The joys of bidding work

[AlanB]

The heck it wouldn't. If I find out I'm paying your travel time and my neighbor is getting a better deal on my dime, I'm not going to use you ever again. And I'll badmouth you to all my friends, family and neighbors, too.

Somehow, I would live with that, someone that agree's to a deal, I do my part, then they whine and complain because they think someone got a better deal then them

Probably not who I want to work for anyway.

 

[MossRoad]

All the rich ones cared about was the bottom line dollar.

Dougster

That's why they're rich!

 

[MossRoad]

I've been quickly scanning this entire topic for the first time this afternoon and I am going to bring up a point that I don't believe has been made yet:

Say LoneCowboy had decided to take the next door neighbor up on his $400 offer. What happens if $500 neighbor (neighbor A) talks to $400 neighbor (neighbor B) about their recent mowing jobs? Over the course of conversation, the price that each paid is discovered. Neighbor A would have been upset! He would likely be thinking: "Why the $100 difference?" or "Maybe I should get somebody else to mow the lot the next time." A satisfied customer thinks that he has been shafted.

I would have done what Brian did. I'd be thinking, "The tractor's at the site and off the trailer, no additional costs in labor, hauling, & fuel...OK, I'll do it for $450. Load up, go home, come back later, and unload...$500." Brian made a wise business decision...the costs should play a large part in pricing. I am sure Brian knows where his break-even point is located.

They could have different sized lots, so that would account for the different prices.

What would no go over well is the comments about him charging $50 more if he has to take the tractor off the trailer and the first customer finds out. Then customer A realises he is paying the loading and transport fees for customer B.

 

[MossRoad]

Somehow, I would live with that, someone that agree's to a deal, I do my part, then they whine and complain because they think someone got a better deal then them

Probably not who I want to work for anyway.

Customers talk to each other all the time. That's how some businesses get jobs by word of mouth between their customers. That's also how some businesses lose customers... when their customer finds out other people are getting better deals then they are.

I'm speaking purely from a customer viewpoint... if I find out someone else is getting a better deal than I am, I will demand that same deal. If I don't get it, I'll chose not to deal with that business again. And I will tell people why I won't use that business any more...

I read somewhere that within 24 hours of someone getting what they perceive as a bad deal, they will tell at least 10 other people. The same does not happen when someone gets a good deal.

 

[AlanB]

Yes, and a substantial portion of our business comes from word of mouth. BUT, that word of mouth usually does not include costs. (oh, and added on edit, if cost was a primary concern for our customers, we tend not to get them, we are not the cheapest, and have no desire to be)

And most of our customers if you asked what they paid, would say,

"give them a call and they will come out and tell you what it cost to do yours"

Or just like the customers at our house today, many people ask "how much for the tree's that they put in?" Our customer told them to contact us and we would give them a price.

Our when our supplier was offloading the tree's at a property and the neighbors came over and said "how much" and our supplier pointed to Hanna and said, you need to speak with that lady, and she will tell you the price.

And on a related note, when we went next door (figure of speech) and they asked, "how much was it for their landscaping" they are told that we do not discuss the prices others pay, but we would be happy to quote their yard for them.

I guess we have two different ways of looking at this Moss.

LC's cost was different between the two jobs. (that is a fact, not a feeling)

Assuming they were the same size, why in the world would he charge the same when his costs were different?

 

[MossRoad]

My point being in this entire thread is that the guy asked if he'd do it for less, as just about anyone would, and instead of saying, "No, I can't do it for less" he said it would cost more in 5 minutes if he loaded the tractor. Most people on the buying end of that deal would be put off by that tactic, rather than an honest answer of, "No, I honestly can't do it for less. I'd be happy to give you my card and let you think about it." That's the way to do business. That's the way I'd do business.

 

[JoeinTX]

MossRoad, I can see the validity in your point. About the only thing in LC's response to this guy I have any fault with is the words he used.

Like you, replying with a simple "no, not for that price" and bidding this gent a good-day might have been more cordial.

But, in either case, I suppose the result was the same.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

MossRoad, I can see the validity in your point. About the only thing in LC's response to this guy I have any fault with is the words he used.

Like you, replying with a simple "no, not for that price" and bidding this gent a good-day might have been more cordial.

But, in either case, I suppose the result was the same.

Agreed.

Some customers, it wouldn't matter if they found out that their neighbor paid less, some it would. Some customers, it wouldn't matter when you explained WHY you raised/lowered your price, some it would. You don't have a clue how each former, current, or potential customer will react until the situation unfolds. In the end, the best way to handle it is to NOT give them a detailed explaination of every aspect of your reasoning. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. What they don't know, well....They don't know. A simple, courtious yes or no, without volinteering too much information is the best way to avoid needing to do damage control later on.