I've got several customers that uses me for all the little jobs they do, any thing from drain cleaning on the smallest of jobs to maybe installing 1000 feet of pipe on larger jobs. I should add this is all Ag work and I'm priced way below the competition in my area on tile pipe. When ever a large job comes along for a big excavator if it's less than a 6 or 8 hour job they call me in but if it's a larger job they get another company to come do it. I am always there right away when they call Saturdays, Sundays, 10pm at night. I have always tried to provide my customers an unmatchable level of service no matter the size of the job. I just get tired of picking up all the small jobs that the big boys in the area don't want to touch and then have to pick up all the little ones, I'd like a few of the larger excavation from time to time, I do have some people that give me a lot of big jobs as well. I have 4 hoes ranging from 7000lbs to 60000lbs a dozer, skid steer, track loader and 2 dump trucks so it's not like I'm not equipped to handel these calls it really only about 9 or 10 customers that do this. Just curious how you good fellows would handel this?
Sounds like you are well equipped & experienced wrc . My take on it is the small jobs can pay as well or better then "big jobs " . Keep doing what your doing taking care of the customer . Next stage in the agricultural game is move on to a tile plow . Most of My customers have one or easy access to one . We just fill in the gaps between when they call . I'm in the liability people problem business
i would keep doing what your doing ,but would set a minimum rate for the small stuff so your rate is closer to the big guys.
It seems obvious, but ask for the work. Visit some customers, shake their hand, let them know that you are interested in doing some bigger jobs and ask them if they would consider letting you bid the next time one comes along. And keep asking. People get into the habit of going to the first supplier they know can do the job. You need to get them to break that habit.
Ditto what Cmark said. Do some 'rain making'; tell prospective customers what you can do for them. When you see one of the bigger boys working, go to the customer and ask him how the job is going, listen for any complaints, and tell him that you'd like to do that work, too. In my experience, it takes a while to get any returns on the effort, but it does pay back in the long term.
If they're happy with the small jobs, no reason they wouldn't be happy with the big jobs. Maybe they don't realize you have larger equipment for the bigger jobs?
I'm a "don't tell me, show me" kind of guy. I have a niche market in smaller, indoor excavation, but do own a 20,000lb ex. While not huge, it does outwork a backhoe on commercial pipe jobs. To get the idea in my customers heads that I can be more than a one trick pony, I made it a point to show up on a job that I usually would do with a 303 with my 307, and we killed it. Now guess who gets the calls for the bigger work, too? Maybe over-equipping a job might get them to realize you are capable of doing them? And for what its worth, don't be too hungry for the bigger stuff, as I will tell you hands down that the most profitable work I do is the stuff that no one else can fit their equipment in on, or is too "busy" with big stuff to serve a customer.