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View Full Version : Work along side and save!



Leatherneck
09-01-2008, 09:34 AM
I have given this some thought for years now, but never really implemented it before. Over the years I have had customers offer too help some just because they want, and others too try and save money. For the most part I prefer they don't help because some times they can get in the way especially if they don't catch on quick too what is going on.

What has made me start thinking about it more is a coupe of weeks ago I did a fence at the home of one of our pastors at my church. He offered too work with me so I said why not we could fellowship together, plus iI was alone anyway so another hand would be a big help.

Anyway he caught on so quick and helped so much that I finished the job in good time plus I didn't have too work as hard. He really surprised me on how he worked and never got in the way. I ended up taking some money off the invoice for the 2 days because he was such a great help too me.

I was wondering what you people would think if you came across a company as myself that would be willing too have you work along side them to save money, and have a feeling of accomplishment at the same time.

I have always thought it might work with the right approuch too working out the details and and using the right advertising technics.

Any thoughts or ideas.

KristineS
09-01-2008, 10:14 AM
It's an interesting idea, and I bet there would be people who would jump at the idea.

My question would be about liability. If someone works with you and is hurt for some reason, what would your risk be. I suppose you could have them sign a waiver that releases you from liability, but I would certainly investigate that before you implemented the plan.

Steve B
09-01-2008, 01:10 PM
I've let people help a couple times and I've taken money off the invoice. It can help you get a sale if price is an objection - so it can be a win win.

On the consumer side, I would love it.

Leatherneck
09-01-2008, 01:48 PM
Thanks Kristine, good thought that will have too be investigated. I think if you advertise something like that it could become more of a liability issue compared too a home owner asking if they could help.

I had a feeling you would get in on this one Steve seeing we both have similar businesses.

I built a custom house for a friend back in the early 90's and him and his dad helped me, along with a few weekend warriors I saved my friend a ton of money doing it that way. I also got paid well myself.

KristineS
09-01-2008, 03:26 PM
I think you'd also have to assess how helpful the person could be. Take me for instance. I might offer to help, but I'm not that mechanically inclined so I might be more of a hindrance than a help. People might focus on the saving money aspect and not consider that they really have to be able to do the work. So that could be an issue as well.

orion_joel
09-02-2008, 02:17 AM
I think that Kristine makes a valid point in if they actually do help or not, and it could be a good or bad outcome. If they are asking to help just because they feel inclined, then it could be to both of you a benefit in so much that they are more likely going to be able to catch on quickly, and they may not be thinking about money.

However if they are asking to help because of a financial objection, you may often find that they won't really catch on quickly and may end up costing you more time, then expected, and needing to discount still. I think this could end up working both ways some cases may be good as the one you mentioned initially, however there is the chance it will go the complete opposite way.

Leatherneck
09-02-2008, 05:20 AM
Great thoughts and comments. I'm sure we could put our heads together and come up with idea's that could make this work. I agree with you guys, I think alot to do with it would be up to me as I would designate the work to be the most efficient. Lets say the husband and wife or nieghbor would be doing the help. I know not everyone would work equal, but there would be some things a person of lesser know how could possibly do I would think.

I hired people over the years and I have had too train some peope different then others. Some don't catch on to this type of work as easily as others would, so i just try too give them things they can handle. While installing a fence there are a lot of things extra hands make the job go much faster and smoother.

I think it could work if we could iron out some of the details. Take for instance some of those home repair shows on the tv. that have home owners doing the work along side professional tradesman.

I know there are a lot of other issues to iron out also, so I'm sure you guys will have some great ideas.

Thanks

Steve B
09-02-2008, 05:52 AM
In my case, all I'm looking for is a gopher to get stuff for me - so it wouldn't be an issue that they wouldn't be able to catch on. I'm guessing in Mak's case the work would be a little more involved.

I've used it as a way to lower the price in order to close the sale. I never lower the price just to get the job - so this gives me an option to close a few sales without becoming a used car salesman with the price.

Leatherneck
09-02-2008, 06:12 AM
Exactly Steve. I always try and bring down my price by negotiating with the customer by offering other options to bring down the price instead, so we don't look like used car sales people.

the goat
09-02-2008, 08:57 AM
I have done this a few times. The first two were great, and then I had three in a row where I could not stand the client on a personal level and they were also absolutely terrible helpers. Needless to say I put an end to that experiment quickly.

Funny story though: When I was in the custom home construction business there was a subcontractor doing a deck on a home I was doing the finish work inside of. The homeowner had a deal with this guy to help him just like we are discussing here.

When the deck contractor gave the homeowner the final bill, he charged the homeowner for his own time plus a helper, the homeowner being the helper. The contractor billed the homeowner for the hours the homeowner worked! I thought that was hilarious.

But I digress

KristineS
09-02-2008, 11:13 AM
When the deck contractor gave the homeowner the final bill, he charged the homeowner for his own time plus a helper, the homeowner being the helper. The contractor billed the homeowner for the hours the homeowner worked! I thought that was hilarious.

But I digress

Did the guy pay the bill?

orion_joel
09-03-2008, 01:48 AM
I think the biggest trap in this could be that for an example you have one guy that you get the job, and he offers to help and picks everything up in no time, and you cut a whole day off the job, and maybe you decide to cut $200 off the bill for him. But then he mentions this to a friend, who calls you can you come to a similar arrangement, however his friend knows nothing of what to do and you spend half the time showing him how to do the same thing, in the end this time it takes you an extra day. How do you deal with that sort of situation..

the goat
09-03-2008, 01:57 AM
Did the guy pay the bill?

He respectfully declined to pay that part of the bill. As you can imagine his refusal wasn't met with much resistance. He was good and freaked out for a couple of days though.

Steve B
09-03-2008, 06:50 AM
I think the biggest trap in this could be that for an example you have one guy that you get the job, and he offers to help and picks everything up in no time, and you cut a whole day off the job, and maybe you decide to cut $200 off the bill for him. But then he mentions this to a friend, who calls you can you come to a similar arrangement, however his friend knows nothing of what to do and you spend half the time showing him how to do the same thing, in the end this time it takes you an extra day. How do you deal with that sort of situation..


In a case like this - you still win because you got two jobs may not have gotten otherwise. You just have to accept that some of those situations will turn out better than others and be happy for the extra money in your bank account.

Leatherneck
09-03-2008, 07:14 AM
You made a very good point Joel. I'm sure that scenario could happen quite a bit. Steve B also made a good point that is correct. I would have too take the good and the bad I guess and hope the good out weighs the bad. There is usually always a decent profit margin in a job so. I guess some jobs there would be just less of a profit then others. I still would never lose money iI just might not make as much..

There a lot of variables that would have too be considered I'm sure. I just have a strong feeling I could make it work, but I do want too hash out all the problems that could arise before I try it. That is where all of you will be a great help because you guys can look at it as maybe being the home owner that is willing to help out as well as the person like my self.

orion_joel
09-04-2008, 01:35 AM
I think if you are willing to accept the outcome of what i mentioned then i would see very little reason not to go ahead. Ther things that i would look into making sure before setting out would have to be the liability insurance side. If you have the homeowner help out and they get injured or something goes wrong due to their fault, how does this affect your liability or does this land back to them, and how is one side being right justified. Also would some form of waiver be needed or exactly where does it put you legally?

While it may seem like a small thing, it may really be something that you don't want ladning you in a position that could put your business in jeopardy.

vangogh
09-04-2008, 02:04 AM
Mak it's an interesting idea with pros and cons, most of which have already been mentioned.

It reminds me of when I worked in a picture framing shop. It was one of the franchises where you can go in pick out and pay for your materials and then have the option of having the shop build the frame and put it together for you or you could put it together yourself.

We naturally wouldn't let customers cut their own frames due to the liability of letting them use power tools with very sharp blades, but they could put the materials together. We'd have to show most of them how and when we did it took about 3 times as long to teach them as it would have to build the thing myself.

I was usually able to build other frames in between customer questions so it wasn't a total loss of time.

The concept certainly brought more people into the store. We did keep them away from the most dangerous tools, though they did have to handle glass with sharp edges. I can't recall a single time a customer got hurt though.

Helping them did take more time, but again for the most part I would just work along side them on the orders we were putting together.

Maybe you just need to limit your customers to certain tasks. Let them do some of the labor that won't require as much teaching or lead to potential accidents. A waiver might be good and you'll probably want to up your insurance to cover yourself. On some jobs you'll probably find your customers very helpful and other jobs not so much, but I bet it evens out to something you can plan for and budget for.

Steve is right too that in the end if it leads to more jobs you still come out ahead.

Leatherneck
09-04-2008, 08:13 AM
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas. I'm still going too play around with the idea and try to hash over the pros and cons. before I give it a try. I don't think it would work for evey business, but like I mentioned before I have tried it with some people with success and I just figured it might give me an edge on some of my competition if I could offer this in my marketing.

Thanks again for your thoughts.