6 quotes in 48hrs and still no work

[bathroomboy]

Same here, getting a lot of enquiries for quotes which is the bane of this job but it's got to be done to get the work, trouble is customers don't seem to realise the amount of work involved with bathroom refits and the quote comes as a bit of a shock.

 

[Olz]

Just remember that a turn down is not a turn down until you've actually been turned down.....

No news is better that good news, and you havent been told you've not got the job so you could still be in the running, I feel that people are more likely to shop around at times like these to get the best possible deal, i'd give it another couple of days then give them a ring, I dont see what harm ringing them could do, if they were going to turn down your qoute anyway then ringing them to put your mind at rest wont do any harm.

 

[bathroomboy]

Sometimes it can be weeks before a customer gets back to you, probably making their minds up , choice of tiles, suite etc.

 

[mz30]

you would think that i'd get at least 1 job from 6?:incazzato:

Hi David,

I suppose it's the sign of the times mate,to be honest i would be expecting the 6 not just the 1,only once not got a job i priced for,but the way things are at the minute i'm suspecting my good luck streak will come to an end.

To be honest,if it was me i would'nt be phoning them up as i think if you phone to soon it may put them off and if you phone at all then you may seem desperate and they may ask you to lower your price.

Work is short on the ground at the moment,but it is most january's,maybe it's not the credit crunch maybe just a regular january for the building trade.

Good luck and i hope you get some of them jobs:8:

P.s i may know of at least 3 (maybe 6) tiling/building firms in liverpool who maybe looking for tilers in the next month or so,for a long run of work,will post s soon as i know something solid.(for those in the northwest)

 

[garretridge]

dont despare i am in the same boat done a few quotes still waiting i think its just january bad for my mate and he is a plumber usualy there busy time i put flyers out cost £75 for 1000 thought worth a try got a splshback and bathroom so keep your head up it can only get better!

 

[david campbell]

Hi David,

I suppose it's the sign of the times mate,to be honest i would be expecting the 6 not just the 1,only once not got a job i priced for,but the way things are at the minute i'm suspecting my good luck streak will come to an end.

To be honest,if it was me i would'nt be phoning them up as i think if you phone to soon it may put them off and if you phone at all then you may seem desperate and they may ask you to lower your price.

Work is short on the ground at the moment,but it is most january's,maybe it's not the credit crunch maybe just a regular january for the building trade.

Good luck and i hope you get some of them jobs:8:

P.s i may know of at least 3 (maybe 6) tiling/building firms in liverpool who maybe looking for tilers in the next month or so,for a long run of work,will post s soon as i know something solid.(for those in the northwest)

to be honest m8! i was expecting to get at least 4 of them especially after lowering my prices to guarentee the work,before xmas i would have left at least 4 houses with dates already in my diary and at least 1 of the other 2 would have confirmed a date within a few days!:incazzato:

 

[Fred]

I have some clients who come back to me months later, funny old world.

 

[White Room]

A tiler I know has just finished tiling a swimming pool to a house that had a 800 grand extension and now he's got five bathrooms to finish off, all tiles are from fired earth. Some are not short of a few quid

 

[david campbell]

A tiler I know has just finished tiling a swimming pool to a house that had a 800 grand extension and now he's got five bathrooms to finish off, all tiles are from fired earth. Some are not short of a few quid

how the other half live:dizzy2:

 

[Daz]

Please don't take my comments the wrong way, but do you not close the deal when you visit to do the estimate?

At the point when I provide pricing to my potential customers I discuss dates, costs etc.

"I can start on Monday the ??th, is that date convenient to you?"
"Is there any reason why we can't book a date now?"
"When would you like me to start?"
"I've got 2 more quotes to do today, can we fix a date now, or are you happy to wait should I win these other quotations?"
"I've got a space in my diary for next week after a plumber let me down, if it's okay to book you for that week, I'll include the materials for free?"

etc, etc...

Not teaching anyone to suck eggs, but close the customer there and then and you'll sleep a lot more comfortable.

 

[grumpygrouter]

You can see where your background is Daryl!!

 

[cornish_crofter]

Sometimes it can be weeks before a customer gets back to you, probably making their minds up , choice of tiles, suite etc.

I think one job took about 5 months to come back to me.

I quoted this guy for insurance work. He submitted my quote to his insurers and then I heard nothing. The time I pencelled in came and went. I did call him about it but he said that the insurance co had gone quiet.

Then one day I got a phone call. His insurer had got someone else out who undercut me. But the customer was not happy with this guy, as I had detailed my quote to the nth degree, whereas this guys quote was quite vague.

However the insurer told the client that they would only pay up to the other guy's quote. If he wanted to hire me he would have to pay the extra. He was fine with that so I got the job!

I've since had 4 other bathrooms from someone he recommended me to, and I think I've just been to quote for someone else who I was recommended to.

 

[Daz]

You can see where your background is Daryl!!

LOL Russ!

It's not difficult though, just be confident and use the right words. If you've displayed your knowledge and given the customer confidence and a reason to employ you then why not close them down before they can seek another opinion? Why would they want another opinion, you've just told them that you're the best!

 

[brian c]

Cant wait to see tha back of January as i feel people will start spending again...well those that still have jobs.

 

[Rob Z]

I've had quite the range over the years of doing this work, all the way from one customer who called my house before I even got home from my initial visit and told my wife that she wanted me to do the job and the price wasn't an issue.....all the way to the other end of the extreme for a customer that emailed two years later after my visit to her house and me sending her an estimate. I hadn't heard a thing from her in the meantime, and she just out of the blue emailed "when can you start?" I told her that everything had gone up in the past two years, and I would figure out the difference and adjust the price accordingly. She said fine and she turned out to be a good customer.

So my observation is that customers are all over the place, and they don't do things in a way that makes sense to us. I've never been able to do things the way Captain Slow suggests, although I probably should learn to do some of those things and help to increase sales.