starting out customer problems

[windshadow]

Hi: just starting out. The first week was not to bad did 5 one time cuts,2 clean ups. All from flyers I put out. I had a customer call me they said they would like to have me give them a price for cuttting, some clean up weeding and so on. I talked with the wife first she is the one that called first.then I set up the work with the hubby. The grass was over 14 inches in the back he said they had someone cuttting it then they just did not show up anymore? well I did the 1st cutting he said he wanted me only to cut every 2 weeks and nothing else. after a week went by I call and the wife picked up the phone ,I let her know I would be by next week to cut and what day I would be there. She then asked why I did not weed clean gutters and do stuff that she had asked me to do when she first called .I told her that hubby did not want to do any of that and to only cut she said well that is between you and my husband. Next week I show up to cut there is a note on the door we have not had any rain grass does not need to be cut would you do some weeding and the check was there with the note.I cleaned up the the front flower bed appx 30 feet long and 8 foot wide full of weeds and over growth, filled in holes that there golden retiever made along the front of the house in the shrubs,pulled all the weeds in the scrubs all in all 2 hrs woth of work and one 33 gal bag full to the top with weeds.I took the check for 60.00 and left them a note saying I would call over the weekend to set up next cut.I called on the weekend the wife picks up ,she said hubby was not in and then told me she was not happy with the amount of work done for the pay recieved.I told her I spent more time on the weeding than the lawn would normaly take to cut and that if she needed me to do more yard work that I would come and give them a price she then said hubby would call me later.I did not recieve a call so I called and left a message that I would no longer be doing there lawn sevice.it seems like the reason there other lawn service quit coming may have been for the same reasons not sure do you get this alot?

[grassguy]

If I were you, next time I would set a price with the customer for add on services beforehand such as weeding beds. That way, you are both on the same page as far as price and expectations of the work go. By not really discussing the work with them, you put yourself out there for them to treat you like they did.

[Seascape]

you put yourself out there for them to treat you like they did.

I agree.

There are probally under lying reasons the old LCO dont show anymore. Ive found more often than not its a negative cutomer,,,VS a bad LCO.

Consider yourself lucky you got paid.

Thing about it,,, sounds like your not clueless. Sounds like you have a pretty good take on what just transpired,,, and that you actually arent surprised. Perhaps you saw this coming?

What was your thoughts on that note on the door? What was going through your mind while weeding and filling holes that day?

Why didnt you react to your gut on this one? You woulda came out looking more professional. And you woulda felt better about it in the end,,, even though you still would have lost the client.

[jrservices]

This acct I would drop. Not sure if you are in that position, but sounds like more of a pain in the azz than it's worth.

[windshadow]

thanks guys

I am just putting this customer down to live and learn. I am in a position of being able to pick the customers I would like to have so for me its not painful to loose this one. I have decided I want to stick with mowe and blow type jobs for me it should work fine and in the winter I will just have to learn how to take it easy. thanks again for the feed back.

[kiddinla]

Set a limit; for instance, 3 weeks. Inform them that there will be an extra charge if 3 weeks go by without cutting or mulching. Your price cannot be for a yard in "any" condition. I don't know why customers fight a schedule so much; It's easier all the way around. I pull a few weeds for my regulars each time, and it never gets out of hand. In their mind, they think it's easier to call you when it's bad. I know it's hard to lay down the law in the beginning, but try your best to do it in a way where it sounds like it's beneficial to them. If all fails, tell them that you have to give your regular customers priority, and you can be available to do their yard on a schedule - (pay first only). If the check isn't there, don't do it. Good Luck.

[jgc8fan]

If all fails, tell them that you have to give your regular customers priority, and you can be available to do their yard on a schedule - (pay first only). If the check isn't there, don't do it. Good Luck.

Good advice there... If you get a customer that pays by leaving checks, and you aren't getting a good vibe from that person then DO NOT service their yard if they don't leave a check. Maybe they just forgot, but that is where you get into situations where you wind up not getting paid.

Some of my better customers (only one or two) I let slide if I have a good idea that it was an accident, but I've lost money, or at worst took forever to get paid when I mow without a check. That's why we started invoicing monthly this year, and it's solved "most" of that problem.