[PipeGuy]

I do a Google search on my own name from time to time -just to see what might pop up. It's never hit on anything until I joined this forum. Now Google sees my name in the threads and provides links to the boards. I checked some other names in the forum and found the same thing.
I'm kind of weird about stuff like this. It's that whole "big brother" thing. What do you all think?

[Grumpy]

Oh yeah I have got a few jobs from my posts in this forum.

Do a search on:

grumpy +forum

You will see how big a forum freak I am!

If your worried about your privacy then change your name to something like "Stinky" and remove your website and you'll be completely anonamous. That's seriously part of the reason I use the name grumpy, other than the fact that when the internet became popular NOBODY used their real names. It was taboo back in the early 90's.

[Teetorbilt]

Grumpy, hate to bust your bubble but I Googled grumpy+forum and got everybody except you. I also remember the web of the 80's when everybody used their real names.

[Grumpy]

Very interesting

[Mike Finley]

I'll use my real name, I got nothing to hide.

... or is it my real name? hmm...

Or I could just use my **** star name Mike Spalzitch.

[Floorwizard]

I noticed that when I Google my real name, I pop up too in other forums as well. I think it is neat.
I type all my friends and co-workers...and nothing.

Kinda cool that around the world, someone can find me...
Then again.....................

[Grumpy]

I'd hate for a customer to google my real name, and then see my explaining how to price something, and explaining overhead and profit... Then they decide to use my formula on their own building and my price is high because the formula is outdated for what ever reason. Profit and overhead is something most customers just can't understand, unless they are in a business themselves.

One other reason I dislike using my real name is then I can't talk as candidly as I do when it comes to many things. There is alot about our business, especially when we tlak money, that customers don't understand. I need that level of anoniminity (sp?) to be as honest as I am. Yes I have things to hide, as I explained above.

[Floorwizard]

I'd hate for a customer to google my real name, and then see my explaining how to price something, and explaining overhead and profit...

Some people need to hear it...some don't. Most of the high end clients understand overhead and profit, that makes it alot easier for me.
I have straight up explained to customers that if we don't make money, then we outta business. Or at the very least, service will go down.

price, quality, service....pick any 2

Profit and overhead is something most customers just can't understand,

Ain't that the truth. It's too bad too.

One other reason I dislike using my real name is then I can't talk as candidly as I do when it comes to many things.

You can be less candid?

[Grumpy]

Yeah I CAN be less candid. Hehe do you think I go into a customer's house and tell them how it is!? Nope I listen to their bull******************** and I compliment them on their decisions.

Here is a funny story. I once had a customer who said on the phone "I want to have my sofit and fascia wrapped, but all the prices are so high." I responded "We are usually in the middle, from the sounds of your job I think we can fit it in your budget." This is my typical canned response.

So I go out to do the estimate. I gave the guy the price and he said, that I was the highest, which I believe 100%. He said a roll of coil costs $x. He then explained to me what I would pay my guys and suggested I do the job for $100 for my pocket. I smiled and nodded to all his bull until it was my turn to talk. I said

"I am happy with $100 in my pocket for this job. You kind ofunder estimated what I pay my guys, I really pay them $x so that raises your estimate a little bit. They really do good work and deserve more than $100 for a days worth of work. I think $175 is fair, don't you?" After all they have family's to feed."

He agreed, thinking I was going to give him a lower price, material plus labor plus $100 for me... Pshhhh yeah right.

Then I said "Now what about insurance on my employees? that's GL, WC... Oh what about vehicale insurance? We can't forget vehicle and equipment depreciation! Jeez we can't forget the gasoline it takes to get here. Oh what about the overhead it takes to run my office?"

He said "I don't want to pay for all that"

I said "... then do it yourelf."

[Floorwizard]

Great story!

I will admit when I was younger I didn't quite understand business and therefore I was a price shopper when it came to full service products and install. But then I went to Junior High School Economics 101.

Do people forget these things?

We shouldn't have to explain these things to customers, but sometimes you need to.
I feel usually that it is best to sort thru the potential clients, weed these people out if they seem unwilling to accept Econ 101, and work with the folks who completely understand it.

I am just happy that 90% of the clients who walk thru my door are high end enough to understand.

Don't get me wrong though, I work with lower end as well, heck even I would consider myself a lower end compared to who I work with, but people need to open up their minds and understand you get what you pay for, and that cannot be haggled.

[Mike Finley]

Grumpy brings up a good point and I have thought about this too, it would really be cool if Nathan had a members only forum where you at least had to be registered in order to view it, where we could be more secure in MF'ing customers or talkling about sensitive issues.

[Grumpy]

There was a case where a class action law suit was brought up against a landscaping contractor for collusion. He was trying to explain to his colleagues about overhead and profit. The plaintill alleges he was trying to artifically inflate the value of their services.

I posted that a few months back.

[PipeGuy]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

He was trying to explain to his colleagues about overhead and profit.

Explaining "about" it is OK. Sharing specific formulations for determinig prices (like price per foot, per pound, per hour, what percentage of mark-up to apply, etc.) is a legal no-no for those bidding publicly funded projects.

While we all no doubt concern ourselves with the ethical and practical ramifications of posting information (do I want my customers, vendors or competitors having access to sensitive information?) I would think that only those who bid publicly funded work need concern themselves with the "legal" ramifications of exchanging such information.

[Grumpy]

Rick I think you and I all explain how to price exactly as you explained above.

I see nothing wrong with educating a fellow contractor that he is pricing himself out of business.

[Nathan]

If anyone is really worried about this PM me and I can change your name to whatever you like.

Thanks.

[MinConst]

This was brought up in another forum I use to frequent. It was resolved somehow that eludes me now. I will see if I can get better information on this and get back to Nathan.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by MinConst

This was brought up in another forum I use to frequent. It was resolved somehow that eludes me now. I will see if I can get better information on this and get back to Nathan.

Thanks, but I do not view Google seeing threads as a problem... In fact I WANT this to happen. I'm always tweaking this site and my other sites so that Google can see (or spider) it even more. Its called SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

People find this site by searching for terms on Google, example: Defective Roof
Our site pops up because google has searched it and found that topic. Without it searching our forums that would never happen and less people would find us.

As I said before, if someone is worried about using your real name PM me and I will change you name in the system.

Thanks

[Grumpy]

Yeah google is a good thing to being in new users and new opinions with those users.

If you don't want your name being public then do what I do and use a fake name. Very easy.

[Floorwizard]

Isnt Grumpy your real name?

[Grumpy]

LOL. It should be