<FONT COLOR="Teal"><FONT size="4">Here Comes the rope, and I hope I don't hang myself!!!</FONT s></FONT c>
Two Guys, there are somethings that you have to remember about me and the way MY business operates.
1. I WASH just Fleets.
2. Fleets are not the only thing that I do.
3. My smallest account is over $2000 a week.
I am not the biggest, nor the truck washer around. I do have a pretty good understanding of how MY business operates. Because of that I know that my costs, with DI water are very competitive with the prices that others have quoted here.
What does this mean to you? Absolutely nothing. The reason is that my costs, profit margins, and business environment are totally different from the costs and profit margins of someone in a small town. I have actual competition with national companies that are trying to compete on my playing field. This means that I cannot get $25-$30 a tractor, or $20-$25 a trailer to wash something because the market will not bear the price.
In order to maintain my margins and profit level that I want, I have to cut costs. I do not want my competition ( I use the term loosely) to have an insight into what it costs me to operate. The only way I would feel some what justified in letting them in on my operating expenses is if they were to buy me out for cash. ($400,000 cash for the fleetwashing operation would about cover it.)
I also give my price in every bid, that is what a bid is done for, to get a price. I don't explain my expenses though. I try and give my customers value for their dollar, and have lost a couple because they thought they could get a better value somewhere else.
It is not something that I worry about though. I have a solid customer base and have contracts that I am sure will keep me in business for the next 5 years.
As for Laymans question of what does it cost you to wash a truck, I understood the question the first time. I don't divulge my costs, jsut as any major corporation does not divulge the actual hard costs that they pay to others, including competitors and customers.
What is more is that I do not give out prices on the phone. If someone calls me for a price, I ask them a few questions and then make an appoiuntment to give them a proposal. Same reason, I don't want to give competitors that are shopping me an insight on what I charge, I also do not give out references over the phone. In fact I have caller ID on my phone, so that I know who is calling, and if the call is blocked I am even more wary of the caller.
There are for me a few reasons that I do this. The major one is that I know of at least two companies that want and are trying to be major players in my market that have actually put a bounty on my accounts. Last I heard the salesmen were getting somewhere around 3 months gross on any of my accounts that they got, over and above any normal commission. They have gotten one account in the past four years, and that was my mistake.
So what it boils down to is that ido not discuss pricing, or my costs. I will tell you if I feel that a price is fair and justifiable, but that does not mean that is what I pay.
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Any statement that I make about equipment, processes or your hair color is my own personal opinion. I usually base it on personal experience. If you disagree with me you are free to reply on both the BBS and by e-mail. If I am totally off base please explain why on the BBS so that we may all know why
Bus. Phone 480-834-3434
Cell Phone 602-509-9741