Newbee's everywhere

[Larry L.]

Its the year of the powerwasher,they have been 4 more start in the last few weeks.Everywhere you look you see another newbee with a throw together powerwasher,from 3 gpm to 5 gpm,most are jucky looking,some even rusted.They running around cutting the price in half and they say I've been screwing all my accounts b/c it doesn't cost that much to wash them...........yel I still answer their Q'tions and tell them how much I charge when asked.

One good thing about it I know they want last at those prices and its to late for them by the time they figure it out but like most newbee's they do not listen.They doing damage all over town,blowing out concerte,spraying degreaser on blacktop,you name the damage and they're doing it.Three that started in the spring have already gone out of buss,its just a matter of time when the rest will at the prices they're charging.The same thing happen about 10 years ago,so may running around I thought I would get run over at the watering hole.

What I cann't stand tho is their lying,they tell me they do not try to get any of my buss,if the account tells them I'm their wash guy they tell me they tell the account they do not want their buss b/c they repect me aND DO NOT WANT TO take the account away from me.They're not smart enough to know my accounts tell me what is being said and how much they dropped the price,hahaha.

Altho most of the accounts around here have seen them come and go as fast as they came and went.What tickles me is they wash some nasty stuff man,something I and the other longtimers want wash b/c of the price they think we should charge which those places get a bargin in the newbee's low price.

We use HF acid on most of the trucks around here and all the newbee's are wearing cotton cloths,hahahahahahahaha,want be long before the acid eats their cotton cloths off of them,which will add to their cost of doing buss and yel I've told everyone of them that the acid will eat their cotton cloth off them but like I said they do not listen,which is ok with me.

How are the newbee's going in your area?

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[Craig Knight]

Bigboy,

Yeah buddy, they are everywhere. Bad thing about the ones around my neck of the woods is they wont even talk to you. They peek around the pumps when your filling up. They slow down and look at the rig when they go by. But you wave at them and they haul butt.

They know who has been around and who hasnt. Just smile and wave at'em and wait for the next crop next year.

Did have one call me the other day from around here. Had tons of questions and you know its not a potential customer, its a newbee. Heck, i answered all the questions for the good of the profession. Asked me about driveways, chemicals, prices on house washing, u name it, he asked it. Said his name was Todd. When he finally got all his questions and answers, he said that he appreciated it and would call for an estimate next week. I said "no problem, what was your name again?" and he said "Tony." GOTTA LOVE IT....


Craig

 

[Jon]

Bigboy what I cannot understand is why you help your competitors.

I can understand if they are not in your area, I help those too but the ones that would be direct competitors I will talk with but not about how I do things or who my accounts are or price.

If you must tell them what you charge low ball the price to them, say your doing it for $10 a truck, then if they try to bid $5 it won't be long before they are gone. Or blow their minds away and say your get $200 per truck!!

Now if you really want to help them offer to sell your business to them for say, $350,000, have lawyer draw up papers so you can get it back when they fail to make payments.

Then sell to the next guy, you can make good living that way without working. LOL

Jon

 

[Craig Knight]

Yeah Jon,

But by the time you get the business back after they go bankrupt, its not worth 5 cents because the rep is shot and the accounts are blown.
I dont mind telling folks about what i am charging because i know i am high, but when you can back up your talk, then it puts the lowballers in a bind. Most cant even back up their lowball prices, much less what quality charges.

You know Jon, a newbee cant talk like you, cant answer the questions that are put forth by your customers, but you as a veteran to power washing can answer or at least bs your way thru any q&a session.

 

[Beth]

Hey Jon,
Why not help them? If you happen to be in an area that has more business than you can handle, why not? What's to be afraid of?

Heck, I was out doing estimates this weekend and bumped into one I had not met yet. Not sure how long they have been around. I chatted with the guy, gave him a card, told him about the boards, he didn't have the URL's, told him about some good products since he never touches certain jobs, and he was very greatful.

There is more than enough work to go around. Also, there is this little saying about you get what you give... also when you share it comes back to you tenfold...

Hey Eddie, if you came up to the board, welcome!

Beth

 

[Jon Fife]

To me it is about respect. If they call and tell me they have started a business, i'll help. It is when they call me and tell me they have a deck that needs cleaned and sealed, and won't give me an address, just want to know a ballpark price on a 20x20 deck. If they'd just be honest, i would too. Had a guy call and ask me the other day how much i'd charge to clean a 20K sq.ft. parking lot. I could immediately tell by the person i was talking to that they did not own the place, which they told me they did. My price came in at $400, and he said OK. I dont even clean flatwork, but i figure if he goes by my price he'll learn a lesson in a hurry. If someone was making a good go at a business and was willing to charge a reasonable price, i'd help them in a heartbeat, i need some good competitors to help me raise the prices.

jon

 

[Larry L.]

hahaha yel I understand Luckyboy,not enough to go around huh hahahaha.

Had a small fleet (5 trucks&trailer) owner tell me Saturaday he was buying 4 more rigs and he may want me to washem if I could.I told him yel maybe but not at the newbee's price b/c I couldn't afford to at the price the newbee was charging him which is 35 a rig and I get 55,he said real fast,yel I know you cann't b/c you clean them.....like Graig said you gotta love those newbee's for making me or use look good.

One has already losed his bass boat,a car and had to move b/c of rent problems,he is just now realizing it may be to late for him to pull out of it.I've even told him he should have LISTEN to what I was saying about staying in bussiness as the reason for my prices.,,,and just think hot weather is here,wait until they get some of dat heat on their backs hahahahaha,I already know two want make it though the heat and what does want make it though the freezen weather b/c no money saved up.

God bless them tho for trying to be # one,most do not reailize how hard of work it really is,dat is ifen your not used to it but its still hard work,ya have to be fast p'aced with alittle know how.

Only have one tho thats really cutting and stabing in the back which is ok..........he'll be the next to go out of buss b/c of my trick or treat ways,haha...gotta love him tho b/c he's been the best cut and staber so for,he's thinks he's a real good saleman but he's been caught stealing more then once.

wheeeeeeew just got off phone with one wanting to know where I bought my wax plus how he's driveing a 3 hour drive to wash 6 tri-axles,his little ford 1/2 ton will not hold up on that pulling fully loaded up one hill down another but one good thing about it they'll be another new crop next year as Graig said.

 

[Bill B]

Go get em Bigboy! I charge more than anyone around here and won't do it for less, or I'd go out of business. I heard something last week that I liked. A guy told me "I get paid for what I know, not what I do". Most of my clients respect that I know a bunch about my main biz, and will give them advice and help, etc. Some others would sc..w their mothers for a dime - I will do a good job for them, but I don't care if I lose their business.

Beth, I have somewhat of a problem with telling all to competitors. I use methods completely different than others and have developed a good rep. I don't necessily want others doing things the same way - I need insure differentiation of some sort.

 

[Beth]

Bill, I can understand where you are coming from. I agree with John Fife. If they come to you honestly, why not help? If we are all educated we are actually combating the "lowballers" out there, and securing our own futures.

But, depending on where you live and the amount of work out there you may need to only share so much. It's one thing to have 1000 houses in your city and quite another to have 100,000 if you get my point.

Still, I believe it is possible to help others and not give away your secrets....

Beth

 

[Jon]

Woman, Er Beth that is,

I do offer help, example is someone that is starting out and does flat work who lives a bit over 2 hours from me, another contacted me the other day, he is starting out and I do have accounts in this persons area but I have said I will meet with him. I will offer advice to him, I would rather he learn before he does damage then learn the hard way.

I can hear you saying why if you already said you would not, not quite so, neither of these guys are a threat to me, it's the other way around if I chose to make it so. However I would rather help them then fight them, could be one of us has such a large job or becomes quite ill and need help to do a few jobs, friends are great for that, I know as I remember when I almost had to have back surgery, others offered to come do the jobs for me, not every day but the major ones.

The ones I talk about are direct competitors, or as some might say those in my own backyard.

Sure there is plenty of business but when you concentrate on one thing and do it well that cuts the playing field down.

Jon Fife is right, be totally honest and help would be here, as to those calls, we all get them, we all know it is a compeitor by how and what they ask, in my case almost always how much would I charge to clean a restaurant, duh why would he need to know unless he plans on going after the ones I have?

I do get calls and Email just like the rest of you do, I do offer all I can on how to, what to use and a broad specturm of prices so they can get an overall picture.

I just have a hard time with helping the guy next door. Someone from the Mid-West willing to come out here to learn no problem. Someone an hour or two away, yeah a problem.

I have no secrets other then who my accounts are and what I charge them.

The following is nothing more then an open question, not an attack on anyone here. Feel free to reply.

Say one of us loose an account to a low baller, 8 month later the customer calls and wants us back and the job looks like hell, do you say sure we pick up from where we left off, do you say I am going to have to charge extra to bring it back up to par, do you raise prices since 8 month passed and perhaps cost have increased or do you tell him/her no thanks I am not interested because you will fire me again when another low baller comes knocking on your door?

 

[Larry L.]

Then Why you still ack like a newbee Luckyboy,ya know better then to change the sudject thread hahahahahahahahaha but will answer anyway Newbee.

IF I stopped washing for them and IF I could take them back on,yes I would wash for them again BUT if they told me to hit the road for another powerwasher,NO I do NOT take these accounts back and they know that around here.

That what makes it so hard on a NEEWBEE around here the fleet accounts also has seen them COME AND GO and know they could or may end up without a wash boy for awhile ifen they get reed of the one they already have....

hey ron p,Luckyboy is the one changing the sudject in the threads,isn't dat what ya was comp'ianing about,start out fishing end up duck hunting with fishing lures hahahahaha...O love ya JOn.Been around 2 grandsons for two weeks and will have them all this month so be prepaired for anything from me,they kill me man with all their ways.age 5 and 6,they work when I work and I tell the accounts they are newbee's or want a- bee's.they work to buy toys like their pa lol....O did I change the sudject too...o will still love ya.

 

[Jon]

I am surprised Bigboy, it took you this many years to figure out I cannot stick to one subject but jump around.

Must be you getting old!

Hey enjoy those two hard working boys, just pay them fairly and take them fishing too.

Luckboy

 

[Beth]

Lol... Jon, we know you have a heart of gold.
Don't sweat it...

Beth


p.s. I'm just razzing you to see if you're awake

 

[ron]

ron p

This thread started out as a problem with wash guy's not charging enuff money.
That in it's self is the #1 problem in the PW industry.
People that have to ask"how much should I charge" will be out of biz. in less then a year.
This is very simple to fix. Why is there not a article written to help everyone out on this?
It is NOT A MATTER OF HOW MUCH PER SURFACE WASHED. THIS IS A MISCONCEPTION.
DIFFRENT QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP DESERVES DIFFRENT PRICING.
It is a matter of there are only so meny hours of WORKING[as in getting paid, not total time]time. In a day,then the season,then the year.
Write down everything,EVERYTHING,that it costs you to go wash for a year.
Thats maint,equipment costs gets spread over 3 years,gas,chem., im not going to try and list everything i spend money on but its a long one. Then break that down to your season[or monthly] Then weekly,Then the ultimate PER DAY COST. THIS IS THE ONE YOU NEED.
I HATE TO ADMITT IT BUT I HAVE LOWBALLED TO GET THE WEEKLY PROFIT UP SO I COULD MEET THE BILLS. Fall back one week now you need to make it up the next.
Part timers have to charge more then fulltimers because they have the same bills and less time to make money.
If you a part timer doing things the RIGHT way. Paying everything you should. If you do nothing but lowball, I wont be reading any of your posts except in the FOR SALE section.
Please rate this post and feel free to tell me where im wrong. I can take it.

 

[Beth]

Ron,
Good point about the article. As a writer I'll say it would be quite an undertaking to account for all services in our industry in all areas of the country. I do try to stress education. Perhaps one day that article will appear.

Thanks for the request.
Beth

 

[jimspowewash]

Ron no offense but your still part time and low ball everyjob I think you are running around doing 2 story homes 99 to 125 with gutters. Its a shame soon this market will be flooded and it wont pay to do it anymore no matter what jobs i do it always comes out to 85 to 110 an hour but i also invest 14000 a year in advertising Its getting pretty ugly espically with decks at a 1.25 a sq clean and stain.Low ballers are just a disgrace so now ive stooped to there level avg price 1 story here is 99 i was chargin 125 now ill be taking an ad out in the local paper to run these guys out 1 story homes 39.00 lets see if they want to go that low.In business full time 9years plent of repeat customers but they see and hear stupid prices so i gotta weedem out.Part timers and low ballers are the same thing

 

[Beth]

I think there is a difference between flat out lowballing and proposing to to a job at a fair price and then having to give an occasional discount to generate some quick revenue. It sounds to me like the distinction is (based upon what I have seen here and other places) that the lowballers stick with the low price and it's offered to begin with. I'll also say in fairness to others that I don't think all part timers are lowballers, in fact I know of a company close to us where the owner is part time, has been for years, prices like a pro, and turns out a good deck.

I'll also say that I can't immagine that anyone in their 1st year didn't underprice. I think everyone does until they learn what the market will allow for in their area.

Based on the prices I'm seeing in this thread, I'll say that anyone doing those jobs for those prices is leaving alot of money on the table, at least in our area.

Beth [jr]

 

[Larry L.]

I've been a salesperson most of my life and know a lower price will throw alot of accounts into fear when it comes to their property.When I first started I found out what the highest price was which was 35 a rig,I went with 40 right off the bat,didn't have know problems building a buss with a higher price b/c alot of people are like you and me,no what I mean,what was 10 years ago.I also made sure my rig was better looking than what was around here and I dressed in white shirts with name and company name on them.

Will the newbee's are charging what they where 10 years ago,35 a rig.I do not have no fear of the 35 dallor a rig washer which is 20 dallors cheaper than me,altho they do keep the market screwed up as to what I could charge and they too.Its something we will have to deal with if your a fultimer but my biggest grip is the bigger boys charging lowballing prices,yel I understand with employees and all,they have to just to meet pay'roll.Can understand if washing 100 trucks at lower prices but not washing 2,3 or 4 at the lower price.Thats here it cost the bigger boys more money to do so as the reason they do not key on what type of market,the smaller jobs kills their profit as to the bigger jobs but still it keeps the market screwed up for everybody mobile.We're saving them money as to not stop out on the road the get their trucks washed,it saves alot of fuel for them while setting in line to get washed at a higher price then what we charge.I do not understand if saving someone money why wash at a cheaper price,we should be higher than the truck washes b/c of the saving we're already offering them in fuel and time.

I think I'm going to start saleing wash rigs and chemicals,thats where the moneys at,saleing to newbee's or want-a-bee's,you can sale them anything the first year or two,lol.

Sometimes I get to thinking like Jim,run a specail just for the fun of it but I've already have what I want,now if I had employee's I'd show a lowballer what a low price was in the off season...altho I do not have a hadit cutting my own nose off.

 

[ron]

hey bigboy

your calling is to own a car wash on one side of the building and a PAWN shop on the other.
You could call it CLEAN DEALS or SCRUB & SCR?W. LOL

 

[Bill B]

I absolutely will not low ball a job to get "some cash". Perhaps I am a little different situation because I service mainly builders, but I don't need the reputation of giving "tough minded" customers a better deal than the others. I purchased this business two years ago - within 2 months I raised prices by an average of 24%. If I can't get the margins I can't do the work. I have competitors out there they do everything they can to steal what I am doing. They don't seem to understand that the first thing they need to do is perform high quality, service oriented work and treat their people right.

I had a guy who has tried repeatedly to take business from me (calls it marketing, not stealing business!) give me some chit chat the other day on a job, then hovered around the job watching what I was doing. We stopped and took a break until he left.

Beth, last year I hand held two new comers - helped them with equipment selection, chemical supply, and taught them methods. Both attempted to steal business from me! I am with Jon - I'll help anyone over a certain distance (my case 40 miles), but never again in my back yard.