Does anyone charge for site visits?

[fresh]

I'm just curious if anyone charges for site visits and/or quotes. Its so annoying to waste what often equates to half a day's work on a site visit and quoting just for them to come back and say "you're expensive, we're going to call someone else."

This is particularly the case when the client has no idea what they want or need, and want us to make suggestions. I wish it was industry standard to collect a fee for this service.

Today the person said we are expensive so she's going to get other quotes and go with the cheapest one. Um, yeah, I quoted nice signs that are mid-range price wise. Of course I can quote for cheaper signs. Heck, I'll slap a banner up on your wall (sub for MDO) and instead of nice, finished wayfinding signs, we'll just slap some 080 on a Uchannel and call it a day.

 

[d fleming]

If it costs me time, it costs you money. Gets rid of tire kickers.

 

[ChaseO]

We do not charge for site visits, but try to avoid them when possible. It is frustrating to spend a few hours driving, talking, and estimating on a job where they want the cheapest. A lot of times we try to ballpark it without leaving the shop by having them send more info or pictures.

Your post is actually one question/one rant. When you price a nice sign, say a nice dimensional sign with aluminum posts, then you see the final product that someone else did that is a black on white sign with wood posts; that's totally different than wasting your time meeting up with them. Best way I have found to combat this is by giving examples, and selling your work. Give a quick overview on the difference in your product vs a similar, yet cheaper product, but no name bashing. That will make you look bad too.

 

[fresh]

We do not charge for site visits, but try to avoid them when possible. It is frustrating to spend a few hours driving, talking, and estimating on a job where they want the cheapest. A lot of times we try to ballpark it without leaving the shop by having them send more info or pictures.

Your post is actually one question/one rant. When you price a nice sign, say a nice dimensional sign with aluminum posts, then you see the final product that someone else did that is a black on white sign with wood posts; that's totally different than wasting your time meeting up with them. Best way I have found to combat this is by giving examples, and selling your work. Give a quick overview on the difference in your product vs a similar, yet cheaper product, but no name bashing. That will make you look bad too.

This person was only looking at the bottom line. She was annoyed I called to follow up on the quote, and when I asked her if she had any questions she said no. I was so vague in my descriptions, if it were me, I'd be like "what is this sign even made out of?" But again, only cares about price.

 

[StarSign]

If you want me there within three days I will charge you. If you can wait, I'm sure I will drive past your place in the next week and we can take a look.

 

[petepaz]

depends on the location (do i drive past that area, any tolls, distance). if they are in a rush and i have to make a special trip. how much work is involved. do i need to bring ladders to get measurements. i have charged $50 and as much as $100. generally the work is local and don't need to charge but when i have we just tell them that the charge will be deducted from the job once we get an order/PO

 

[TrustMoore_TN]

In the exhibit business, there is often a lot of costs that go into process of closing a sale including labor hours (CAD design), client lunches, site visits (time + mileage), etc. We track all of those expenses as "pre-sale costs" and before the final proposal is sent to the client, we distribute those costs into the job. Sometimes evenly, if there are at least 5-6 "phases" of the project, or we may put more of those costs into a larger phase that can absorb them better. The owner decides whether some, all or none of the presale costs are distributed into the proposal. This does 2 things for us... it allows us to recoup costs when we can, and it also lets us see how we can better manage those costs going forward.

This was new to me when I started after being in the sign industry for 20 years but I think it's a good approach. I'm still not sure I would "charge" upfront for a site visit. But putting the actual time it took into the proposal under project management... Yeah - I can justify that a lot better.

 

[Starter]

We also do not charge for site visits if the visit is within our metro......our sales reps are usually driving all of metro everyday. Outside of what we call metro (25 miles) we do charge a hourly rate. Most times we do a site visit only after we have been awarded the job and have our 50% deposit.

 

[Jester1167]

It's a balancing act for sure. Before you agree to a site survey you should be asking some specific questions, showing them some samples and ballpark pricing while reading their reactions. If your good at reading people the risk vs.reward gets a lot smaller and is worth it in the long run. I don't think it's wise to charge for a survey. I have told customers that they could save themselves insert $'s by providing me with pictures and/or measurements though.

It is also important to get the client to email or bring by something before you spend a lot of time on their job. It could be a logo, an existing sign and quantities, or an itemized list. Tire kickers and people who want something cheap value their time and not yours. If you can get them to spend some of their own time you can cross them off the cheap tire kicker list 90% of the time. You also end up with files your going to need to quote the job anyway. If they don't send you anything let them go. They'll bother the next sign shop they drive by.

 

[TXFB.INS]

depends on the location (do i drive past that area, any tolls, distance). if they are in a rush and i have to make a special trip. how much work is involved. do i need to bring ladders to get measurements. i have charged $50 and as much as $100. generally the work is local and don't need to charge but when i have we just tell them that the charge will be deducted from the job once we get an order/PO

+1 except the amount for the site evaluation is a separate fee and will be added the final total.

also our site visits are by the hour, instead of a flat fee this is including drive time for the long drives.

If it is local and we have the time then yes looked at for free.


Now, before any visit occurs we always find out what they are looking for.

• budget range
• type of sign
• size
• how it will be used.
• ETC...

once these are known, 90% of the time we can provide a GOOD _ BETTER _ BEST estimate and if they like the numbers we go on to the site visit.

 

[Gino]

Gives me an excuse to get outta the shop.
There's all kindsa ways to get around it. Request pictures, ask questions as to what kinda signs, ask how many signs, ask who else is quoting, ask them if they've ever ordered signs before. Ask a barrage of questions and in those 2 or 3 minutes, decide if it sounds like a good idea to go or not. Only you can say...... Yes or NO. I do like others have said, but I generally go looking at signs first thing in the morning on my way in..... or on my way home. I can't leave the shop in the middle of the day. If they don't wanna meet you at 7am at the site, fug 'em. I got up today around 4:30 to go look at something. Hope it pans out, it's a nice size job.

 

[T_K]

but when i have we just tell them that the charge will be deducted from the job once we get an order/PO

I like that policy. It protects you from spending hours on nothing, but also gives them a value-added "I'm not trying to cheat you" offer.
You don't lose any money, neither do they...unless they waste your time.

 

[ams]

I always charge for site surveys 90% of the time. We cover the entire state so I'll be damned if I'll go two hours away for free.
But when bidding on a state or government job, generally you cannot charge for it.

 

[visual800]

if its in the tri county area I dont charge for site surveys. I would prefer to go out and look myself. if its further than that area I would try and get as much info and pictures as possible.

 

[chester215]

We build it into the cost of the sign if required.
Sometimes a site visit can be avoided by using google maps street view.
We use it a lot.

 

[2B]

We build it into the cost of the sign if required.
Sometimes a site visit can be avoided by using google maps street view.
We use it a lot.

+1

LOVE Google Street Maps!!! such a great tool

 

[Marlene]

it depends. mostly we have a site survey charge. we have peple who want us to "look" at their door and they are hours away. we tell them we do charge for a site survey but if they send us a photo, we can work from that. once it gets past a quote we do go out and take a look if we aren't sure of something on a small job and usually include in the price of the sign a trip for the big stuff. street view works great most of the time, just make sure you look to see when it was done as things change.

 

[Bly]

I get them to send pics and approximate sizes to give an estimate.
If they agree and give us the go ahead I go take actual dimensions.

 

[ddarlak]

sounds like your doing is ***-backward...

you are obviously not qualifying the customer before you waste your time, why are you doing such a detailed survey before you even have the job?

qualify them as to what they need and determine if they will pay you before you go out and waste your time...

the problem is in the mirror