What would you do about this

[Dunn's]

I had two customers today try and reschedule because in their oppinion the grass had'nt grown. But in their oppinion if it's not a foot tall it donidn't grow. you all know how that goes. So we told them no problem we would move the every ten day customer to a two week cut and the every week customer to a ten day cut or two week cut what ever they preffered. but the price would be more we Charge $30.00 for weekly cuts,$35.00 for every ten days and $45.00 for bi- weekly (how does that pricing sound do the LCO's that charge $30.00 per week charge similar for every ten days or bi - weekly.

[J Hisch]

however you want to work it. We are always up front that if they choose weekly service that's what they are, with 2 skips a season. If they skip beyond that then we charge for the regular weekly mowing cut then half for the week they made us skip. Once you get totally booked you will have to move to this or you will lose revenues. Say a cutoemr calls that has an irrigation system, you cant take them becasue your booked but then you get your customers skipping all the time when it fits for them. Also, we stress you want a dependable lawn service when the grass is growing we need dependable revenue to keep that avaliable.

[Dunn's]

So the every ten day customer comes out when I get there and says are you coming to cut over here, My warning flags Immediately go up. So I say yes maam what can I do for You. So she says that she doesn't think it needs to be cut today because it hasn't grown yet, Oh yeah this would be only their second cut, so I told her no problem I would call the boss and tell them to switch her to the 2 week cut which means I would back be back on Friday is that ok and she says welll I don't think it will need cutting on Friday it hasnt rained, so I said nicely that she would have to talk to the owner (i.e. my Fiance) because I don't think they allow more than a 2 week cut which we don't your oppinions on the how long without a cut matter appreciated, well anyways the grass was 5-6 inches in some places others not but it could use a cut from the lawn care view, but of course not the homeowner so we tell her the 2 weekk cut will cost more she says I was never told that she was because we wont give you a price unless you tell us how often you want cut pretty much same sitaution with the other customer just this would be her 3rd cut but she wants to pay the same price even if it's 2 weeks later. any oppions SORRY SO LONG

[Freddy_Kruger]

I guess be ready to give up customers.

I got every week and every two weeks but I charge extra for bi weekly, 10 day schedule don't sync with me, either way they HAVE to be on a schedule. This business of knocking on their door and asking them if you can cut their lawn is bogus.

[MMLawn]

Depends. How does your Contract address the issue of "skips"?

[evergreenlandscapes]

my customers are informed that if they want their lawn skipped due to lack of growth ,They are to call the office at least the day before we are scheduled. Otherwise we have to charge them for going to their property. Lets face it, gas is expensive. why should you get stuck driving to a property only to get turned away. I tell people that I cannot read minds.... Sometimes we get bitched at for skipping the cut and sometimes we get bitched at for not skipping.... CALL IF YOU DO NOT WANT US THERE!!!!

[MMLawn]

Wrong answer. You don't leave skips up to the client! YOU as the lawn care professional and YOU only decides if it needs skipping and even then that should happen only in times of dry weather or other reasons effecting growth, NOT just because the client is cheap. It also should address how they pay or don't pay for the skip and your contract should state all of this in advance so they are aware of it and it isn't an issue.

[topsites]

I know this isn't the sharpest picture but let me ask you something...

Does this lawn need cutting, yes or no:

http://stonypointlawncare.com/images/lawn1e.jpg
http://stonypointlawncare.com/images/lawn2e.jpg

[lawnmaniac883]

*cough* yes...

[StBalor]

I too get people wanting me to skip a cut. Not as much this year as in the past. I now tell them when i 1st sign them up that it will be up to me if their grass needs cutting or not, so please do not ask me to skip a cut. I tell them like this, you hire me to do a job, so let me do it. How would you feel if you got up and went to work just to find out that your boss says he will not need you today. I then ask them if this happens, how do they like their paycheck when they get it, with that missed pay cause their boss asked them to skip a work day.
This year after letting everyone know up front that it will be my decision wether it needs cutting or not i have only had 2 people ask me to skip their lawn. Even after they asked, i still cut it anyway. 1 of which asked me why did i still cut it after they asked me to skip it? I told them cause i drove over here and now that i am here, i am gonna cut it, i told you in the beginning it would be up to me wether it needs cut or not.(both yards did need cutting) he continued to give me a song and dance and i told them i could gladly move him to bi-weekly cutting if he thought it did not need cutting on our previously agreed schedule. He then said he would call me when it needs cutting. I said " I do not take call ins, only people on a fixed schedule." After explaining this to him we both agreed that in the future it was up to me wether it needed cutting or not.
Let me explain the call ins. I am a solo operator, this is my 1st year with any employees. I have already went through 3. when someone calls me wanting their grass cut, it is always "I need it done today" Well for me today is not always the best time. My daily routes are somewhat tight, but not in the same part of town every day.
Sorry so long, but i have 0 tolence for this anymore, people hire me to do a job, Just let me do it.
Next year i am thinking about just giving people a price for the year, not per cut. Then spreading the payments out over 12 months. Then if they want me to skip it, i will. But it will be the same monthly payment.

[topsites]

*cough* yes...

sorry, that lawn ain't getting cut again likely until next sunday.
now you guys see what I'm trying to tell you?
Your customer is trying to tell you the same thing!
Come next sunday, one double-cut and she's done. That's two weeks, who cares?

That lawn was cut at 3", it hasn't rained since that last deluge, and I expect the next BIG rain to come around september with a drought from here until then. If you cut it now, I'll have to dump 5 thousand gallons of water on it to keep it from dying. That costs me 7 dollars every time I water the whole lot ONE time, it's not big money but don't expect me to water it daily!

So it grew an inch, omg gee you think you better run over it? Tell you what, I work hard and long on that acre lot, it takes 200 pounds of seed to overseed it, you may think it looks like crap but you should've seen it before, it looks a LOT better and if you cut it now, you'll only stress it out and it will go brown. I am NOT spending the extra money to start over from scratch because you want to kill my lawn by cutting it when it's HOT and dry.
I bet your customers are saying the same thing.

Kiss it guys, all my lawns are green, whether you like the quality of my lawns or not, maybe all of yours are A+ turf, but mine are not.
And that one happens to be my own, it does take a backseat to my customers lawns and it's still not by far the worst-looking lawn I service.

And if it takes me 3-4 years to get an A+ turf, that's about how long it takes, unless you got DEEP pockets, that lot has already swallowed 600 dollars so far this year, not counting grass-cutting fees.

[HOOLIE]

Topsites...you are in the business of CUTTING GRASS but you seem focused largely on NOT cutting grass...

This makes no sense to me at all :laugh:

[Freddy_Kruger]

I would just cut the damn grass and if it browns tell them they need to water it. I can't afford a two month unpaid vacation in the middle of summer. I only get paid if I cut it though...

[topsites]

Topsites...you are in the business of CUTTING GRASS but you seem focused largely on NOT cutting grass...

This makes no sense to me at all :laugh:

I'm glad you see the humor in it but that's just my business model, my customers save money by hiring me while they still pay a premium rate. After all, if I can't save them money, then why hire the expert, to spend MORE?
All I'm saying is lawns do not need to be cut every 7-10 days in Jul-Aug, at least not when the temps are hitting 90+.

Due to mother nature, grass always slows down in the summer. Yes, even if it rains constantly, grass grows way slower in summer than spring, that is just the way it is. That lot in the pics actually has some N in it, I just threw down some 34-0-0 and then some 10-10-10 about 2-4 weeks ago, still it has grown an inch in a week, the grass is a bit taller than freshly cut, but...

I just think back, you know, back before we got into this, how often did we really cut our own grass?
Did we really go out there every 7 days? Maybe in spring, but year-round, seriously, think back...
Soooo, just because we're into it as a business now we're going to cut it more often than ever before? Why...?

Now every yard is different, some of mine are thick N + sprinklers, they are tough and need it every 10-12 days.
Others are more average, 2-3 weeks this time of year.
I'm not saying let it grow into a jungle to where it's calf-height and it clumps like crazy and takes 2+ hours to cut...
But I am saying let it grow until it REALLY needs cutting.

[HOOLIE]

I just think you overanalyze this stuff Topsites, you have to realize that a lawn service is a luxury service for a customer. No need to fret over whether the lawn has grown "enough"

[Freddy_Kruger]

I just think you overanalyze this stuff Topsites, you have to realize that a lawn service is a luxury service for a customer. No need to fret over whether the lawn has grown "enough"
Not only that but how can that business plan be applyed to anything more than a solo op. No one would want to have employees driving around making decisions like that. I want people working for me full time at some point.

[PROCUT1]

Not only that but how can that business plan be applyed to anything more than a solo op. No one would want to have employees driving around making decisions like that. I want people working for me full time at some point.


Perfect point. If you had employees on the clock and who expected work everyday you couldent pay them to drive to 30 lawns and come back at 5:00 after only mowing 10.

[HOOLIE]

Well this thread illustrates why working on a "per cut" billing system is risky. That's why I'm switching to flat rate monthly billing next year. I've already got about the last 10 I signed up this year on the flat rate plan...nobody had a problem with it at all.

You just can't NOT cut half the season due to the weather and make any money on a per cut basis.

[dKoester]

Topsites I live SE of you and the grass here grows very fast. If you don't cut every 7 days you will loose customers here. 96 high humidity! Boom thunderstorms.

[MMLawn]

I just threw down some 34-0-0 and then some 10-10-10 about 2-4 weeks ago, .


I'll take it then you are not a Certified Applicator.....cause this statement alone proves you don't know what you are doing......

[mr mow]

I said to you once before topsite "you might as well tell the customer not to pay you at all" you got all bent out of shape and started your response by calling me "sir". i would cut that lawn, is it long not really but does it need a cut yes. Thats maintence. you dont fix it when its broke you maintain it so it doesnt break!(get out of control).

[Surf'n'Turf]

I'll take it then you are not a Certified Applicator.....cause this statement alone proves you don't know what you are doing......

34-0-0-? yeah baby ;)