[Alberto]

We are, basically. A fly-by-nighter has been landscaping a local condo development. They are using big box store 1 gal. size plants and the job looks pretty bad. Well, we had some inside info about what they were paying so we bid the job and got it. Now we have to do the work! There's no way that we can do the same job a fly-by-nighter does with small plants and make it look better than his work for less than what he was getting. That's my project tomorrow, it looks like! I don't own my own business so I don't know how that all works. Is it worth it to get a job at any cost just to get it, or to keep someone else from getting it?

[TrickyDick]

Why would you ever ever ever ever EVER want to take a job that you know can't be done right for the price that it takes to get it. So other people will start to think the same thing about your company that your company thought of the guy who had the job before?

Unless it's purely out of spite it sounds pretty dumb to me. It's also kind of evil. Big companies can afford to do that sort of thing at a loss sometimes and drive little companies out of business.

[Stonehenge]

I'm with Tricky - this sounds to me like someone who is making the business about something other than business. Here are the two possible outcomes of this scenario as I see it:

You do the work using the same cheap little plants or do it so fast that you don't give the same quality and risk damaging your company's reputation.

You do the work using large plants and lose all kinds of money, but you do a great job. The client talks the company up to all of their friends, who all want you to do a similar project, using big plants and losing all kinds of money. Cheap clients beget cheap clients.

[AZTLANLC]

Alberto I mean no disrespect but I think by reading your last posts you are having a hard time with your business.
I would focus more in your company and know your real cost and get compensated for, than trying to get jobs by competing with other.
I don't care what other companies are charging and make no intention to find out, I don't see other companies as my competition but rather as friends.
Depending on which company you ask I'm either equal, more or less expensive.
Sell yourself and your company educate your customers and inform them you are properly insured, licensed, etc.
Wish you the best.

[TrickyDick]

If I'm not mistaken Alberto works for a nursery/ landscape company so I don't think it was he who made the deal in question. I could be misremembering though.

[Daniel Hanson]

No offense Alberto, but doing what you guys are doing makes you no better than the fly by night guy. In fact it's almost worse. That kind of thinking is exactly what is wrong with our industry! Guys like you're trying to take the work away from will eventually put themselves out of business. There is no reason for you to try to make that happen by risking your own reputation and financial well being.

[Fine Edge]

That's some crazy stuff!
You need to ask your boss / owner of the company what his vision is for the company.
If all the info is true, I wouldn't even want to show up for work, let alone keep working for a company that would do that kind of thing.
Why bust your hump to produce a job with inferior quality AND not make the company profitable.


No Bonus on this one my friend!

[Daniel Hanson]

And not to beat a dead horse but when you are half way through the job and realize that it can't be completed who is going to be the one that your company screws? Your material suppliers? Your employees? The Developer that you're working for? I'm just curious because somebody isn't going to get paid out of this deal!

[VoodooChile]

A national heavy-hitter moved into our market in the last few years with a similar strategy. They underbid prominent maintenance accounts to get top-of-mind-awareness, and then jacked their prices once they had an established market presence. It's a great strategy for a multi-million dollar company that is looking to expand. Locally they show a loss, but the other regional divisions absorb it, and over time they recoup the expense of breaking in.

As an employee like Alberto you have the benefit of collecting a check no matter what crap you are installing at whatever the cost. Depending on your relationship with management, I would ask them your two questions:

"Is it worth it to get a job at any cost just to get it, or to keep someone else from getting it?"

My answers as a small business owner are: No & No.

[RHayden]

Residential- never.

Commercial/Municipal- apples to apples- I have refined bids with a heavy emphasis on keeping certain competitors from gaining a toehold.