I feel Beat UP!!!!!!!!!

[staticcontrol]

Hello Fellow Electricians,

I'm a new company and have been plugging away here seeking new business. If ever there were a poster child for the electrical industry, it's me. I hold a very bright candle and speak on our behalf regarding out trade. I value what we know and do. What I have noticed in the past few months is how customers see us. They think we're sh-t. Many of my customers or would be customers are all to happy to say that they can get it done for 300 - 400 less or what ever the price. Even go as far as to say- "it's a tough economy, don't you need work?" I say with a smile or on the phone. I'm doing fine and very busy. Point is, I have been a bit discourage about this process from the blatant lack of respect. I'm a very knowledgeable electrician with 6 solid yrs in all industries of electric. Clean cut and give a darn. How should I feel? Venting electrician.

Staticcontrol

 

[Buck Parrish]

Me , too......................

 

[SEO]

Same here.

 

[480sparky]

....... Many of my customers or would be customers are all to happy to say that they can get it done for 300 - 400 less or what ever the price. ..........

"I guess you'd better hire them before they go out of business. Keep me in mind when you need warranty work done."

 

[djcrzysounds@yahoo.com]

Hello Fellow Electricians,

I'm a new company and have been plugging away here seeking new business. If ever there were a poster child for the electrical industry, it's me. I hold a very bright candle and speak on our behalf regarding out trade. I value what we know and do. What I have noticed in the past few months is how customers see us. They think we're sh-t. Many of my customers or would be customers are all to happy to say that they can get it done for 300 - 400 less or what ever the price. Even go as far as to say- "it's a tough economy, don't you need work?" I say with a smile or on the phone. I'm doing fine and very busy. Point is, I have been a bit discourage about this process from the blatant lack of respect. I'm a very knowledgeable electrician with 6 solid yrs in all industries of electric. Clean cut and give a darn. How should I feel? Venting electrician.

Staticcontrol

I agree with you.... Everyone thinks quality work comes for free! I just had a PM tell me I "upgraded against code" concerning an automotive garage. and wanted me to knock 20% off my bid of 15k so I could get the job... it's the famous I have a bid for less can you beat it... Sorry I can't I have to pay myself, my expenses and employees... People will never learn you truly get what you pay for.

 

[brian john]

I see things totally different, our customers respect us for our knowledge and value our input and abilities.

 

[busman]

I'd rather live in my car and eat bread thrown out from the bakery and multivitamins than give in to that junk of "lower your price, don't you need the work?" Been there, done that. Oldsmobile Delta 88 and free food are worth my pride.

Had one try to get me to lower today. I join the venting.

Mark

 

[e57]

A few months back - before I got laid off - I ran into a former employer and was asking how they were doing - they happened to be doing a bid walk-thru. They told me that it was getting really bad. Someone had handed a bid back, and told them "They should only be making enough to eat..."

Anyway - they didn't get the job they were walking - some desparate soul from WAY out of town willing to drive 60 miles each way did, and got beat down on their already low price.

Since my final days at my last dig were across the street from that job - one of them came by to ask how the parking worked in the neighborhood. So I told him about all the draconian parking rules and nazi-like enforcement - he says, "between driving and parking - I'm gonna pay more than I make to work..."

Yep...... I'm getting bitter.

 

[charlietuna]

If you know what a job is worth--"really know for sure" --you have to stick to your price. With the economy like it is today, people are going to "shop prices" and those that "aren't sure" of their price will knock enough off their price to get the job. This is out of your control! Good customers are educated customers, and know "shopping prices" will not save them money, but cost them money in the long run! Those customers that "shop price" i don't need! Our attitude was to find good customers and provide them such a high degree of customer service that wouldn't think of going elsewhere! And shed the poor customers, those who shop price or slow pay. It takes time during good times and today's market makes it almost impossible. We always go that extra mile to make our customer's happy--sometimes it's appreciated and sometimes it's not. Don't let "the shoppers" discourage you, remember "YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR TRUCK SET IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL DAY AND BREAK EVEN" why go out and work for these shoppers and loose money?

 

[480sparky]

The second you lower your price, you've basically said to your customer, "I was trying to overcharge you".

 

[magictolight.com]

The second you lower your price, you've basically said to your customer, "I was trying to overcharge you".

It's easy to lower your price. A wise man once said, "Discount today, gone tomorrow." It takes real strategy to out think the problem, and get our clients to begin to see the necessity for hiring professionals. Contractors are a dime a dozen, but a true business man who is focused on the "service solution" and makes promises come true while managing customers expectations are few and far between.

 

[nhfire77]

I cannot agree more. I work for myself and two other firms per diem.

I just had a guy with a small retail shop that needed to replace a security system device, it was going to be $75 because I was already next door and it would take 5 min, literally. Nah, I think I will wait for another false alarm he tells me. The guy has over a 1 million of goods in his 300 sq ft shop, what is wrong with people. There's Cheap, and then there is stupid.

I guess being in a building trade, I value a good relationship. I have a guy that does my roofing, siding, etc for a few rental apartments I have. I ask him to make a small repair, and he calls me to warn me the cost would be twice what he thought it would be (it was a verbal thing no contract). Hey, I don't know a damn thing about siding, if he says its double, there's a reason, and I trust him. Of course the repair of the siding was bigger than even I thought so, hey its more, OK I understand.

Perspective is invaluable.

 

[Rewire]

is't survival time and in survival mode you do what needs done. Those of us who do survive will have the pie all to ourselves.

 

[aline]

is't survival time and in survival mode you do what needs done. Those of us who do survive will have the pie all to ourselves.

I'm not so sure about this.

There's a lot of laid off electricians out there playing contractor without the proper licensing and insurance. Many of these are probably in the process of getting licensed. Being laid off can give them this kind of motivation.

When the economy recovers they'll be ready to jump in. For now many will survive from their spouses salary and by doing their electrical jobs. When the housing boom started a lot of guys jumped in. Now that it's dead a lot of guys are out but when it booms again I'm sure you'll see a lot of guys jump in again.

Seems to me for every contractor that fails there's another one to take his place.
Some of these come from the employees of the companies that failed.

Contracting has been around for a long time but I have yet to see anyone that has the pie all to themselves.

I'm not so sure that a poor economy doesn't actually create more contractors in the long run. They've lost their job. They might as well become a contractor. They have nothing to lose.

 

[marti smith]

We get that here in the southwest, too. One of my focuses is to be on time and always call back. Word does get out when you are prompt and show integrity. I give them the whole gamut when they get into their lower price preference and here's what I tell them: is that lower bidder a licensed contractor? If something goes wrong will you be able to contact them and have them return? If you need more work added on later and have someone else who is licensed continue with the job, only to find that it was not correct (whatever reasons), will that second hire clean up the mess that was installed? Will your house burn down? That usually gets some eyebrows up! I then give them all the experience I and my crews have, how we came to get our license, how the code is incorporated and facilitated, and how our insurance covers them if we do get it wrong and there are damages. Does that lower bidder have that to offer? Don't give up. And don't give in. Get some advertisement and all that good stuff. I don't know if this helps others, but I always dress as neatly and as professionally as possible no matter what I'm going to bid/estimate/etc., on. The way I look has my company's name written all over it. You never get second chance to make a first impression. That lower bidder isn't always the non-licensed bugger, but keep in mind, you can have all the volume you want, but it's not lucrative if there's no profit. Some guy in here has a great quote-"when people get sick, they may not go to the doctor, but let the lights go out and they'll call the electrician" Hang in there!

 

[Rewire]

I'm not so sure about this.

There's a lot of laid off electricians out there playing contractor without the proper licensing and insurance. Many of these are probably in the process of getting licensed. Being laid off can give them this kind of motivation.

When the economy recovers they'll be ready to jump in. For now many will survive from their spouses salary and by doing their electrical jobs. When the housing boom started a lot of guys jumped in. Now that it's dead a lot of guys are out but when it booms again I'm sure you'll see a lot of guys jump in again.

Seems to me for every contractor that fails there's another one to take his place.
Some of these come from the employees of the companies that failed.

Contracting has been around for a long time but I have yet to see anyone that has the pie all to themselves.

I'm not so sure that a poor economy doesn't actually create more contractors in the long run. They've lost their job. They might as well become a contractor. They have nothing to lose.

Most people who jump in just because they are out of work usually fail very quickly and move on,I was unemployed a few times in my youth and jumped into the contracting business but I lacked the motivation to put in 16 hour days and was short on capital to promote the business so I would jump at the first offer of employment.

Most folks who are surviving on their spouse will be the first to take a job if offered.Most people don't grasp that when they talk of a business not making money or even loosing money the first year that it means real dollars and not just on paper.

I saw back in the eightys those companies that survived claimed the lions share of the market I think the vast majority of ECs have never lived through a downturn and have no clue what will be needed to survive.

 

[aline]

Most people who jump in just because they are out of work usually fail very quickly and move on.

If they can't find a job where are they going to move on to?

I was unemployed a few times in my youth and jumped into the contracting business but I lacked the motivation to put in 16 hour days and was short on capital to promote the business so I would jump at the first offer of employment.

Are you not a contractor?

So you jumped into the contracting business and in the long run you're still a contractor are you not?

 

[aline]

I've heard that when the economy is down and you want to take advantage of it to increase market share you should spend more on marketing and advertising while most everyone else is cutting back in these areas.

Seems this would be hard to do if your cutting your pricing to survive.

 

[macmikeman]

Time for a little boning up on the subject http://en-us.nielsen.com/main/insights/consumer_insight/issue_13/promotions_get_personal

 

[staticcontrol]

beat up!!!

beat up!!!

Thanks everyone for chiming in.

I called a customer today (who spawned my wrath of pain on this forum) to remind him of his outstanding balance to me. It's $320. He proceeded to tell me how he's finishing up his week and a helf vacation at the shore and how he's had upsetting news come his way...blah blah blah. I'm a good listener.....the last time we spoke 4 weeks ago,he was returning from vacation.

He's asking me to lower my price if possible for something. I touched upon what much of you say then I stopped myself and thought, I don't need to work this hard convincing an "a-hole" about the benefits of having me. Like I said earlier, i believe in our trade and more importantly, myself. I invited him to call me when he's ready. As far as his balance owed to me, he said it will be in Mondays mail. He's a property owner so I asked him if he lowered his tenents rent because of hard times. I heard crickets in the back round.

Thanks everyone. Stay Cool.

Staticcontrol