Elderly Want Lowest Price

thanks Jamin,
The job turned out allright. He took us over to his rental house and we did the hedges there too. Then he pulled out 100 dollar bills and that always makes me smile.

Oh yeah, but I sunk the hedge trimmer into my thigh and it cut pretty good! That is the third time I have hurt myself on a 'little' job... always a boxwood hedge! Or holly...
 
Had a strange one yesterday. I work for a senior community. The manager's mom needed a small pruning job done offsite, at her home.

I was trying to go a week or two ago on my Friday bid day, but she had a hair appointment (go blue!) in the am, and husband had a the dentist appointment in the afternoon. I guess that wiped out the whole day.


I arranged with her yesterday morning to go yesterday afternoon. We get there, and their small (13' tall) maple and dogwood are pruned. The husband had done it (and pretty well, especially considering the daughter is in her 50's).

Husband comes out first, while wife is getting a coat, I guess. He explains he did it, but she's not happy with it.

She comes out and says: Can't you do something? It was too fat. Its ugly, can't you do something?
Me: Well, what does ugly mean to you?
She: You know, it needs to be groomed.
Me: What does groomed mean to you?
She: you know how they make them look so beautiful, and that's ugly.
Me: How would you like it to look differently?
She: Well its ugly.
Me: Looks good to me(not perfect, good, but what can you do when a large % has already been taken off with the canopy raise to the height that he could reach from the ground).
Me: What does beautiful mean to you?
She: That's just ugly.
Me: When was the pruning done?
Him: This year.
Me: How about waiting until its fully leafed out see what you think.
Him: Maybe if you are in the neighborhood after its leafed out, you can have a look.
Me: Sure. I think it will look fine after its leafed out. If we are in the neighborhood, we'll swing by. Looks like you did a good job on the pruning. I think it will look fine.
Him: That would be great if you could have a look later.
Me: Sure, no problem, when we are in the neighborhood. Have a good day.

Glad I didn't prune it, 'cause it surely wouldn't be the tree she imagines.

All of my elderly customers have been okay to work for otherwise. I try to give them a break, if I can, unless they are living on the golf course.
A lot of veterans, widows, and fixed incomes.
 
On the other hand, I was contacted last week by an elderly retiree in a mobile home park with an older citrus tree showing signs of stress. He'd called another company that pretty much specializes in removals, and guess what they recommended? He called me for a second opinion. Asking open ended questions revealed that he really didn't care as much about fruit, as he did about maintaining the only hardwood tree on his site for shade and a place for birds to perch.

I suggested soil analysis and submitting plant material samples to the university pathology lab before entering into any restorative work. I even told him what it would cost for him to do it himself, versus what I'd charge to handle it for him, and suggested that it was well within his capabilities to do it himself. He said he'd rather I do it for him, and said he'd be glad to pay as much as he was bid by the other guys for the removal of the tree, in trying to reinvigorate and restore it.

Good clients are out there in all age demographics.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I even told him what it would cost for him to do it himself, versus what I'd charge to handle it for him, and suggested that it was well within his capabilities to do it himself. He said he'd rather I do it for him, and said he'd be glad to pay as much as he was bid by the other guys for the removal of the tree, in trying to reinvigorate and restore it.

Good clients are out there in all age demographics.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is a familiar conversation with my clients as well.

And yes, good and bad in each demographic.
 
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...hair appointment (go blue!)

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Nice. Blue is the new purple.
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I know. I'm an awful person.
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Once, while I was in a tree, an old guy came out and said to a ground guy:

"Boy, will you chip this christmas tree for us?"

For the next week, I was all: "BOY! Send me up the 12 strand, BOY!" Hilarious.
 
I agree with the statement that we don't discriminate. I put it another way. "I give all of my customers the best value I can." Personally I have seen several companies use the senior discount advertising to "troll" for seniors.

This is covered in another post, but charging for estimates is a great way to qualify these customers. I also use Google Maps and customer photos to give a "free" estimate, where I don't have to do any legwork. Sometimes the bid is a bit low after we have done the job, but not having to spend time on a free site visit/consult more than makes up the cost.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I agree with the statement that we don't discriminate. I put it another way. "I give all of my customers the best value I can." Personally I have seen several companies use the senior discount advertising to "troll" for seniors.

This is covered in another post, but charging for estimates is a great way to qualify these customers. I also use Google Maps and customer photos to give a "free" estimate, where I don't have to do any legwork. Sometimes the bid is a bit low after we have done the job, but not having to spend time on a free site visit/consult more than makes up the cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

Indeed. It has been nice to look at properties via satalite imagery and Google Street view. I've been selling a lot of work this way.
 
I just had an elderly German? woman (if I heard the accent right)call. Used Google maps to see the tree, Western red cedar, approximately 25 feet tall, gave her a bid. She found us online (Google organic) as well as 2 other competitors, + she is calling a tree service referred by a realtor, and one more her husband knows. Total of 5 bids, for a 25 foot tree. Says they have to find the cheapest price, maybe her husband will do it. This is exactly why I don't do the free site visits.

My bid is appropriate but likely 2x or more what someone else will charge. Even if the tree takes 15 minutes to fell, and run through the chipper, plus 15 minutes to collect a check, it will take 30 minutes more for the drive time to and from, etc... But I bet she finds someone to do it for under $100.
 
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...plus 15 minutes to collect a check...

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LOL.
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It does seem to take forever with the old folks. I feel like a kid who needs to pee super bad waiting for a lady to balance the check book while I wait.

But, I just roll with it.
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I'd probably drag my feet if I were old and alone.
 
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