Noticed a big shift in how clients book tree work now

Last week I had three separate calls where people asked for photos of my climbing gear and insurance before they even wanted a quote. That never happened when I started out 8 years ago, it was all word of mouth and a handshake. Now everyone wants proof of liability coverage and a breakdown of crew training first. I get it, one bad storm and a shady company can leave a mess, but it feels like the trust is gone. Do you guys carry certs or paperwork on every job now, or just when they ask? I'm thinking about printing a one page info sheet to hand out upfront.

2 comments

2 Comments

olivers2827d ago

People have been watching too many videos of bad contractors screwing people over. A couple bad apples and suddenly everyone treats you like you're trying to scam them. I carry my license and insurance card in my truck anyway, but I'm not handing that stuff over before we even talk price. That tells them where they stand. If they ask, sure, I'll show them. But if they're that paranoid from the first call, they're probably gonna be a headache to deal with anyway.

hannaht2927d ago

Guess I'm one of those paranoid people you're talking about... or I was. A few years back I had a bad experience with a guy who took a deposit and vanished, so I got pretty guarded about it. But reading your take makes sense, showing your license right off the bat kind of sets a tone that you've got nothing to hide. Maybe I was pushing too hard for proof before even having a real conversation about what I needed done. I can see how that would get annoying for someone who does this every day and is legit.