Lowballers vs. Professionals

[the_GUNN_man]

I was just wondering what peoples views were on this. Say there are 10 pressure washing companies in your area. 8 lowballers and 2 professional. What if you were one of the 2 professionals. Do you think you would benefit more or less from the next statement. Say now there are 8 professionals and 2 lowballers. You are now one of the 8 professionals. What do you think?
I know some lowballers may think they would clean up by undercutting everyone if they were one of 2. I think The professional would benefit more by the there being more pros and less lowballers. The bar would be raised and the lowballers would be exposed more. Prices would be higher and be inline with what they should be. I think it would be hard to compete if you were like the lone pro in your area because the customer would then have so many yahoo's coming to their door it would make you look like the odd man out. Sure you would look and act more professional but most will look and see so many lowball figures and one high bid and more then likely shrug you off as a con man. I would much rather go up against other pros bidding on the job then a bunch of low ballers. If you had a person get a bunch of pro's bids and then came in a lowball bid for half the price then customers start to look at the lowbid and think that the guy doesn't know what he is doing. I just wanted to kick around this idea and see what others think. I used to be a lowballer too so I am not trying to put down the new guys. I think most of us at one time or another were lowballers. I think the key is to realize quickly what you need to make to suriveve in this business and adjust your prices accordingly. I have already jumped my prices up on some thing by 2 1/2 times what they were. I am finally seeing what people say about setting your price and sticking to it. One last things for the new guys who read this. Don't ever ever say to yourself, "I can charge less because I don't have any overhead". You have overhead, and it is much higher then you realize. Sometimes overhead jumps out of the bushes and bites you right on the rump.

 

[ron]

Gunn man just forget that their is anyone else that can do the job your going to bid. It makes not one bit of diffrence.
You need to get paid what you need to get paid.
I dont care if they got 50 est. to do a job. My price is my price.
Im good at what i do. I know what im doing. I have good people skill's. I know how to sell.
Lowballer's dont add things to their overhead list that they should. Then when they figure out they are not making what they thought they were you can find their equipment on e-bay.
Everyone want's to be their own boss untill they find out how much work it is.
I did 3 est. yesterday[went to look at the job's]
All deck's.
I called the customers back to talk to them about my service.
All 3 said "so and so highly reccomended you, we just want to pick colors and for you to give us the start date and finnish date."
I asked if they wanted the price and they said "whatever, just do it."
i get this all the time.
one was $1075
one was $380
and one was $320
they are just happy to get someone to return a phone call.
I would'nt up the price just because of this, it would kill my reputation.

 

[the_GUNN_man]

I think you may have missed my point a little. I am not worried about others because I have work and no-one else will change my price. I will no longer cut my price to get the job. Actually I am a little afraid I might get too much work too handle this year. I am glad I have Gwas backing me up on that one. I was just wanting to get others views on things. I didn't write this thread to get an answer but more of just a discussion on what others mind sets are about competition. I like to hear many opinions because it helps get different views and new ideas about things. I also started this thread to maybe help some new guys get started out right. It is spring time and a lot of newbies are coming out and looking to get into this field. The way I view things is the low-ballers are the enemy and the other pros are allies. If there was no competition in the area would the quality of the work be the same? I know everyone would say yes but after awhile I think work quality would go down because you know you are the only one. I know that when I am on the job I want to do my best because I think to myself that if I do a good job they will tell their friends and I will get calls from them and this will be a repeat customer. I never want anyone to say I came out and they were not satisfied. I had one job last year that was a disaster. I knocked half of the bill off. I thought for sure that they would never call on me again. They called later that year to have me wash some of their rental property. They told me they chose me because I owned up for making a mistake and showed professionalism. I did not blame anyone else for what happened. I am actually the one who brought up the mistake to them. They said they hadn't noticed it. I told them I would cut the bill in half. Of course they weren't going to argue. I still made money on the job I just donated my time. I did get more work from them so my "donated" time was well spent. I had a happy customer despite the goof up. A satisfied customer is just as, if not more , important then the money. That is good that you have had good luck with your referrals and people don't even ask prices. It takes time to build up to that.

 

[Clean County]

Steve,
Keep asking questions because its by far the fastest way to learn. Remember back in the School days,"The only dumb question is the one that is not asked".

I believe in your thought process about having more professional companies out there then Lowballers because Lowballers do so much more damage to your company then any professional company can almost all the time. Lowballers hurt the reputation of us Professional Powerwashers because of the low prices and there usual shlop work.

I believe in educating fellow Powerwashers as do many others. This is the reason why I belong to the PWNA organization and also why I post on these Powerwashing bb's......and I work a ton. How's that for you Justin.

Justin- I got a kick out of your saying at the bottom of your post:

If you really want solid proffessional help then contact me. I won't change your words or edit anything. Just good help when you need it.

Now I'm a terrible speller but I got a good laugh out of your above advise when you spelled PROFESSIONAL wrong....You may want to fixed that.

 

[oneness]

Steve:

I agree with Clean County....Keep asking questions, as many and as often as you feel the need. Some folks seem to think that if you spend time on these boards you're wasting time and not serious about washing. That's BS. If "others" feel their time is wasted by reading your posts, they can always go elsewhere, or go wash something themselves!

Justin:

Just a suggestion. You say you're working on becoming a supplier of parts, etc. If that's true, you may want to think twice before you post some of the things you post here and elsewhere. While you seem to be a nice enough guy, you also seem to be somewhat confrontational. It isn't a good thing to piss off a bunch of your potential customers.

Just my .02. Don't have a person problem with you, just my observations.

 

[the_GUNN_man]

I wish I was washing. Let's see. Friday the day I posted this it was raining very hard with 30+ mph. I don't wash in that weather. Not too many calls yet due to the cold weather that won't go away. Lows back near 20. It was 16 here last night. I do have a brick job coming up this week. I was supposed to start it a week ago but I want 3 days of warm weather. Too much efflorescence happens on newly washed brick in freezing conditions. Should be a busy week. I have had a few calls but not a whole lot yet. Like I said the cold weather just doesn't seem to go away. I really want to get more commercial accounts. I hate waiting for the phone to ring for other customers. I guess I could hustle some work but I am not a door to door man. I am sure the phone will ring when the highs get out of the 40's and get into the 50's near 60.
Just for peoples information I was not asking a question, I was throwing out a topic. I wrote that in my other post. I was just writing something to get people talking. Kick the bo-bo's.

 

[Gwas]

Justin confrontational ???? That's like Big Boy PHD !!!!!!!

Gunnman,
That machine should be here soon. I have guys going on vacation next week, do you want too help fill in ?????

 

[Larry L.]

Yeah,right,going on vacation in the bus-e-st time of the year,who would want dat type employee,it makes you beg for help.

Infill hahahaha heck man I'd take it from you and still be your friend ,Gunnman has enough smarts to do it,he just doesn't knowit.

 

[DOWNEASTER]

Hey Steve

I appreicate the time you take posting your remarks. You make some good points and I have read alot that make me think of things i probably wouldn't have without them. Keep it up. thats what these boards are for,right? Earl

 

[Larry L.]

I thought you said you wasn't going to change any words or edit any post,already going back on your word I see

 

[Clean County]

Bigboy,
Why is it that you as a MODERATOR want to edge Justin on with your above post?? This is how mudslinging goes on and on......

Let it rest.....

 

[Larry L.]

hmm if people didn't ask or people not being true to their word you could not see a above post nor a below post,,,,,Hmmmm I didn't know just b/c I'm a MODERATOR I have to walk on eggshells when someone like Justin comes to the board,not only has he went back on his word he has tried many many times stealing from the ones that support this board,is this the type that warrants the MODERATORS to walk on eggshells when they have been warned several times?

.....................................................................................
................................................................................. as if I'm the only that can see it.Give me a break I'm not the only one that can SEE.

Besides being a MODERATOR is like being a SOLDIER on the front line,someone has to do it and it cann't be a want-A-be mud mudslinger,I've been trained in mud fighting,you sling it and I'll pack it after you have been warned.

yeah,I know I shouldn't have posted this post either

 

[Larry L.]

I too do no let it bother me,just like the type wholesaler Justin is,he calls you names,runs you down and has NO repect for others,he has showed it many times on this board.

Justin when you show your repect for this board I'll show you my repect to you.When several Mod's are telling you the rules you still think you have to hear it from the owner of this board,Dan Fylnn.

It shows how much faith you have in people,employee's and other contractors.

If your employee was telling you a costomer was telling him how to do things would you tell your employee to call them names,run them down and do it like you want and not listen to the costomer?.

If you do not want your post edited,fallow the rules the mod's are telling you,the owner does not have time to badyset the crybabies,I think he has enough faith in us,he give us admin. options to edit,move,change and even BAN a disorderly person.