What do you think?

[Daz]

I always recommend tanking where it is necessary, but always show it as an itemised cost so that the customer can see where the costs come from. Unfortunately, I think that when you start to recommend certain aspects such as tanking or decoupling you can alienate certain prospects.

There is a right way (and there is a customer base that will listen and pay for it), and there is the tight way (the customers will dump you for the cheapest pikey). Perhaps you have been promoting the "right way" to the wrong client base which is what has been costing you work?

 

[united]

I always recommend tanking where it is necessary, but always show it as an itemised cost so that the customer can see where the costs come from. Unfortunately, I think that when you start to recommend certain aspects such as tanking or decoupling you can alienate certain prospects.
There is a right way (and there is a customer base that will listen and pay for it), and there is the tight way (the customers will dump you for the cheapest pikey). Perhaps you have been promoting the "right way" to the wrong client base which is what has been costing you work?

That is spot on Exactly what I have been doing.

Think i just need to make a better judgement call as to what type of customer I'm dealing with and adjust to suit

 

[macten]

I always say 'this isn't a hard sell or anything but have you heard of tanking....' I then explain all its virtues and have never had a single customer turn it down. If it's a power shower, combi, studded plasterboard no windows etc... I explain the virtues of tanking and install it as a matter of course.

Another thing I do is ask for their email address and put a full itemised quote in that way. It's a good way of keeping dialogue open as usually they will get back to you with queries etc... when otherwise you may never hear from them if they felt you were too expensive. Gives you more chance to sell yourself and convince them for the money you will do the best job.

 

[united]

I always say 'this isn't a hard sell or anything but have you heard of tanking....' I then explain all its virtues and have never had a single customer turn it down. If it's a power shower, combi, studded plasterboard no windows etc... I explain the virtues of tanking and install it as a matter of course.

Another thing I do is ask for their email address and put a full itemised quote in that way. It's a good way of keeping dialogue open as usually they will get back to you with queries etc... when otherwise you may never hear from them if they felt you were too expensive. Gives you more chance to sell yourself and convince them for the money you will do the best job.

Thanks mate.

I also do the email thing as I know most people are happy to send an email back rather than picking up the phone.

 

[marbleman]

some advice United stick to your guns on pricing , because its a slippery slope once you start dropping prices, i know it can be tough when the work is drying up and i suppose its if you need to put food on the table then you are the only one that can make that choice good luck i am sure it will pick up

 

[Scott]

I completely think the way to go is via email. I use it for 99% of my quotes, the information is there for them to see and re read. You can also link pages like this to the mail and they can read the information themselves

http://www.tilersforums.com/tanking-wetrooms/82-tanking-what.html

 

[neil terry]

good luck mate

 

[mikethetile]

Mark

I dont know if you remember me going through this earlier this year, I got a lot of help from here, little things people said helped me to peice together where I was going wrong and what I need to do, im still a long way off what I want but ive had a better year than expected

its where you position yourself in the market thats important and subsequently how others percieve your business

I go through the jobs with my clients and talk about cost not price

so to do the job properly and ensures that the job will last a reasonable time, it will cost you this amount, it can be done cheaper if I leave out part of the prep but the job wont last as long and I cant gaurantee the work , as the work wouldnt be to my usual standard I would rather not do the job than leave you with something that I know will fail in time and waste your money

then hit them with a high price

if they go for the cheaper quotes, let them

chances are they will go with you and you will be in the higher end of the market and more importantly be seen as a tradesman of integrity who would rather lose the work than compromise his standards

it works but does take time to reposition yourself

as money gets tight people are more carefull how they spend it and want value for money not cheap jobs, they are desperate to find decent tradesmen amongst the dross thats swamped the trade

its never about the price

its about confidence in your ability to deliver a good job

the feeling they can trust and work with you

the commitment and passion you have for your trade and your refusal to compomise on the standard of your work

 

[united]

Thanks Mike, that's great advice and I understand exactly what your saying

 

[macten]

Brilliant advice

 

[andy-p]

Great post mike ,you have hit the nail on the head...

 

[ScottG13]

Mark

I dont know if you remember me going through this earlier this year, I got a lot of help from here, little things people said helped me to peice together where I was going wrong and what I need to do, im still a long way off what I want but ive had a better year than expected

its where you position yourself in the market thats important and subsequently how others percieve your business

I go through the jobs with my clients and talk about cost not price

so to do the job properly and ensures that the job will last a reasonable time, it will cost you this amount, it can be done cheaper if I leave out part of the prep but the job wont last as long and I cant gaurantee the work , as the work wouldnt be to my usual standard I would rather not do the job than leave you with something that I know will fail in time and waste your money

then hit them with a high price

if they go for the cheaper quotes, let them

chances are they will go with you and you will be in the higher end of the market and more importantly be seen as a tradesman of integrity who would rather lose the work than compromise his standards

it works but does take time to reposition yourself

as money gets tight people are more carefull how they spend it and want value for money not cheap jobs, they are desperate to find decent tradesmen amongst the dross thats swamped the trade

its never about the price

its about confidence in your ability to deliver a good job

the feeling they can trust and work with you

the commitment and passion you have for your trade and your refusal to compomise on the standard of your work

Brilliant post mike.

Along the lines of what Mike said, a tiler told me he always mentions that his quote may or may not be the cheapest or the most expensive but the job will be a professional one.

He will then at some point make a point of what is required prep wise and drum it into their head e.g eliminating defletion on floor, etc etc. and say 'make sure, whoever does the job puts down 18mm ply, does not tile on top of that paint' and so on and so forth. This way the customer thinks this guy knows what he is talking about, and can see that even if you do not get the job you still want the best for them in that the job is done properly. If the customer gets someone else in for a quote and they do not mention adding extra noggins or the benifits of tanking etc, they are more likely to go for the professional tiler that knows his stuff rather than the bloke thats £170 cheaper but dont know what he is doing.

He did give me some other tips on pricing up/dealing with customers, I will post them when they come back to me, getting late.

 

[paul flight]

what are the materials adding up to ??? and what are you left with for three days work???

 

[doug boardley]

if prep is upto standard I'd say that's a fair price Mark