Hydro vac industry

[Haggis]

Wondering if anyone on here works in the industry? I have been offered a position in a start up company for a hydro vac/pressure vac company and want to gain a better appreciation for the industry. My role would be sales and marketing based.

Any general feedback would be appreciated. I have heard frustrations about poor customer service within the industry, slow work being done by pressure vac units locating underground utilities, frustrations with the larger companies Badger, Everready etc. This suggests there is room to grow for a new company with a strong focus on customer satisfaction?

Comments/pms welcomed.

Cheers..............Al

 

[Summitric]

Good luck haggis on your new venture..... Hope it works out well. Sounds like there is room for a company like that!

 

[steveo10]

i have a hydrovac...

seems like quality control goes out the window with the bigger companies. guys like the owner/operator idea!

 

[imdoo'n]

why do you want to find the pipe, as soon as you do you are looking for a new job. takes a while to figure out for new guys, the faster you go the less money you make. your job is to charge as much as possible for doing as little as possible.

 

[tmix]

i agree with steve10, the bigger the company the longer the job seems to take, i also own a hydro-vac unit, customer satisfaction is always our top concern along with working safely...

 

[OVERKILL 19]

Wondering if anyone on here works in the industry? I have been offered a position in a start up company for a hydro vac/pressure vac company and want to gain a better appreciation for the industry. My role would be sales and marketing based.

Any general feedback would be appreciated. I have heard frustrations about poor customer service within the industry, slow work being done by pressure vac units locating underground utilities, frustrations with the larger companies Badger, Everready etc. This suggests there is room to grow for a new company with a strong focus on customer satisfaction?

Comments/pms welcomed.

Cheers..............Al

It sucks!!! LOL

 

[Haggis]

For the owner/operator business - is it tough to get on the big companies vendor lists? Any advice for contact lists etc?

In my search for information it seems that all companies seem to market the same way/have their websites saying the same basic things etc. In this industry what is really important to the customer - speed, reliability, proffesionalism, new equipment, multiple units to accomodate larger jobs etc?

 

[Haggis]

i have a hydrovac...

seems like quality control goes out the window with the bigger companies. guys like the owner/operator idea!

Have heard that quite a lot - lot of negative comments floating around about the bigger guys .......not all fair comments likely but certainly quality control is a reccurring theme.

 

[imdoo'n]

new units is #1 in the oilpatch, mutiple units in case of break downs and thy happen like clock work. 1 hr work, 1 hr fixing. drivers who can drive and know how to run the unit, big rain coats, lots of luck.

seen trucks on there side, hydraulic fluid everywhere, trucks stuck over the deck, have fun, safety is #1 until it starts to cost money.

 

[Dadbro]

I work in the patch and we utilize Hydrovacs from time to time doing line locates. Around here, Slave Lake area, most of the companies are smaller or independent companies. Service for the most part is good but could always use improvement. I feel the operators of the units are qualified but to get your foot in the door Reps need to keep on top of keeping their company name in the face of the customers. With the fields getting older and the pipeline failures increasing I feel there is room for new eager companies to move in.

 

[imdoo'n]

Have heard that quite a lot - lot of negative comments floating around about the bigger guys .......not all fair comments likely but certainly quality control is a reccurring theme.

you will hear negative comments from everyone who is a competitor, the big guys have the trucks, equipment and experience to get the job done, the smaller operators are usually abused, pushed hard, and underpaid until they get established. the big guys can come in and undercut you if they want the job. it's dog eat dog, find out how you can do a better job or what you can provide that no one else is. the oil industry is an old boys club and you must break into that group.

 

[Haggis]

On costing is $185/hr the standard rate - how much wheeling and dealing goes on re pricing?

Is there much utlisation of vac truck in agriculture?

 

[Summiteer]

On costing is $185/hr the standard rate - how much wheeling and dealing goes on re pricing?

Is there much utlisation of vac truck in agriculture?

The smaller guys we've dealt with here seem to have a couple of prices; one for the patch and a lower price if they're doing a job for a homeowner or small outfit. They are the ones getting a call next time. Big outfits (Badger) not so much.

 

[Mtn-guy]

Wondering if anyone on here works in the industry? I have been offered a position in a start up company for a hydro vac/pressure vac company and want to gain a better appreciation for the industry. My role would be sales and marketing based.

Any general feedback would be appreciated. I have heard frustrations about poor customer service within the industry, slow work being done by pressure vac units locating underground utilities, frustrations with the larger companies Badger, Everready etc. This suggests there is room to grow for a new company with a strong focus on customer satisfaction?

Comments/pms welcomed.

Cheers..............Al

I think service has to be the number one proiorty, I have done sales in the Oil and Gas industry for years and everything comes back to good service, if you prove above average service for the customer they will always call you.

 

[Summiteer]

On costing is $185/hr the standard rate - how much wheeling and dealing goes on re pricing?

Is there much utlisation of vac truck in agriculture?

The smaller guys we've dealt with here seem to have a couple of prices; one for the patch and a lower price if they're doing a job for a homeowner or small outfit. They are the ones getting a call next time. Big outfits (Badger) not so much. Depends on the rig too. The little one ton units are cheaper by the hour than the big triaxles but take longer to do the same job and can't haul near as much.

 

[Haggis]

The little one ton units are cheaper by the hour than the big triaxles but take longer to do the same job and can't haul near as much.

I would think that would make them more suited to specialized/difficult/sensitive area access??? What is the capacity of the small trucks vs the larger units?

 

[Dadbro]

One more thing with the patch is " Your only as good as your last job" I have seen every contractor come through the gates at least once.

 

[Summiteer]

I would think that would make them more suited to specialized/difficult/sensitive area access??? What is the capacity of the small trucks vs the larger units?

That's where they are good. They can go places the bigger ones can't , theres always a trade off. No machine is perfect for all situations.

 

[steveo10]

For the owner/operator business - is it tough to get on the big companies vendor lists? Any advice for contact lists etc?

In my search for information it seems that all companies seem to market the same way/have their websites saying the same basic things etc. In this industry what is really important to the customer - speed, reliability, proffesionalism, new equipment, multiple units to accomodate larger jobs etc?

Yes its hard to get on the big companies vendors list...

some have 100pages to fill out (Fortis)
some you have to be sponsored (Penwest,Apache)
some are straight up dicks and dont let you on their list (Husky)

We have normal bodyjobs as well. We have gave up on the big companies. They seem to always have a contract with a big Hvac or vac companies. Also the amount of money of PR work they spent... cant compete with that. lol

Its hard to say what is more important to the customer. They all are important and should be maintained to the highest standard of course. Safety and equipment would rank up there. Guys love seeing new,shiny equipment rolling in. If it works well, thats a bonus. :d

 

[Longhorn]

$185 an hour...I will use you down here LOL

We pay $150 travel time, and $250hr every day...DFI, Badger, C&K, all the same rate!

Oh, and as far as what it takes to get in with us...have a truck available when we call...first time we call and you cant provide a unit, we call the next in line and use them until they let us down. Personally I feel price is important, but I would rather pay a little more for great service and qualified workers.