What do you bring on estimates?

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There's a site where distrust, bigotry, racism and hatred are bantered about freely alongside just a few tree-related issues, it'd be prudent for you to take your ignorance there.

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You may have noticed that some of us don't hesitate to use our name when posting.
If you look under my profile, you'll find my full name + a link to my homepage, where you can find my adress etc.
That means that I'm willing to stand behind whatever I say on this forum.
You on the other hand, make all your juvenile posts under a alias.
If you feel you have something worthwhile to say, at least say it under your own name, instead of hiding under Oakwilt.
To me,that spells; chicken!!!
 
Not being american, I have no idea what the "TFZ" is.
Calling someone moron, while sailing under "false colours" still spell Chicken to me, sorry.

You have my name and adress, if you want to call me "moron" to my face, you know where to go.
Why dont you give me the same opportunity, Chicken?
 
I just found out, that TFZ would be "tree free zone"
Most sorry.

Stupid Dane!

However, the chicken statement still stands!!
 
Later then.

For anyone suggesting further items to consider toting along while travelling the bid circuit, let's continue with the ideas or helpful hints.

Digital camera, even a cheap $20 one, just in case.
 
For new customer bids, I always have handy a stack of the ISA brochures about how to hire an arborist, why tree topping is bad, etc. for educational purposes. I bring all the usual paperwork and company brochures, etc. plus I always have my full climbing gear in the job box in my truck, as well as a hayate pole saw for pulling hangers, etc.

I have just bought a laptop in the last month, forcing myself not to be such a chicken about technology. It has my quickbooks program loaded on it, so I have all my customer history with me at all times. This is so nice for when they want to know what we did last time, when was it, how much was it, which arborists did the work, etc. It also has all my financials on it, which may be a bit of a security issue, I guess, but I have an open book policy with my employees, and when they want to know how it is going, the reports are awesome in quickbooks.

I keep a stick of deodorant, a clean shirt, a sweat towel and toothbrush so I don't look or smell like a total slob when I have left the crew to go give bids. (As rare as that is anymore!)
 
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I hope yout clients employ the "art of filtering" as fine as you two do.

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They do.

Our clients don't hire morons to do their tree care.
 
Carry YOUR tools and don't go ANYWARE for free. The days of free estimates are over, anyone who is still doing them is working in the stone age. Prune rocks not trees!
 
Leaving a written quote on a company form seems good, then they have your number at least. But I was taking my full climbing gear and saws, just in case I could knock one off on the spot. Nice thought, but I would end up doing some work that required a ground man and trying to pull it off alone or training the client on the rope pulling techniques. This really didn't feel right, and I stopped after putting a spruce top on my truck hood! Things just go better with trained help around. So I'd say be careful you don't try to rush a job and give yourself time to prepare to do it right. Nipping a small branch with the pole saw or pulling down a hanger with the throwline is a good way to seal the deal, but I don't commit to any major work till I have time to plan, and enough hours to complete.
 
I take a laptop and mobile printer (customers seem to appreciate receiving a typed estimate on the spot). Like noel, I use quickbooks and can quickly check what we charged last time, and history. Plus, I used it to create custom estimates and invoice that include all our contact information. Including our web site, and I tell them we post our schedule there. Which I try to keep updated for rain days, and jobs running long...so they know about when we will show up.

I also carry a green laser pointer, ISA brochures, and sometime climbing gear.
 
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Carry YOUR tools and don't go ANYWARE for free. The days of free estimates are over, anyone who is still doing them is working in the stone age. Prune rocks not trees!

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I could not disagree more.. especially now in these economic times when people are totally freaked out about their cash and what the future holds. I have never charged for quotes, only if they involve consults, and I do not believe I am in the stone age. However, if I were to charge for every estimate, I think I would be in the unemployment line pretty quick in the rough times we are in right now. I had a window guy come out yesterday to quote my windows... no charge. A plumber last month do a quote... no charge. A painter last year do a quote... no charge. My roofer 5 years ago, no charge.. What gives? I agree, if you are "educating" the potential client, not just giving them a price, then that is a fair practice. Other then that, I think there is going to be lost work, at least where I am. Are you refunding the price of the quote if you get the job?
 
What to bring? That is the age old question!

Usually I don't bring what I need but that doesn't cause too many problems.

Here is what I keep in the vehicle:

<ul type="square">[*]Company Brochure
[*]Binoculars
[*]reference books
[*]laser pointer
[*]Secateurs
[*]soil knife
[*]writing materials
[*]estimate forms to take back to the shop and write the estimate
[*]magnifiers
[*]ziplock sample bags
[*]more stuff I can't remember
[/list]

Used to bring the laptop and printer and print the estimate right then and there. Not so any more. I might give a verbal ballpark quote but tell them I'll work the numbers at the shop to give them the best I can. All I leave tehm with is the company brochure.

I have found that my first numbers are often higher than they should be so I take notes and chew on it the rest of the day.

Then I either email or snailmail the workorder to the customer
 
This is a good thread for building out a sales presentation kit. That is what I am going on. NOT an estimate. While an estimate may come of it, that is only a piece of the visit.

As for pricing over the phone. When a prospective client calls asking for a price over the phone it's an opportunity to qualify them. Instead of branding them as Morons use it to determine if they're good prospects that don't have any idea what it costs. They call around to determine what the range is and what they'll get for the money. Have any of you never shopped around by phone then bought the best valued NOT the cheapest????

Man, we are jaded aren't we......
 
I bring my quote book, a handsaw and a few bits of puppy chow. I have yet to not get a job from a dog owner. But I dont travel more than 15 minutes to 99% of my quotes.

People are funny, they will call a toll free number over a cell number to save maybe a couple bucks when your looking at a job worth many thousands of dollars.Same with free quotes.

Free quotes are going to be around a long long long time. If you have so much work you no longer off them, great, but your loosing potential clients doing it. Your in a better position than most if you can afford that.
 
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