Lost a $3k job because I didn't show up to a bid on time

Was supposed to quote a flat roof replacement over on Western Street last Tuesday but got stuck on a previous job til 4pm. By the time I called they'd already hired someone else. How do you guys juggle multiple estimates without burning bridges?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota_murphy908d ago

Well I gotta say, that sounds like a planning problem on your end. If you knew you were running late on the first job, you should have called the second client before 4pm to let them know. A simple heads up goes a long way and most people will work with you if you're honest about the delay. Losing a $3k bid because you couldn't pick up the phone is a hard lesson, but it's one you can fix for next time.

walker.hayden8d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, I've been in almost the exact same spot with a $2,500 tile job in a condo building. @dakota_murphy90 is right on the money here. When you're working solo like that, your schedule is your responsibility, no one else's. A phone call at 3pm to say "hey, the demo took longer, I'm looking at 6pm instead" saves you the whole headache. Clients appreciate the heads up way more than the empty promise of being on time. It sucks losing work over something as fixable as bad communication.