Why bother when you know the outcome

[Gazzer]

I used to do loads of shopfitting contracts all over the country. Partly due to the down turn in the economy etc the work became less. It got to the stage that I only stood a chance of getting the contract if it was short notice or very local.
All this time I have been quoting every time they send me details. I just feel like asking them why I waste my time quoting, knowing full well that I wont get the gig ! I reckon its just so they get a few quotes in and can play one of against the other.

 

[Jeff the tiler]

I have it with a large developer down here. Tender, they amend, tender again, Change of tile, Tender again. No joy.
It like they have to have 3 quotes to justify themselves. Given up on it now by saying can not meet their start date. Keeps me in but takes away a lot of hassle.

 

[Spud]

some larger builders have estimating departments , these guys send out tender quotes before they have even been awarded the job , they use you to do their pricing for them and simply add on a 40% margin to whatever qoute comes back to them , I had it from a company near me in the end I rang the person who kept sending me stuff and asked them out right why after doing so many quotes I wasnt being given any work he told me I was the cheapest quote they had had in and when the job started to expect a call , I said dont bother sending any more tenders through if you havent got the job in your order book , havent had on since and if they do send me one it will go straight in the bin

 

[Peter]

Probably the same outfit(s) getting the work each time but the tenders just happen out of legal requirements.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I must be dyslexic - I thought it read shoplifting all over the country!
It takes lots of time to fill in quotes so they have to be worth doing otherwise it has to be the bin!

 

[AliGage]

This may seem like i basic question to some of you. But how do yet get in the hat to be asked to tender in the first place?

 

[Gazzer]

A letter of introduction to the contracts manager and ask to be included in further tenders.

 

[High Peak Tiling]

I used to do loads of shopfitting contracts all over the country. Partly due to the down turn in the economy etc the work became less. It got to the stage that I only stood a chance of getting the contract if it was short notice or very local.
All this time I have been quoting every time they send me details. I just feel like asking them why I waste my time quoting, knowing full well that I wont get the gig ! I reckon its just so they get a few quotes in and can play one of against the other.

Hi Neale, I used to sub-contract work for a large specialist contracts firm.
We got most of the work through them but we had a certain pub chain/brewery through them which required the contracts firm to gather 3 quotes from companies for each individual job on each pub renovation... It was part of their agreement to secure 3 quotes...

 

[Pebbs]

Its the same old story, you have to quote for when they are going after a contract and then a year later you are walking down the street and see their big banner strapped to the side of the building. The only diff is that your not on that contract. The fact of the matter is that if you are not in with that project surveyor or their contracts director, your being used for pricing. I bin two main contractors, enquiries as soon as I see them in my inbox. I spent to much time in the past pricing up work, without a hope in hell of getting the contract. Then they have the nerve to ring up and ask where my price is....get stuffed, give me some work and I'll price, in the meantime keep giving the work to your so called 'mates'.

I started pricing up a job about four years ago for a famous eatery, I rang through to the specifed supplier who I knew well and he said to me, 'do you know how many tiling firms are pricing for this one Lynn?' I said ummm probably about 7? He told me he had already sent the prices out to 35 diff tiling firms!!! That one went straight in the bin after I put the phone down.

You live and you learn, dont waste your time on unsolicited enquiries, look after your client base, and just move onwards.

Lynn

 

[High Peak Tiling]

Its the same old story, you have to quote for when they are going after a contract and then a year later you are walking down the street and see their big banner strapped to the side of the building. The only diff is that your not on that contract. The fact of the matter is that if you are not in with that project surveyor or their contracts director, your being used for pricing. I bin two main contractors, enquiries as soon as I see them in my inbox. I spent to much time in the past pricing up work, without a hope in hell of getting the contract. Then they have the nerve to ring up and ask where my price is....get stuffed, give me some work and I'll price, in the meantime keep giving the work to your so called 'mates'.

I started pricing up a job about four years ago for a famous eatery, I rang through to the specifed supplier who I knew well and he said to me, 'do you know how many tiling firms are pricing for this one Lynn?' I said ummm probably about 7? He told me he had already sent the prices out to 35 diff tiling firms!!! That one went straight in the bin after I put the phone down.

You live and you learn, dont waste your time on unsolicited enquiries, look after your client base, and just move onwards.

Lynn

I guess the firm I was with had the necessary contacts within...