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  Chris Auld February 20, 2012 at 8:28pm

  The exact same thing happened to me last summer, drove 15-20 miles away to quote for topping and facing a big conifer hedge only to find out the work had already been done once i got there! I knocked on the door and the customer came out and told me some guy just came round and did it that morning. Why didn't you call me back? i asked. Oh sorry, i phoned up quite a few people and couldn't remember which ones i rang, he replied. I swear if his kid hadn't been standing next to him at the time i may have done something i'd later regret!
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  T & S Plants February 20, 2012 at 9:36pm

  Sadly Duncan, Landscapers & Garden Designers do the same thing, so the "trade" is treated as it treats other, we guess?

  As an illustration, as a part of our service we visit our customers to offer expert advice on plants.  We visited one such project last October, at our cost.  We identified the plant in question, which the Landscaper with 20+ experience could not do, and also met with their client, at our customers request to ensure that our customer won the order. 

  So after 2 hours travelling, 1 hour meeting, 3 hours in telephone calls and identifing the plant in the first place, and winning the re-planting business for our customer,  we found out today that the Landscaper got another Nursery to quote on the plant, that they did not know.

  We also found out today that the Landscaper placed their order, for the plant that they did not know, and the job that they never had before our free visit, with the other supplier. 

  Our industry is better than this, and our customer service for our customers, continues, as before. Nice to have LJN to vent our spleen though.

   

   

   
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  briggsandscrapem February 20, 2012 at 9:54pm

  Would you still serve the landscaper in the future ?
  
  T & S Plants said:

  Sadly Duncan, Landscapers & Garden Designers do the same thing, so the "trade" is treated as it treats other, we guess?

  As an illustration, as a part of our service we visit our customers to offer expert advice on plants.  We visited one such project last October, at our cost.  We identified the plant in question, which the Landscaper with 20+ experience could not do, and also met with their client, at our customers request to ensure that our customer won the order. 

  So after 2 hours travelling, 1 hour meeting, 3 hours in telephone calls and identifing the plant in the first place, and winning the re-planting business for our customer,  we found out today that the Landscaper got another Nursery to quote on the plant, that they did not know.

  We also found out today that the Landscaper placed their order, for the plant that they did not know, and the job that they never had before our free visit, with the other supplier. 

  Our industry is better than this, and our customer service for our customers, continues, as before. Nice to have LJN to vent our spleen though.

   

   

   
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  T & S Plants February 20, 2012 at 10:02pm

  Yes, indeed, our industry is better than this, and our customer service for our customers, continues, as before.

  Plants to collect soon.
  
  briggsandscrapem said:

  Would you still serve the landscaper in the future ?
  
  T & S Plants said:

  Sadly Duncan, Landscapers & Garden Designers do the same thing, so the "trade" is treated as it treats other, we guess?

  As an illustration, as a part of our service we visit our customers to offer expert advice on plants.  We visited one such project last October, at our cost.  We identified the plant in question, which the Landscaper with 20+ experience could not do, and also met with their client, at our customers request to ensure that our customer won the order. 

  So after 2 hours travelling, 1 hour meeting, 3 hours in telephone calls and identifing the plant in the first place, and winning the re-planting business for our customer,  we found out today that the Landscaper got another Nursery to quote on the plant, that they did not know.

  We also found out today that the Landscaper placed their order, for the plant that they did not know, and the job that they never had before our free visit, with the other supplier. 

  Our industry is better than this, and our customer service for our customers, continues, as before. Nice to have LJN to vent our spleen though.

   

   

   
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  HM GARDENS February 20, 2012 at 10:11pm

  I would find it very difficult to use someones time like that and drop them, but business is cut throat but I could not do it as it's important for reputation within trades surely. 

  I remember working in a department store and the owner wanted gold guilt at chelsea for floristry (1980s) well got silver then got gold, third time the designer had everything on orders thousands of pound worth of stock, he then just changed his mind and cancelled the whole thing.

  She resigned as her reputation was so jeopardised I guess within the trade industry. 

   
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  Paul McNulty February 20, 2012 at 10:36pm

  I always try to get as much info as possible of the phone before travelling and meeting a potential customer. As a maintenance guy I wouldn't expect to charge for a quotation, so I need to have at least a good idea of whether they'll be a client I want to work for, and that they expect me to be quoting for a professional service so they don't try to compare me with a cash-in-hand outfit.

  I've had my time wasted plenty of times over the years, more so when running larger landscaping contracts, but always remember to be courteous and professional when they are messing you around. The chances are that they'll regret their choice if the job goes wrong, but they'll always remember the very nice person they messed around yet was so helpful. Who do you think they'll recommend to their friends?
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  Richard@www.seasons-garden.co.uk February 20, 2012 at 11:07pm

  Should have gone with your gut instinct in the first place!

  Anything along the lines of 'I've had several gardeners and none of them have been any good' or 'Had several quotes and nobody's got back to me' is usually for a reason.
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  Fenlandphil February 21, 2012 at 6:34am

  The most important thing is to remember that it costs money to get work and to factor these costs into the product or service you are selling.  The buzz expression is to productise your service so that you can make the most efficient use of your time, I have wasted hours doing quotes for railing jobs, in one case the winning contractor was doing the job for the price I was paying for the materials.

  There is no easy way of getting it a hundred percent right, Gaynors method is one of the best.
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  Colin Hunt February 21, 2012 at 6:53am

  I begin to lose interest right away, when I arrive for an appointment bang on time and the potential customer opens the door and greets you with "hello, which one are you?". 
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  Rose Lennard February 21, 2012 at 8:16am

  haha, well done Gaynor! I had a client who turned bad, didn't pay my final invoice for months, and wasn't paying the structural engineer or the architect. I eventually got paid by turning up unannounced early on a Saturday morning, finding only the girlfriend having an early morning ciggie at the front door. She said 'oh god, hasn't he paid you yet?' and went off and wrote me a cheque. Client returned just as I was leaving and didn't look best pleased, but luckily the cheque went through. I'd had a bad feeling about him from the start, not helped by a google search showing evidence of him being a bit unpleasant in his business dealings, but at the start he was charming so I took a chance. I guess it paid off as I did get paid in the end, but it could easily not have worked out. Mostly I think those early warning bells are right!
   
  Gaynor @ www.witchardgardens.com said:

  As I write this it now sounds quite funny (well, I do like to see the lighter side of life!). Anyway, I was approached by a prospective client to visit her garden with a view to design it. She made a definite appointment and was duly booked into my diary, after I made her aware in writing that I require travel expenses - it was thirty miles away.

  I arrived on the day in question at 11.30 am. Knocked the door. She stared at me through her patio window, still in her dressing gown (or housecoat, whatever you like to call it) and shouted through the window demanding to know who I was...

  I shouted back who I was and that I was there at her request.  She begrudgingly opened the door, suddenly realising who I was but stated she thought I was a Jehovah's Witness due to the fact I was carrying my black A3 portfolio case.

  Right...ok then...alarm bells are ringing...

  She then spent half an hour getting showered and dressed, then proceeded to tell me what she wanted after talking about all the antiques she'd collected and  - oh, and did I know of a good auction house.

  Two hours later, I kind of guessed I was not going to get anywhere and she was just wasting my time. I politely presented her with a pre-prepared invoice and stated I had to leave. Quelle surprise...couldn't find her cheque book. By now I just wanted to get out of there, but wasn't leaving without my fee. Her cheque book was on the kitchen table - which I pointed out as it was in full view. 

  I left with my money and thankfully it didn't bounce. I entered her phone number into my nuisance list. Now people have to pay me in advance or I'm not interested.

  Here endeth the lesson.