Re: Acceptable time from walk-thru to quotation delivery

["I brive a dus" <alarminstall@xxxxxxx>]

On Mar 2, 2:06 am, "alarman" <alarman2...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Crash Gordon wrote:
> > IMO a week is pushing it...but it depends, if client says "no hurry"
> > then I'd say you'd have more time.
>
> > Couple of weeks ago I was given the bums-rush to get a bid in. I told
> > them I needed to see the plans. Took them a week to get the plans to
> > me, and then I got ONLY one sheet...just the electric plan. So I said
> > well I better get out there and take a look because it's gonna be an
> > upscale mex restuarant...and sometimes they do funky things - like no
> > ceiling so you have to wire tie and paint your wires black (stupid
> > designer shit).  In the mean time they're calling me everyday for a
> > bid. Dood!... So I run out there...45 miles one way on surface
> > streets. Now I'm looking for the restaurant, I see something that
> > looks like it on the corner so I stop and go in and theres a zillion
> > people working..but the building doesn't match the plans I have.
> > Sheesh. So I check the permit for the address and it's not it. I'm
> > looking around and there's only finished stores and empty
> > dirt...nothing else under construction. So I call the electrician who
> > we are subbing for...where the hell is this building. OH...it's not
> > in the ground yet. Its not fucking in the ground yet and you're
> > calling me everyday for a freekin bid? I KNOW I won't even get this
> > one too...cause there's two middle men; the woman who gave me the
> > lead and the electrician and my price was 4500.00 based on plans
> > only...waste of freekin time. In the end they'll end up with a 2 door
> > 1 motion system in a 9000 sqft restaurant for 300 smackers.
>
> That's cold, bud.
>
> > I hate the bidding game, half the time dunno why I bother when I have
> > clients that just say...do it and send me the bill.
>
> After all these years, I can almost always smell the cheapskates, looky
> loos, and crooks. Usually when I get burned, I KNOW I'll get burned, but
> still go through it anyway. Moth to a flame.<

I start every presentation the same way "If you are looking for cheap
I can't help you. I am undoubtedly THEE most expensive out of all of
the companies you are considering"
This shakes the penny pinchers off of the tree.

> The ones I really hate are the ones where the decision maker sends his/her
> lackey to meet with me. Busy busy, very busy.  "Uh, yeah, we want a security
> system. Just give us a bid on what you think we need. Oh, and bid it with
> cameras, and without, and with doors, no windows, and also what if we just
> use motion only. Monitoring? Uh, I dunno, we'll think about that."<

Are you nuts? The lackey is the ONLY person I want to speak to. The
lackey carries more clout then you think.
The lackey pays attention. Madonna doesnt.

> Check back in a week, nobody's in, won't return calls, etc.<

You need to take control, Jack. The lackey is accustomed to being
ordered around so take control of the situation. Tell them there's a
deadline, and if they miss the deadline the boss loses out, but make
them wait for the proposal. Wait until the other companies have
submitted their bids. Make the lackey call you begging for the
proposal.

> Fucking worms.
> Some days I hate this business.<

I hate it when I get calls at night from people who think I have keys
to the business I protect. A few weeks ago a lady called asking if I
could let her in the laundromat to get her clothes. Another nut put
the evil eye on me because the repair shop didn't leave her key in the
car and I wouldn't open the shop for her.
Window stickers suck.

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