I've been asked to quote for grass cutting around a small hotel, roughly 1200 sq m.
The mananger kindly copied and pasted the renewal quote the current contractors gave her, I was a bit surprised but it did give me something to go on.
I've quoted cut and collect on a two weekly basis, with 16 cuts this season. The numbers come out roughly the same as her current contractor, although they are quoting 10 cuts, and I don't know if it is drop or collect of clippings.
I've just come off the phone with the manager and they are looking for a lower quote, but I'm still in with a good chance, so I'm thinking I may have it wrong with the collecting.
10 cuts seems not enough if presentation is important, plus through the growing season I'd expect longer grass to look 'rough as' if it is dropped. Is there a basic set of rules applied to commercial mowing - for ex is it generally cut and drop, blow off the paths etc.
I want the work, but don't want to compromsie myself, so wondering if cut and drop is the way to go.
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the way to go is to give them choice based on price. 'i can do this, it will cost that, however if you are looking to save costs then I can do this instead but be aware of these things...'
then the customer knows what they are getting and there should be no come back
The way I would approach this is that they are given the original quote, but included is the condition that work is paid in advance. I wouldn't consider dropping my price, I'm not selling T-shirts in Marmaris. Hoteliers have proven to be among the trickiest customers for me in the past hence I will only do work for them if it's already paid for. They run a tight ship and are very busy. Paying the gardener is low on their priorities.
Maybe offer the option of mulching, no waste so less cost.
Ian, yep, that is the way I've been thinking about playing it, dropping in a second quote for cut and drop, it is much quicker and no waste to think about, so the price would come down. To be honest I don't really want to be taking grass away regularly so that would suit me.
Kieren, could do it, would need to buy a mulch mower so was putting that to the back of my mind to be honest.
Dan, well you've hit the nail on the head, I think I just needed to read it from someone else. The manager has been a pain almost from the off, hasn't ever got back to me and I've done the running after to get info to quote for the grounds maintenance.
Same has happened again with the grass, just no return of info or return of calls. I got a stropped off today, manager on the phone said she is busy and gardening is work just isn't on her list of things to do.
Started a thread a while ago about this job, last gardener walked away and I couldn't see why, I'm beginning to see it.
I'm awaiting information, promised to call me back today, didn't, so I've decided I just don't want the hassle - If she hasn't got back to me by this Friday I'm waking away, there is plenty more work out there!
“The mananger kindly copied and pasted the renewal quote the current contractors gave her, I was a bit surprised but it did give me something to go on.”
That was your invitation to join the Dutch auction, so maybe it was not very kind.
How many people will your quote be passed onto if it is lower than the one passed onto you?
Andy
Indeed Andy, perhaps I wouldn't have been so peeved if the manager had got back to me once in a while when I asked for info, and she said she would.
Just doesn't work for me, I've about made my mind up to walk away.
I think you are right John - I don't want the hassle - what if chasing invoices is as bad as getting a straight answer.
Yesterday I got a call from another site I quoted for - over 50's new build complex maintenance, I got the work, Director on the other end of the phone was really great, enthusiatic, polite, called when he said he would, now that is the type of people I want to work for.