated the explanation of how much they are getting.

 

Mind you they don't all understand. We had a lady ask for a 1m3 load (when stacked) when we arrived she said "look at my log store I have bought to take the load" I managed to keep a straight face but this thing was tinny and most of the wood ended up being stored under a large tarpaulin

Edited October 21, 2012 by Woodworks

[Float]

This is a big issue in our business, and I have raised it before. I have to try and compete with loads of "suppliers" that all sell the mystical "LOAD". I am afraid that the customer looks more at price than quality and quantity these days, and with matey down the road selling his LOAD for £50, and you try to compete by informing the customer what they will get - volume, quality, seasoned etc. it doesn't go very far when trying to build new business. The new customer will at the very least buy one LOAD of rubbish, and then probably move on to the next cheapest supplier.

 

I agree, a standardized unit of sale - i.e. mtr3 would be ideal, but it will never happen..

[Gareth Dalzell]

We advertise on our website how much wood they are getting when stacked and show a picture of the trailer loaded with dimensions. Most of our customers do stack them after delivery and have appreciated the explanation of how much they are getting.

 

Mind you they don't all understand. We had a lady ask for a 1m3 load (when stacked) when we arrived she said "look at my log store I have bought to take the load" I managed to keep a straight face but this thing was tinny and most of the wood ended up being stored under a

 

 

What,s your website?

[Woodworks]

This is a big issue in our business, and I have raised it before. I have to try and compete with loads of "suppliers" that all sell the mystical "LOAD". I am afraid that the customer looks more at price than quality and quantity these days, and with matey down the road selling his LOAD for £50, and you try to compete by informing the customer what they will get - volume, quality, seasoned etc. it doesn't go very far when trying to build new business. The new customer will at the very least buy one LOAD of rubbish, and then probably move on to the next cheapest supplier.

 

I agree, a standardized unit of sale - i.e. mtr3 would be ideal, but it will never happen..

 

Down here (west Devon) we are finding the customers are getting quite wary of the mystical "LOAD" and are appreciating our straight forward description.

[gensetsteve]

Few more weeks and they will be grateful for anything they can get their hands on. Cord prices are through the roof, cutters are concentrating on softwood ( where all the subsidies are ) after last winter alot of people wont have stocked up as much as previous years. Bit of snow on the ground they wont ask how big how much or whats in it same as two years ago.

[nick channer]

i get them asking how many logs in a load.. i ask them how many do they want which confuses them... if theres say 300... split them in half again and theres 600...

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Yep, everything by the loose cubic metre... i.e. split logs to fill a 1m3 box/crate/whatever.

 

And as above I tend to find about 300 logs a load every time