What would you do??

[KirbysLawn]

This is my situation. I have mowed for 2 years now for a guy that had a stroke and is paralyzed and a neighbor asked me if I could "help out". They were getting medical bills out the...well you know, and since he could not mow anymore they would need a lawn service. The lawn is about 18,000 sf and has a considerable amount of trimming, I am doing it for $30.00 per mow, takes 50-55 minutes most of the time. The home is on a golf course and is worth about $400,000.

One of the "perks" of mowing this lawn is I get good golf balls in the back lawn when mowing, about 7-8 a week. Well 2 weeks ago he asked my cousin if we would bring all the balls up to the garage, he wanted them. He said he wanted them to "give back to the golfers" and had a trash can full of them, no kidding!

I'm doing this lawn for about $10 less per week than I would normally would, and it just irritates me that they would ask for me to pick up and carry the balls to the garage since I'm doing the lawn at a discount price.

Any opinions?

[kris]

You say he asked your cousin? Is there two of you spending the better part of a hour there? If so, I would say they are in line for a hefty price increase.

[TJLC]

I'm sure they don't realize your are given them a good price. I also hate when people put you in an uncomfortable position. They make it hard to say no. I have a yard similar to this. A pain in the butt to do and I can't figure out why I'm even doing it. Probally because he is a super nice guy and a good customer. I think I just need to raise him up a little. I wish I had a good answer, sorry. Good luck.

[poghead]

No,I would not give him back the golf balls. Consider what would happen if you ran over one and it hit someone in the head on the golf course. Much less if it went through someones window or damaged your mower.
He should have a member of his family pick them up before you go to mow. If you have to police his yard for golf balls you should charge for that service.

Sincerely,

Poghead

[HOMER]

If I find a golf ball it goes in my pocket. We're collecting them for my son..........just because. Every day he asks if we found any golf balls. He's up to 90 something now.

My son is more important to me than a rich old ex-golfer. Mine mine all mine. I figure if I left them on the ground they would get hit anyway............might as well get em.

You could line em up in a row, aim your chute at the mans house, holler 444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 and start chunking them one after the other with that Great Dane riding golf club ya got there Kirby.

Big Bertha ain't got nothing on a mower blade.

[David Haggerty]

Charge what you're worth without apology!

The nerve of those people, living in a half a million dollar house and asking you to give "em a break on cutting the lawn! It seems to me the more you bend over backwards to accomodate people like that, the more they ask of you. Like they really need the other ten bucks a week. They're just rippin' you off for the fun of it.

There's lots of pittiful people out there in terrible situations, but they're not your responsibility. Your family is your responsibility. You'd be taking from your own kids to give to these people!

When you're rich, then you can be charitable. Hopefully more charitable than those creeps you're dealing with now.

Personally I'm working on my second million dollars, 'cause I had to give up on my first million.

Dave

[Craig Turf Management]

Ray,
I wouldn't let the golf balls be a factor in my decision. I have some older folks that I give a really good deal to because I know that they really can't afford my regular price. It makes me feel good to know that I'm helping out.
If it makes you feel good to help this fellow out for 30.00, then mow him for that price. Good deeds earn you heaven points in my opinion. Give him back his golf balls. On the other hand, he lives in a home on the course and can probably afford the 10.00 per price increase. If mowing this property for that price is bothering you, raise his price. Don't let him know that the golf ball deal is the reason. You have been mowing him for less than the market rate while fuel, insurance, whatever have been steadily been costing you more money. He'll probably eat the extra cost, you'll earn more money, and buy your own balls.

Just my opinion, Bill Craig

[CSRA Landscaping]

I agree. You're running a business, not a charity. You can choose how to operate it, obviously, but if it's something that's aggravating that costs you more than it's worth, why do it? My 2¢.

[roscioli]

Do you golf? Man o man, the good golf balls these days go upwards of 3-4 bucks. Multiply that by 7-8 and you are making up the difference from $30 that you mow for to $40 that you should be mowing for. Sell them all for $2 a piece, or have your kids do it. Or, steal this guys trash barrel full, and sell them! I would definately not mow for 30 if you have to pick them up. Tell him that after 2 years time, prices have just gone up, and that you have to make $40, and be honest about the golf ball situation. Tell him straight out that before, when you could keep them, it made it worth picking them up, but now, with insurance regulations, and increases in costs, either he will have to pick them up, and spend another 10/ week, or he will have to find the neighborhood lawn boy, becuase that is the only dip that will mow for $30 these days.

[65hoss]

I have a current OLD customer that tells me she can't spend the $20 each week for me to cut the lawn. "She's on a budget". The new caddy in the garage pisses me off each time I see it. No golfballs though. Forget the golfballs, look at the home, he isn't paying for that with "no money". Its all about priorities. Your not a priority to pay. Go up on the price. Get the revenue. Give him a couple of golfballs each week. Keep the rest. Or, just ignore the request for the balls and go on taking them home.

[kturner]

Having nice customers that don't want to pay a fair rate always sucks. It makes me mutter under my breath. You have to deal with that before it really bugs you.

Try this: tell the customer that you charge a surcharge for policing dog dung. You consider golf balls to be just as much of a problem and just as time consuming. You didn't want to charge him more, so you had just been using the balls for the trouble and time spent on policing them. If he would like to keep them from now on you can begin charging the $15 dollar fee for the time spent.

You just may get the $40 you'd like.

And what the hell does "give back to the golfers" mean? That's love.

[Runner]

You probably might just as well go for the price increase now, because if you mention the golfballs vs. price increase, you'll probably find that he'll say. "Go ahead, take the golf balls." But, you'll also find that there suddenly won't be hardly any golfballs because he'll start making it a point to have them all picked up when you come over on your scheduled time. In other words, for the money, he would just assume have the balls picked up. (like by a neighbor kid or something) Then, you're out the extra perk of the golfballs, AND out the cost that made up the difference of being worth it.

[thelawnguy]

From what I can see you gave the discount at the neighbors request, and the homeowner, as far as I know, hasnt mentioned anything about the price per cut being too high, too low, etc.

I would just raise the price to where you feel it should be, treat it as just any other customers price increase and forget about the golf balls, neighbor, stroke, whatever. If there is an objection then deal with it when it comes, offer to keep the balls in lieu of increase, modify the increase, whatever you are comfortable with.

[geogunn]

ray--IMHO they are his balls.

keep your hands off of them.

you should tell him that unless you can get your hands on his balls everytime you come over there that you are going to have to make a minor price adjustment.

then you will see how much he thinks his balls are worth.

GEO:D

[Grapevine]

You're spending an hour at this guys house for $30.00 ? A 10 hour day turns into $300.00 that's not much after equipment, employees, insurance etc.. etc.. At some point you've either got to fish or cut bait.

[KD'sLawns]

this guy is not "Giving" anything back to the golfers. If he is giving them back, why does he have a whole trash can full. Is he going to give them back after they die? He is saving them up till he fills the can up and is going to take them to the pro shop and sell them. All of your work, is all of his profit. Tell him that you will split the balls with him every week for your time and effort and keep the price at $30.00. Or you will give all the balls to him and raise your price accordingly for the extra labor.

I still can't believe he told you he was giving them back with a whole trash can full!BS!:mad:

[MWM]

George,
You are absolutely on the money. It is imperative to keep your hands OFF the customers balls!

[geogunn]

mwm--hey for sure! no way am I gonna grab a customers balls!

GEO;)

[ron]

Ok I would give him half of the golf balls and would tell him next time there will a Pick up charge per hour min one hour for $25.00
and I would get one of those extended pickers to get the balls.

[KirbysLawn]

Thanks for all the replys. It's not really the golf balls or the money, it bothers me that he would 1) ask for them knowing he will never use them, 2) tell me he is going to "give them back", I also am not sure what that means:confused:, 3) he has a trash can full, 4) ask knowing I'm doing the job so cheap for them.

Mowed it yesterday, got 10 and the way I play golf I can use them on the first 9, when he is not home I do keep them! :D I will consider the suggestions above, I will finish out this year and decide. I feel with his home health care expenses and such I'm doing the right thing with charges now, however, if they can continue living in such an exclusive expensive home and afford it, I do see a price hike next year. I figure downsize the home or you can afford my normal rates next year!

Thanks all.

[summitgroundskeeping]

Charge what your worth unless you mow for family. If somebody is acting as if my estimate seems too high I say, "Thank you, here's my card, and I hope hear from you soon." (not ever expecting to hear from them) But, don't you pick up the balls any way when you mow? If you do is it that much hassle to give them back.

[David Haggerty]

I'm aware this is an old thread, but the season is due to start back up soon. LCOs should be wary of installations posting this sign.

(my excuse=winter blahs)

[plow kid]

you'd use 10 on the first nine??? damn....... you need that golf ball that has a pop up flag on a wire that shoots up after it has stopped rolling:p :p ;) ~NaTe