How would you handle this

[nick11380]

I've been cutting lawn for a customer on a 5 day schedule. Sunday was the fifth day so I went there to cut the lawn. I get 1/4 done cutting the grass and the guys wife comes out and tells me she called her husband. She tells me that he wants me to stop cutting the grass and come back on wednesday that he has some other yard work to do and I should cut the lawn then. He had told me last week that he had yard work for me on wednesday and I should come back to cut the lawn in 5 days. Would you charge them something for wasting your time or would you let it go?

[highlander316]

Charge them because they did not inform you ahead of time. Don't let them control you, you control your business.

[Lehighscapes]

is it a custome you know or knows your other customers? is there more potential work there? Some things to think about.charging him for your time may be foolish if there is more money to be made there, and also his recommendation of you to others. Catch your loss in a later invoice????

[Littleriver1]

Call the husband and talk to him directly. He seems to be the one giving out instructions. There's nothing like conversation to take away the mystery. Ask him how he wants to handle your time. If you let him off the hook, then the next time they'll think twice before they make the mistake. It may be that he just didn't think about what he was saying. If she interrupted him at work he may not have had enough time to think about what he was saying. Be prepared to walk away from this one in the near future. Is this a $500.00 per year customer or a $3000.00 per year? For a $3000.00 customer, I would bite the bullet. You need to talk to the husband eather way.

[Seascape]

He's been giving you 5 day cuts. Those are getting harder to come by anymore. Id call him and tell him you have no problem showing up and not getting a cut but for scheduling purposes youll have to go 10 days on it now to get it back in the route.

Id still show on Wednesday to perform the other work he has for you.

I wouldnt make to big of a deal of ths one.

[Scaper-S2k]

I agree with Seascape, no reason to get too worked up about it.