Starving arborist

boreality

boreality

New member
Location
boreal forest
Check this out. I'm starving to death here with a ton of work and a lot of unpaid for work. Didn't even proof read it I just put it on the community fb page. Right/wrong it felt like a weight off my shoulders.


Residential tree work is second only to commercial fishing in the most hazardous work environment classification. The work itself doesn't have to be dangerous the unskilled people doing the work are the hazard. It's what's called an unregulated trade. Buy a chainsaw, put an ad in the yellow pages, away you go, Tree Pro. A child with a dull ax can cut down a tree but should I have to meet or beat their price.

In my seven years serving the area the only injury my staff has had is when one fell through a rotten deck in an attempt to move a rusty bbq out of the way. Every year I've advertised less and call volume has gone up. That's a lot of satisfied clients doing my marketing with referrals. In my short time here I've worked on almost every second cabin around the area and returned many times to some.

I could sell you the sizzle but I think you'd prefer steak. Honest, knowledgeable advice and work. Top of the class at the best Arboricutural education in North America, the experience, rugged good looks and a sparkling personality. The last couple might of been a bit of sizzle. I've done so well I don't have to work anywhere but this area. No Prince Albert, no Candle Lake etc. Everyone else that comes up here to compete has made themselves available by not serving their home market as well as myself and they all come from better markets than here.

Even if you haven't hired Ever Green Arborist you have profited from my fair pricing in this competitive market. The "gougers" have been shut down. You may think I'm getting rich doing this but you couldn't be farther from the truth. I've never worked more for less since getting less than $3.00/hour minimum wage.

I'm probably giving you more information than I should but that would be selling sizzle again. I started at $100/hour and raised it to $120. Even with working full time I end the fall season with the same bank balance as spring. In other words I've been working at cost. I've created employment for two residents of Paddockwood and all the money stays in this area. Arborists just did a survey and the lowest rate was $150/hour across North America. It went up from there of course. My costs are the same as anywhere and my product of the highest quality.

That's about all I have to say, except, if you haven't paid your bill it would sure be nice to see some cheques in the mail ASAP. I'm in the tree business not the debt collecting business.
 
I held back with that. I wanted to compare them to shoplifters except there's no law against it. We're extending them unchecked credit. What legitimate business does that? Some even have security at the exit. My unique problem is these are their second home so I can't go bang on their door and play the heavy. Guess what I get to do on my long weekends.

I don't have written contracts as I'm not really a businessman. Just a guy who'd rather work for a good company but there isn't any here so I do my best to run a business so I can do what I do.
 
Bevin, that's a good write up. I'm feeling a little guilty myself. You're never gonna get that tooth fixed though, if you don't make some extra cash, and I've been there, that can ruin a good personality quick.

When we're bidding hundreds per tree, adding on $75 a job is going to go unnoticed. That's an extra $375 for a 5 day week. And in your situation, where clients are in their vacation homes, I bet you'd be better off just telling them, as you're about to crank up the 1st saw of the day, "I need to be paid upon completion." Tell them in a nice way of course, which you're obviously capable of.

And remember, these people are well off, otherwise they wouldn't have second homes. And they know how to hold out when it comes to letting go of their money. Not that that's what they're doing.

Anyway, point is, even if you're contracts are all verbal, you can still add that clause stating, "...payment will be collected upon completion." Don't start the job until they agree. And yes, people are buying your skilled tree care, but as any salesman knows, they're mostly buying YOU.

My two cents.
 
I trade tree work for gold teeth with my dentist so that's cool. I just barely survived the last long weekend to call them and find out they're on holidays til this week. One more day to get on the one month waiting list.

Sooner or later I'll figure out this game.
 
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I trade tree work for gold teeth with my dentist so that's cool.

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Ha ha, at least you're working for GOLD.
I worked off a titanium implant, bone graft, and a crown. It's amazing how much cheaper the dentists and oral surgeon's prices are when they're bartering. Something to remember for sure.
 
Some of my biggest clients have been fired. Construction contractors need to pay in advance if I can stick to my guns. I've been giving them next day service as a policy as well. No respect.
 
I threatened a client with small claims court this week and 'voila,' the check appeared straightaway.

If it makes you feel any better, I am not taking a paycheck this week for the first time in three years. 11K on the street, 3K in the bank, 5K left on overdraft line, barely enough to make payroll without me included.

-Tom
 
We're seeing the signs here in SC. Redbuds are blooming...hydrangeas are budding...and we had a major ice storm a week and half ago. It won't be long.
 
Unfortunately, if you're in business then you're in the collection business. That's just reality. You can't avoid it. If it's a second home, do you have there main address? If not then start getting it. How far away are these people? 1 hr, 2 hrs or less? I spent an Oct/Nov collecting outstanding payments. I had to "corner" one client who despite having a successful business tried to dodge us.

How much do you have in Receivables? If you have an invoice you may be able to sell them. That way you get the majority of the cash without having to spend the time chasing it down.

Be a better businessman and you'll do much better as a tree company.
 
I have limitations unfortunately. Something to do with PTSD which we get from keeping you good people sleeping safe and sound at night.

They come from everywhere even Europe. I think they've spent all their money on expensive toys and shiny things. They're probably poorer than me. I get their home contact info but I keep moving forward with more of the work I like and have trouble looking back at what is history to me. I've done my part now it's time for them to get to work and buck up. I'm going to build a secure drop box in the driveway and give them the invoice payable upon completion at the time of sale. Just too much for one burnt out old tree climber.

There's a bunch of electronic payment options now, I've got to modernize. Maybe even get a cell phone. Before you get excited I have one with no plan that would still allow me to phone 911 so they say.

I remember one guy hiding under his table while I knocked on the door for fifteen minutes. When he realized he'd been spotted he came out and said uh, I don't know why I was under the table. Then he took an hour digging through paperwork trying to tell me he'd paid. Must be nice to be rich.

The amount outstanding isn't that much but I can get through five months of winter on a couple thousand. Every year I get a little farther behind instead of ahead. My big problem is if I owed someone money I could hardly sleep at night and pay asap. I wish the rest of the world lived like me. Seems like I'm kinda special. Maybe not in a good way.
 
The answers to your woes Boreality can be found in these.


The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
By John C. Maxwell
1. The Law of the Lid – Leadership Ability Determines a Person’s Level of Effectiveness
2. The Law of Influence – The True Measure of Leadership is Influence – Nothing More, Nothing Less
3. The Law of Process – Leadership Develops Daily, Not in a Day
4. The Law of Navigation – Anyone Can Steer the Ship, but It Takes a Leader to Chart the Course
5. The Law of Addition – Leaders Add Value by Serving Others
6. The Law of Solid Ground – Trust Is the Foundation of Leadership
7. The Law of Respect – People Naturally Follow Leaders Stronger Than Themselves
8. The Law of Intuition – Leaders Evaluate Everything with a Leadership Bias
9. The Law of Magnetism – Who You Are Is Who You Attract
10. The Law of Connection – Leaders Touch a Heart Before They Ask for a Hand
11. The Law of the Inner Circle – A Leader’s Potential Is Determined by Those Closest to Him
12. The Law of Empowerment – Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others
13. The Law of the Picture – People Do What People See
14. The Law of Buy-In – People Buy into the Leader, Then the Vision
15. The Law of Victory - Leaders Find a Way for the Team to Win
16. The Law of the Big Mo – Momentum Is a Leader’s Best Friend
17. The Law of Priorities – Leaders Understand That Activity Is Not Necessarily Accomplishment
18. The Law of Sacrifice – A Leader Must Give Up to Go Up
19. The Law of Timing – When to Lead Is As Important As What to Do and Where to Go
20. The Law of Explosive Growth – To Add Growth, Lead Followers – To Multiply, Lead Leaders
21. The Law of Legacy – A Leader’s Lasting Value Is Measured by Succession

Take leadership control of your circumstance. If there is weakness or flaw it is up to us to correct, change or overcome.

Cash flow used to be a HUGE problem for our firm - it was a result of the culture I fostered - we changed the culture. Cash flow is still a daily, weekly, monthly adversity, but we employ procedures to correct, change and overcome.

Our terms of payment upon completion, schedules dont always permit this timing and we offer some grace, but when grace is taken advantage of - a friendly reminder that the client never pays for their groceries "when they can send a cheque in the mail" makes our point known.
 
Thanks man. I really focus on the work and I'm not looking to become a multinational. I did witness many good leaders in the most difficult situation while working in corrections. Nothing like holding someone against their will and getting eight hours a day of hard physical work out of them for $2.00/day. I did ok but there were some coworkers that had the skills you listed above for sure. Like I say I burned out there and have trouble with some stuff now. That was a lot of years ago, I'm slowly getting better.

Giving them the invoice at the sale instead of mailing it out would be a good start. I even kept everything in my head for the first couple years now I have a big white board with lists of what's what. Too easy.

I've always worked with trees and nature but I made that one mistake of getting a real job for a spell. Shoulda stayed in the woods. I heard about the CA cert in the late 70's, boy if I'd only done what I'm doing now back then. At least I'm doing it now.
 
It's the biggest challenge for many small business owners. You don't have to aspire to be a big corporation to manage cash flow effectively. Like your arboricultural skills, business management skills need to be developed. Take the simple step of telling your clients up front what your expectation of payment is. If you don't talk about the money side of the business and payment with confidence then they won't take it seriously. By being clear on your expectation of payment upon completion you'll help to uncover those that may not have the ability to pay on time or at the least have them allocate the money so it will be available.

Sure, you can manage to make it through the winter months on a few thousand, but that has nothing to do with collecting the outstanding amounts. If they don't think its a priority to you then they'll hang on to the money for their own use. I'd rather a client defer the work until they can pay me than for me to do it right away and have to wait and chase them. Once the work is done there is less pressure for them to pay unless you are putting pressure on them to do so. Get it taken care of upfront and there will be fewer clients you'll be chasing down. Collections is never fun but necessary.

You're not alone in this dilemma. Remember though you work to pay the bills and provide for the future, you chose tree care because it's what will get you up in the morning.
 
Zactly. I'm pumping out more volume than I thought I would. You know it's really the big wheel contractors that don't pay. They get all jumpy to get the work done the next day and grimmace at the lower rate I give them. That party's over. They can have their fun with the next schmoe or pay my new contractor rate of 1.25% and some I'll only work for if paid in advance.

I've always played the big wheel myself. Oh don't worry about it, pay me when you can...who was I kidding. No wonder why they'd get starry eyed when they'd hear that.
 
There is a lot to be said for knocking on the job after completion, asking them to check it's ok, then......shut up, often to fill the embarrassing silence they say "should I pay you now?"
Don't leave without at least asking, you don't ask you don't get. Plus keep some kind of invoice book in your truck, so when they say "can I have an invoice or will you send an invoice?" You can pull the book out and write it out there and then.
 
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