What do you do when...

April 13, 2007

I've screwed myself twice by giving quotes out on the phone for flat glass only to come out and realize the owner didn't know what "French pane" or "grid" meant or finding out there were half-moon windows that were a lot higher than 12 feet up, etc...

So, with many suggestions I decided that I'm only going to come out to give estimates from now on. However, I just received a call from a lady that said she wanted to save us both time by just getting a sqft price from me and telling me if I was cheaper or more expensive than the guy she just had come out.

I tell her my general price, she says "Yeah, the other guy is much cheaper". I try to describe why he may be cheaper and sell myself, but without being face to face this is near impossible.

What do you guys do in a situation like this?

Slick · April 13, 2007

So, with many suggestions I decided that I'm only going to come out to give estimates from now on. However, I just received a call from a lady that said she wanted to save us both time by just getting a sqft price from me and telling me if I was cheaper or more expensive than the guy she just had come out.

:lol2 so the other guy was allowed to go to her and give a quote...but you arent allowed? :lol2 wonder what he would have quoted over the phone :beer

I usually give a ballpark number then tell them that until I can actually see the set up and what im dealing with, I cant give an exact quote. So therefore the price could be higher or lower than the ballpark one....when can I schedule you in for me to drop by? :thumb :lol2

you may want to ask her if price is her only concern too....that usually gets them thinking, at least that is what I've found :krazy

April 13, 2007

so the other guy was allowed to go to her and give a quote...but you arent allowed? wonder what he would have quoted over the phone
I usually give a ballpark number then tell them that until I can actually see the set up and what im dealing with, I cant give an exact quote. So therefore the price could be higher or lower than the ballpark one....when can I schedule you in for me to drop by?

you may want to ask her if price is her only concern too....that usually gets them thinking, at least that is what I've found

I sort of did that... She said "Well, I'm not going to be in this house for anymore than 2 years, so I'm not too worried about it. Being on a tight budget is a lot more important to me."

I also told her I couldn't give her a real price until I actually saw what I was working with... if windows were higher than 12 feet, type of windows, etc... that all differs on price. She said "Well, just give me your general sqft price and I'll be honest with you so we both won't waste our time".

Also, do you guys generally lower your sqft price when the job is larger??? When I gave her my general price she said "Is that your price even though I have a little over 1,000 sq ft?" I think the guy gave her a discount due to the size of the job or something... My prices are already well below most of my competitors. I can't imagine going any lower, but apparently the other guy could! :beer

Slick · April 13, 2007

I do usually drop my price for bigger jobs but mostly because my competitors do. In the good ole days we all got a sq ft price and everybody was happy. Now we basically take our cost, then add our price per hour or day and figure it out from there. :krazy Had to in order to stay competitive. :thumb

Roach · April 13, 2007

It all depends... If someone calls me needing one window tinted, like a skylite or something, I'll give a price range. I haven't actually had someone call and just point blank want to know my sq/ft price, but if so I would give a range and tell them it depends on the condition of the windows, any ladder work, etc.

I think you can try to sell yourself over the phone, but you're only going to be able to do so much.

But, then again, there are people who have already done their research and aren't looking to be bought, just looking for a price. Sometimes they are easier to deal with. :krazy

As for more = lower price.... I'll do that if it's a huge job. But I do have my limits as to how far I'll lower the price. You gotta pay the same amount for the film no matter how much you order, and you gotta do the same work no matter how many windows there are.

-R

April 13, 2007

Yeah, I agree...

I just really don't see how this guy got lower than I did. I mean, holy crap... he was doing it pretty much dirt cheap. He was pretty much doing it 2 - 3 $$ below this areas average quoted sqft price.

April 13, 2007

I don't waste my time with a custy like that. There are plenty of other good customers out there. Here's the price, take it or leave it, I'm too busy to negotiate.

April 13, 2007

It all depends... If someone calls me needing one window tinted, like a skylite or something, I'll give a price range. I haven't actually had someone call and just point blank want to know my sq/ft price, but if so I would give a range and tell them it depends on the condition of the windows, any ladder work, etc.
I think you can try to sell yourself over the phone, but you're only going to be able to do so much.

But, then again, there are people who have already done their research and aren't looking to be bought, just looking for a price. Sometimes they are easier to deal with.

As for more = lower price.... I'll do that if it's a huge job. But I do have my limits as to how far I'll lower the price. You gotta pay the same amount for the film no matter how much you order, and you gotta do the same work no matter how many windows there are.

-R

You said it. I try like hell to sell over the phone, explaining what makes my products different, and more importantly what makes me different. I mail out information packets with samples, brochures, cards, case studies etc. and will give ballpark prices over the phone or via mail. I go about it the same way. If

As for when people ask for sq foot prices. I tell them between a and q which is a drastic difference :krazy

Too many people shop for price alone, not even caring what they're getting or who is installing it. Half of the time I think they're lucky if my competitor even shows up!

April 14, 2007

I sort of did that... She said "Well, I'm not going to be in this house for anymore than 2 years, so I'm not too worried about it. Being on a tight budget is a lot more important to me."
I also told her I couldn't give her a real price until I actually saw what I was working with... if windows were higher than 12 feet, type of windows, etc... that all differs on price. She said "Well, just give me your general sqft price and I'll be honest with you so we both won't waste our time".

Also, do you guys generally lower your sqft price when the job is larger??? When I gave her my general price she said "Is that your price even though I have a little over 1,000 sq ft?" I think the guy gave her a discount due to the size of the job or something... My prices are already well below most of my competitors. I can't imagine going any lower, but apparently the other guy could!

Then believe me you didn't want her anyway!!! It was already setting red flags, and I haven't even dealt with her111 :lol :eyebrows :lol and yes, I have a set price for anything under 300 s/f, 500 and under is another, and 1000 we can negotiate. but my bottom line is take your cost in materials, double it, then double that figure. You'll be right at where you need to be to make a margin of profit. I don't give "QUOTES" over the phone. only "ESTIMATES". And NEVER base a quote on a custys measurements!!

April 14, 2007

My prices are already well below most of my competitors. I can't imagine going any lower, but apparently the other guy could!

So your market strategy was to be a little cheaper than the other guy (maybe your former employer) and now someone came else figured out they could lose a little more money than you and is starting to take work away from you. :thumb

Come on, there will always be someone who is willing to work for a little more than they used to make per hour working for someone else. After a little while (after their unemployment benefits run out or they've maxed out the credit cards), they figure out why the other guy charges more than what they want to make for their labor plus the direct cost of the film and they either adjust their pricing or go out of business.

The trick is to figure out what you offer and why someone should buy from you. You then find out how to find those people and build your sales skills so that when you meet your customer, you both know it and they buy from you. Finally, you develop your pricing to make sure you can deliver what you promise (to your customer, yourself, your employees, your family and your community).

Just my :lol , but it drives me crazy when people who are proud of being cheaper than everyone else gets mad when some is less than them. :lol Turns window film into a straight commodity like toilet paper.

And the truth is there are companies (like mine :eyebrows ) out there that are taking work from you at a higher price. Now that's something to get mad about.