how do you guys deal with low baller companies that don't go by the rules and steal jobs?

We simply try to sell our service. Most of the time in our market, the customers that sell you out are the ones you have to hound for your money anyway, not always, but most of the time. We will NOT drop our price a penny! We are by the hour and yard with a minimum. If we wanted to work for nothing, I could find easier ways to do it! Go to your customer and sell your service, (don't bash the low baller, it just makes you look bad) sell your service, equipment and expertise and if that don't do it, time will. Lowballers can't maintain good enough in this industry! IMHO

thanks were already at our bottom dollar on price sheets, but two companies have readymix and pumps and give their pumps away for free basically. hard to compete. last couple weeks we've lost out on 2000+ yards

Fortunatly, we don't have the problem of ready mix companys owning pumps in our area. Closest that is, is 2 hours south of us and we still get within 30 minutes of them on a daily basis and we charge full rate travel. I'd say one of these days it will get worse but rite now we are fortunate. I do have a friend in the St. Louis area having your same problem. You got a tough task there, hard to get the work when contractors have a "one stop shop".

yeah exactly, Im just not sure what to do anymore. I can't seem to get any big jobs because the ready mix/pump salesman keeps cutting our throat every big yardage job. Maybe we just need to purchase a RM plant .......... lol

I feel for ya Brandon, Got the same around here with an RM co. Got to remember their main objective is to sell concrete. If the pumps clear a wage for the drive and maybe a full payment thy are set. Just a sales tool to sell concrete.

Just say'n

I have that same problem here. And it only gets worst. I got the highest prices and I still think I'm cheap. Here they sell the 28 and 32 meters cheaper then the line pumps. They get there selves out of business, but new guys appear and do the same thing. So I guest ill just have to keep dealing with it. I recommend to try to give the best service and maintain your equipment. That works for me (not as much as I want but still)

Yeah we are more expensive than our competitor's as well but we are union and they are non union. Thats the biggest issue prettt much. Thay along with "well supply you with the concrete and pump for cheaper than you can get it anywhere else".

So as it sits we just have pretty pumps that perform really nicely and aren't pumping. I think I'm just getting cabin fever.. lol

We've paspassed out many brochures and business cards to all the contractors and rm plants but ultimatelt irs up to them to choose to use us. We have a 2000 yard tank pour coming up so we will see what happens... cross my fingers

 Your going to have to deal with it and it sucks. Go buy a ready mix company and put it in your wifes name then you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone. At least your not dealing with Wells Fargo Concrete Pumping.

The worst thing around here,the rm co teams up with a formwork co that has pumps, with no minimum,no difference between 28m and 32m so the formwork co and the rm give their pump to sell their service.the rm co owns a old wibo 1982 and 36m schwing 1986 but the formwork co has 2 32m 2001 and up that he paid a lot of cash for it.It s a permanent fight we never drop our price and we just sell our service,machine and pride.Last week ,we lost a contractor and yesterday,i gain one from them.

I think a lot has to do with overhead costs.. A pumpco with a big building.. 4 people at the office... Some salespeople on the road.. a staff that washes their trucks to the bone and even polish the chassis... etc etc.. There is a lot of costs there and no direct income...

A RM plant that has its plant and planning going already.. Just buys 2 older pumps and parks them outside and doesn't give so much about them... See how they can be cheaper... They don't give it away.. Hell they might even make more money on them than you do!!

Same goes for people that just own 1 pump, do the planning themselves and park outside...

Sales person who knows the industry and can talk shit and wine and dine the customers.

We'll just have to hope for the best, and keep doin' our thing. I guess we did get the tank job, but they cancelled until next week. Also got a 5-floor building (floor pour) next week i think also ... so were on the up n up for now

Just trying to find ways to cut-off the competition in the area, but really .. its ultimately up to the contractors who they decide to use.

There is only one way to "cut" off the competion, service.......... I only run line pumps and i have folks call all the time bragging on the great job my guys have done . i imediately pass the compliment on to my men , usually with a little bonus and a reminder that once again we sold good service for the highest price in the area, keep up the great job.  it goes a long way.  i try to remeber my operators are the FACE of the business, when i am not there.