How much mate?

[gensetsteve]

I just think its a bit slow, normally by christmas I have used 800 litres of kero in the house, cant see it this year gauge not moved since July. Kero is 50p a litre and people are still trying to get out the recession. A blast of cold weather for a few weeks will get things going.

[farmer_ben]

No doubt it will steve, I wasnt moaning about it being slow at all...im happy with how its going this year.

[chris23a]

I get calls all the time "How much for a trailer load of logs?", when I say £80 a cubic metre they say "How many tons is that?".....you just cant win

[Fireside logs Thurnby]

Had the same the other day, went through volume v weight, type of wood, moisture content etc. customer still said I'll order a tonne of you.

[spudulike]

In England we have an affliction called "cheap"! The first thing the general public ask on ANYTHING you are selling is "How much mate". This is done to understand they can actually afford the "Item" you you are selling.

 

Having ascertained the product is affordable, they find out what the item is about and do they actually need it

 

In the case of a pile of wood, if they are in the know, they may start to ask questions about wood type or moisture content.Some may just walk or possibly ask for best price or reduction for cash etc.

 

I have had a string of questions thrown at me about products I have been selling only to be finished with a "Thank You" and the "Customer" walking away - thats life, the average bloke on the street is a cock and if you get one that is fair, reliable and decent, you are doing well:thumbup:

 

Sometimes people just like trying to be clever and getting one over you - just move on to someone that actually has the funds and actual interest in purchasing!

[LoadhandlerUK]

It is about education and staying true to what you believe you offer as a business.

 

Easier to say than do I know but we don't compete just on price - it's the road to ruin. Your marketing - and we all need to market - should advertise the quality and type of wood, length, correct moisture content, delivery and volume. Spell it out what they're getting.

 

Trade on your quality and reliability and if the punter walks elsewhere to another supplier that genuinely doesn't compete, then you're better off without him.

 

Ramp up that marketing and your general image. There's plenty of top end houses round here that have put in up-market wood burners in the the last couple of years that don't want dirty, clapped out transits with toothless drivers in dirty clothes reversing up their gravel.

 

Just the same in with us selling meat on the local market. How can you buy meat on price alone? - but plenty of punters do; they buy from supermarkets when the local alternative at the farm gate is infinitely better and usually cheaper. Lack of education.

 

If they want crap, let them buy it. You can go bust sitting on your a*se reading the paper, why work at it. Walk tall and build up that new customer base that you look after

[spudulike]

It is about education and staying true to what you believe you offer as a business.

 

Easier to say than do I know but we don't compete just on price - it's the road to ruin. Your marketing - and we all need to market - should advertise the quality and type of wood, length, correct moisture content, delivery and volume. Spell it out what they're getting.

 

Trade on your quality and reliability and if the punter walks elsewhere to another supplier that genuinely doesn't compete, then you're better off without him.

 

Ramp up that marketing and your general image. There's plenty of top end houses round here that have put in up-market wood burners in the the last couple of years that don't want dirty, clapped out transits with toothless drivers in dirty clothes reversing up their gravel.

 

Just the same in with us selling meat on the local market. How can you buy meat on price alone? - but plenty of punters do; they buy from supermarkets when the local alternative at the farm gate is infinitely better and usually cheaper. Lack of education.

 

If they want crap, let them buy it. You can go bust sitting on your a*se reading the paper, why work at it. Walk tall and build up that new customer base that you look after

 

good sales advice, educate a customer what he is getting and make him an expert so if he goes to your competition, they will get asked some akward questions and your customer will then make a choice:thumbup:

[bumble B]

Sort of going along the lines of Hodge saying society is becoming to anal about logs, without fail the first question new customers ask on the phone is how much is a load. Maybe im reading to much into it, but its never what size loads do you do...what wood is it...what is the moisture content...where does it come from...

 

3 firewood adverts in village shop this week, just a photo on each and price. No load size, wood types etc.

 

You get what im saying, as an industry do we sit back and accept this or fight and really try and educate and in the process possible add value to our product?

 

It's not your job to educate, but make money. The people that pay your bills only care about £'s not wether it's sustainable, environmentaly friendly, or what else. You'll do your head in, move on.

[Dog Tag]

Sell the landi to, if the price is right merchant. The rest to good customers, who know what they want.

[doobin]

Sell the landi to, if the price is right merchant. The rest to good customers, who know what they want.

 

But 20% Leylandii burns fantastic