Recession?

[Mesterh]

Would it be better then to stick to your prices and then if everyone is cheaper and they win the jobs who pays your bills?

 

I agree that there is a limit to dropping prices but is it best to earn something or nothing?

 

My bills are more or less the same whether I work or not, rent,rates,insurance,wages,gas,water,electricity etc dont get any cheaper if I dont work. Its only fuel and maintenance costs and they are only a small % of my turnover.

[Bear]

im finding the private work has gone throught the roof...evertone needs there hedges trimmed etc, but the bigger stuff has dried up a lot. seem to be getting a lot of parrish and church work at the mo... thank god for my regulars and it just goes to show, you look after them and they`ll look after you.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Should have mentioned that this "particular" customer is family so, er, what?! Good points all, particularly the one re setting a bad benchmark. I'll have no choice but to walk away next time. On this occassion I just dropped waste disposal and told him it'll take longer and I'll only chip away at it - low priority job.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Would it be better then to stick to your prices and then if everyone is cheaper and they win the jobs who pays your bills?

 

I agree that there is a limit to dropping prices but is it best to earn something or nothing?

 

My bills are more or less the same whether I work or not, rent,rates,insurance,wages,gas,water,electricity etc dont get any cheaper if I dont work. Its only fuel and maintenance costs and they are only a small % of my turnover.

 

If you drop prices below your minimum day rate and do jobs just to cover overheads, you may as well get another job.

 

I'm in business to make a wage nothing less, if I cant make a wage I'll set up another business.

[Mick Stockbridge]

you may as well get another job if you keep on having accidents.

 

I'm in business to make a wage and not hurt myself, if I cant make a wage I'll set up another business.

 

How much do you want for your blood stained saw ?

[Mesterh]

If you drop prices below your minimum day rate and do jobs just to cover overheads, you may as well get another job.

 

I'm in business to make a wage nothing less, if I cant make a wage I'll set up another business.

 

Easier said than done, thought about it and maybe there are some jobs stacking shelves somewhere!

[Dean Lofthouse]

How much do you want for your blood stained saw ?

 

When I'm famous it can be auctioned at southerby's to the highest bidder.

 

Easier said than done, thought about it and maybe there are some jobs stacking shelves somewhere!

 

I hear McD's are setting on, profits up this years

[Mesterh]

I hear McD's are setting on, profits up this years

 

Funnily enough just finished a 6 hour shift at Maccy D's then a 10 hour night shift at Tesco's. £6 an hour =£96 = £48 a day.

 

Sure beats knocking 15% off my day rate

[Rob D]

It may be painful to do but if I am short of work then I spend more on advertising and marketing - make sure your boards go up after a visible job and that they look professional, call up the local gardeners and landscapers and introduce yourself. Say you're happy to come out and do estimates for any tree work they're not happy to tackle... There's loads of ways to generate more work if you put in a bit of time.

 

A recent thing I've started doing is sending in quotes on the most expensive, thickest paper I can buy with a copy of my NPTC stuff and insurance. Even if I have quoted verbally on the day I'll send in a smart written quote so people have my details to hand (also I attach a card so they can then pass to a friend).

 

I'd rather do this than drop prices - we're such an underated profession for what we do as it is. I don't know when/if this will ever change.... It would help if the public made a point of asking for copies of insurance and proof of training on every job. The most people ever do with me is ask 'Are you insured?' and I say 'Yes' and they say 'Ah good'. And they always assume you're qualified because it says so on your advert in the paper!

[Khriss]

As soon as you drop your price by that much of course the customer is going to think you're ripping them off.... Wouldn't you think that if someone did the same price matching for doing your double glazing?

 

And if you get the job this customer is going to treat that as a benchmark price and expect all the work afterwards to be similarly priced.

 

You've got to stick to your guns and your price. It sounds like your quote was well thought out so keep your credibility intact and tell him/her that for a professional job where you are trained and insured that this is the best price. You never know - the other firm may never turn up to do the job and matey will come back to you.

 

Drop by £100-00 or so to clinch a deal but any more than that and you need to walk away from it.

 

 

Yup-Spot on, everything an every body is getting the squeeze ( even had my RR pinches last week -rraaaaagh! ) but cut each others throats an we'll all be dead

 

K