Selling ... Bid to bargain ?

[murphy4trees]

and like to practice their negotiating skills on unsuspecting contractors

 

[Limbrat]

And then sometimes I take less just cause it looks like the client is hurting financially...

And sometimes just do it for free if it's a widow or a vet.

 

[pantheraba]

Yep...good point. My across the street neighbor is a widow...very nice lady, working hard to raise her grandson while her recovering drug addict daughter and son in law are going thru drug rehab. I do her work but not free...she pays me with chocolate cake...yummmm

 

[woodworkingboy]

I spent about thirty minutes cutting a small Cherry and a small Yew for a lady by my shop. Nice folks, but her husband is absolutely useless in doing any kind of yard work, and when he does on rare occasion do it, it appears afterward that a helicopter landed upside down on the property. She didn't ask a price or anything, and after she helped me move the brush, I simply went back to the shop. The next day she brought over two six packs of beer. One would have been enough, not drinking much beer when it turns colder.

 

[squisher]

Heh if one six pack is enough, two is more than enough.

 

[Chris E]

I think Ive finally got negotiating prices down pat-feels good, by negotiating with me it flags a signal that they're interested, I tend to stand quite firm and may toss a scrap by way of a small and easy "free extra".

A while ago I gave a bid for a guy claiming to be a builder, he told me numerous times that he was a builder/property developer and that if I provided good service there would be repeat work (I couldn't care less as I knew he was shit talker that wanted the cheapest price possible full stop). He had a big dead ugly tree and laughed at me when I gave him the price, acted all big time like I was wasting his time with unrealistic figures - I was pretty pissed off to say the least. He called me 2 months later to try and engage me for the work and it felt good to tell him the price would now be double.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Nice move, but even when you do something like that, it's debatable whether some people get the point of really having screwed themselves by trying to screw around someone else.

 

[Chris E]

^ Good point Jay, human psychology will always be complex. It was easy for me to turn him down as I had under quoted it savagely in the first instance anyway... so he really did miss out on a bargain. I only quote easy straightforward jobs at the point of inspection, anything requiring some planning and I do the figures at home and send a quote later, tips the odds back in my favour, mostly

 

[Altissimus]

I will spend a bit of time (unpaid) to work up prices. Hate when they stand right next to me as I'm trying to look over the situation and want immediate quotes. I prefer to spend some time alone with the Tree to do this accurately.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I find a polite way is to explain to them that now, knowing what they want (after spending X amount of time with them), I can put some numbers together to figure out what this complex situation will take to do the job safely and to Specs we've decided upon. I'll knock on the door when I've put it together (aka go away, I know where to find you).

Ignoring questions for 20-30 seconds while staring up into the tree, then coming back to say, "what was that?", I was figuring out the complexities of the process of doing some otherwise dangerous work. Stops people from jabbering, or telling you about what happened when Joe removed a tree 5 years ago in the back yard, or at some other property, without having to tell them to "STFU, I'm thinking!"

 

[Limbrat]

He had a big dead ugly tree and laughed at me when I gave him the price, acted all big time like I was wasting his time with unrealistic figures - I was pretty pissed off to say the least. He called me 2 months later to try and engage me for the work and it felt good to tell him the price would now be double.

Had one similar, Prez of a Tallahassee bank had a big removal job here, I gave him a price and he almost choked. I told my partner, he'll call us in a week after he gets a quote for a Tallahassee crew to drive down here and back for a week. He did.

 

[Altissimus]

Love it , I am patient enough to wait the two weeks for the call , after that I figure no job.

 

[Mick!]

I bid on a massive dead cedar in the spring whilst short of work. I put a competitive (stupidly low) quote in to which the correct response should be "that sounds great, when can you do it?"
They asked me how long the quote was good for, I was caught off balance and said "till October"
November the 1st I woke up relieved. It's still there of course, when they phone (and they will) it'll cost them another €1500.
If they wriggle not a single duck will be given.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Reminds me of a story in the news in the states many years ago. Some new car dealership had painted on the window of their showroom a promotion that said you could get one of the car models for only a certain number of "bananas". Some guy came in with the stated number of bananas, or cases containing the bananas it must have been. The salesmen laughed at him, but apparently he had done his homework. Taking it to court, the ruling was that he would get the car for the bananas. He sure made monkeys out of the dealership. In those days a dollar bought you a lot of bananas.

 

[Limbrat]

Too funny Jay. Say what you mean and mean what you say

 

[Chris E]

Hate when they stand right next to me as I'm trying to look over the situation and want immediate quotes. I prefer to spend some time alone with the Tree to do this accurately.

Or just stand there staring at you impatiently, silently willing you to spit out a number.




I received a rude shock a few months ago when I was told the bid had been rejected on the basis of being too low... seriously.
I had quoted on a largish sweet gum to be removed, the HO ( who was referred by her neighbour and had witnessed us take down a similar size tree) said she had received an onsite price nearly double and another guy nearly triple that hadn't yet seen the tree, said she wanted it done expertly and not cheaply. I sent her an email mentioning errors in the quoting process can arise from time to time that I would appreciate the opportunity to requote factoring in slightly more time and was denied....

Just goes to show how complex it can be, my price was likely on the low side but not ridiculously so

 

[woodworkingboy]

It's an old adage in the art world, if something doesn't sell, raise your prices.

 

[Altissimus]

...seems counter intuitive but w skilled trades it does work.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Some people like to equate higher cost with quality, a higher price gives them some reason for assurance. Probably to some extent we all think that way. The problem is that it can be factual or it could be complete nonsense, it depends on the situation. It sure helps when a potential customer has a good eye or sense on their own for visualising what they will be getting for their money.

 

[Altissimus]

I tell customers flat out , if I am low bid I have done something wrong ... Gets a funny look sometimes.

 

[Chris E]

...seems counter intuitive but w skilled trades it does work.

Correct, but it seems most folk don't regard tree work as being skilled, hence all those " I was gonna do it myself, but, you know, too busy something and something" remarks. Target market is obviously the key, smart (wealthy) and fair folks who appreciate whats involved.

 

[woodworkingboy]

That's a great point, Chris, about the degree of appreciation for the work. It can much set the tone of the communications. People should at least feel a degree of being fortunate...or maybe a better word is respectful, when they encounter a high degree of competency with someone in any trade, especially jobs entailing certain dangers. On occasion I have noticed a change in someone's demeanor after they observe another person whose life when working is sometimes relying solely on a half inch piece of rope. Sometimes they will become rather friendly for some reason only known to themselves.

 

[sotc]

I sent her an email mentioning errors in the quoting process can arise from time to time that I would appreciate the opportunity to requote factoring in slightly more time and was denied....

 

[sotc]

Shoot, that was a error, there's supposed to be another zero in there!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Correct, but it seems most folk don't regard tree work as being skilled, hence all those " I was gonna do it myself, but, you know, too busy something and something" remarks. Target market is obviously the key, smart (wealthy) and fair folks who appreciate whats involved.

I think if anybody says that they think about doing it themselves, I might politely ask their plan of attack.