A customer

Started by Peter Drouin, November 20, 2017, 08:32:46 PM

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Peter Drouin

Ordered
6, 10"x10"x12'
6. 8"x10x12' hemlock beams.
I did not have time to cut them that day. So I was up the next day and out at sunrise, 20°
Get the Cat going and cut, Called him, told him the beams are ready.
He shows up and wants to talk about the price.  ::) taz-smiley

He found the BAD Pete that day. And left with nothing.
That was only the #2 customer this year that wanted to talk price.
I think not bad, What say you. :snowball:
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

thecfarm

When we had the veggie business here,customers, ::) would complain about the price. I would ask them,you want to spend an hour picking 3 pounds of beans and get paid $9?? That is not even counting the cost of seeds. Nor the fertilizer to grow them.That is also not counting my time to weed either. I think about $10 a pound should do it.
I could say that because it was my business. Now I work at a hardware I can't be quite so truthful.  ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Dave Shepard

The last time someone wanted to talk price I told them to go out in the woods, find a log,  and chew it square with their bare teeth.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Crossroads

I agree, that would be a choice of 2, take it or leave it! Especially if there was an agreement in advance.
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

4x4American

Quote from: Dave Shepard on November 20, 2017, 08:45:23 PM
The last time someone wanted to talk price I told them to go out in the woods, find a log,  and chew it square with their bare teeth.


:D :D :D


I think I might have to borrow that line from you...don't worry, I'll give it back when I'm done.
Boy, back in my day..

OffGrid973

"Chew it " lol...definite shirt being made
Your Fellow Woodworker,
- Off Grid

Peter Drouin

With your bare teeth.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Good one,
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

We would not have had anything to talk about anyway......20 degrees?...... :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Peter Drouin

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on November 20, 2017, 09:06:32 PM
We would not have had anything to talk about anyway......20 degrees?...... :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D


The sun was out, a nice day. ;)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

YellowHammer

Quote from: Peter Drouin on November 20, 2017, 09:11:25 PM
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on November 20, 2017, 09:06:32 PM
We would not have had anything to talk about anyway......20 degrees?...... :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D


The sun was out, a nice day. ;)

I bet it got pretty hot pretty fast!
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Peter Drouin

Yes, it did. It was only .95 a bf, cheap.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Magicman

I don't sell but I guess that the question here is whether a price is quoted when the order is placed?  I know that I always quote my sawing and travel/setup rates when a customer calls.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Magicman

Then that customer deserved to be booted.  Good on you.   :snowball:
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Peter Drouin

There are times when a customer will be nice and poke a little to see if I will move on the price. Don't you get sometimes a customer say, If you come down just a little I will give you more work?
I have had loggers say If you come up with the price just a little they will bring just what I want for logs.
I tell them no.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: YellowHammer on November 20, 2017, 09:15:10 PM
Quote from: Peter Drouin on November 20, 2017, 09:11:25 PM
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on November 20, 2017, 09:06:32 PM
We would not have had anything to talk about anyway......20 degrees?...... :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D


The sun was out, a nice day. ;)

I bet it got pretty hot pretty fast!

Nice Tan Peter.  :D :D :D   smiley_sun smiley_furious3 smiley_argue01
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Peter Drouin

Thanks, goat man. I do have a nice one. ;D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Darrel

Quote from: Peter Drouin on November 20, 2017, 09:44:23 PM
Don't you get sometimes a customer say, If you come down just a little I will give you more work?

I had a lady say that to me once and I asked her why in the world she thought I would want to do more work for less pay when I had all the work I wanted at my current rate. That got her tail all in a knot and she started yelling telling me that I had just worked for free and drove off.  If I'd had a chance I would have told her that she had just given me her logs, but she was already gone.
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Chop Shop

Custom sawing requires a 50% deposit.

I have a favorite saying,

Good, Fast, Cheap, pick TWO.

PAmizerman

I've had people come buy lumber from me and rant and rave how nice it is. About an hour later my phone rings and all the sudden they found all these problems with it and want me to replace it. Or give them their money back. I tell them no problem. My return policy is an even exchange. Now all of the sudden they don't have time. or my favorite, "it would cost me more in fuel than it's worth" but they would come back for free lumber. Go figure. I'm just glad the good customers far outweigh the bad.
Woodmizer lt40 super remote 42hp Kubota diesel. Accuset II
Hydraulics everywhere
Woodmizer edger 26hp cat diesel
Traverse 6035 telehandler
Case 95xt skidloader
http://byrnemillwork.com/
WM bms250 sharpener
WM bmt250 setter
and a lot of back breaking work!!

Percy

If he would have talked price before you cut the beams, the dialog could have at least continued until an agreement of sorts....heh...was reached. Regardless, I would have loved to see the "Bad Peter" in action. ;D ;D
GOLDEN RULE : The guy with the gold, makes the rules.

YellowHammer

Some customers are just built that way, no class.  I had a guy just last week contact me and want me to saw up his two logs for free!  He said since he got them for free from his neighbor, why should HE have to pay to get them sawn up?? Then they wouldn't be free anymore! Especially since it was only two and it wouldn't take me very long!  I'm still thinking about that one, I never saw him face to face ....he must have been a piece of work. 

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

barbender

YH, you can't really call that a customer😊
Too many irons in the fire

Brucer

Quote from: Peter Drouin on November 20, 2017, 08:32:46 PM
... He shows up and wants to talk about the price.  ...

"Well,  even though I did get up awfully early, and it was awfully cold I wasn't planning to charge you extra. But now that you mention it ...."

;D
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Bruno of NH

Good for you Peter
I tell them I'm not an auctionier :)
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools