How often doese this happen to you.

[Mike]

I got a call yesterday morning from a guy who needed a snap onmooring cover cor a 17' hurricane deckboat   Trying to weed out the price checkers i said ballpark price your looking about $800. But i can come measure the boat to give you a firm price and if you loke sheduale it in with a contract and deposite.   The guy said he had a dental apointme t but after 3pm should be goood it skunded like good and he wanted me to come over. Well 6pm he finnaly called i though he was blowing me off. Ut then vot the call i said i can come now   It was a 25 minute ride up the river to his place i saw it wasnt on the water but when i got to bis house i saw a nice place witha big buck rv parked. A harley and a 32 ford hotrod in the open garage in a second open garage was a noce 60s impala. A d the nice boat outside needing a cover

I measure   10 yards of  canvas needed snaps poles ect . $200 in material 600 labor i said i was right $800

He said that seems a bit pricey after itood him 800 on the phone he still wayted my time and hour and gas. people. And this guy had plenty of toys that wernt cheap either but im susposed to work  for nothing.

[sofadoc]

That would REALLY piss me off. I guess he thought you would come down on price rather than waste a trip.


I've had a few who call, and after I've given them a price over the phone, will ask "OK, when can you come out and give me an estimate?"

I respond with "I just did".

[regalman190]

Happened to me last week. Guy wanted a full mooring cover on a 40' CC. Wanted me to meet him the next day. Met him, gave him his price. He said it was good. I figured great, get a deposit and in the schedule it goes. Wrong. He tells me the price is good, but he's not in a hurry and will have it done in the fall. Why the hell didn't he tell me that on the phone.

[timtheboatguy]

It's because us business owners are just sitting around on a huge bag of money with nothing to do. 

[Grebo]

Happened to me last week. Guy wanted a full mooring cover on a 40' CC. Wanted me to meet him the next day. Met him, gave him his price. He said it was good. I figured great, get a deposit and in the schedule it goes. Wrong. He tells me the price is good, but he's not in a hurry and will have it done in the fall. Why the hell didn't he tell me that on the phone.

I get that from time to time, I state on the quote that the price is good for 14 days. They usually do come back later in the year, more often the next year, then I look at the prices & see if anything has gone up.

Suzi

[bobbin]

That would've really irritated me, too, Mike. 

I think people who don't "work with their hands" have a very naïve view of what time means to those of us who do! 

[kodydog]

He could have told you he didn't want to spend that much on the phone. He probably got some cut rate shop to do it. It'll come out looking like crap and he'll be calling you back.

I love the people who.
You give them the quote.
They say its to much.
Then ask if you can just come out and look at it.

[byhammerandhand]

But, hey, "You can just write it off"  (implying it does not cost you anything.)

You could have said, "I'll be here between 2:00 and 2:30, bring it on over."

He said that seems a bit pricey after itood him 800 on the phone he still wayted my time and hour and gas. people. And this guy had plenty of toys that wernt cheap either but im susposed to work  for nothing.

[bobbin]

An audible chuckle at Hammer.'s comment. 

I keep track of mileage and automotive costs.  I also keep track of my time and it doesn't matter if I get the work or I don't.  I always track my hours.  Time is money, afterall! 

I do my level best to stave off "sticker shock" by asking for e-mail photos and giving the customer a "ball park" estimate that way (it's usually "high").  If they're still interested I'll schedule a "house call" to verify my estimate (and I make sure I have all the patterning material required in my car).  I offer to pattern at that visit (and if they're "for real" I pattern at that time).  This is where the "high estimate" comes in handy... I've already spent time on the "their job"... for which I may never be paid.  But if they ask me to do the work, I have leeway to come in under the quoted price, and if I find I've under-estimated I still have some "wiggle room".  I  also try to schedule "go sees" on a day that will be spent out of the shop.  Deliveries, intalls, patterning, etc.. 

[SteveA]

Some of the companies I bid against have salesmen who go out and spend a lot of time with the customer - I really can't put in that kind of time - yes it's difficult for small shops - I usually ask for photos and will give them a ball park from the photos.  Helps weed out some of the time killers
SA

[Mike]

well its really only been the last 10 years here that I have to go to the boats. my first ten they all came to me. I fell like I don't want to waste my time and scare them with overbudding I try to be accurate. its when I tell them the price on the phone then they think it will be lower. I could understand if it were a 5k job but this was 800 600 labor

[BlueFlamingo]

When I was in the Roofing business here's what I did with my estimates.  I told them the estimates were free IF I got the job, if not I charged $20 dollars.  It cut back on the Window shoppers!!!

[kodydog]

When we sold fabric we did the same thing. We charged for the fabric selection trip then took it off the bill if they used us. Cut out a lot of grazers.