Just in the last month I have lost 2 flights to "freebee flyers". I spent two weeks in constant correspondence with each client. Over numerous e-mails we coordinated and I even answered their questions on what they should be doing to ensure that they get a good deal on their plane. By the way, they get the price of the services in the first email they get from me. So they liked the price and they continue to lead me on. They then drag me on for two weeks then say that they will give me a date they want the plane moved in the next e-mail.... and the next e-mail never comes...
I'm in the aircraft sales business. We do both brokerage (helping clients sell their plane) and acquisition services (helping clients buy a plane).
In this line of work, the largest part of why we're valuable comes from our expertise. It's essentially consulting services. We're not really selling a tangible product. The tangible product, the airplane, is not ours. The intangible product of making the deal go smoothly, protecting the client from common pitfalls, negotiating on behalf of the client, getting the best deal possible, and so on is what we sell. We are selling knowledge.
Plenty of potential customers spend hours talking to us about what their goals are, what they want to do, and how to best go about doing it, only to walk away and complete deals on their own without ever signing a contract with us. It's part of the game we play. We have to give out a certain amount of information in order for prospective clients to see the value of our services and trust us, yet we can't give out too much assistance without a contract, because then we're giving away the only thing we're able to sell, which is knowledge.
We accept this as a reality of the business we're in. It's not something to get upset about. It's something to plan for and build a business model around. Maybe you should do the same.
By the way...all that free advice you give out to help people get the best deal on a plane...should I be mad at you for undercutting me?
I send a follow up e-mail and the reply is always the same...
"I found a local commercial pilot who flew it for expenses only. They wanted the hours. Thank you for your time. you have been a great help and youre very profesional. If I, or a freind ever need a ferry pilot in the future I will be sure to contact you again!"
You may not feel threatened, but you should. Because when the other locals at the airport see something like that, they know that a FREE option is available. Just the notion that a FREE option is out there, makes YOUR services less valuable.
No it doesn't. I can get a free burger using a coupon at Burger King, but that doesn't mean the $12 burger at Granite City is somehow worthless. They are two different products for two different prices.
It sounds like you need to do a better job of communicating why your services *are* more valuable than the free guy. They are, indeed, more valuable...right?
I don't know what your angle is, but your job from Day 1 needs to be politely expressing why your client shouldn't even consider using anyone but yourself. You're insured but the other guy isn't, you're going to take better care of the plane, you have a more flexible schedule, or maybe it's as simple as the client just LIKES you better. I don't know. All I'm saying is, if you actually are worth more, educate the client on why.
It cheapens our industry and destroys our prospects for making a decent living.
Only if you let it. I'm making a fine living with all kinds of jokers around me.
As usual, pilots are the pilots worst enemies.
I'll agree with you on this one. Particularly within the airline/freight/CFI sectors where everyone is pretty much interchangeable and there are stacks of equally qualified pilots waiting to take the job if you don't do it. But those jobs are simply commodities. Bus drivers in the sky. Pass training and don't piss anyone off and everyone is equal, just cogs in a machine.
Not so much among ferry pilots. It's more of a capitalistic market. Lots of niches and angles to play. If one can't make money, it's more an issue of an inadequate business model than being undercut. If other pilots undercutting you are a consistent problem, you need to change your business model to address the problem.
A long time ago somebody gave me advice about flight instructing. It applies equally well to ferrying. They said, "If you try to compete on price alone, you'll lose every time. There's always somebody out there willing to do it cheaper. The way to get ahead is by giving clients the best value possible for their money."
