Today I secured a fairly big portable job of 40 16' hardwood logs. The customer wants lumber for outbuildings and barn repairs.
The customer parted ways with a previous portable sawmill operator because his production was below expectations, his hourly rate was excessive for his production and the last sawing appointment the sawmill operator didn't show up. The sawmill operator even charged for down time on the mill during previous sawing sessions. The customer has used the other operator for several years and is disenchanted.
This isn't the first customer that has come my way from this other operator. The concerns have been similar. My best repeat customer switched to using me from the other guy as did a customer I cut for two weeks ago. Both have told similar stories.
While I'm not surprised that customers are coming my way after what I've been told (which what I've related here is downplayed significantly). What surprises me is the poor service from the other operator. I'm thinking he's not loving sawing as much anymore.
There are at least five portable or stationary sawmill businesses within 15 miles of me. I'm acquainted with a couple of them and they are struggling to keep busy. They are mostly sawing and marketing on FB Marketplace (not too well it seems). In contrast I'm booked out for two to three weeks on portable jobs and custom orders. I do very little selling via FB Marketplace or Craigslist.
I'm thinking it all boils down to customer service and service value. Charging for break down time for my equipment never has crossed my mind. If my production suffers due to my equipment or me not performing at peak, I usually adjust my fee. From the time I park my mill until I hitch it back to my truck, customers get as much sawing as possible. More often than not, I'm waiting on them. I try to operate like I would want if I hired a portable sawmill. Full tanks, extra fuel and water on my truck, plenty of blades and a variety of tools go on every portable job. If possible I try to arrive in a clean truck and presentable work clothes.
I agree. I never charge for downtime. I have followed other sawyers who didn't believe in changing blades. They would put a new blade on in the morning and saw all day. That is why I am still in buisness and make money. Change blades, turn out good lumber. Customer service. I also like to give what I think I would want to receive.
Weather is my biggest bottleneck right now with a backlog to do when weather allows. Most of my jobs are bf so clockwatching is not an issue. I did a small add-on job 1/2 mile from the one I just finished Tuesday based on my customer referral and at his request (Was a friend of his). It was hourly because small short logs and specialty such as cookies and such. I started the clock when I started the mill and left the mill running throughout and he paid just for the meter hours. If I had to change a dull blade the mill was off so no charge then to the customer nor did I bill him set up or breakdown. If fact, since I was already there he did not incur a minimum fee or mileage as the first customer had covered that. If I had hit metal (I did not) he'd have been billed for a replacement blade. Both the bf and hourly jobs gave me a decent tip at the end of the jobs. The customer was there for the hourly job and kept things moving steadily. The bf job he was not and I brought a helper that he paid and tipped nicely. We were all happy at the end of the work.
I can't imagine billing a customer for service, maintenance or downtime on the mill or for blades unless a damage fee occurs. I include normal blade replacement/change as part of my normal rate. I probably should bill more for extra time trimming and moving logs and such but I don't begrudge them a little.
Sounds like you are doing it right, and that pays off. Good job.
Some folks have no idea how to run a business. I was on a portable job one time and had a breakdown that put the mill out of service for several days. It was a multiple day job and I had spent 3 or 4 hours sawing before the breakdown. When the mill was back up and running the customer asked what I owed him for the first day and my answer was nothing, figured my breakdown cost him money as he had equipment and people there and that was bad enough.
Take care of your customers and they will take care of you. Same goes for employees.
You're doing things right SawyerTed. Starting out you are out front promoting yourself. After that you are behind your reputation, it precedes you, as with everyone. Good work brings good work.
Saw good lumber fast and you'll be busy. One mill up here charged right though dinner hour. Steve
Wow! Charging through lunch is crazy. I never had any job paid by the hour where they paid me for lunch breaks.
I have portable sawing jobs where the customer buys my lunch. I consider that when calculating fractions of an hour on that job. I'll drop a quarter hour or I may not charge for a blade that strikes metal in a log. It's a friendly gesture that says thank you for lunch.
Yesterday a repeat customer had a short ash crotch he wanted sawed. I struggled with it until it prematurely rolled of the mill. He decided it wasn't worth continuing with and rolled it to the firewood pile. I didn't charge him for the time we fiddled with it.
It's just being the sawyer I would hire and hire again.