job pricing over the phone

[Jim Baird]

I know this post does not apply to those who have office/booking staff/contractors, but I am so small an operator that I quote jobs "off the hip" based on size, age, and location.

I recently priced one where the caller gave me incorrect figures on size (by approx 50%) and I gave a verbal based on her info.

My subsequent web search found info that led me to decide that if she calls me back to book I will raise my fee.

Does this happen among the brethren here much?

[Jerry Simon]

I know this post does not apply to those who have office/booking staff/contractors, but I am so small an operator that I quote jobs "off the hip" based on size, age, and location.

I recently priced one where the caller gave me incorrect figures on size (by approx 50%) and I gave a verbal based on her info.

My subsequent web search found info that led me to decide that if she calls me back to book I will raise my fee.

Does this happen among the brethren here much?

Used to. But now, it takes less than a minute to check out property on-line before giving accurate quote.

[Marc]

It happens to me perhaps once in twenty at the most. I don't recall it ever causing an issue.

Marc

[gtblum]

My subsequent web search found info that led me to decide that if she calls me back to book I will raise my fee.

What do you mean if she calls you back? You've got to close the deal before they get off the phone. Don't let them call around until they dial the number of a guy who knows how to sell a job.

Now, you should make a follow up call, discuss the error, and get the deal done.

[Jim Baird]

...I do get a number of price shoppers. I also try to keep them on the phone to convince them I am the best choice. Followups I have done have not yielded fruit.

[gtblum]

They are not price shoppers. We need to get that through our heads. They don't know what else to ask when they make a call. Ignore the question and go right into talking about their new house. Start writing. Who are they? Get their information.

What do they do? Do they know this guy you know who works there? Whatever. Build a rapport. Make it be about them.

Have they been through the inspection process before? Tell them about it.

Tell them about you. Your background. Offer options for appointment dates and times. They'll tell you. When they do, book the appointment. Try to remember to give them the price before you hang up. (had that happen several times after booking. Oops.)

I know I just threw that out there, but teach yourself to follow steps like you do during an inspection. Once you have a routine down, it will become second nature and you'll book all of them.

[Steven Hockstein]

I can't remember a situation where my quoted cost had to change. If someone is dishonest about the property to be inspected, or makes a "Mistake" about the home, I would think you are OK in adjusting the fee.

[John Dirks Jr]

I usually search the web for property details before I give a quote. If I give a number without searching myself, I tell them the quote is an estimate and that I will look up details before confirming.

I have never raised a confirmed quote. I have lowered them in a few instances.

[Jim Baird]

Thanks for the replies. I, too, John, have followed up to reduce a fee when I found out what a dump they want me to look at.

[Chad Fabry]

Like Gary, I avoid price and talk about the house. When price comes up, I'm unapologetic. If the prospect needs selling after price is on the table, I let them go.

[kurt]

When price comes up, I'm unapologetic.

Yes. If I have to raise it, I do it politely and with explanation, but I do it. Firm and unwavering. It's pretty rare. It's never been a problem.

[Steven Hockstein]

They are not price shoppers. We need to get that through our heads. They don't know what else to ask when they make a call. Ignore the question and go right into talking about their new house. Start writing. Who are they? Get their information.

What do they do? Do they know this guy you know who works there? Whatever. Build a rapport. Make it be about them.

Have they been through the inspection process before? Tell them about it.

Tell them about you. Your background. Offer options for appointment dates and times. They'll tell you. When they do, book the appointment. Try to remember to give them the price before you hang up. (had that happen several times after booking. Oops.)

I know I just threw that out there, but teach yourself to follow steps like you do during an inspection. Once you have a routine down, it will become second nature and you'll book all of them.

I agree.

I find that if I work to educate the caller about what to ask when shopping for an inspector, I have a better chance of them engaging my services.

The bottom line is that if someone is spending their life savings on a house and is going to make their home inspection decision strictly based on who is the cheapest, they are probably not the client you would want.

[kurt]

The bottom line is that if someone is spending their life savings on a house and is going to make their home inspection decision strictly based on who is the cheapest, they are probably not the client you would want.

Yup.

It's the same logic as not doing jobs cheaply to get exposure. People die from too much exposure.

If I go out of business, it won't be due to my not knowing how to price my services.

[gtblum]

I find that if I work to educate the caller about what to ask when shopping for an inspector, I have a better chance of them engaging my services.

I find, if I do my job on the phone the right way, they won't be making another call.

Out of the trades and into the major leagues of the car biz for a little more than 10 years, when I was in my late 20s. GM spent a ton of money schooling me up on my phone skills. They're not coming through the door if you start quoting prices over the phone, before you get their tail in the seat. That training was not lost on me.

Another gig most don't make it past the first year in. Those who can't cut it in the car biz, usually end up becoming used house dealers or selling furniture. Now, you understand why I've always had my little attitude toward them? []

[Scottpat]

Yes, adjust your price as needed if they call back.

The first question I ask any caller is "Tell me about your new home", this breaks the ice and they usually tell me a few things about if ranging from the color to the granite countertops! I then have to pull the information I need from them to quote a price. Many times as I'm speaking with them I'm trying to pull the home up on the Internet if I have the address.

I don't try selling myself, it is what it is and if they like me they will use me.

[John Dirks Jr]

To be clear, I never reduce a fee in competition with other inspectors and whatnot. I quote my fee and if a client hires me, we're on at that quoted price. If after the inspection is done it's clear the job went significantly quicker than I thought it would, I give the discount at that point. It doesn't happen often. Maybe two or three times a year.

[mjr6550]

MO

To be clear, I never reduce a fee in competition with other inspectors and whatnot. I quote my fee and if a client hires me, we're on at that quoted price. If after the inspection is done it's clear the job went significantly quicker than I thought it would, I give the discount at that point. It doesn't happen often. Maybe two or three times a year.

When someone asks why my fee is higher I use the opportunity to give them the reasons. A more thorough inspection, a better report, a more qualified and experienced inspector. Some people are interested and some only are looking at price. If you have to complete on price then there will always be someone willing to do it for less.

If you are booking inspectionsystem with almost everyone who calls, then your fees are probably too low.

a

[John Dirks Jr]

In my opinion, the bottom line is, you need to make a personal connection with your client. How you do that is your business. But without it, you back is a target.

[gtblum]

If you are booking inspectionsystem with almost everyone who calls, then your fees are probably too low.

a

Baloney.

I'm not even close to being the lowest priced around. I rarely end a phone call without an appointment. On the rare occasion someone still wants to call another, I encourage it, and usually get them back, too. That includes when they call back to try to negotiate, because they got a lower price elsewhere. I still get them at my price.

Bottom line is, if you're quoting prices up front, if you think people have nothing better to do than call home inspectors, if your idea of selling, is boring people for ten minutes about why you're the best, if you want to blame low ballers for losing business, and if you're not booking the majority of the calls you take, you need to re-think your approach. It's your fault. You can fix it if you want to, or you can keep using the same old excuses.

[kurt]

If you're that good a salesman, why are you ****ing around with home inspections?

[gtblum]

If you're that good a salesman, why are you ****ing around with home inspections?

Burnout. Turn key to turn key, six days a week.

No more demos. That's like a 5 or 6K paycut a year.

Micromanagement. Pay attention next time. They don't let salesmen sell anymore. Everybody has to run back to the manager for everything. The fun is gone.

On the upside, while you folks still have to play the dreaded game, I made a phone call to the guys I used to work with for my last truck. They blew it out the door. I never even saw it, or the sticker, before I picked it up.

Now, I inspect a house, I mow the lawn, spend too much time on the internet, do my report, and I'm on the golf course. I have more side work than I can get to. I'll never be rich and I don't care. I try to follow the work to live, not live to work program.

I also have other interests, like restoring old boats. More like turning the pile of mahogany left from my friend's abandoned 58 Chris Craft project into a bar for his cave. The stripes were my ball busting reminder to him for not following through with the boat.[]

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[Marc]

Sweet...the bar that is. I forgot the rest.

Marc