Tire Kickers.............

[wanabe]

I seem to have a problem getting customers that are nothing more than "tire kickers", the kind that call to get a price but never call back for the job. How does everyone handle customers like this? Are people just looking for a bargan when they are calling arround? How do you deal with them? They seem to waste alot of my time and then in the end i get a "i will think about it", or "I need to ask my husband" excuse. They all want a quote over the phone, but its hard to do when I have not seen the job site. Its hard to get a good quote for a customer like this. So many factors that can change the price. Do I follow up with people like this? Im new to the selling the job part so I need some advice. Thanks!

[JDiepstra]

Of course you follow up with them. Call back and if they turn you down ask why. Don't be a jerk about it, just get some info. You can feel free to challenge them a little bit if you can do it in a professional manner but I wouldn't get too pushy. For example... customer says "I found a cheaper guy"... you say "does he have liability insurance"?

[stuvecorp]

Of course you follow up with them. Call back and if they turn you down ask why. Don't be a jerk about it, just get some info. You can feel free to challenge them a little bit if you can do it in a professional manner but I wouldn't get too pushy. For example... customer says "I found a cheaper guy"... you say "does he have liability insurance"?

I agree with that.

So far this year people are just unsure, it is hard to get them to make up their mind.

[RockSet N' Grade]

That is the place you start........with the price shoppers. Now it is time to develop "your style". We all have one, and it has to do with sales. Without a sale, you got nothin'. I try and prequalify them over the phone, answer as many questions as I can, refer them to my website, make an appointment to give them a bid with the tag line " if we meet and the scope of work and price meet with your approval would you be willing to sign a contract and set a start date?" With some questions phrased like that during your prequalifying talk, you can weed out the weak ones pretty quick. Remember, they are interviewing you and you should be doing the same thing. It takes time, it is a skill and I am still learning every day. Some folks are better at sales than others........sales for me is a weak point, I would rather do the work than sell........but with out sales, there is no work. Develop your style........it takes time........or maybe a video course or internet course on sales?

[AWJ Services]

It really depends on what you are selling.
So what are you selling?


I am faced with extensive driving on all of my estimates so weeding out the tire kickers is the first and formost priority for me.Of course it is not a perfect Science but it works well for what I am doing.
The ones on the Fence I always nail down a face to face with because I will get most of those jobs.Luckily people feel comfortable with me when having a conversation.

I digress but I have found certain advertisments brings in more tire kickers .
If you are in a service buisness like Lawn maint, Chemical application then price shopping will always be a part of it.
I will add just be glad you are getting calls.

[Scag48]

My dad has been getting a few tire kicker calls lately, mostly on irrigation installs which seem to be the absolute worst when it comes to people wanting to pay what you're actually worth. He got one the other day for a retaining wall, the guy was somewhat organized with his questions, but it's hard to feel people out over the phone. I like the idea of calling them back and prodding around a little, you could find out where you're losing which sometimes is tough to figure.

My dad actually got called by someone who he was pretty sure was a competitor in town, probably new in the business since everyone and their brother wants to be a landscaper now that they've lost their job working for minimum wage somewhere else. He said the guy was definately just price checking and trying to get a feel for what the going rate is for retaining walls.

[wanabe]

Im moving more to the decorative concrete business. I started out in the excvating and concrete area, but the concrete seems to be a better return$ of my time, and its what I like doing. So dealing with home owners is a must. Thanks for all the advice so far. I have now picked up a few things that im going to start doing. I think face to face estimates are a must in my view. Am i correct? Should i refuse to give a estimate till I can i see the job? Thanks!

[ksss]

Im moving more to the decorative concrete business. I started out in the excvating and concrete area, but the concrete seems to be a better return$ of my time, and its what I like doing. So dealing with home owners is a must. Thanks for all the advice so far. I have now picked up a few things that im going to start doing. I think face to face estimates are a must in my view. Am i correct? Should i refuse to give a estimate till I can i see the job? Thanks!

At least with concrete you throw a square foot price at them initially over the phone and if they are still interested, try and insist on a face to face. That would prevent running around bidding projects they cant afford (not that not being able to afford something stops everyone). Maybe also give them your web address for examples of your work. Once your over the price hurdle, your golden. Selling quality of work is easy if they are a customer who sees value in quality. On concrete prep, I get beat if I don't explain why my prep may be more than others. Start mentioning the importance of compaction (not just a plate compactor but actual full size compaction equipment) and utilizing compactable subgrade material (not topsoil or whatever happens to be on site) and with most you can sell them on the benifits of quality prep work. With the price of concrete at 100 a yard here, no one wants to have to replace concrete due to improper compaction.

The issue I see frequently is homeowners not comparing apples to apples during the bid selection process. Even when you take the time to write everything out in detail. They seem to be drawn to the number at the bottom without reading what they are getting. That is most frustrating.

I don't think you can get away from tire kicking entirely. I think you need to take steps to try and "prequalify" people but at the end of it all you still end up doing bids for people that either have higher wants than dollars, or the person who is simply looking for the best price not necessarily the best work. Referals tend to be much better as they likely have an idea on the price and they have either seen your work or someone else was satisfied with the experience enough to give your name out.

The dirt work side of things is more difficult in that other than foundations a square foot price is difficult (and even that can bite you if you have not seen any plans or location of building site). I end up bidding about every lawn prep jobs. The prices fluctuate so much depending on conditions that, there is no way to really prequalify them.

[RockSet N' Grade]

Another way to approach giving them a square foot price right off the bat is ask them how big their driveway (project or whatever) is and what do they have budgeted for the project? That way, you get some info so you can do your calc's and see if they have the cabbage to even do the job........with that approach, you have just turned the tables.

[AWJ Services]

Im moving more to the decorative concrete business. I started out in the excvating and concrete area, but the concrete seems to be a better return$ of my time, and its what I like doing. So dealing with home owners is a must. Thanks for all the advice so far. I have now picked up a few things that im going to start doing. I think face to face estimates are a must in my view. Am i correct? Should i refuse to give a estimate till I can i see the job? Thanks!

Some trades will always be competitive.Stamped concrete here is forced into a square foot bidding process which makes it easy for the homeowner to shop.
You say it returns better money but if you cannot sale the job then how will that help?
How are people getting your Number?

One excellent sales technique is to always mention during the initial phone conversation that you are not the cheapest contractor out there and you base your service off of quality rather than low price.It immediatly forces the customer to decide if they can afford quality.

[wanabe]

I can throw out a square foot number but it can be off alot. The base/compaction is a big issue that can change the price alot. If I can not get to it with equipment then thats a big issue as well. Some jobs may need 10 tons of rock outhers 100, so that can change it as well. As far as $ return, its alot better for me. I also am in a market with alot of customers, vs the dirt work side. Not too many people have a need for a 20 ton excavator.