Low bid seekers

B

Bsaville

It seems a lot off you out there take it really personally when someone you gave an estimate goes with another tree service because of price. Also what is wrong with potential customers getting other bids? If fact I tell people that doing so is wise on their part and that I will be in touch. If you bid a job properly, based on what it cost you to to the job plus what you feel is fair profit and someone else beats your price, well then maybe you should find out what they are doing. Don't critisize people for shopping around and let me say this: I don't get every job,My bids are usually right on the money(I smile as I eat those underbid jobs and make sure they are done to perfction), I usually get refferals and paid more than the invoice and they add more work and I am always working. You can't expect people who all they know about tree work is that it is expensive not want to spend the least. I know it is important to uphold standards in this industry which make the cost of bussiness soar and we can't be shortchanged, but remember those jobs you did get were probably scrutinized before calling you. This might sound funny but whenever the chance is present I try to learn as much as I can about who I am bidding against on the job.There are a few things I try but won't mention due to complexety and a small ethics thing but I try to match the cust with the job so to speak and earn the customer's trust and money. I don't like to feel like I am just another tree guy trying to soak some poor sap and how I sell my jobs is partly based on making the customer really see that. Besides I know all you hard core tree men out there pucker up for those sweet jobs, I know cause I sure do.Thanks for reading Ben Saville, Kimberton Tree, Phoenixville Pa 19460
 
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If you bid a job properly, based on what it cost you to to the job plus what you feel is fair profit and someone else beats your price, well then maybe you should find out what they are doing.

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I know what some of them are doing, they are going out of business.

Sometimes the low bidder is the low bidder because they do not know the real cost of doing business.

Good to read you Ben. I believe I may have introduced you to the first tree you rope climbed back in the early nineties.
 
I think many people get upset when they think they are underbid by outfits that aren't insured, cut corners, etc. It seems hard to some people to realize that homeowners for the most part don't understand the cost of running a tree care company, and just want the lowest price.

I put it in perspective for myself when I realized that I would request multiple estimates for having work done on my house (roofing, flooring, adding a bath room). I also didn't always ask if someone had insurance, and have only recently (since I started my business) starting asking for proof on insurance. If all other things were equal, and there wasn't anything to set one company apart from another, I would most often choose the lowest price if one company didn't do anything to stand out in my mind. I don't know if there is any professional roofing association, and I'm pretty sure that if a contractor told me they were a member that it wouldn't really matter to me, since I know nothing about the industry. I think the same applies to many home-owners in relation to tree work.

Some companies are more competitive for certain types of jobs than others and can do them for much less. Some outfits are just uninsured hacks and low-ball jobs without realizing it. The hacks don't make it too long, but there are enough of them that keep popping up to make it tough.

With that being said, what I hate is when a customer calls for several bids and someone shows up and convinces them that they can only get the great price they are giving them if they have the work done right then and there, and the customer feels no obligation to tell me that the job is done. I then drive 45 minutes to give the estimate on the weekend and there are no marked trees as promised, only saw dust and stumps -- since the trees had already been removed.
 
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oh, really? Where might you be from amigo? Early 90's? I won't admit to anything without my lawyer.

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You lived in Laurel Delaware near Bethel. I believed I lived in Seaford but maybe Bridgeville.
 
It always bugged(past tense) me when the
"salesman" said "I bid this one tight, you need to hustle!"
excessive rushing is when accidents happen.
 
I completely agree. however, its been my experience that the above quote was used as more of a tactic than the truth.
SOme people respond better to those techniques than others.
A guy trading hours for dollars needs that. A career minded Arborist could possibly find it somewhat degrading. I'm just concerned about someone taking a bit more of a risk than necessary in order to impress the salesperson. Excessive hustling = not safe
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I think the fear is that excessive hustling leads to the situation where sales bids low again and expects the crew to jump through their a$$ on a daily basis.
 
When I hear the term: "Low-Balling" I think of someone who deliberately lowers their price (out of spite) to get a job. And with that said, low-balling doesn't seem like a good practice.

However, we can't knock someone who has low prices for keeping their expenses low, can we? They can be professional and fully capable of doing good work too.

I know there are times where I lost a job and heard the competitors price. I never counter bid, but I do examine where I went wrong with my bid. Most of the time I realize I made a mistake.
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For 5 years now I have been running my business with low expenses (overhead). Therefore my prices have been reasonable. What is wrong with that?

I have bought trucks, trailers, and gear with cash.--Until last December I financed the chipper. I waited to finance equipment until I knew I had the clientele to back up the payments.--Good old fashion patience doesn't hurt either.
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Sounds like you know the drill my man and that is my point right there.Don't condemn a man for wanting to pay less and know how to get yourself on and off the job in a profit condusive manner. May the best man win or in this case the cheapest man. Please don't get me wrong, uphold the standards and don't disrespect the industry by giving it away either. Thanks for yor input.
 
Great points here. I have been accused of lowballing. I hate it.

Many times just because I was willing to throw a tree others wanted to climb, rig, and GCRS to pieces. Sometimes for $800 less, a customer can deal with a divot. Sell a wide range can help.

In Texas, it doesn't really seem that lowballing is a problem. More a diffrence in living standards. A lot of guys here think a bill a day is a good wage. I wouldn't leave the house for at least 2 bills.
 
Potential customers who will only go for the low bid is a different subject.

Those type of customers who will only go with the lowest bid and not care about the finish results are the type of customers I don't want.--Those customers bug me.
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I think the fear is that excessive hustling leads to the situation where sales bids low again and expects the crew to jump through their a$$ on a daily basis.

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Great post. If you show them that you CAN do it, then they'll remember for next time.

love
nick
 
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I think the fear is that excessive hustling leads to the situation where sales bids low again and expects the crew to jump through their a$$ on a daily basis.

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Great post. If you show them that you CAN do it, then they'll remember for next time.

love
nick

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Yes, the reward for hard work and a job well done is always more work. ALWAYS

(a good and bad thing)
 
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