Is it

Eugene Silberstein 3

As Dan keeps saying...

"IT PAYS TO WANDER OFF THE WALL"

How true...

don_182

Is it

cut thoat season already? I just dont understand how some of our brother out here would even get out of bed, with the
prices that are being quoted this time of year.

I hope you guys are having better luck then I'm having right
now.

Thank goodness...I've got alot of loyal customer with service contracts.

So how are all you guys doing?

Empire_2

Hi Don:

Yea I am battling the same thing. I cannot go any lower and turn a decent profit. All I can tell the customer is please call if you have any problems, I'd be glad to help. This is after loosing the bid.

Mike T.

Eugene Silberstein 3

Mike with the Crying Towel

That's the best approach, guys.

After you've done everything in your power to explain why you might not be the lowest bidder

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=73

the best thing to do is offer to be there to pick up the pieces if and when the job doesn't go as planned.

Quite often, you'll get a call at some point in the future asking you how much it will cost to "make things right". For this reason, always keep your old proposals, measurements, etc. It'll go far when the customer calls and you have all of their information at your fingertips ready to bail them out.

Best of luck and have a great fall.

Empire_2

Eugene:

When I read the first tile on your reply, I almost said to myself,"what did I say wrong".;-) Mike with the crying towel.... I never knew this article existed, but it's to the point and a must read for every contractor who thinks they need to bid below reasonable expectations just to get a new customer or an existing one for that matter.

Thanks Gene;-)

Mike T.

don_182

Hello Mike

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.I too find it funny how some of them are willin to give the customer money just so they can do the job.

Example...I bid on a 2 ton heatpump system just last week for a guy my brother knows.My brother calls to tell me he went with his dads guy whos a builder for 1500 dollars less
then what we quoted because, he's hoping the builder will give him the next job.Does he really think the builder going to let him make it up on the next job!
I also lost out on a cold storage job as well this week.I
was 100.000 more then the lowest bidder.Now my pencil was
close to 2 iches long when I got done with the numbers. So I can only think the guy like working for free or he gets
all his material out the back door.

More and more I'm seeing my efforts need to go towards the service side of the business and staying away from the bidding process.It just becoming to much lost time and money
doing so.

Its all about the dollar.Take care, guys.

Empire_2

Don

I have been thinking about charging a design fee which would be applied to the install if accepted, BUT,...Not a real hit in Buffalo, NY. If you think about it we spend a substantial amount of time preparing/research etc... just to hear,..."I gonna go with the other guy". 9 times out of 10 it's the low guy.... I guess only the rich can afford poor heating/Cooling systems.

Take care.

Mike T.