Unprofessionalism killing the industry!!!

[LoneStarLawn]

I have seen time and time again about posts about this customer doing this and this customer doing that. Many members have posted revenge "techniques" to get back at these customers and not to my surprise a handful of members agreeing with the posts on using profanity with customers and tactics on getting back at them. What is it doing for the rest of us as an industry? I'll tell you... It is hurting us. We complain how a lot of customers do not see us as professionals and do not want to pay professional pricing. I wonder why? All I can say is ...If you want to be treated like a professional then act like one.

[Fantasy Lawns]

no better way said .....we should only expect to be treated as we treat others ....n' if the occasional #$%@hole jumps out ...just move on :->

[lawnboy82]

i agree. however there are some people who you are nice to, really kiss their a$$ when you are trying to get the work, you start and they are all over you for this that and the other thing. not all people are great to work for. you gotta keep that in mind. i love workin for most of my customers and never badmouth them or anything. in fact i praise them in conversations with other customers. like " i do work at this place out here and they tell me that they are very happy with my work and what not." never get into the paying thing unless it is with a friend of mine who has a business of his own. cause that is just in our best interest. but there are some people who try to suck you into doing things for free, or whatever. so it isnt just us.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Lonestar,
I agree with you 100%. However I doubt that the unprofessional LCO's will become professional by being lectured. What needs to happen is for them to see the difference, or actually see what it's like for them to act like that. I had a similar experience. I saw one fellow do something (cut corners) that I was doing and I saw how bad it came off. After that, I never did it again. I always strive to present the most professional appearance and interact with clients in the same manner. Should we have to part company, it stays business, it doesn't get personal, and I always try to make sure that the customer is taken care of, even if we part company. What these guys don't realize, it would seem to me, is that yes, they are out on their own, but they are still representing us as a whole while they're out there. And don't kid yourself, there are folks that know the difference between a professional company and one that's, let's say, not exactly on the up and up.

[LoneStarLawn]

Originally posted by lawnboy82
i agree. however....

Stop right there...That is what I'm addressing here...there is not "but"s or "however"s about any situation about being professional. It is like in "Road House".."I don't care if he spits in your face..walk him out the door, but be NICE"

[eslawns]

I agree. There is a definite a certain mentality toward us. I quit working for a customer who made a reference to us as Lawn Monkeys, because any monkey could do my job. I said fine, get a monkey to do it. It makes me sick to see what some of these guys pass off as work. They mow right over trash, blow clippings into the street or storm drain, spray herbicides all over on windy days, and then wonder why some people won't take them seriosly. Go figure.

The worst part is that the main people making the industry look bad just don't get it.

[LJ lawn]

unfortunately the job of landscaper/lawn maintenance has a negative stigma.and we will probably not see the respect from the general public that those of us who attempt to be professional deserve.so no matter how much we try to be "professional" (image,insurance,training,etc,etc)it's going to take a loooooong time before we're recoginzed as a whole (green industry trade) as any sort of professional in the majority of the public eye. we can complain all we want about scrubs ,un-professionals and the like but i really don't see it happening any time soon.this industry is looked down upon by the public plain and simple.

[Scag48]

I agree, umprofessionalism is killing the industry and making people think "gee, we should mow our own lawn instead of having that guy that sucks mow it for an extremely high rate". Well, I only have one thing to say about this. People get the wrong idea about the real professionals when the guys that don't act or show professionalism start messing around. On the other hand, every LCO would be the same. Nobody would do a better job than someone else and you might not get as much business. I don't if this is completely true for you guys but for me, this is TOTALLY TRUE. There are so many guys that show no professionalism it makes me sick. BUT, I get more jobs for it. My name is getting out, the true "scrubs" are starting to show and my work is standing out. I'm trying to make the biggest impression on my small town and it's working so far. I just think that if it weren't for the "scrubs" out there, all the professionals work wouldn't stand out as much. Anybody agree with me?

[Ground Pounder]

If you are not going to be professional in this biz please move on. I don't need that kind of disposition reflecting back on me just because I am in the business as well.

You have to be professional in ALL aspects...attitude, appearance, your people skills, everything.

[Charles]

I hope my competition continues to be unproffessional and do a bad job and cuss their customers out and not show up on the job on time. So when they get fired for all that I get their business. Guess it depends on how you look at it. The idea of trying to help your competition improve doesnt seem very bright to me. One bad apple doesnt reflect badly on the industry as a whole because customers know from experience that they can find better service but most just dont want to pay good money for it until they have had enough of the bad service

[Island Lawn]

ALL industries have their bad apples!
However, not all industries are as easy to jump into. Qualified or not.
To me, it seems to reinforce the idea that "you get what you pay for".

Of course, if I performed cut rate heart surgery, I would be in all kinds of trouble from all kinds of people. There are a lot of regulations to make sure I have the proper training, insurance licensing, ect before I cut you open.

Do we need more regulations to bolster our reputation/keep the "scrubs" out?

One side benefit to being insured/licensed/cetified is to set me above my competition (industry standard?).
In other industries, those things ARE the standard!

To be honest, I'm not real sure about how my customers view the industry. But, I do know that they are happy with their service. AND, they tell their nieghbors!

[awm]

there is going to be different levels of service
always . if not real good work wouldnt standout.

[John from OH]

The un-professional companies in our industry are nothing new. Its been going on for years. It may make the industry look bad, but it makes things SO EASY for the rest of us. I consistently pick up work, lawn maintenance and landscaping, being the high price. I don't worry about what my competitors are doing. I only worry about what my employees are doing.

[MOW ED]

Isn't it nice that we are all individuals and we all have different personalities. Isn't it nice that we have different backgrounds and professions.

You are not going to changes anyones attitude about being professional unless that person wants to change. Even then how do you guarantee a person can change. How do you change them? How do you change their outlook on life and what they have been thru that has them acting in a negatively percieved way? What is his idea of a professional? Does he want to be? (sorry Ladies, I got on a roll and its too hard to make it gender neutral).

Our industry has gentlemen and ladies working in it as well as bottom feeder scumbags and everything in between. You will find this in all professions. Some get stereotyped, tell me what you think about used car dealers. I will introduce you to some who are tremendous, kind and caring people. I will also introduce you to some priests that would make an inmate feel like the Pope.

The best you can do is conduct yourself and your business according to the Golden Rule. No more preaching necessary but you won't change someone who does not have a concept of this rule. The upside is that eventually the people who do grasp it will get the work from the others. Good Luck.

[curlawngreen]

How about them lawyers? They are pro's and what do you think of them?

[TLS]

I gained a new customer a few years back. While I was giving him my price, he procedes to tell me that the reason he is going with me is "My old guy doesn't want to mow grass anymore, he went back to his real job". I mowed for him that year at my considerably higher rate, and then called next spring to confirm service. He then said, "My old guy quit his real job and is now mowin' again, so I'm goin' back with him". Well.... guess what, real job mower guy didn't like mowing in the heat of July and quit to go back to his real job and left the customer high and dry! Mr. Customer called me again and I simply said, "sorry, my real mowing service is full right now, so I am unable to service you".

He had this stigma that Lawn Maintenance was not a REAL job, and seemed to look down on the industry and myself. I dont like being looked down upon.

[LoneStarLawn]

Originally posted by Charles
The idea of trying to help your competition improve doesnt seem very bright to me.

That pretty much sums up what lawnsite is all about....

My intention of my post was not to lecture or let the unprofessional people change their ways...it was for those who are striving to make their business the best that it can be. (I posted it for lawnsite members because I believe everyone here wants that otherwise they would not have joined this forum) To maybe strive a litte hardier on customer relations, so we the professionals can make a little change in the eyes of our customers.

Again im saying that you don't, but if you think that you need to improve in some areas...try not to overlook customer relations.

[Lee Homan]

I Hope I don't ruffle any feathers or offend anyone because it is not my intention. I'm proud of what I do and I feel like I give my customers as good of job or better than anyone else, but this year I have seen more people hauling trailers with mowing equipment than in previous years. Just when I think I've seen them all someone else pops up. With a population of around 50,000 the market here seems way over saturated. Lately I have almost felt embarrased because of the number of ratty operations that are running around and knowing I fall in the same catagory of lco as they do. You see everything and anything. It is a bad reflection on everyone in the business.

[Eric ELM]

This thread is getting off topic and more into Scrub Talk.