Annoying customers

[Grassboy]

I have a customer who is a very kind couple, but they are as annoying as hell. While I am mowing the lawn they keep stopping me. "Jeff, are you going to get that spot trimed in the back?" They say. Or something like that, and I am not even done!!! I have so much time wasted on that lawn at least an hour each time I mow it, and it is a tiny lawn! I am not getting paid enough to stop that much. How would you handle someone like??

[lawnforce1]

We have learned from wasting at least two hours a day to a certain property manager to hide whenever we see her van coming down the road. As for residential customers we just pause, nod and keep moving. Sometimes we pretend that they aren't wanting to talk to us.

[Charles]

WE all have these type of customers at one time or another. Just tell them nicely and sternly that you haven't finished yet. Never turn your equipment off when they start to talk. And just keep moving. Working with the public is a pain in the ass and now u just starting to get a taste of it

[Charles]

Lawnforce we said about the same thing lol. I didnt see your post first

[lawnforce1]

Yeah, no kidding! I had to read yours twice because I was wanting to post again to agree with you!

[yardsmith]

best thing to do is try to set up your schedule so that these types of lawns are done when they're NOT HOME! Can't always be done every time but I find a way if they're bad enuf. Also I tell them at the first instance that I'm not done with the lawn until you see my trailer loaded & me starting the truck.<br>You are probably getting this because of your age. The younger you are, the dumber the public thinks you are. I'm 31 & I get it from an occaisional new customer who isn't used to my methods. If it's a recuuring problem, I get more firm with them that it's my business, & I do things in a particular order for efficiency. If they have a prob. with that, I drop them. I will not let a cust. tell me how to do my job.<p>----------<br>Smitty ô¿ô<br>

[Grassboy]

Yardsmith-<br>I still don't quite get how you can act sternly to a customer and still seem &quot;nice&quot;. In my case, since I am 16 yrs. old, I always feel as if my stern attitude I sometimes use comes across as disrespectful. This is a reacurring problem though, what should I do? Also, when billing should you call ahead of time to inform customers of an addition charge you have given for something like having to mow the lawn 3 times because the customeer doesn't like the clumping. I just tried calling a lady that told me to cut it down to 3&quot; when it was at about 7&quot; to begin w/. Took me 2 hrs. (I mow by myself). I was so angry that night I called her up and told her, trying to be kind but stern, that I was going to charge her $15 extra. Not very significant of a charge. We were both talking on the phone for a while beating around the bush, both of us trying to seem nice when we were actually both pissed off at each other. She is SOOO ANNOYING! i AM planning to just send her the invoice w/ the extra fee on it. What should I do? Their family is pretty wealthy, but are soooooooooooo cheap! I can't figure out what to do. Help!<br>

[Charles]

The thing to do Grassboy is to agree on a price BEFORE you do any work. And if you are not happy with the offer for your services including the extra work required. Dont feel you have to do the job. Too stressful to go home and think about how much someone is taking advantage of you. If the grass is high and they want it cut low. Negociate the price before you unload any equipment and be prepared to drive away. If they are not home call them later and tell them it will cost more money for extra work still before you do it.

[Grassboy]

Thanks charles I think I see my promblem now. Anyone else care to share about their annoying residential customer experiances, and how they solved the problem.<br>

[accuratelawn]

I had an old couple that would follow us around the yard as we worked. You would have to ask every time if they wanted the grass bagged, etc.<br>One time she asked if we could water the yard. She gave us a couple hoses and sprinklers. The only reason I did it was that I wanted to mow it the following week.<br>Turned on the hoses and left to service a couple other accounts. Returned to put hoses and sprinklers away.<br>The following week she accused &quot;that man&quot; (my Dad worked with me that day) of taking her sprinkler.<br>After searching the garage I found the sprinkler under some boxes (not even close to where I put them)<br>Some old folks need a HOBBY!

[Grassboy]

Accurate lawn,<p>How do you deal w/ people like that? It is sooo time consuming!<br>

[Charles]

Accuratelawn, you think that is bad. I had a regular customer accuse my of taking a small landscape timber lol. It was the mans wife who I never had dealt with before. What happend was i would ride by the timber and the vibration made it roll down the hill and into the wood i found it later

[accuratelawn]

We got to the point that we would not drive the truck to their house. We did a lawn around the corner. Drive the mower up, mow trim etc. then not on the door for payment.<br>They moved this fall. Dam!<br>Now in similar situations be polite but brief. &quot;Way behind today, got to get going.&quot;<br>

[Keith]

I don't have too many nuts to deal with :) I will stop and speak to most of them for a few minutes. Overall it might take 30 minutes extra every couple of days, not enough to throw me off schedule too bad. <p>I had a couple that would not accuse, but question if you took things. They were missing a bucket one time and asked if we took it. Turned out their son had it. They gave us some two cycle motorcycle oil one time in a gallon jug, probably been in the garage 15 years. The next week they wanted the jug back, they wanted us to transfer the oil into another container and give em back there milk jug. LOL. I just took it to get rid of it, not to use, and the wanted there jug back! These are the ones I try to avoid. :)

[yardsmith]

hey grassboy-<br>I am nice when I am also stern because I do it with a smile on my face :)<br>If I stop & they ask me to do extra work, right there is the fork in the road. If I like them, I might say sure, I can get that for you this time....... If they are on my s--- list so to speak, I tell them right when they ask me that it will be a LITTLE extra, esp. if they're asking for freebies all the time. 2 freebies is usually my limit per customer cuz I'm a nice guy. That does not include major tasks like baging, etc. but small stuff like a few leaves here & there, etc. You'll also notice that your better customers are mature enough to offer to pay extra for such things- that is so cool when they appreciate you. <br>A major factor in helping your biz in situations like this is to be nonchalant & very business like when talking numbers. I used to him haw & be buddy-buddy with customer in order to win their affection , & get extra $$ for extra work. That was then.<br>Today it's cut & dry, with no emotion involved- that way they don't try to take advantage of your just starting out. If you act & sound like a professional (for your age- don't try to act like a 35 yr.old), you'll average more respect across the board.<br>Be straight & to the point & be on your way-&quot;got alot of work to catch up on; we'll see ya next week&quot;<br>Bottom line- it depends on how well you like the customer.<p>----------<br>Smitty ô¿ô<br>

[southside]

Grassboy,<br> Just tell them quietly that the <br>voices in your head say that you must kill<br>again and quietly walk away.I gaurantee that<br>they will leave you in peace after this.<br>Trust me. :)<p>Karl<br>

[Grassboy]

Southside, <p>Have you seriously tried that before?

[southside]

Grassboy,<br> No I haven't yet. I work alone while slashing and all my mowing work is<br>commercial,so I don't have all those aching<br>nagging annoying residential customers.<br>Seriously if this customer is being a pain<br>then try charging them by the hour.<p>Karl<br>