Quote and win/lose ratio.

[Richard Edwards]

My standard practice mirrors SpanishTiler's to tee.

Most of my enquiries are referrals and hence your ahead already. Note, those that come from my website are a lot less successful as most perople wanting something done by trades folk want it cheap, that we are not.

I spend a bit of time on the telephone discussing the job, what the customer wants and trying to second guess the standard of workmanship and whether I think the flair and attention to detail that we offer will be [a] appreciated affordable. This sorts out some at the first hurdle although this is not an exact science and I do not always get it right.

I - like spanishtiler, always try to indicate the first available date - approx will do, when I could make a start. This sorts out the enquires who want you start tommorrow, yes this does happen. They do not appreciate that you are not sitting on your hands waiting for the telephone to ring.

Then I fix an appointment - usually to suit client - working days means an evening or weekend sometimes. Then turn up on time, if I'm late, I keep them informed. Always speak clearly and be polite. I carry my laptop and show them an extensive / selected portfolio of similar work and use it to enhance their initial ideas and create some design features or changes that I think will enhance the final finish

If I have enough advance warning - I will carry samples - Victorian Tiles / Limestone etc as well as Trims and special mouldings

I always provide a quotation, never estimate and I include everything in the quotation so it not ambiguous.

 

[Richard Edwards]

Your skills and experience will just increase naturally now providing you go to work every day. Though one thing that you often need to work on is the quoting process and general customer service. Those things can earn you big bucks and they're easier to handle than tiling once you get the general jist of things.

Sound advice Dan - Its not just about being a great tiler - you have to handle the whole package, - Marketing, Operations, Credit Control, Purchase control, Regulations inc HMRC and VAT, Companies House and above all - Interpersonal Skills - without a good level in the later you will struggle to achieve top rates in the oversupplied and depressed market that we all operate in

 

[doug boardley]

to be quite honest it's not that often I have to do a quote, customers normally ring me saying that they'd like me to do the job and could I please fit them into my schedule, we talk about the price later. I bill them what the job is worth (imo) and everybody is usually happy. When I do have to quote I talk to the customers about all the prep work involved and explain that I do this on my hourly rate, the actual tiling works can be priced there and then usually. I guess I'll probably get 80% of jobs that I do have to quote for though.

 

[Richard Edwards]

Now there is another thing simon.. How many carry references..?

Hi Dave - If most of your enquires are by referrals then references are not so important - We have a page on the website - 'What our customers say' and we put some on there, space permitting

 

[Richard Edwards]

i use a laptop with pics of restoration jobs before & after with references,plus website has plenty of both and new victorian floors usually the only reason that a quote doesn't go ahead is client may have been naive about costs and time scale otherwise i think a 70% ratio is good. couldn't cope with too much more anyway.

Hi Tenchman

I agree 110% with what you have said above - absolutely on the mark

 

[Peter]

Probably win 7 out of 10. Recommendations are usually a given providing you're not sticking the arm in, but advertisements and business cards would give a lower outcome.

Something interesting was a job I quoted a few weeks ago. Same price as another tiler but I won the job because the other tiler was wanting the customer to supply materials and I was willing to supply them myself.

Back when the going was good, it was usually a case of turning up to look at the job and then billing it on completion. Nowadays a lot more people want to know what it'll cost.

What I feel loses me a few jobs would be my age and lack of confidence/social skills when meeting someone for the first time. Getting better but still not able to silvertongue my way into customers bathrooms as yet.

 

[Perfect Tiling]

At the moment I seem to be getting the majority of jobs that are on the wall but seem to be losing out on floors. Lost two floor jobs today because I was pricing too high...however, I had priced for putting down hardibacker and the other 'tiler' was using 6mm plywood because he's used it for years with no problems!!! Got asked if I would match his price for also using 6mm plywood but turned it down. Told the gut to keep my number so that he could call me in a few months time to redo the job. I'm up to abput 17 floors this year that I've seen that have failed after being tiled onto 6mm ply.

 

[chris.tiling]

This is a tough one to work out - sometimes I will get four or five on the trot all booked in there and then, other times, I get nothing from the same number. I have voted for the 50%mark, but probably (having thought about it a bit more) the figure should be somewhere around 70%.

I am now three years in and am getting repeat business as well as recommendations, so these ones will inflate the win / quote figure. I am happy with it over all and am booked to February, working over Christmas as well, so no complaints really!!

 

[bootsmckiber]

I don't know how it is over there but here I have to make it worth my while,there's always young hacks that will undercut you but I stay firm on my prices and the floor dealerships know my rate,after 27 years on the floor most of my work is word of mouth or clients that have refered me,but since my cancer in 2008 I've had to kind of semi retire so I'm fortunate enough to be able to pick and choose my jobs,thanks,Mike

 

[Gazrus]

After approx 6 months into going solo I would say my win / quote ratio is about 70%, thats on plastering & tiling jobs though. But since going solo & past clients finding out I am back on the tools after a small break the work is picking up.
Alas with so many people doing these fastrack courses nowadays, you do get undercut sometimes due to clients looking at cost of the job & not quality of workmanship.

 

[widler]

mmmm,hard one really,i have never advertised always word of mouth,so never really have to price jobs, usually tell me to get on with it. not sure if its because im good or just plain cheap:yikes:

 

[Mike]

mmmm,hard one really,i have never advertised always word of mouth,so never really have to price jobs, usually tell me to get on with it. not sure if its because im good or just plain cheap:yikes:

i'm the same mate, it's just new customers who want a price, i've probably got the job before i look at it provided i'm not too expensive (which i'm not)

 

[GC-Terrazzo]

Only ever gave 1 quote and it was last month through this forum, woman wanted terrazzo stairs never got the job. All my work comes from company's and through word of mouth.

 

[White Room]

I wonder how different it would be now if this poll was started again.

 

[radim]

It is hard to say.Most of work i got is from guys i know and have worked for a while(plumber, joiners,3 construction companies) and from word of mouth.I can remember 1 job i quoted but never got.It was hairdresser shop floor with 6 mm ply. was about 25 m.Also get work from Trusted Trader scheme which I am member of.