Customer Conflict

[jdjoe_97]

Here is the situation. I have been mowing this ladies lawn for two years. This year I raised my rates accross the board. She goes to church with me and I heard it about the rate increase. A measly $3 per mow. Well the prob is I showed up last week to mow her lawn. She said "Are you going to mow my lawn already??" "It will just keep growing once you cut it." I thought gee whiz, your 70+ years old and you don't know that your lawn needs cut! Because it really needed it. So she said let it wait. I told her fine, see you next week. She said "Will it be next Wed.?" becuase it was Wed. when I was having this conversation. I told her I had no idea when I would get back.

This happened last season too. I would stop every week, usually in 7 days, or 10 if it was dry. She would do her best to talk me into waiting a few days. So what do I do. I am thinking I should raise her rate to a "2 week rate". My father who is in business with me says he has had it with her. If I am getting $30 now should I just double it, or increase it by 50%. I hate people who constantly thing they are the only yard I am responsible. Joe

[cajuncutter]

usually I will tell the customer if it is going to be every 2 weeks then the price doubles plus 10% for the strain my equipment goes under. Usually they either give in and let me do it every week or they decide they will find someone else that can better suit their needs :D ..in some cases there are those few yards out there that hardly grow due to soil probles and what not..these i will do every 2 weeks...and I never take on 10 day accounts...i just pass those up

[John DiMartino]

I wont let a customer call the shots-if they want to -then its twice as much+ a service charge ,since she interuppted your route.I do not want a customer like that,to be efficient you need top schedule your work-not them,to make money,and not stress out the turf to much, you need to cut once a week,during growing season.Id drop her,since she sounds bitter and nasty-she will only bad mouth you and your work to others,so drop her now,unless she' s willing to pay double,or have you put her on your weekly schedule,and pay like everyone else.

[jeffyr]

Tell her Bubye.
Sounds like too much trouble.. Wasted time and money.

[Runner]

That's not to mention that by the time you get over there, the money is already spent on time and GAS. This is just the first time, let alone the second. Think about your job costing. What part of the job costs you the most money? I'm willing to bet that it's getting TO the job and then AWAY from the job. I don't know what kind of equipment YOU run, but my trucks each use ALOT more gas than any of my machinery.

[bob]

That whole story sounds like a customer that I have. I"ll probably can her next year. I've had her for 6 years and every year gets worse and worse. Her lawn should be cut a 3.5" and she had me cut it at 2.5". What a mess I'd make every time I was there. I'm going to tell her that I'm only doing commercial lawns and will not be able to service her turf any more.

[Acute Cut]

Dont can here. It is hard for old ppl to find good honest service. stick it out with her. Put her on a bi weekly schedule for every other wednesday. End of story. This should make her happy, saves money, and it saves your routing schedule.

[thelawnguy]

Your dad sounds like a pretty smart fellow.

Take his advice.

[joshua]

they may pay you and they are the boss, but their is so much work out there you can pick up 5 lawns in one day without even passing out 1 flier or any advertisment.
tell her you are the man in the yard and that you know the yard better than she does and what it needs because its your job. lay down the line and if she doesn't like it, be very nice and professional and let her go, even give her the names of other contractors to give them the headache( if you don't like a guy). good luck to you

[cos]

They ar the type of customers that I like to see other LCO's cutting. Cut her loose and let her give the next guy grief.