clean cut crews.

Thanks Derrick. just for the record, no one in the future has to worry if they have offended me. If i was offended, your front door bell would be ringing right about now. Every one has had realy good thoughts on this subject. I don't ask alot of tree questions on this site because I have Keith and other local folks to bounce things off but I really find it helpfull to hear the thoughts about the bussiness end from People near and far.
 
Appearance as all of you have made clear is about first impressions BEFORE you've got the job. Tophopper even demonstrated this bias in his comment about who he'd hire. We pre-judge as a means of protecting ourselves. We don't have a hard exo-skelton that will allow us to bump up against danger and survive. We judge at a distance.

Will potential customers call you after seeing your crew picking up a coffee in the morning? When the crew is out they are advertising for the company. How they look to that audience of potential clients may make the difference when it comes to calling you in to look at their trees. So looking professional both in attire and personal hygiene (and that doesn't mean a military cut), speaking in sentences without lacing them with profanity, smiling at those around you in a public area (I know, sounds lame) and being courteous could be the difference to growing your business easily or having to grind it out.
 
Our employer encourages us to focus on the client while we are on the job. Make personal calls at lunch, try to stay busy, let the client know when you get there and leave, basic courtesies.
 
How you come across verbally is all to often overlooked. I have the unfortunate habit of cussing like a drunk sailor on occasion. In front of my kids and on the jobsite, my brain somehow kicks in and blocks the profanity- it knows they don't need or want to hear it. I always attempt to be well spoken and polite when I have my arborist hat on whether at work or volunteering, and in day to day life for that matter. I have to admit my co workers have walked in on me working the final bury on Velocity and heard the proverbial string of profanity that is still floating in the cosmos. What about smoking and chewing on the jobsite, many clients find this to be a turnoff. I used to be really anal about tucking my shirt tail in and shaving. The shirttail can be in or out now, dosen,t matter, and I am clean shaven when I know I need to be. Last winter I had a really full beard and longer hair, now I am clean shaven, minus the 10 year old goatee, with a short haircut. None of that has changed any aspect of the work I perform as an arborist. I did work once for this guy who wore these Columbia Sports Fly Fishing shirtd every day! A different pastel color each day. Maybe he thought he was like Einstein, all of us that worked there know that is very far from the truth.
 
Hello all. I'm not sure exactly why I followed this blog but I did, and now I thought I'd add my 1/2 cent. My opinion is from a customer's point of view and since I'm a Newbie on the Buzz, if anyone tells me to go scratch, I'll understand. So here goes.

It may be wrong, but for me, first impressions usually do play a part in determining if I call someone to do work for me, especially if I'm not familiar with them.

If I see a crew that looks fairly clean and well kept, is wearing presentable shirts and pants (matching even better), is operating equipment that's clean and well maintained (doesn't matter if it's old), using safety equipment, and is conducting themselves in a courteous manner, etc., it says to me "professional". It tells me that they take pride in their appearence, the appearence of the company that they work for, and the work itself.

If a guy doesn't care if his shirt and pants are full of holes and oil stained, if his truck is falling apart and leaking oil, if his cursing on the job site (or outside a WaWa) is offending people, my first thought is...."Is he going to care about my property, or care if he offends my neighbors?"

Long hair and beards don't bother me but they always look better clean and well kept. I know you may be running a saw all day, but before talking to a customer, comb the saw chips out. Piercings and tattoos I think are more acceptable now then in the past but still shouldn't be offensive. If you have an employee that has "F*** You" tattooed across his forehead, it should be covered because chances are pretty good it will offend someone! Employees should make their social or political statements on their own time, not the company's. If you or your employees smoke, that's on you. I don't smoke so I don't want your discarded cigarette butts on my lawn. Just common courtesy.

It may be unfortunate but if the quality of your work is unknown first hand, all a perspective customer may have to go on is the appearance and actions of you and your employees. You are the guy signing the paychecks. If you are unhappy with or think that the appearance or actions of your employees is hurting your business, I think you have every right to say something.

Just my opinion. Hope I didn't over step my bounds.
-BarnHouse
 
Barnhouse,


Those criteria are similar to what I use when I look for service. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that the quality of a mechanic's work can be determined by looking at their toolbox.

The sign of a good greasy spoon restaurant isn't that it's greasy...just how much grease is acceptable :)
 
I once read a book on sailboat racing tactics, when I was actively racing boats every week.

When all other factors are equal, the race will be won by the boat with the cleanest, sleekest, most polished hull.

I think that's a good metaphor for crew and equipment comparisons.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How greasy Tom?

[/ QUOTE ]

There's a variable relationship between the amount of grease and the quality of the coffee and food. Service can be a minor variable too. Waffle House has dependably slow service in all of their diners. But, the quality of the food is just as dependable so I can trust that I'm going to get a decent meal for a decent price...I'm just going to have to wait [and be entertained] a little longer.
smirk.gif
 
Some of the best "greasy spoons" I've found are the little ones in rural areas that only the locals know about. The kind of place that "out siders" drive by and say "What a dump, who in hell would eat there????". I knew one little place where everyone parked around back so no one would see all the trucks parked there and get suspicious
grin.gif
 
If the crew is "slow" but not laying around, working in a professional competent manner to get the job done, then yes a "slow" crew is ok. Sometimes a "fast" crew is a scary sight and leaves more work in clean up and lawn repair.

It's the end result. As in the restaurant analogy, I'd take the great tasting meal delivered slowly over the Mcmeal....
 
First post, figured a good time to toss in my two cents into this lottery of ideas...

The most you can expect is the lowest standard you are willing to accept.

Seems simple, but is difficult in practice.

Cheers.

Mark
 
Welcome to the Buzz spicybrown, great name- good post to get started on, a restarant thread. Making me hungry for some breakfast right now! I agree Treehumper, slow and steady wins the race. Steady work and quality end results are what counts. Minimum damage, maximum customer satisfaction. Are they happy? That is the big question.

Ok, we have given this post a "Mc" analogy, is there "Wal Mart" analogy out there? Like the size of the company possibly?
 
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