Following up after giving a customer a estimate.

[hardworkingstiff]

I just e-mailed Mr.---- and said " Hi, sorry to bother you, I was just checking in to make sure you received my estimate I e-mailed you. If you have any questions about it, please let me know I would be happy to explain. Thank you for your business" He e-mailed me back saying "when can you start"? The best four words a contractor can hear!

Nice going zappy. I'm glad you didn't listen to the people that told you to move on. The deal isn't over until the customer tells you it is.

Good job man!

 

[wireguru]

Your exactly right. Thanks everyone for the advice. I just e-mailed Mr.---- and said " Hi, sorry to bother you, I was just checking in to make sure you received my estimate I e-mailed you. If you have any questions about it, please let me know I would be happy to explain. Thank you for your business" He e-mailed me back saying "when can you start"? The best four words a contractor can hear!

now arent you glad you didnt start offering discounts and whatnot?

 

[growler]

He e-mailed me back saying "when can you start"? The best four words a contractor can hear!

Those are four very nice words but not my favorite words. MY favorite four word are "here's your final check". Don't overlook the big picture and that work is only a means to an end (getting paid).

In the "Art of War" Sun Tzu explains that you should never start a battle until you already know how it will end and that you will win. The same goes for contracting. The day you start a job is when you have made preparations for getting that final check. Start with a signed contract and if the job is any size a check up-front to get the ball rolling and never let the customers get to deep into your own pocket.

A battle is either won or lost before it starts depending on the preparations made before hand.

 

[iwire]

"Hi, welcome to Burger King! How much would you like to pay for your lunch today?"

Do you pay sticker price for a car?

Do you pay list price for all your stock?


All I am saying is it is not as black and white as your funny post.

 

[ElectricianJeff]

I just completed an estimate tonight. Because things are getting competitive I decided rather than lower my price I would increase the warrenty from 1 year to 5 years.

A good sized EC here warrants all his res. work for as long as they own the home. He puts it in all of his advertising.

I talked with him once and he said he occassionally has to eat a bath fan, GFCI, etc. but its worth the business he gets.

I'm not sure I agree but it is something to think about.

 

[satcom]

A good sized EC here warrants all his res. work for as long as they own the home. He puts it in all of his advertising.

I talked with him once and he said he occassionally has to eat a bath fan, GFCI, etc. but its worth the business he gets.

I'm not sure I agree but it is something to think about.

It is not so easy to just extend it. In some states you need to back extended written warrants with a bond, the consumer protection laws want to assure the buyer is protected, if the company goes out of business.

 

[macmikeman]

It is not so easy to just extend it. In some states you need to back extended written warrants with a bond, the consumer protection laws want to assure the buyer is protected, if the company goes out of business.

Extended warrenty contracts and service contracts can both contribute to a blockade of a future sale of your company if not carefully worded in the first place. Always leave an out.

 

[cdslotz]

Every job we bid is logged into a spreadsheet. Every job is followed up to see how our bid tabbed with the competition. That info is also logged in the spreadsheet.
We don't do resi and 90% of our jobs are with GC's. A good GC will happily offer that info because he knows it helps us know how competitive we need to be on the next one.
It also tells us how stupid the competition can be.
If I was quoting home owners, I would have no reservations about a follow up and ask how my price looked, and where was the low bid. Thank them for the opportunity and move on.

 

[LarryFine]

Do you pay sticker price for a car?

Do you pay list price for all your stock?

Not if I can help it. (See PM )

All I am saying is it is not as black and white as your funny post.

I know. I love the wiring and hate the contracting. But, I do it.

But, I stick to my price. If someone wants a lower cost, I ask what they'd like to omit.

 

[iwire]

But, I stick to my price. If someone wants a lower cost, I ask what they'd like to omit.

That makes sense to me, I guess my point was everything is negotiable.

At BK they can move you into a Whopper Jr.

 

[blueheels2]

Yeah I'm just starting to do a little stuff nights and weekends and got my first commercial customer this week. Recently opened athletic club and they got a quote from the EC who wired it for 600$ to do a little work. I took a look at it and gave a price of 492. In the process I discovered that the EC's price was a change order so w/o his CO tack on we were within 50$ of each other. Maintenance guy said owner wanted me to come down to 450$. I said no way. They thought they could get a cheap deal because I'm just starting out but I didn't cave and got the job anyway. Moral of the story to me is do not come down in price. I'm like a no haggle dealership. My first price is my only and best price. I know what I need to make to be successful.

 

[mivey]

To be the devil's advocate here...

Your 6.66 cents worth? :grin:

 

[Rewire]

Those are four very nice words but not my favorite words. MY favorite four word are "here's your final check". Don't overlook the big picture and that work is only a means to an end (getting paid).

In the "Art of War" Sun Tzu explains that you should never start a battle until you already know how it will end and that you will win. The same goes for contracting. The day you start a job is when you have made preparations for getting that final check. Start with a signed contract and if the job is any size a check up-front to get the ball rolling and never let the customers get to deep into your own pocket.

A battle is either won or lost before it starts depending on the preparations made before hand.

followed by my next four favorite words" I have another job"