When a prospective customer calls and...

climbingmonkey24

climbingmonkey24

Carpal tunnel level member
Location
United States
Tells you what they’re looking to have done and then proceeds to tell you how they think the job needs to be completed instead of just making an appointment for an estimate and waiting for the consultation to hear your opinion.

It’s frustrating because you’re supposed to be the professional they are calling but they’re gonna tell you how the work should be done??

Anyone else know these feels?

/rant:muyenojado:
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Tells you what they’re looking to have done and then proceeds to tell you how they think the job needs to be completed instead of just making an appointment for an estimate and waiting for the consultation to hear your opinion.

It’s frustrating because you’re supposed to be the professional they are calling but they’re gonna tell you how the work should be done??

Anyone else know these feels?

/rant:muyenojado:
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YES! I know exactly what that’s like! I also know what it’s like to have a customer call four times the same day wanting you to rearrange your entire schedule to go grind one stump that was not a priority a month ago, but suddenly is now.
 
BooRad said:
I like when they ask, "Do you have a bucket truck"

Me : "sure we do".

They: "great, this should take no.more then 10 minutes top, all you have to do is......"

Warning bells, ding ding, ding
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Man, I can't tell you how many people have started acting unsure when I leave the bucket and chipper at the curb and start getting ready to climb a prune or a cake removal...

One time we were referred based on the premise that we have a bucket. I looked at it, the truck was in the shop, and I went to climb it. The response was "I thought I was paying for the machine" and I quipped that they were paying for professionals to show up and handle the tree safely and efficiently.
 
I had one a couple years ago. Huge branch from an oak that broke off into multiple other branches right on top of someone’s roof. I told him a price and explained it would have to be pieced out and rigged and they basically told me that’s nonsense just tie a rope to it and pull it with a pickup truck away from the house. This was a couple years ago.

The house is near me and I’m pretty sure that branch is still there. Lol
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Tells you what they’re looking to have done and then proceeds to tell you how they think the job needs to be completed instead of just making an appointment for an estimate and waiting for the consultation to hear your opinion.

It’s frustrating because you’re supposed to be the professional they are calling but they’re gonna tell you how the work should be done??

Anyone else know these feels?

/rant:muyenojado:
Click to expand...

Do what you need to do to respect yourself. Bid high, walk away, whatevs.
 
We've been having this exact conversation this week. Most of my customers are quick to let me know that if they were 10 years younger that they'd climb up there and do it their self just like they have always done. It's amazing how many ex tree climbers there are in my area. They all know exactly what needs done and how to go about it. Telling me where to put the bucket truck and how to cut where it will fall. They don't understand when I tell them the price will be double if they insist on helping. In their mind my business just could not exist without their expertise and help. They all know exactly what needs done to their tree. If their neighbor has had any work done then they see it as time to do the exact same thing to theirs. They call and say well its been 4 years it's time to do some tree work. And don't even think about pulling up in the bucket truck because you're already in it and then decide to climb the tree because it's quicker in that instance or your not sure about the ground. That will blow their mind. They just can't understand why you'd have equipment and not use it.
 
I get calls all the time where the first question is: “do you have a bucket truck? No? Well you can’t do this without a bucket, it’s much higher than a ladder can reach.” If they still insist it’s too high or too whatever after I explain that we can actually climb trees I just let them find someone with a bucket truck. They’ve already established themselves as being a difficult client and life is too short to knowingly invite them into my life.
 
chiselbit said:
I get calls all the time where the first question is: “do you have a bucket truck? No? Well you can’t do this without a bucket, it’s much higher than a ladder can reach.” If they still insist it’s too high or too whatever after I explain that we can actually climb trees I just let them find someone with a bucket truck. They’ve already established themselves as being a difficult client and life is too short to knowingly invite them into my life.
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We get that exact same question constantly. We are a climber based company, don’t currently own a bucket. We have a deal on a rental backyard lift that gets in where a bucket won’t, but we rarely use it. Dodging that question has become one of my specialties. I usually say something about we are climber based, but we have this special lightweight lift that gets places a bucket truck won’t, and that usually gets us in the door.
 
chiselbit said:
I get calls all the time where the first question is: “do you have a bucket truck? No? Well you can’t do this without a bucket, it’s much higher than a ladder can reach.” If they still insist it’s too high or too whatever after I explain that we can actually climb trees I just let them find someone with a bucket truck. They’ve already established themselves as being a difficult client and life is too short to knowingly invite them into my life.
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I would tell them i don't have a ladder either.
 
I used tell them I have a 30' ladder.

Also, I have a 50' ladder, a 75', and a 120' ladder, but that takes 7 guys to carry and set up.
They say, "Really, you're joking?"
I say, "Yes, I'm really joking."

Then, I tell them that nobody puts ladders against wind turbines, or spurs their way up an oil rig. All work is done with secure, rope-access, and always tied in, according to modern, professional standards.

Then, I tell them I can take care of all their needs, having everything I need and more, mostly gear only tree nerds know about.

If they want to pay way too much money, I can bring out a crane with a 300' boom for an extra $3000.
 
Lol when customers insist that you need a bucket and then act mind blown when you say you do the work by climbing. Just freakin wait for an in person consultation to get a professional opinion instead of telling the tree professional how they should be doing their job!

I had one tell me the other day they need someone with a telescopic pole saw.

I don’t have a gas one I just have one of those ones you buy at the local hardware store that homeowners use. Hardly use it because I do everything by climbing. Have been thinking about getting a gas power pruner though.

Anyways, they’re like, the branches are only 10 ft off the ground. And I said well it’s not a problem if we don’t do it from ground we just climb.

I get there and branches look like they’re 20+ ft.
 
Funny, if their house is burning down, I bet they don't sit out there and tell the fire department how to do their job, or they can't climb up there on a ladder because it's too dangerous, or don't go in the house... you'll suffocate! Because, we all know that if a Swedish pig farmer with an eighth grade education can't figure out how to solve a problem, there's just no way anyone else can.
 
Ask if they need a bucket truck installed in the tree, or branches professionally removed from a tree without damage or injury.
Sorry, just installed our last bucket truck and are waiting on a new shipment.



A lot of people are just uninformed and think only unroped drunks climb trees, starting on ladders.

Give them the benefit of the doubt that they don't know and are feeling out a company in a sea of mediocre companies.

A customer asked me about fixing the fence.
I said I don't really know about fixing chain-link fences, just a lot about not breaking them.
He said a previous bidder was singing the praises of his new power pole saw, and was going to cut everything from the ground, probably off an a-frame ladder, so inevitable damage to the fence (the cheapest his neighbor could buy, and not robust) would result.

After talking to someone like that, you might think all successful people buy bucket trucks for $150,000, never knowing you can buy death-trap trucks, or buy one that doesn't run so that you can honestly say you have a bucket truck, and show a picture with signs (at the company owner's house where it stays).
 
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