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Frustrating

Just lost out again to more gardening work. Last couple of days been asked for hourly rate. Generally I keep away from hourly rate and quote fixed price.Asked to quote 2 jobs, and for an hourly rate where I found out that the "winning" quote was for £15 per hour.How do you compete with that given that at both jobs there is grass clipping and plant material to remove.I explain benefit of fixed price and explain that hourly rate could end up costing more in the long run, but to no avail.Frustrating this is!

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  • You just can't compete with that and earn a living. Most of us have costs that would put us under minimum wage on £15 per hour!

    That sort of client isn't worth it anyway. They'll be scrimping over every cost, and off as soon as someone cheaper comes along.

    All you can do is persevere, and you will find clients that appreciate you're working legally, professionally and, ultimately, offer better value.

    • PRO
      Paul's got it spot on.....
    • Problem I see around here is that garden maintenance crews are competing with shift workers and in particular firemen. 

      They already have a decent income so any extra from garden maintenance is just beer money or saving for holidays etc.

      Impossible to compete with somone who uses maintenance as a second income.

    • Absolutely. I look at the customer to see if they can even afford me. I know it sounds bad, but the truth is there are a lot of timewasters out there. I no longer have the patience for them. I quoted £50 to remove a small tree and take away the waste. They replied if I can do it for £40. I my reply was just "Nope".

      Another time I had a comment back after I quoted that they fond someone much cheaper. I replied that I hope that person is insured, trained, and pays their taxes. Plus does not fly tip somewhere. LOL

      Dont fret it, you cannot win every time. It may be a blessing in disguise.

  • I always suggest to a new customer that we have a "trial" run for a month on a fixed charge per visit...... if they're not happy with the quality/quantity of work being produced, we'll just cancel and call it a day. Once they see you working with the work thats being produced, they should hopefully be happy to continue the "contract".  Works well for me.   

    • Thats a good idea. Never thought of that one.

      My problem was that I gave a lower rate to repeat customers. However the newbies caught on so when I finished the job they paid me the "maintenance rate" and said thank you very much, we will try to keep on top of it ourselves now. So I was out of pocket. Hence I just stick rigid to my hourly rate and minimum hours. 

  • PRO Supplier

    Real shame when this happens, all too common but it is a competitive market I suppose. As has been said, that's clearly the kind of customer that sees price as the overriding factor - you never know what they might not get for that kind of price (perhaps they aren't removing waste or something that you are offering) so hopefully you will get a sheepish call in the future asking for a proper quote! :)

    Like the idea of a trial run Geoff, gives you and the customer a chance to see what is expected.

  • Thanks guys,

    Your right I can't compete with that, my overheads, and the per hour rate I need to make ends meet is much more than that. I guess that some (gardeners) are happy to make less. Maybe it was someone who,is looking to top up cash.
    Great idea Geoff, I would certainly look at doing that.
    I have relevant skills/qualification in horticulture that I try to sell. ( although the qualification is aone from my time in Australia- the principles/practicalities of gardening are the same)
    Yes it's definetly not the sort of client that I want who squeezes the last penny out of you.
    Still I keep battling on and will build the business to where I want it to be.
  • PRO

    I lot of people just don't want fixed price for whatever reason, even when you explain the benefits. 2 weeks ago I parted with a client because she wasn't happy that I did the work in 1 hour that her previous gardener (who was £13.00 an hour) did in 2/2.5. But she had no quarrels with the work? I said to her at the quoting stage that I'd give her a fixed price of £25 and thus it works out cheaper (took about an hour or so) but she decided that she I was taking advantage of poor old women because she's equated my two vists of both being about an hour to £25 an hour and thus even though it was less than she used to pay I was ripping her off?

    My point was before I started rambling... some people just see an hourly rate as better because they think a fixed price they'll pay more (because 9/10 the gardener that does fixed pricing actually knows how much needs to be made to actually earn a living). Best just to ignore it and move on, plenty of clients that understand fixed pricing and appreciate a job done well not just done.

    • Good point, Seth. Whilst I try to get as much work on either 12-month contract, or a fixed price for a one-off job, sometimes you have to work hourly.

      Some clients really can't see the value both to you and them, as in your case. Also, some jobs just can't be accurately judged in advance: loads of hand-weeding is a good example.

      I've found more and more new clients ask for a simple, all-in 12-month standing order price. That's quite a recent change: it used to be me selling it to them. Perhaps the message is slowly getting through?

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