Aggravating Customers!!!!!!!!

[colorscapesinc]

Hi Guys! I would like a few opinions please. I have my clients on annual contracts and it seems as if each year several become upset just as spring time rolls around due to the fact that they have been paying during the winter months and possibly feel that they are not getting there money's worth. I guess they seem to forget that the were recieving an awesome price throughout the ENTIRE growing season. What is your average customer turnover per year? What do you do? Simply hold them to the grindstone and let them bad mouth you in the community or let them out of the contract. It seems that the visits that are perfect and in the snooty neighborhoods are the one's that will give you the trouble. I have a great business and good rep in not only lawn maintenance, but also in landscape installation, lighting, and irrigation. I sometimes wonder if it is worth risking my reputation on such a large scale for these few knuckle heads that have more money than brains! It just seems that you just can't make some people happy, no matter what you do! Opinions please?!?!?! Do you just walk away and hope they do little to hurt your rep or do you continue to attempt to please them and allow them to try to run your name in the ground to others in the community that are high end residential customers as well as business owner's? You can also email me at colorscapesinc@alltel.net if you would like. Thanks and may God Bless You!

[work it]

If those same people finance a car and the car breaks down are they still obligated to make the payments while the car is getting repaired? If they finance a summer house but only use it a total of 3 months per year are they obligated to make payments the 9 months they're not living in it? I would use examples like these when explaining their payment programs, and then offer them the same services broken down over 9 monthly payments. You may also want to explain to them that they're the ones benifiting from a 12 month payment program. You've completed the work but don't have the money readily available and aren't charging them interest. This is precisely one of the reasons I don't offer 12 month payment programs.

[colorscapesinc]

Good points and advice well taken. I will consider the 9 month payment idea for certain.

[LLee]

I like the 10 month billing cycle. Its even numbers and customers aren't paying me for months when I'm not visiting their properties. Jan and Feb I simply don't get paid. March through dec. I get 10 equal payments and mow approximately 40 times during those 10 months. Dec. is usually one maybe two cuts here, but I bill for full month because some months get 5 mows during the year. I just take the price to mow and multiply it by 4 and that is the monthly payment. All other services are extra and are billed during the month provided. You have to save for the mortgage payment in Jan and Feb though.

[MGO]

I charge on a monthly basis for the work I did that month. Works great for me.

[Scaper-S2k]

Bill it in 10 months. March-December.