Starting To Worry In Hooterville........

[steve-o]

as of today i have 35 mowing and app customers who haven't got back on the ship yet. 2 have disconnected phones, 2 have lost their jobs, and 3 have their houses up for sale due to the economy. last year at this time i had everybody back except for the ones i cut loose. a friend of mine who has a larger business is having the same problem as he has lost over 20 contract customers with 12 in one neighborhood which happens to be the same one i'm hit hardest in. as of right now i only have one new customer and i have been busy, but with the old ones and this week we haven't done anything due to a foot of snow that fell sunday and monday. looks like it's gonna be a tough year.....................


steve

[Spoiled]

Good luck guys. I can see people cutting the lawn boys loose since most of my customers have lawnmowers just being lazy and not wanting to cut it.

I am starting calling mine this week and so far one moved but wants me to maintain while on the market so how long that might be is up in the air. Good thing is that it is in a 500k subdivision and those houses are not moving fast.

[btammo]

Commercial mowing boys....they always need it done. it is more cut throat but it pays the bills. This is the year to be diverse. Do as many "other" things as possible, that you normally wouldnt do.

And if all else fails, move to Indiana since according to Sporty, there is no recession there and it is business as usual.

[Bulldog26]

If that is what sporty is saying he dosn't know what happening just north of him. It's very bad just an hour north.

bt

[Stephen M.]

The caretaker of one of my big residential accounts called to say that they will be doing their own fertilizing this year, although we still have the mowing.

Last September we did a fert/weed control/fungicide app to the lawn and charged $450 for the service. No problem and no Beech. I did another app in November and dropped the price to $400. He beeched about the price; this coming from a businessman who uses the place to entertain business associates and wanted it to look nice always. I said no problem, subsequent apps would be less expensive since I was doing catch up on the yard with the first 2 apps.

Well since alot has gone into the crapper since November, I will count my blessings that I still have the mowing account.

[no brown lawns]

After reviewing a trade mag this week I came across an article that we as LCO's QUOTE: "should take the opportunity to point out that having a well-maintained lawn can be a rather inexpensive pleasure." "People will always have pride in where they live." "The economy may be slipping, but keeping one's home and yard looking nice is something people won't give up. And people will likely be spending more time at home this year so they will want a nice looking yard, even more han in the past."
While homeowners may begin the year trying to do more of the yard work themselves, President of Ohio Lawn Care Association, Davfid Hofacre states that will wear off.
"By the time summer rolls around and there are so many things taking up homeowners' time, they need professional help."



Let's hope he's right.!

Hang in there.

I'm fortunately lucky I've been able to referbish needed landscapes and picking up new fert customers along the way.

[btammo]

You can spin it either way, but there are still alot of people who are barely able to keep their homes, let alone pay someone to take care of it. Even the people who will plan on doing it this year again, may possibly be shopping your price to other LCO. Its cut throat this year boys....hunker down and ride the storm.

[steve-o]

Another Thing I Noticed...............

You can spin it either way, but there are still alot of people who are barely able to keep their homes, let alone pay someone to take care of it. Even the people who will plan on doing it this year again, may possibly be shopping your price to other LCO. Its cut throat this year boys....hunker down and ride the storm.

i've got people who i mow for who used the big deals for their applications that are switching to me this year because in the total picture i'm cheaper than these big national chains. i would like to think i do a better job, but so far the ones switching say it's the $$$ issue.

steve

[spotremix]

Commercial mowing boys....they always need it done. it is more cut throat but it pays the bills. This is the year to be diverse. Do as many "other" things as possible, that you normally wouldnt do.

And if all else fails, move to Indiana since according to Sporty, there is no recession there and it is business as usual.

If that is what sporty is saying he dosn't know what happening just north of him. It's very bad just an hour north.

bt

i'm just speaking for myself and the people i personally know. right now i've lost 1 client saying he's gonna do it himself, that he worked out a deal with his neighbor to use his mower.

of all the people i know family and friends alike i haven't heard any complaints or any of them saying there cutting back on spending. that doesn't mean the people around me that i don't know aren't cutting back either.

i know it's bad some places but for me, my family and all the other people i know it's business as usual so far.

right now i don't expect a huge drop if any in clients because most of my clients can't physically do it themselves.

[MASTERMOWER]

Greener Pasture

I'm moving to Indiana.

[Bulldog26]

Don't come to Elkhart!

[steve-o]

College Boy Can Come To Hooterville.............

Don't come to Elkhart!

:alien: :alien: :alien:

steve-o

[clclawn]

I'm moving to Indiana.

NO!!!!!!

You guys are the one who elected a democrate for a gov. So deal with it.







Leave us alone.

[steve-o]

I Lost Another Today..............

this guy has been with me for 5 years and called today to stop his service because he can't afford it anymore. this is the same neighborhood where i'm taking a big hit........$300 to $500k homes with mostly late 20's to 40 year olds. this guy is mid 30's and a college professor.

steve

[highlander316]

sorry to hear of the troubles. Did you advertise at all?