Ever limit your services to a customer?

[RYAN]

I will do this if I have a anal customer who likes to wine a lot. If they are a regular mow customer and they ask for fertilizing or bush trimming or whatever I will tell them I don't do these things even though I do. I find it easier to just to lie to these people since I know how picky they are about mowing I try to limit my services to them as much as possible since I know they will find something to complain about no matter what. Anyone else ever do that?

[TJLC]

I would prefer to just mow, but that never seems to happen. Someone always wants you to do more. On my commericals I expect to do it all because they like to deal with just one person for everything if possible. Residentials I never offer more than mowing. If they ask for more I usually say yes, depending on what it is and what kind of customer they are and if it's something I can do.

[Roger]

Ryan, why do you wish to be in an adversarial relationship with a customer like that? Is there some satisfaction derived from this approach? Move on to other customers.

Lying to a customer??? Is there more satisfaction gained from this behavior?

You must be intending to be in the business for a limited time period. Integrity and honest are in short supply. Your approach to running the business speaks to the customer base (just not your particular customer) about the industry, which is unfair to those choosing to conduct themselves otherwise.

[Stinger]

I know alot of guys that just sub out the stuff that they rather not mess with. Maybe you just need to find someone that will tie up these loose ends for you and can still be able to make a buck or two in the process. On the other hand don't cut off your nose to spite your face. I have one employee that can gross more by lunchtime applying fertilizer than you or I could by cutting all day. Never turn down a chance to make money. I sure would hate to lose an account just because they didn't whine enough at me to do something besides mow.

[joshua]

well, ryan personly money is money to me doesn't matter who it comes from, most of my customers are very picky too, if i'm not fully shaved sometimes they grab at my goat.but they love the work i do in the yard,so i do the work. and i get paid, i don't know about you but right now no girlfriend or wife so i can work all day if i want, i really don't mind with the money i make.

[John DiMartino]

Ryan,your punishing yourself-what for?if their money is green-which it is,or you wouldnt mow for them-you just shot yourself in the foot by turning down the work-bid it for a good profit-if they dont want it then-OK,but to deny you do it-

[awm]

Ryan, I had one so bad Id avoid him much as I could
Iknow my self and I knew it wouldnt do for me to be around him much.Its still hard to tell somebody you just dont want to work forum though.Almost snobby or something.

[bobbygedd]

ryan, i had a customer for the last 4 years, nice property, i did nice job, still shes on the phone 5 times a week complaining about nothing, seemed she just liked me to call her back cus when i did, the problem was solved. so, this is what i did: i told her to get somebody else cus u r a pain in my neck! u call my number constantly over nothing, and sometimes at 5 am. this is the same service my other customers get, and they r all happy. well, 3 days later she called back and said sorry and asked if i will continue service, i said ok, as long as the harassment stops, cus if i have to take time to answer complaints to problems that dont exsist, i will charge accordingly. that was last july, and she has renewed with me this season. some people r imposible to please, u r not a slave and dont take the crap. BOB

[Craig Turf Management]

There is no way that I would deal with a client that I felt I had to lie to. If they are such a P.I.T.A., just say bye-bye and replace them.
Bill

[LScom Addict]

I believe that stone hit the head on the nail when he said that if a customer cannot pay for our services up front that we are heading for headaches. If they cannot pay your price whatever that price may be you are wasting productive time and should move on to customers who will pay the price for a full service LCO.

[turfguy33]

My business is Ohio Valley Lawn Services, thus anything and everthing that can be done to the lawn is my job, I try to learn something else, just so I can have another service to offer. As a matter of fact, last week, I ran some drain tile for an ederly man, it was ran underground about 30 foot away from his house.......And my back still hurts, but I got paid well, very well.....If a customer complains alot, and you still do the service, then I feel like they are just testing the waters, seeing how you respond, if they go overboard with it, don't refuse the work, just ask them, "hey, How's my performance", "good or bad", if they say bad, but are still paying, oh well, Money is what makes the grass grow so to speak. No matter what a customer says to me, I don't take it personal, its just business.....take there money and go to the next job.......

[kutnkru]

I like to take the One-Stop-Shop approach with all our clientel. I have to make at least so much per client otherwise, its on to the next paying customer and they get a referral to a mowing only service.

I think that it would be rather hard to justify the costs of a full service contract divided up into just mowing per week. However, if they are willing to go for the cutting at that price, then take them on by all means!!!;)

Good Luck this season!
Kris

[bob]

The only thing that I really turn down is large landscape installations. I don't have the time or equipment to do someting like this. Sqeezing a fert.or hedge job in here or there is no problem. Most customers want one person to mow, fertilize, trim hedges, ect.. If your lawn customer introduces some one else to do landscape maintenance , you'll probably lose that customer.