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Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:34 am
by Forestboy1978
I've got 2 quotes to view this morning. 1 is a recommendation and has said they can wait till autumn are not getting any other quotes as they've been told we are very good and trustworthy. Which is the truth.
The other is getting 5 quotes and has said as much on the phone.
It's a perimeter fence ffs. Do you really need to get 5 quotes. I sort of get it but at the same time it *****s me off. I mean that's 5 companies that have to come round, measure up, calculate costs and time scales and then present quote.
Screw it I'm cancelling...
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:43 am
by jwill
At least they've fore warned you pretty honest of them. Why don't you approach a different way say that your busy enough, emphasise that your work isn't always cheapest but good quality and if they want to get back in touch after 5 quotes and let u know figures you will see if you can compete. Saves u the wasted visit and they might think u are shit hot
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:49 am
by Forestboy1978
I get what you're saying but I can't be arsed. Got plenty of work. Why bother quoting something that's a guaranteed 1 in 5. I used to do it for the challenge but I'd rather not bother. If it was a quote for 15k worth of windows and doors I'd get it.....
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:16 pm
by dig dug dan
Forestboy1978 wrote:I get what you're saying but I can't be arsed. Got plenty of work. Why bother quoting something that's a guaranteed 1 in 5. I used to do it for the challenge but I'd rather not bother. If it was a quote for 15k worth of windows and doors I'd get it.....
Agreed. They are timewasting and will go with the cheapest, and no doubt phone them all up and tell them they are the most expensive to shave more money off
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 9:08 am
by lutonlagerlout
"you are a bit more expensive than the others ,but we want you to do it,can you come down a little bit?"
heard this before
maybe charge £10 or £20 for quotes refundable when the work starts
cheers LLL
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 11:19 am
by Forestboy1978
Never get away with it. Even if I asked for a tenner they'd think I was having a steffy..
Screw em.
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 2:16 pm
by Simsy
For what it's worth, speaking as a customer...
Earlier this year I had 4 quotes for some tree surgery...
I didn't go with the cheapest.
I went with the 2nd dearest.
It's not just about price, it's about how you feel about the person as well.
Regards
Simsy
Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:18 pm
by Tony McC
Judging from the feedback I get via the website, when a customer invites 5 contractors to quote.....
1 - only 2, possibly 3, of them will actually turn up.
2 - one of the prices will be straight from La-La Land
3 - Most customers are more interested in feeling confident and comfortable with a contractor, rather than getting the lowest possible price.
4 - About half of customers genuinely believe paying cash will cut the cost by the full 20% of VAT
5 - Most customers prefer a written, detailed quote.
6 - Most customers are extremely wary of 'salesmen' types visiting to evalauate and price the job.
7 - Personal recommendation is, by quite some way, the most important factor when it comes to choosing a contractor.
...and about 25% of customers end up falling out with their contractor. That doesn't mean 25% of contractors are dodgy, just that around a quarter of all jobs end up causing problems which can be due to faults on either or even both sides!
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:50 pm
by Simsy
Following on from Tony's post above...
About a week after the tree surgery malarky I mentioned above, I arranged some decorators to come round to quote for some interior painting...
I decided I didn't want to get 4 or 5 again... too much faff waiting about.
So I arranged for 2, to come at different times.
This was for a rental house that my wife owns, and it's 100 miles from where we live. Both contractors knew this and promised me that would call me in good time if they couldn't make it.
First one turned up bang on time, at 09:30.
Second one was due at "approx" 10:45.
By 11:00 he hadn't turned up, so I rang him.
"Sorry mate, I got another job offered.. I'm about 150 miles away!"
"Why didn't you call me? You promised you would... I've travelled 100 miles to see you!"
"Dunno"
That's why customers want lot's of quotes!
So I ended up with only the one quote. So he got the job. I was expecting about £800. He quoted me £950, but when the job was done said he'd used less paint than expected and charged £900.
Regards,
Simsy
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 10:02 pm
by Forestboy1978
Yeah I do get it. I was perhaps a little harsh.
I am my wits end though with people. Like materials don't arrive so I phone the supplier and they say oh sorry our computer said we had stock but the guys can't find any blah blah so I say to the customer, very sorry I've got to find something else to do cos materials are not arriving as they are supposed to. Customer not happy. 2 day later 3 weather forecasts say storms so I cancel a day and it turns out blistering hot... same customer. doubly annoyed. Zero I could do about either. With finally laying 2 pieces of the dogs bollocks artificial grass and after taping them together and brushing and sanding the second peice we notice it's defective and has to be sent back and replaced omg... Part of me wants an office job.. well.. either or, but not both.
The job prior, customer discusses job with me. I say do you want this fence straight at the top or with the land.. Land goes down then up. He says ah just run with the land, so I say ok. Quote.. bullet points, lenght, height, materials, running with the land etc. 3 panels in, decides he wants to go flat. I try to explain that that mean grinding out stumps as we wont get gravel boards into the ground far enough without stump grinding and there is tons of concrete around the stumps, that means at least a days labour for 3 guys more than the quoted price plus picking up my stump grinder etcetera... lots of hassle trying not to come across as a dodgy car salesman. In the end it added 1 1/2 days extra for 3 guys and he's still not happy.
Customer prior, wants to work around a tree. No problem. Changes his mind ok no problem. Whilst I'm out buying an extra post he moves the hole. I come back and things are different. I try to explain he's forced us to add yet another post and he's now got to have tiny part panel in the middle of a fence. He flips out. In the end I add 2x2s to ever panel to increase span by 4 inches per panel causing me a lot of work as all gravel boards had to be adjusted also. He's happy but at one point is nearly having a breakdown cos he's got involved while I'm away.
The other one that gets me is the customer who wants the job finished at any cost. Try explaining to them that I am doing them a favour by coming back and laying slabs on a day when it's not raining... they'll soon phone in the guarantee when it all fails too.
I'm fed up with people...generally
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 11:27 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I reckon you need to go back to basic Andres
full written quote for everything== detailed
set aside time for pricing/paperwork
have days off
turn down work if it dont smell right
cheers LLL 