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Just realized underbidding actually lost me a repeat client
I was at a job in Orlando last spring and quoted a driveway and fence wash for $180 just to beat out another guy. Did the work in 4 hours and the owner seemed happy. When he called me back 3 months later for his house, he asked why another company quoted $400 and I only did $180. I stumbled trying to explain my pricing and he went with the other guy. My low rate made me look cheap and untrustworthy to him. Has anyone else had a low quote backfire into making you look less professional?
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the_riley3mo ago
A buddy of mine lost a gig the same way.
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sanchez.julia3mo ago
Wait, he actually lost the whole gig over that? Not just a warning or a cut in pay?
Guy I know got docked half his pay for showing up late to soundcheck. But full on fired? That's brutal.
Sucks when a single screw up wipes out the whole job. Especially if it was something small like a gear mix up or a traffic jam.
Makes you wonder what the line is for getting canned versus getting a pass.
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zarag173mo ago
Funny you say that. I used to have this issue ALL the time until I started texting the band leader or sound guy the night before. Just a quick "hey, see you at 4 tomorrow, got the gear ready." It sounds small but it really cuts down on the miscommunication. Also started leaving my house 30 minutes earlier than I thought I needed. Traffic is a beast and I'd rather sit in the van for 20 minutes than miss soundcheck. Eventually my punctuality became my reputation and people started booking me specifically because I was reliable. It's a shame your friend got canned over it but sometimes that hard lesson is the only one that sticks.
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