This week Nathan looks at the advantages of at times, actually saying no to various jobs. One must use discernment and wisdom, and know their limitations as well as the value of their brand and work.
In this industry, we are not only dealing with customers and contracts but we are also deciding when to take the opportunity and to buy and sell equipment. I have had the opportunity to consider bidding on a number of different types of jobs involving lawn mowing, landscaping, and more. In some instances, it’s just obvious the customer is just looking for me to “low ball” the quote. I also have been in situations where I did offer a rather competitive bid but it was mainly based on schedule availability, job location, etc. The best situation for me, if possible, is to keep rolling a four or six-week schedule of jobs. This has allowed me to be more selective about the jobs I bid on, and therefore it’s important to know when to say “no.” The more you compromise on price, the more you are compromising the value of your service. Sometimes, it's better to just walk away and let another person lose money on a job or account. Eventually, they won’t be in business because of their poor judgment. Oh, and one other thing to remember — saying “no” to one opportunity means saying “yes” to another.