Know what your service is worth, don't let customer take advantage.

I got a call today regarding a pick-up of 3 crt tvs, and a broken microwave, about 30min away. I would of picked them up but they wanted me to also pickup a mattress and another kids mattress and box spring. I tried to negotiate with the guy with my lowest price of $10 to pick it all up or just the e-waste and microwave for free. I stuck to my guns and the guy never called me back. I think that I did the right thing. Many customers are taking advantage of people because of the condition of the economy. Some people are giving away a couple of recyclables and want the person that is picking them up to take a ton of trash with them. They feel like they are doing you a favor and they want something in return. I see it as we are making a fair transaction. I am removing unwanted junk that the client doesn't know what to do with (it would take tons of time for them to figure out where to go, how to recycle it, gas, etc) in return I get a couple of buck because I know how to go about recycling and maximizing my profits doing it.

Another time I went to a house to pick up a free fridge from a middle aged women. I removed it from the house and then she asked me if I could just drive down the street about 5-10 min. and help her load another fridge into her truck for free. I told her that I would have to charge $20 for that. She then said that she could give the fridge to someone else if I didnt help her because there were tons of people interested. I told her she can do that and that I just want what is fair for me. After she threatened to give the fridge to someone else she tried to make me feel guilty by telling me that she is disabled (she showed me a large scar on her knee) and said you dont want to help a disabled person. I told I just want what is fair. I ended up helping her load the other fridge into her truck but, she only had $10. Whatever. I would of helped her for free if she was in genuine need and if it showed but, I felt that she was being manipulative and not genuine.

I went through this sort of thing a lot when I worked as a tile setter, people not wanting to pay after you did a great job, people trying to get you to do twice the amount of work for half the price. Come on people, there is a difference between trying to get a deal and taking advantage of others. Let all just go for the fair just price/deal ok. Respect your fellow human.

Anyone run into this lately?

Stick to your guns when you know you are getting an unfair deal.

I try to make sure what I'm getting into first and charge accordingly

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Originally Posted by mrsamsonite

Another time I went to a house to pick up a free fridge from a middle aged women. I removed it from the house and then she asked me if I could just drive down the street about 5-10 min. and help her load another fridge into her truck for free. I told her that I would have to charge $20 for that. She then said that she could give the fridge to someone else..

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Wow talk about blowing a good PR moment or maybe a mistress on the side, regardless i would have helped that poor woman with her fridge for FREE.

more and more people do that stuff every day. I recall an old words of wit that said "The wise dentist gets his money while the tooth still aches"

I agree with Bear, I would have left the lady and the frige. No Gus I'm not under 30, I'm twice that and know when I'm being taken advantage of.

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Originally Posted by happyscraper

I agree with Bear, I would have left the lady and the frige. No Gus I'm not under 30, I'm twice that and know when I'm being taken advantage of.

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I guess I'm old fashioned still believing in barn raising's which extends to helping thy neighbor. What goes round comes round and you'll reap what ya sow.

Carry on Gentleman.


i

I am trying to get out of contracting for this very reason. I am working for a guy now and doing a $2400 landscape border of stone 2-3 courses high all the way around his home. I added the mulch at cost, and agreed to pick up a couple trees (3). So after many add ons I finally go to pick up the tree and it is 7 feet tall and 400 lbs. The kicker is he had the nerve to tell me could have them installed for $15 each. At this point I blew up on him. I told him point blank "you are taking advantage of me if you want me to install the tree I am charging $100 per tree. He bickers with me and goes in and calls the nursery and asks them how much to install. They charge 85% of cost or like $150 per tree. The nursery calls me hes a friend and tells me.

An hour later Mr. C comes out and says go ahead and plant them. I said nevermind Franklin called he will do it. I tell him "Keep shopping you'll find someone to come do it cheaper and get what you pay for. Just like that mangled addition on the back of your house. I'll be done in an hour you owe me $800, I want my check don't call me for anything else. This was the straw that broke my back. I re-hung 2 gutters that were completely flowing backwards. Put up a new ridge vent and did both for $150. Spread 4 ton of soil as back fill behind the border for $100. HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR???

I'm all for helping people out and such, but most people don't realize waht it takes to run a business. they just think they're paying you for your time, but they're paying you for your time, gas, tools, knowledge, and any other business expenses you have. If you explain this to them they will generally be more understanding about it.

Well this past week, my and my helper did a tenant move out clean out job about 30 minutes away.

The owner told me exactly what to take. I make arrangements for all the furniture to get removed. Should have been 2 hours total, 1 trip. Charged $165. Well it went from what was agreed to, to quite a bit more.

Went back the 2nd day, and when I went to have him sign my paperwork and pay me, he was like "Mr. Beale, I really appreciate your help, and I apologize!"...I said "Apologize for what sir" and he said "For all the EXTRA stuff. I had no idea it was like this. I told you, what I was told etc etc"....I told him, that it happens sometimes...no big deal.

He then handed me $200 more than expected and told me that my people and I did a fantastic job and he would highly recommend my company. All of that, made it worth while for me!


Then, after we unloaded all the junk at the landfill, I call another customer who has the wood burning stove, I told you guys about in another thread.

He said, that he hasn't had a chance to enter his cred card information. I told him, I was 20 minutes away, and I would be happy to pick it up, and when he got home, he could take care of the CC info...not a problem (Generally, I require the CC info, before doing anything).

He cocked an attitude with me and said that he wanted no one on his property without him there. I thought to myself "****, dude, I am just getting a stove that is under the deck in the back yard...not robbing you" but I said "not a problem. Let me know when".

Told my helper, that I didn't know who he thought he was, but he better be glad, that I wasn't there in front of him.

You get all kinds of people in this business, just like any other, unfortunately.

I hope that im not being misunderstood. I was professional about the whole thing and keep in mind it was a free pickup for a broken (very broken) fridge. I showed up at her place on time, greeted the women w/some small talk, removed the fridge from her home no problem. As I was bringing it to my truck she ask me if I could just help her real quick to load another fridge down the street. Keep in mind I had no idea exactly where the other home was so, I had to cover at least my gas there. This women just didnt seem very genuine as I mentioned earlier. You start to feel people out after awhile and this lady wasnt asking for help she was first threatening by saying she could take the fridge away, I responded by saying ok you can do that but, I m just looking for what is fair. She realized that the threat wasnt going to work so she tried to make me feel guilty by saying that she is a disable person and showing me a scar on her knee. My response to her guilt trip was "I charge $20 dollars for that".

If she would of said something like "I know that you are busy but, I have another fridge down the street that I need to load into my truck but, I dont have any money to pay you. If you could do this I would be grateful if you have other things to do I understand". Then I would probably help her out but, I felt she was being manipulative. I dont like that. Manipulative people have to pay even if they are disabled.

Gustavus: Picking up on middle-aged disabled women is not something I do. Ill pass.
Noobscrapper: I explained to her she didnt understand and yes there is a lot more involved to your work that the customer doesnt see and doesnt understand.

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Originally Posted by GeorgeB

Well this past week, my and my helper did a tenant move out clean out job about 30 minutes away.

The owner told me exactly what to take. I make arrangements for all the furniture to get removed. Should have been 2 hours total, 1 trip. Charged $165. Well it went from what was agreed to, to quite a bit more.

Went back the 2nd day, and when I went to have him sign my paperwork and pay me, he was like "Mr. Beale, I really appreciate your help, and I apologize!"...I said "Apologize for what sir" and he said "For all the EXTRA stuff. I had no idea it was like this. I told you, what I was told etc etc"....I told him, that it happens sometimes...no big deal.

He then handed me $200 more than expected and told me that my people and I did a fantastic job and he would highly recommend my company. All of that, made it worth while for me!


Then, after we unloaded all the junk at the landfill, I call another customer who has the wood burning stove, I told you guys about in another thread.

He said, that he hasn't had a chance to enter his cred card information. I told him, I was 20 minutes away, and I would be happy to pick it up, and when he got home, he could take care of the CC info...not a problem (Generally, I require the CC info, before doing anything).

He cocked an attitude with me and said that he wanted no one on his property without him there. I thought to myself "****, dude, I am just getting a stove that is under the deck in the back yard...not robbing you" but I said "not a problem. Let me know when".

Told my helper, that I didn't know who he thought he was, but he better be glad, that I wasn't there in front of him.

You get all kinds of people in this business, just like any other, unfortunately.

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Ya I know what you mean about the different customers. Ive had $80 tips, tons of working free stuff given to me by clients, and then clients like the lady I mentioned earlier. Its a mixed bag.

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Originally Posted by mrsamsonite

Ya I know what you mean about the different customers. Ive had $80 tips, tons of working free stuff given to me by clients, and then clients like the lady I mentioned earlier. Its a mixed bag.

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My best clients ever was a sweet elderly couple, both retired lawyers, owned a lovely home, and about 5 acres or so.

They called me out once for metal removal (cant remember now if I even charged them or not). Anyway, the husband gave me like $150 or so dollars.

Then a month latter they called me for a junk removal job. They accepted the price. The guy kept staring at my trailer, and he was like "What is the cost again, if it is over 2,000 lbs" and I said,
"It would be an additional $65". He tried his best to give it to me. I told him like 4 times that it was not necessary, as most of the stuff was going to get donated. So, long story short, the job was for roughly $245. He wrote a check for $300 even, and then handed me $160 in cash. First, I was it was $40....then I got home, and I kept flipping open 20, after, 20, after 20. I was like "OMG!"

I called the client right away and asked him if he knew, he gave me $160 in cash?....he said "Yes, sir...consider it a christmas gift, birthday present, tip, whatever you like...you did a superb job, and we appreciate you being fair and honest with us and not trying to take advantage. Just our way of saying thanks".

I told him, that I appreciated it very much, and the $300 check was more than enough thanks.

It is never about the money that really matters to me. Just the stuff that people say to me to show me that they are really appreciate of what I can do for them.

Hold the Phone, you'll get paid to haul off iron ? Round here the.competion is so cut throat have to give em at least $50 a ton just to look at it. That does it I'm moving

George: cool story

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Originally Posted by taterjuice

Hold the Phone, you'll get paid to haul off iron ? Round here the.competion is so cut throat have to give em at least $50 a ton just to look at it. That does it I'm moving

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Well, even though that Gas prices at my local sheetz is at 3.29/gallon right now, I charge for everything that I do.

Granted metal recycling is the lowest charge, because I know I will make money off of it, either by reselling it (usable ones, or for parts to repair shops), or by scrapping it.

It doesn't matter what I am hauling, the client will either pay or choose someone else. Yes, there is guys around me that will do it for FREE over 1 steel pipe, but you also get what you don't pay for as well. Meaning, you can either hire a professional company charging a small fee that will do a great job and not damage your property, or you can hire someone that is so money hungry, that they are wreckless and might damage something.

Just tons of variables.

The only time I am actually paying the client, is when they have thousands of pounds of metal available. I tell them, there is no charge. If they want money, I tell them, that I haul it all on, and then give them a cut off the final load. So, if I haul in say 10,000lbs of metal, then they get a cut once it is all hauled off etc.

The % that normally works is 60/40 with my company getting the 60%. I only do it this way, as we are the ones hauling, sorting, cutting if necessary, etc. They are doing nothing more but giving it to us, and then collect some money.

For example, I got a call when my helper and I were on our way back home, from a dealership or something about 40 minutes away. The guy was going on and on about what all they had metal in at their facility. I was trying to add it all up in my head, and I got between like 20,000 to 30,000lbs of metal. The guy was like "That sounds about right".

The guy said he would call back monday or tuesday when the owner is back in town. If I get it, it will be a little over $1,100 after all is said and done.