Objections

Question 1

Your bill out rates are too high.

Answer 1

• Compared to what?
• What is your burden precentage?
• What are your costs over and above wages?

Question 2

I don’t use temporary services.

Answer 2

• Why?
• Tell me about a time when you used a service.
• What have you heard about services?

Question 3

I am already using your competitor.

Answer 3

• What do you like about them?
• What don’t you like about them?
• Has there ever been a time when they couldn’t help you? What did you do?

There’s a big difference between Temp to Hire and Labor
Management. For example, we provide you with indemnification
for any employees we place on your projects, reducing your costs
and risk associated with Workers’ Comp.

Question 4

I pay all my invoices between 30 and 45 days.

Answer 4

• We’re an extension of your core workforce. Bill is due upon receipt.
• How often do you pay your construction employees?
• What would happen if you tried to pay them monthly?

We are an extension of your workforce and need to be paid the
same way you pay your own employees. I’m happy to speak with
your AP Dept to set this up.

Question 5

I tried Tradesmen in the past and had a bad experience.

Answer 5

• Tell me what happened.
• What were your expectations?

I can’t speak to why that happened, but let me explain what
should have happened. I’ll be your main point of contact. When
there is a no-call/no-show, get a hold of me. Our protocol is for
me to call our Project Coordinator who then calls the employee
to see what’s going on - are they en-route or not showing up?
If they’re not showing up, we have the ability to offer you a
replacement employee and dispatch them immediately, if we have
someone available. There will be communication between myself,
my GM, and the Project Coordinator, ensuring you get a timely
response.

Question 6

Why do I have to provide you with General Liability insurance?

Answer 6

• How often do you provide copies of your CGL?
• Under what circumstances do you typically provide CGL, and to who?

Your CGL premium doesn’t change if your own employees or
mine are on site, and we’ll provide you with a copy of our Workers’
Compensation coverage, ensuring we’re both fully covering our
obligations. This is just one of the ways we’ll partner with you.

Question 7

If your employees are so good, why are they working for you and not a contractor?

Answer 7

• Why do your employees work for you?
• Tell me about your benefits program.
• How many times a year do you experience layoffs, and how long
  do they generally last?
• What happens to your employees when a project is delayed or
  canceled?

We can reduce the annual cost of managing a seasonal or variable
workforce.

Question 8

Things are slow right now. I am laying off workers

Answer 8

• Why are you slow?
• In what radius are you comfortable bidding work?
• Why aren’t you winning bids?

Tradesmen has a network of offices in the region that can open
up your bid radius to 100 - 150 miles, and that work would be local
to you. With your excellent reputation you could secure work in
these areas, simply by sending one lead man and meeting our
local crew on the project. The proceeds would return to your main
office and help offset operating income until things pick up.

Question 9

What kind of guarantee do I have that your guys will show up?

Answer 9

• What guarantee do you have your own guys will show up?
• What do you do when one or more of your guys don’t show up?

Let me explain our procedure if this happens. First, I’ll be walking
our employee onto the jobsite on their first day with you, so I’ll
know immediately know if there is a NCNS. I’ll call them to see
if they’re en-route or not coming. If they’re not coming, I’ll call
our Recruiter to see if there is a suitable replacement. This will
provide you with options and up to date information on a solution.

Question 10

I’m too busy to meet with you.

Answer 10

When do you have time?

Question 11

Why do I have to sign a contract?

Answer 11

• In our industry, when don’t you use a contract? (bid process)
• Why wouldn’t you want an agreement where expectations are defined?

Our MSA benefits our Clients in may ways. It not only provides
expectations of services, but goes on to cover that we are the
employer of record. Therefore we are able to indemnify you from
malicious acts and Workers’ Comp claims of our employees. We
also waive our rights to subrogation if one of our employees is
injured on your jobsite. Can you see how understanding our MSA
in advance of using our services may be a benefit?

Question 12

How can you help me get more projects?

Answer 12

• Where are you comfortable bidding, geographically?
• Why are you using a [50-60] mile radius?

Question 13

When I need extra help, I borrow guys from other contractors in the area.

Answer 13

• How is that working out for you?
• Who is responsible for their injuries should they get hurt on your job?

Question 14

I’m just a small contractor with a couple of workers. We only bid small projects.

Question 15

Why can’t I hire your guys?

Answer 15

• Why would you want to hire our workers?
• When do you need extra workers, and for how long?
• What ultimately happens when the project/season ends?

Question 16

How do I know you will get me a quality worker?

Answer 16

• Tell me about your hiring process.
• What are your options when you make a bad hire?

Tradesmen’s founder was previously the owner of a large
commercial electrical construction company in Cleveland, Ohio.
We know the industry and the difference between Helper,
Apprentice, and Journeyman. Our craft workers are skill-assessed
and ranked based on their abilities. We can provide you with a
profile in advance of the employee ever stepping foot on your
jobsite.

Question 17

I am bidding everything around, but not getting any work.

Question 18

We can’t keep our own guys working - why would I use you?

Answer 18

• How many guys do you work in February?
• How many guys do you work in July?
• Have you ever estimated what the cost of hire/de-hire has on
  your bottom line?
• What eventually happens to the guys you hired on for the
  season?
• How does it make you feel to lay them off?

We can reduce the annual cost of managing a seasonal or variable
workforce.

Question 19

Things are slow right now. I’ll sign up when I need you.

Answer 19

• Why are you slow?
• In what radius are you comfortable bidding work?
• Why aren’t you winning bids?

Question 20

I would bring back the guys I laid off before I use you.

Question 21

How are you going to save me money?

Question 22

You’re too expensive.

Answer 22

Power Question:
Compared to what?

What I pay my guys.

Power Question:

If you don’t mind me asking, what do you pay them?

About $20 an hour.
Power Question:

What does that $20/hour employee actually costs you?

What do you mean, ‘costs me’?

Power Question:
What’s your burden percentage? Do you know, or want
to know, your burden percentage?

This leads to the Fully Loaded Pay Rate conversation where you’ll help the Prospect understand what their own employee costs them and exposes the true cost of Tradesmen, which generally results in overall cost savings.

Power Statement:
We help you retain more operating income, on a per project basis. We help you reduce the risks and costs associated with Workers’ Comp, unemployment, and your Payroll line of credit while increasing profitability, on a per-project basis.

The REAL Objection:
How can you do that (save me money)?
Get the Appointment:
I need 15-minutes of your time, and I’ll show you.

Question 23

You’re too expensive.

Answer 23

Power Question:
Compared to what?

What I pay my guys.

Power Question:
Let me ask you a question; how many employees do you
have during peak months, your busiest time?

25
Power Question:

How many guys do you typically have on your workforce
December, January, and February?

15
Power Question:
What does it cost you each year to reduce your
workforce to 15, and then build it back up to 25?

This leads to the Core + Flex conversation where you’ll help the Prospect understand what it costs them - in time and money - by functioning as a holdover or hire/de-hire contractor.

Power Question:
What if you could keep your 15 core workers and
not have to worry about hiring seasonal or variable employees?

How would I get the extra guys when I need them?

Power Statement:
Flex in our workers when you need them, send them
back when you don’t, and you’ll realize an annual cost savings.

The REAL Objection:
How is that going to work? (Workers to work velocity, holdover, hire/de-hire)

Get the Appointment:
I need 15-minutes of your time, and I’ll explain it.

Question 24

Your bill rates are too high.
You’re too expensive.

Answer 24

• Compared to what?
• What is your burden percentage?
• What are your costs over and above wages?

Example Power Statement:
We help you retain more operating income on a per-project basis.
We help you reduce the risks and costs associated with Workers’
Comp, unemployment, and your Payroll line of credit while
increasing profitability, on a per-project basis.

Question 25

I don’t use temporary services.

Answer 25

• Why?
• Tell me about a time when you used a service.
• What have you heard about services?

We can reduce the annual cost of managing a seasonal or variable
workforce.

Question 26

Why can’t I hire your workers?

Answer 26

• Why would you want to?
• When do you need extra workers, and for how long?
• What ultimately happens when the project/season ends?

The terms of our MSA prohibit the hiring of Tradesmen Field
Employees. If you understand our concept of “Core plus Flex”
then there would be no reason to hire our workers. You simply
use our services when it makes good fiscal sense to do so,
usually at the cyclical peaks of projects. Tradesmen also agrees
not to recruit or hire your employees, during the duration of the
agreement.