small jobs

[asd]

what to do about small jobs?
I've been doing signs on my own for about 5 yrs. now and every now and them I get a phone call about someone needing a bid for some signs and this is how the conversation goes.
my name is such and such and we need to ger a bid for signs and so on, so we set up a meeting, go over to their location and see what they need and sometimes it will be names on a directory that needs to be updated small parking spaces ids, etc so to make this short, sometimes the job will only be about 50.00, when I have to drive 30 min. each way just to do a 50.00 job is starting to annoy me, what will be the best way to deal with this jobs, should I turn them down, charged them for travel expenses to make up for wasted time or do i need to tell them that if the job is less than 100.00 they will be paying for travel expenses.
I know 50.00 is better than nothing, but when I have to come up with 3300.00 each month to cover my espenses to do business 50.00 in my point of view is insignificant.
how would you guys/gals handle this jobs?

 

[4R Graphics]

It all depends on how busy you are if you have enough work coming in to cover yourself then just tell them you cant do it for X dollars do to travel etc.. Or raise the price to cover your cost of travel and just put it in the price. By charging travel in the job you may lose a few jobs but hey thats business.

Just remember its all up to you if you think it is not worth your time for the price and you have enough work to pay the bills then ITS NOT WORTH YOUR TIME.

You are the only one that can say if its worth the time or not.

I know people that do jobs that I wouldnt even get out of bed for but hey they dont have alot going on so they are like sweet I made 150 bucks but to me I think I would have charged 400 bucks and got it most times I never would do it for 150 but thats me and i have work coming in.

 

[Sticky Signs]

After getting burned enough times on going out to surveys, I decided to tell people straight up that I have a minimum charge for surveys. People can't expect me to go running around all over the city just to find out that they've gone with the competition. Telling them there is a charge up front usually weeds out the tire kickers. In my experience, most of them ARE tires kickers. So, I just saved myself an hour or two of my time as well as gas and parking.

 

[sgns4u]

By asking several questions during the initial phone call we can determine if it's going to be a large order or small order. If we think it's only going to be a $50.00 order then it's handled strictly by phone & email. Other than delivery if they are local.

 

[WYLDGFI]

We have a $50 minimum we are now beginning to enforce more regularly. For my girl to write up the job and us to produce, we really have to go with the minimums now.

 

[royster13]

If you are out "selling" most locations you have to go to should be in your target area....And any requests like that should be tied to a sales trip and/or delivery into that area....

 

[Gino]

Kinda what sngs said...... you need to ask more questions up front.

I can't imagine going anywhere blindly. I even know what's on my list when I have to go to the grocery store. You need to plan better and find out what you're getting into. Otherwise, just tell them you'll be by on your way home from work and find an excuse to go on wild goose chases.

 

[Marlene]

Kinda what sngs said...... you need to ask more questions up front.

I can't imagine going anywhere blindly

agree. most people also have a digital camera or can take a pix with their cell phone so you can ask that they send over a pix of the directory, parking space signs or whatever small sign they need a quote for.

 

[Jillbeans]

I do a lot of small jobs, usually for existing customers.
"Can you paint these Christmas ornaments for me?"
"Can you make me two 1" contractor numbers?"
"Can you come and look at my window?"
I also hate it when you know that the caller has been through the entire list of shops in the YP and is just getting someone who will give them a quick price.
While sometimes, rarely, being the shop who saved the day can land you a loyal client, most of the time it's just not worth it.
Charging a minimum fee, or a survey charge, will indeed help clear the wheat from the chaff (or whatever it's called)
Worst offenders are those who want a written estimate so that they can commit insurance fraud. I charge for that type of an estimate.
My most dreaded nickle and dimer client passed away last year. The second worst has not called me in ages thank God.
Guy owns a large successful company and travels the world. He steals plates from the hotel and brings them to me so I can paint "Germany" or Vienna" etc on them. Last time he pulled up in a giant box truck, horribly lettered.
"Oh I didn't know you lettered trucks, I thought you only painted plates"

Love....Jill

 

[HulkSmash]

i ask them to get an employee to measure their windows so we can get it done faster. Then we charge for travel time and install after production.

 

[Pat Whatley]

You've got to qualify them first. If it's going to be a small job explain to them that you have to charge your hourly shop rate if you have to shut down and come out to see them but go on to to explain to them that you can probably handle it all through the phone and email. You'll be amazed at how quickly people can figure out what they need or can take their own measurements or can just bring the directory strips to you when they find out you're going to charge them to come out.

 

[artbot]

put the client to work. those ordering small jobs understand that they are putting the shop in an unprofitable position. ask them to take a straight on dead level shot of the space with copious measurements. that alone will save you at least $100-$200 in lost time. if not, tell them that a survey/visit to the site is a $100 minimum and $200 for a proposal which goes toward the project. serious customers will tell you, "well get over here asap" lookey-loos will hesitate. that is the best way to weed out the maybes from the ones that will be handing you a check in a week.

 

[asd]

I want to thank you all for your responses, this gives me some ideas as to how to handle this kind of jobs, and just this morning somebody left me a message last friday after I left about wanting to get some signs done and of course they need it me to go over to their building and match what they had, called the customer back and told him that there were going to be survey fees involved if I had to go to their building or he could send me some pictures along with the dimensions. The day has come and gone and I did not see any pictures from the client and I did not waste any time with this little jobs

 

[Bly]

agree. most people also have a digital camera or can take a pix with their cell phone so you can ask that they send over a pix of the directory, parking space signs or whatever small sign they need a quote for.

Yep. "Email us a pic, it will be cheaper for you".

Otherwise you're just fodder for tyre kickers.

 

[cdiesel]

Just like everyone else says, you have to qualify the customer. Develop a list of questions to determine how serious the buyer is, budget, etc. Then decide how you will handle them (or if you even want to).

This morning I had a local shop call and ask me to help them out because their valuejet was broken. Asked about printing onto cheap vinyl. I said we'd be happy to help them out and offer wholesale pricing, and asked how many square feet they needed. The gentleman on the phone said usually about 15 sf. I quoted our wholesale price, and he was blown away, asking if that included lam. I said no, and he was like "oh, well okay then". Our wholesale price could easily be doubled-tripled for retail, especially at 15 sf. It STILL wouldn't have met our minimum of $75.

Needless to say we didn't get the order, but I'm positive we're better off for it in the long run.

 

[royster13]

So you have disqualified a potential client just because they want you to go to them?....Do you not work your territory and get out and about anyway?....

 

[visual800]

anytime someone calls and asks if I can come out and see what they got I ask them what they have first. I never just say yes and head out the door. Has this happened to me before, YES! and its like a big let down. Just ask next next time and once you see what your dealing with that will tell you whether or not you need to watse your time

 

[jhd]

In my eyes - those small jobs lead to big projects. Small jobs build business relationships create trust and hopefully lead to a return client. I always try to conduct the first meeting at my location and drill them with questions. If I need to make the trip - I charge accordingly for travel and installation. In most cases at my shop those $50.00 jobs turn into 100.00 to $150.00 with trip/installation. (Obviously this is depending on the scope of the work, but the majority seem to work out this way)