Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4962268
03/13/15 05:57 PM
03/13/15 05:57 PM
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 95 Florida
bjansma
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 95
Florida
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I do flat rate, and I think that it averages out. Some jobs only have one raccoon and others have a bunch but on average I am doing ok. My guess is that there are fewer times when your competitor has to catch more than four animals than when you get to catch less. All summer long I am either getting a mother with babies or two males at most in an attic. Not sure if you are charging for non mobile babies or a reduced rate but that's usually one mom per attic. If you charge 1/2 price per non mobile baby you need 6 in the litter to break even with a flat rate based on four.
If animals are in a home I am making the home animal free. Using Comstock's on a roof over the hole, two or three if they fit. I can clean out an attic pretty fast. No non targets.
If they have a problem on the ground I am flat rating for certain number of days. I have found you can get yourself in trouble using the "solve your problem speech... when you can't control the whole environment like you can when animals are in an attic.
Bob Jansma
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4962276
03/13/15 06:03 PM
03/13/15 06:03 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,121 Killingly, CT
Brian Mongeau
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,121
Killingly, CT
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In a house - Flat rate. I have taken as many as 6 coons from an attic. Mostly, 1-3, or female w/young. Same with chimneys. In an outbuilding like a barn, or vagrant grubbing animals, set up + per animal (less control over how many animals there are).
Almost without exception, I trap on the outside of a house, at the entry hole. I don't like putting up a ladder multiple times for just an animal fee. Example: One coon in attic. Ladder to set up. Ladder to retrieve catch. Ladder to remove traps. One animal would get me $300 (?, set up + 1). A flate rate would be at least 2x that. If I suspect more than one animal, I multi-set as possible anyway.
There are always exceptions to the rule and will get the bad end of the deal sometimes.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4962972
03/14/15 01:32 AM
03/14/15 01:32 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,349 NWWA/AZ
Vinke
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,349
NWWA/AZ
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I am screwing up the whole industry in my area of WA,,,,,I began releasing on site........try catching that coon,,,, There is a reason behind this madness,,,,,,,,,,,,,??????//
Slightly used Shoes 4 sale
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4963327
03/14/15 11:06 AM
03/14/15 11:06 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 843 NH
sgs
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 843
NH
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So when you use a flat rate, how do you protect yourself from an abundance of animals? By pricing per trip/per day. When I flat rate a job it's because I'm figuring on multiple animals and want to catch as many as I can. They are almost always 'population reduction' jobs. I'm just starting a 75 acre mobile home park that is "over run" with animals. Per animal really isn't an option.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Vinke]
#4963397
03/14/15 11:56 AM
03/14/15 11:56 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 165 Oregon
PWC
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 165
Oregon
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I am screwing up the whole industry in my area of WA,,,,,I began releasing on site........try catching that coon,,,, There is a reason behind this madness,,,,,,,,,,,,,??????// I bet at least 70 % of the urban coon in my market are trap resistant from homeowner trapping and release efforts( illegal ). Sometimes just setting a cage trap causes them to vacate that area.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4964324
03/15/15 02:54 AM
03/15/15 02:54 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,349 NWWA/AZ
Vinke
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,349
NWWA/AZ
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Sometimes just setting a cage trap causes them to vacate that area. BING.......
Slightly used Shoes 4 sale
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4964325
03/15/15 02:55 AM
03/15/15 02:55 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,349 NWWA/AZ
Vinke
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,349
NWWA/AZ
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I bet at least 70 % of the urban coon in my market are trap resistant from homeowner trapping and release efforts( illegal ).
Not in WA if released on site.........
Slightly used Shoes 4 sale
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Brian Mongeau]
#4964607
03/15/15 11:02 AM
03/15/15 11:02 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 60 Haubstadt, In.
G Hanold
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 60
Haubstadt, In.
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Paul, change the animal. Do you do per animal with flying squirrels? I've caught as many as 28 (twice) in one house. I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror if I was charging $75-100 per squirrel (plus set up and sealing), when they can all be caught in one or two nights with a colony trap. I have competitors that do just that. I think there's a limit, before gouging my customers and getting a bad rep. Happy customers or (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) off customers, one will refer friends, the other will tell everyone what a thief I am. I prefer the former. Usually in instances like these I'm smiling like I'd hit the lottery while the customer isn't. Unless they've dome something to warrant extra charges, I tell them that the job was too easy and I'm only charging you this much. I still make some good coin for my pocket and the customer is elated for getting a discount. Customers love discounts. This is one way to get customers talk about you to their friends and has led to the most referrals.
User formerly known as Hanible.
Trapping & Removal of Animal Pests
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4966050
03/16/15 01:00 PM
03/16/15 01:00 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361 mequon, wisconsin
Paul Winkelmann
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
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Most of my factory life was incentive and I loved it. The company figures out what it needs to pay the bills and make a profit and
then it turns you loose. There is no limit to what you can make and as long as you do a reasonable job, everyone is happy, including
the customer. We do the same thing in our business. We pay a percentage of everything you bring in and there is no cap as to how much
you can make. The only thing I regret is that someone didn't offer me this job when I was young.
P.S. We supply vehicles, gas, hats, shirts, 70% of health premiums, and matching funds. You do need to buy your own pants, shoes, and
underwear.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4966817
03/16/15 09:51 PM
03/16/15 09:51 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6 Luray,VA
Mike Hurley
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6
Luray,VA
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Cars really help us with head counts around here, had one last week , set the traps on Monday, dead on the road on Tuesday... Usually make positive sets, but this one was not possible, Buick got'em
Last edited by Mike Hurley; 03/16/15 09:52 PM.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4967086
03/17/15 12:27 AM
03/17/15 12:27 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,476 Central IA
TRapper
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,476
Central IA
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When i was back in misery...i had a commission status that did well on moles and new sales....the mole commission was an extra $45 on each paycheck for every 10 moles caught that week prior...so if 30 moles then $135 extra on top of their hourly pay which was $15 an hour....any new sales made and they got 18% of the set up fee which averaged $125
Last edited by TRapper; 03/17/15 12:28 AM.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4967423
03/17/15 11:49 AM
03/17/15 11:49 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361 mequon, wisconsin
Paul Winkelmann
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
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I have customers that expect me to catch every skunk, coon, possum, homeless person, etc. on their property. So amount of animals and
size of the bill is not an issue. Right off hand, I can't think of a single customer that would be happy with closing their deck and
not catching the skunk. The next time their dog got sprayed or they smelled skunk, believe me, I would hear about it!
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4990610
04/01/15 08:09 PM
04/01/15 08:09 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 318 sw PA
Mike Barcaskey
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 318
sw PA
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Am I the one one that charges an hourly rate, door to door? Hourly rate includes common incidental supplies. Everything else is an extra charge.
It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Paul Winkelmann]
#4999824
04/07/15 07:10 PM
04/07/15 07:10 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361 mequon, wisconsin
Paul Winkelmann
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
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Okay, first the sick skunk. Let's say I charge $149 for the service call and $49 for the skunk. You charge $199 flat fee and
everybody is happy. Now we just had the phantom animal. ( Funny you should ask ) We set up cameras and got lots of pictures of her
feet. There is absolutely nothing there and she is going to report us to the Police Chief, the Mayor, the Governor, and Obama, in
that order. Since there is no such thing as bad publicity ( especially from a lunatic ) we are expecting a lot of business from just
this one phantom animal call.
Last edited by Paul Winkelmann; 04/07/15 07:11 PM.
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Re: Flat Rate vrs. Per Animal Again
[Re: Throw Back]
#5003331
04/10/15 01:55 AM
04/10/15 01:55 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 179 Arkansas
AR Swampboss
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 179
Arkansas
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How do you handle phantom animals Paul? Like when a customer wants you to trap something just not there. I thought you guys always kept a couple of baby possums in your jacket to put in your cage trap so you can get away from the nutty people ??
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