Free estimates ????

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An estimate comes free with a consult.


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In summary, this is hitting the "nail on the head."
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In my ads and on my site, its says to call and "request" a free estimate - no promise. Usually free, not neccessarily.

I let people know how long they have before I'm off to the next estimate. Like I'll say "there will 15 minutes for you to show me the trees and write the estimate".

"Estimate" is an alright term, because its not firm until they sign. If they want it down in 30 days, the price may go up due to fuel - or even drop a speck.

I don't "bid" because I don't work like an auction.

The reason I contrain the time and set a limit, is to prevent homeowners from asking a ton of questions like "now what will you do to this" or "why do you do that". That's where they eat-up a ton of valuable time.

Their job is to find out in advance if I'm qualified to do the work, then they really don't need to know the why's and wherefore's - very little anyhow. They don't have the educational basis to evaluate my answers to their questions anyway.

If they are way out of my zone, I'll charge for an estimate, and credit part of it minus what I think the extra time and fuel is worth, toward the accepted project.

(Gotta run...wife and her mom going to see her new future home site...want to see what it's like - might have more to write)
 
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(Gotta run...wife and her mom going to see her new future home site...want to see what it's like - might have more to write)

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You might have more tree work too.
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I began charging for estimates 3 years ago and I have charged for consultations for 10 years. No other tree company in our area charges for estimates and I have never been busier. Currently I am booked with work through February and have 127 estimates to complete.

I have found that a lot of people don't want to pay us when they can get it free elsewhere but in return we get a lot more jobs from the people that are willing to pay us.
 
We charge a first time client fee. Once they are a client we do not charge them. Most of the companies in our area give free estimates. We have no shortage of work and that fee keeps us from wasting our time on people that are looking for the cheapest "Tree Cutter".
 
What I've found helpful lately is to ask the customer to have a written list, and a simple map.

This works for a bid on work, or a consultation. I offer that we provide different service levels, from drop and leave, to the Tree Magician (a joke really) where everything disappears including the stump grinds, or anywhere in between. Please think about what type of disposal service you will be needing.

I think that this forces them look at, and consider what they want. I can take the list and map and see/ ask about their priorities. Knowing about what disposal options they want, helps me to take the whole scope of work in better as I walk the property with them.

For paid consultations, they feel like it is being taken more seriously, so they are more inclined to pay for a consultation. If I'm providing field notes, I write common and latin names, characteristics, etc. I can more easily contrast Cedrus deodar, Deodor(a) Cedar, drought tolerant and Thuja plicate, Western Red Cedar, not drought tolerant. I can point out a bit about the taxonomic system and show how closely/ distantly related some trees (and their characteristics) are.
Douglas-fir versus true firs (e.g. Noble, grand, subalpine).


The homeowner now will have a written name for each type of tree, and has the easier opportunity to find out more of the needs/ likes/ dislikes of all of their trees. Google!



Also, had I done it for a bid that I did, and got, today, I could have avoided 10 minutes of back and forth between the husband and the wife. He thinks this, she thinks that, he thinks this, she thinks that...

This homeowner homework can at least speed up a free bid, making it more affordable to the business.
 
i like to think of free estimates as volunteer community service hours. someone needing tree work or advice contacts me, and i get to go over and educate them a little not only about trees, but also about proper tree care procedures. its really an invaluable opportunity to address all the misinformation out there, and when i leave i know one more person has at least heard a few true words about trees. i figure i did my part showing up and representing for certified and/or otherwise conscientious arborists, and one of us may get the job.
 
GAT A JOB WALL DONE AND CHARG i have not bin biser cinc i startid to charg frist time coustamers 50 and aconsoltin fee of 100 dollers.
I find the coustamer think more of you and you gat the job 9 tims ot of 10.
that is my 2 cents about that.
gooday to you all and good luckin all that you do
 
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With your English skills, it's amazing you have customers at all.

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Pretty harsh!

Oke may not be great at the written word, but I suspect that none of us speaks/ writes/ reads the Queen's English perfectly.

It would be different if Oke was bashing someone, not trying to offer his advice based on his success. For each of our deficiencies, we have to win them over in other ways. Perhaps he's really personable, amazing with punctuality and delivering more than promised.

Written language is a specialized code and mental processing that some people do better than others.

Gardner had a theory of multiple intelligences including, spatial relational, musical, comical, athletic, logic, and some others, maybe including empathy. Yeah, some people are more empathetic than others.

Its hard for people that have difficulty with writing/ spelling well to come into a professional forum and offer an honest, helping-hand post knowing that one will be judged for the presentation.

Would it be easier to understad if Oke did a better job of it? Sure. I imagine that he tries. I imagine that from a business perspective it will help him if he gets some help with his writing skills.

All the same, even without seeing OKE ask people in one of his early posts not to take stabs at his writing, most people wouldn't unless he was being a berating jerk to someone.

Sheesh! Why?
 
Sorry for whatever it was that made you stomp on Oke there NeTree.

Meantime, I think enough has been said about it, so I vote we let NE and Oke iron this out on their own and the rest of us should let it go.

Back to topic....

As I've written before we have really considered how to do the fee for estimate deal.

I recently have been toying with the idea of charging one price for an estimate without a face to face and a slightly higher price for an estimate with face to face.

If they accept our bid and we do the work we'd apply that amount plus an additional discount towards their bill.

Anybody out there doing that already? How is it being received?
 
LMFAO!!!!

and арня и ненасытн to you, too!
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