Yep, all good pointers and comments above. I have found that if they say they are gonna check with the spouse, I never get a call back. I also find myself telling too much info as to how I am going to fix/solve their problem. There are a lot of country folk around here, and if they have an idea about how to fix it, they will try to do it their self -- I would.

I have found that I get a job about 50/50 when I am able to answer before the voice mail picks up -- but I don't get a whole lot of calls like others on here.

I have found that the ones who leave a message and want a call back, i probally get 80% of those. and they are usually my good paying jobs. like bats or beaver

I also have found that a lot of my calls for things in or around the house are from females. You stand a much higher chance of selling them the job over the husband -- most of the time.

After doing gutter work for years, I learned my lesson on pricing jobs over the phone -- I usually break even if i am lucky or really cut into my profit margin. I treat this job no different. Some things get a free estimate, like bat jobs, nad some will get a service charge/inspection fee - like noises in the attic, or seeing a snake in the house. a little off topic, but it may help.

Being nice and professional to the customer is a must. Recently got a bat job from a guy who called. I went out the next day priced it, and he told me he had 2 more estimates to get and he would let me know. i figured that was the end of it, but 3 days later he called back and gave me the job. I got there 2 days later, and about half way through the job, one of the local franchise critter getters vehicle pulls into the drive. I thought uh-oh. He comes by me ask if I was the home owner, I said no and said he was in the house. He rings the door bell and the homeowner basically says thanks but I called you and you never called back. You should have called before you came over here, I hired someone who called back. The guy told the homeowner "Thanks for wasting my %^&^% time!" and left. So what is the point of saying all this?? If you want a job return the calls(there will be some you may forget, it happens to the best of us). If you don't get the job then, or you do a follow up call and they say they have it taken care of, say thanks and give or ask to send a business card and tell them if they need anything in the future feel free to give you another call. Good customer service skills will go a long way even with the jobs you don't get. And like mentioned above, if the job is too big or too far away, or you really don't know how to do it, refer someone to them that you trust that can do the job. Treat them like you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes.

Very good advice, firedawg. I had the same kind of thing happen to me: got some bids on having some work done. One of the guys who didn't get the job e-mailed me to say "Thanks for wasting my time!"...
Although I didn't waste any of my time responding to this galoot, my reply would have been, "You wasted your time giving a free inspection. If giving you an opportunity to make money is wasting your time, then I sure won't waste my time pursuing you!"
..one of the reasons I charge for all inspections. My time, knowledge and experience is definitely valuable.

Why would anyone work for free? No need too...

I agree with that statement. BUT around here, many companies -- roofers, plumbers, carpenters, etc, will give free estimates for a job. that includes the competition in the adc companies around here too--folks around here (residential customers) just don't pay for inspections. If they "heard a noise" or saw a snake or something like that, it gets a service charge--those are the ones you may or may not find something. If they say they have bats, coons, a skunk, etc. I can give a free estimate on that since i know there is a animal to get rid or and something to fix as long as it don't take too long to get there. Now I learned years ago, pricing gutter jobs, you can't ride around all day pricing jobs and getting no work.

So each person will have to market a business plan according to his area. The plan is always a work in progress. You have to begin somewhere, and no one makes ALL the right decisions the first time. As you learn your market and your competition, a good business man will adjust his plan to maximize his time and profits. For me, right now, that means I can give some free estimates based on what the job is and the driving distance from my home. Once you learn customers voices--the things they unknowingly give you while discussing their problem, you will learn that you can just about pick which ones are going to hire you and which ones are just fishing for info.

Wish we did live in a area that we could charge for every trip out, just ain't gonna happen here. Now commercial quotes will get a service charge plus a fuel charge depending on travel time. If those won't pay for that, you ain't gonna get the job anyways--they are just using you to get the 2nd or 3rd estimate they are required to get -- been there done that -- learned that lesson.

Carpenters, painters and competitors give free inspections in my area. MI probably has one of the worst economies in the country. That said...you do not have to compete on price. It is more fun and profitable to charge for your time. But, to each their own!

I'd say that there is a difference between an "inspection" and an "estimate". "What will this service cost me?" That is an estimate. The "inspection" is the service.

It all depends on what you are going to inspect for. If you are going to inspect for mouse entry points, you certainly wouldn't charge the same for a 1000 square foot bungalow as you would for a 72,000 square foot industrial area.

The "estimate" is free. The "service" costs .... at least in my area. I know of no trades in NH that charge to give an estimate.

But every place is different. Follow your local customs.

yep, maybe....maybe....5% of those will call back

Hello All,

I bought The Salesmen Bible to learn how to make a close. Reading this post has helped a lot in how to approach a possible client over the phone.

Thanks a lot!

When you are speaking to the Mrs., you are already speaking to the "man" of the family. If you don't believe me, just ask your wife.

Its a funny one this.....I try not to give them a price over the phone, i like to go and see the job and then give them a price face to face....sort of
"i've got the traps with me, do you want me to go ahead and sort the problem?"
my success rate for jobs to enquiries is very high. And....on the odd time they think my price IS high i can do a bit of haggling with them face to face, ask them what they had in mind, then work from there. of course, it might not work for you, but it sure works for moi.....Just a thought.

roe, with price of gas in England, you must be a very good haggler.

ha! well paul i guess you must be correct! It's currently £1.45 per litre, and thats pounds not dollars!!!

But back to subject, I've got a very good telephone manner and I think that is very important, generally when i go out i know I'm going to get the job and I aren't especially cheap, but that said, it don't mind dropping the price to get the job but insist that i cannot give a 14 day guarantee with the job like i usually would. From what i've seen its the gift of the gab that gets you the job, nothing at all to do with how good you can trap, or what qualifications you've got!

Over here it seems everyones gone crazy on the qualifications, but that don't matter a jot if you don't know how to look people in the eye, and talk to them.;
Another thing, i try to limit myself to jobs within a 15-20 mile radius, that way i know theres plenty of profit in it....

roe, if my calculations are correct ( approx. $1.52 = 1 pound and 3.78 litres = 1 gallon ) you are paying $5.75 per US gallon, which is about $2.00 US or 1.3 pounds more than what I am paying right now. Of course you have to understand that the United States has more crude oil than anywhere else in the world, so we should be paying about 1 pound per gallon.

On the other hand, the Grand Banks of Labrador in Canada has many huge oil deposits and are currently charging almost exactly what we are per US gallon. I have hunted Canada on several occasions and always enjoyed our friends to the north. And now I know why. The majority of Canadians come from British stock, which is where most of our founders came from.