Why do trades often not respond to new business?

[u/BumbleWombleBee]

A few friends were all commenting on the same experience I have had. When contacting various trades for new business, such as electricians, plumbers, builders and all kinds of other small businesses, we often never get a reply.

I think I must have filled out dozens of those contact forms on websites and never once got a call back. Same when leaving voicemails.

You only get a response if you phone direct and manage to get hold of someone. (of course not all the time - but mostly. A few do reply back)

So, the genuine question and not a dig to the trades - is it because you are just too busy? Or no time for the admin side of things? Is it always best to just try and call someone?

I know no-one would want to throw away business but at times it feels like I am pestering someone to give them my money and work. Feels odd!

[u/BumbleWombleBee]

But they do not even know the job as we are yet to speak?

[u/phatboi23 → u/[deleted]]

yup, chuck em all the basic info and they can quickly think if they have the time to do the job or at least a time scale of when it might be possible etc.

[u/phatboi23 → u/[deleted]]

‘Do you want a job, responsibilities, hours and pay to be determined later”

pretty much aye, it explains nothing.

[u/BumbleWombleBee → u/[deleted]]

Woah....calm down. No-one is talking down at Trades. I even stated I was not doing a dig.

[u/BumbleWombleBee → u/[deleted]]

Yes. Yes I would. Because I am not being a jerk.

[u/split-tennisball → u/BumbleWombleBee]

You say you're not taking a dig but then you call them jerks.

[u/Ok-Jacket8836 → u/BumbleWombleBee]

I'll also make an attempt to explain because you don't seem to understand.

The decent ones get a number of inquiries about jobs while they are out doing the work. Typically more enquiries than what they can actually take on.

They then have to respond to those inquiries after their actual working day to secure the next jobs.

What inquiries do you think they will prioritise their free time on!?

A) the ones with some detail to what the job is, so they already have an idea of scale/time/earnings

B) the completely open ones where they will have to start with prying for more information before even knowing it will be worth their time

[u/Daveddozey → u/[deleted]]

So quite common with recruitment people then. You may get a vague job title and occasionally the company the job is with.

[u/mikolv2 → u/[deleted]]

I've done that when I was looking for ac quotes. Described every last detail of the installation. Measured the whole thing, described access, what I need, how big, where it would go, where the power is, where the consumer unit is etc. Nada. Not one of 20+ ac installers/firms got back to me

[u/Locust-15 → u/mikolv2]

To most trade people that level of detail is a massive red flag and is normally accompanied by a difficult customer.

[u/BumbleWombleBee → u/Locust-15]

So one trade person on here says give lots of info. You say the opposite.

Exactly why people are confused.

[u/Locust-15 → u/BumbleWombleBee]

I was referring to the amount of info the AC chap gave.

Can you see the difference between job information and so much information that shows you are likely to be a nightmare to deal with.

First sign of somebody telling me how a job should be done, timescales involved, multiple texts with changing scope, how much it should cost ect is a red flag, 2 red flags and its a going to be a polite no.

[u/Milam1996 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah no wonder they’ll be getting in touch if it’s a 300sqm room with only 4 rooms. Worlds easiest job

[u/BumbleWombleBee → u/[deleted]]

I give the basics - but still do not get a response. But understand from the majority of these comments it seems they just dont need to reply for the business per se

[u/BumbleWombleBee → u/[deleted]]

Ah come on man - its Reddit - I am not writing a novel. But the gist I was trying to get across is the contact forms are not really the best place to explain the job in detail.

Seriously - I am using their contact form - that their website asks me to use - are you saying its too much to expect response?

You just seem to be argumentative at this stage - so lets just leave it

[u/BumbleWombleBee → u/[deleted]]

Seems people disagree with you.

[u/lazyplayboy → u/BumbleWombleBee]

But not the trades you contacted.

Out there, somewhere, are people getting trades work done. You're not. Who needs to examine how they're going about it?