Moving up from climbing

[Nj1234]

Hey. First post here but been reading this forum for a while


Been a climber/crew leader at outfit for a while now but looking to move up/on.

No room to go up where I have been so that’s got me reading the help wanted posts. Looking to hang up the saddle and possibly get into the sales side with a larger company. I always see plenty of ads for jobs like that wanted to reach out here for some info or thoughts on them.

It does seem like there might be a bit of a pay cut for me, but I can live with that if it means not killing myself any further.

Any guys here in that have moved into that or are in that role want to shed some light on it for me? Curious as to what role you actually end up playing and hours worked. I’d imagine alot of weekends and weeknights? But I’m not sure. Had some people tell me sell the jobs in the morning and you’re on the golf course by lunch time….which I find hard to believe.


Thanks.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Have you seen the movie, The Big Kahuna? 'Glen Garry, Glen Ross' is another good 'sales' movie. There is some relevancy here.

You know your product, treework. You need to know how to sell. Two different things. A good sales rep will do better than a good arbo at sales.

Take some sales classes at night school. Talkup anyone who does sales. I had a few sales reps as clients and I always learned something from them when I gave them estimates.

Once you get your own 'sales-book' of repeat clients you may be golfing but that's going to take time. How long did it take for you to learn your craft as a climber?

I took a job as a sales rep for a very reputable company. They told me that I was going to take over 'the book' from a guy they fired. What I wasn't told was that he was a train-wreck and had POd his client list for years. I tried doing cold calls on old clients and was told to get off the property more than once. I never made a dime off of any old clients. I was given only new clients names not even given old clients from his 'book'. Fortunately salary was enough to pay rent and eat until I found a different job.

Are you active in chapter activities? Are there sales reps who you could talk to in confidence to get tips too?

 

[Nj1234]

Appreciate the response. I’m not a golfer so no need to finish early for golfing.

Understood that knowing tree work and selling tree work are two very different skill sets.

I’m not currently involved when it comes to chapter activities and the like. Heck I never even got my arborist certification since I never had an actual need to. I’m currently pursuing that since it is a requisite for most other places.

Have sold some work in the past, but honestly where I am now I am disincentivized to do so. Which I don’t really like. But I do deal with customers on a daily basis as the foreman. Again, different from being a salesman.

Perhaps a hybrid type role would be one to pursue, crew leader or managerial type role that does some sales and build on that at a company where advancement is possible.

Thanks

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I wish that I would have taken formal sales classes earlier in my career.

 

[TimBr]

Appreciate the response. I’m not a golfer so no need to finish early for golfing.

Understood that knowing tree work and selling tree work are two very different skill sets.

I’m not currently involved when it comes to chapter activities and the like. Heck I never even got my arborist certification since I never had an actual need to. I’m currently pursuing that since it is a requisite for most other places.

Have sold some work in the past, but honestly where I am now I am disincentivized to do so. Which I don’t really like. But I do deal with customers on a daily basis as the foreman. Again, different from being a salesman.

Perhaps a hybrid type role would be one to pursue, crew leader or managerial type role that does some sales and build on that at a company where advancement is possible.

Thanks

Hello. I'm just curious about this set of statements. "Have sold some work in the past, but honestly where I am now I am disincentivized to do so. Which I don’t really like."

So I'm wondering what form the disincentive take? It seems like the company owners are leaving money on the table, which makes no sense to me. If I thought I might be quitting soon due to those lack of incentives to sell, I think I'd be throwing numbers in their face as often as possible as to how much money you could be adding to their bottom line. Sounds shortsighted on their part.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

I wish that I would have taken formal sales classes earlier in my career.

A background in performance can substitute as a prerequisite.

 

[Nj1234]

Hello. I'm just curious about this set of statements. "Have sold some work in the past, but honestly where I am now I am disincentivized to do so. Which I don’t really like."

So I'm wondering what form the disincentive take? It seems like the company owners are leaving money on the table, which makes no sense to me. If I thought I might be quitting soon due to those lack of incentives to sell, I think I'd be throwing numbers in their face as often as possible as to how much money you could be adding to their bottom line. Sounds shortsighted on their part.

I get paid day rate. Had an agreement that I would average 9 hours a day. Some days would be longer some shorter but as long as we were close by the end of the week who cares. Anything over that would be bonus/overtime. That stopped a while ago. So now if I get the job next door to the house we’re working at that means I’m here till dark for nothing. So that’s why I say disencentivized. After while any employee is gonna say wait a minute…..why be here till dark when I can be outta here at 5 with the same amount of money in my pocket.

I’m sure going hourly would be the best solution short term, but my shoulders are saying find a new career. I truly enjoys trees and tree work so I would like to stay in this field.

We run a 4 man crew. I’ve yet to see a crew our size and equipped like us do a better or quicker job. Been a foreman here for over ten years without any injury’s to the crew or meaningful damage so not cutting corners to do it, just out working everybody. I am higher paid than most people in my position here in south jersey so I guess I can’t bitch too much hah.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

I wish that I would have taken formal sales classes earlier in my career.

I was a salesman for a few years, did courses and stuff.
You can learn the mechanics of it in a day. Actually applying them and being a real sales guy is a gift/talent, I worked with a few really productive sales guys.
It was not who I wanted to be.