messing up real bad, can it be fixed?

[bobbygedd]

ive been running my service now for about 7 yrs part time. ive lost alot of good customers because i just cant make it there all the time due to my full time job. i am trying to build, so that i can go full time, but i cant keep up with the work , so im kinda chasing my tail. i lost 2 customers today! at least they always say the same thing, u do real nice work, but i need someone more reliable. im afraid at this point that i have developed a bad reputation, word of mouth travels fast. the question is, how do i fix this? am i doomed at this point? i thought about putting my tail between my legs, and going to speak with some that have cancelled, to see if i can rectify this. and then trying to hire a full time employee, i dont care what it costs. every time i hire a part timer(been through about 15) it doesnt work out. any advice?

[Guido]

I think your problem just solved itself. You need to dwindle dow some if you can't handle all your customers. Concentrate on the ones you still have and only add as many as your 100% POSITIVE you can get to on time.

You don't want to ruin your name too much, especially if your ever thinking of going full time.

Good Luck, hope this helps!

[65hoss]

Guido is correct. Work with only those you can handle correctly. Up sale to them by selling other services for your profit margins. Its easier to make profits on current customers than it is finding new ones.

[lsylvain]

I go threw the same thing every fall when I go back to college. I can't find a decent helper. I first make sure if I'm going to be late on an account it's not the good ones. I put the best acounts on the top of the list and work my way down. I do however have the advantage of the employment problem around here being known to all.

[Double D]

I was in the same boat as you this year. Part-time, had a nice route set up, and then we start working OT at my full-time job. On top of that, we had one of the wettest summers in quite a while. Needless to say, I was always behind. When I finally got to the account, it was way overgrown, which sets you back that much more. Hard to make good money that way. My solution, I helped about 30% of my customers find someone else to do their yards. Now, I can give the customers that I have left the kind of service that I want to be known for. And I can do their yards in much less time, because I can get to them weekly. Of course I kept the best accounts for myself. It was hard turning loose of those accounts, but it was the best move I made this year.

[captdevo]

been there........kinda still am.

i work an average of 243 12hour days on a riverboat, switching shifts.

i know what you mean.

i finally found someone i can trust to do jobs the way i would.

what a wife!!! she's been doin' great.

i also have a few other people i can rely on.

bite the bullet and concentrate on the jobs you really want and can handle.

if it means goin' back to prior customers, do it, and explain your situation and what you are doin' to remedy it.

Good Luck!!

[JimLewis]

Reliability is a big factor in this industry. I've grown way faster than most of the guys that started out when I did (150 residential accounts in 5.5. years) and a large part of that is because we are 100% reliable. Our clients know that they will see us at the same time every single week. Every once in a while we have a truck or equipment problem. We have backups so it usually doesn't slow us down. But still, every once in a while (e.g. once every 3 months) we get a little behind. But we're always there the very next day, no matter what. Our clients know this and know they can count on us.

If you can't provide that kind of service you need to find out where the bottle neck is and fix it. What's preventing you from coming to their houses regularly? For some people, it's because they're lazy and like to wake up at 10:00 am. For others, it's because they've overbooked themselves. For others, it's because they refuse to work in the rain. In your case, maybe it's because you're trying to balance a regular job in with a part time business. I dunno. But you'll have to look at your situation and figure out what's preventing you from being consistent, regular and dependable. And then figure out whether it's worth it to you to fix the problem.

Just remember, if you're not going to be coming on a regular predictable schedule each week, you're gonna lose out to those of us who are.

p.s. I don't necessarily agree with the above post that you've fixed your problem by getting rid of these two clients. I think these are warning signs. And don't worry, we all get them. But when you get a few clients cancel within the same month for similar reasons it should be a big hint that there's something wrong. Then you need to find out what it is and correct it before others follow suit. Your problem might not have been that you had too many clients (as the above post suggests). Your problem may lie more in the fact that you aren't coming as regularly and reliably as you should.

[Island Lawn]

Excelent! As usual Jim!

If I may paraphrase:

80% of life is just showing up!

(Or sumpin like dat!)

:D

[MATTHEW]

I did that ft/pt thing for three years. The only thing to do is get a nice tight route with very little driving close to home. Word of mouth usually spreads to the neighbors anyway. Good luck.

[Randy Scott]

If you can't figure out by now, (after 7 years part-time) what it takes to make this business work, then get out of it. Why aren't you full time by now? Not making enough money to pay your bills? Then you aren't charging accordingly and screwing it up for guys like me. I jumped into this full time, balls to the wall. It's a risk but that's life. If you can't make enough money to pay bills, insurance, any other costs involved with this business, and to pay for a roof over your head, you don't have what it takes to run a successful business. I'm so sick and tired of all these guys pussy footin' around this industry part-time because they are afraid to quit the SECURITY of their full-time job. If you are afraid to leave the comfort of someone elses business risks, then quit screwing it up for me, cause I will guarantee you are not charging the right amount to run this business correct. Otherwise you would be doing it. You or whoever else falls into this category can call me whatever you want and say whatever you want, because I know, and you know, you are screwing it up for those that are trying to make it full-time. You asked for advice, and that's mine!

[Mowman]

Bobby,
How many lawns do you service? What type of mower are you using? How much time do you visit after finishing a job?

I started 3 years ago with a Toro 21" Pro-Line. I used it for two seasons. Last year I bought a Walker MTSD w/ 52" Deck. This machine cut my cutting time in half. I'm part-time and service 18 accounts. Until I got my Walker it took me all week to take care of these lawns. Now I'm only cutting about 4 days a week.
Equipment has alot to do with the amout of time it takes to do a lawn. My advice is get the most efficent mower you can afford.
Good Luck,
Mowman

[Grapevine]

We got a few accounts from a couple of guys in the area who were part time and just got sick of it and quit. When you first start you get a couple of lawns, then you get a few more cause your so cheap and pretty soon you've got 15-20 lawns and you start pulling in $400.00 a week ( all cash cause none of you guys pays taxes) Then you need a bigger mower and a trailer and maybe a truck and before you know it the thing has snowballed out of control. All you need is a couple of days of rain (on your days off) and you are screwed. You give crappy service and you lowball prices, stick to your day jobs or take it full time, you can't have it both ways.

[sheppard]

Probably going to set off a few fireworks with this statement but here goes: I cannot fully understand anyone doing this part time. I started 6 weeks ago brand new and full time with no accounts. As of today's date I'm at 22 accounts and pulling in something over $2000.00 a month. Each week I add 1 to 5 new accounts. I have a large mortgage with a wife and child. Seems like this kind of work is too uncomfortable to do it part time. When I look back at my previous decisions I've done the same thing- just jumped in head first after I've assessed the risked and figured out my chances of success. My unsolicited advice I would bounce your way is to decide if you want to do this full time or not. If 'yes' the go back and tell the previous customers that you are donig this full time and want to earn their confidence back. Think of some incentive to make it worth their while.

cordially,
Sheppard

[lee b]

That's strange, all of my accounts have came from people sick of full-time LCO's who did sloppy work [ no these weren't scrubs either]. I work 50 hours a week at my regular job and about 30 doing maintenance, I don't miss my schedule,ever. I've been turning down business, because I know how much work I can handle. I don't lowball, as a matter of fact I'm usaully higher than most of my full-time legit competition. If it bothers anyone that I'm part-time and and enjoying the benefits of having the best of both worlds, sooooo whatttt...... If you don't like it ,go get a job and quit your whining. This is a wonderful forum for the exchange of knowledge concerning OUR industry, but lately has become more a place for malcontents to complain. :angry:

[Runner]

quoted: "Why aren't you full time by now? Not making enough money to pay your bills?"
I ran full time for several years, and kept the same contracts for those years. Was I as cheap as most around? By no means, as a matter of fact, I have a reputation for being rather on the pricy side, but I can do that. I have the workmanship and the years of experience to enable me to do that. The fact of the matter is, is that we have to stay within our own capacity to maintain high quality. It's just like Guido said. I had the multiple accounts. I had the three other employees. I had the workmans comp, the taxes, the social security, the accountant, the josseling of the schedule, the equipment maintenance that was expanded because of three other individuals, and the unemployment insurance that went along with a seasonal business. (how many of you full timers REALLY have that?) But bottom line was, I didn't have medical insurance. You know, like it or not guys, ONE hospital visit for something serious, (and yes, EVERYone is susceptable to this,) and you can be in debt for the rest of your life! You can't CUT enough grass to pay for something like a triple bypass or cancer treatment! If you guys are spraying and fertilizing, then you know the difference in profit margin that you can make, but for someone just mowing and doing maintenance, you might as well give it up in this area, because there are just t o o m a n y people out there in the "lawn mowing" business. I have a friend who runs 7 Lazers, does 350 accounts, many commercial, does BEAUTIFUL work, does about 3/4 of a million a year, and tells me flat out that he doesn't make SQUAT from his mowing. The only reason he does it is for access to his fert. jobs. Bottom line. Now, I personally make decent money at my mowing, but not NEARly what I could make on the same jobs laying down fert. Frankly, I don't mind being part time, and I enjoy the maintenance aspect of it. Yes, it gets a little discouraging when I'm on my Lazer, seeing another 60" rider and a 52" walkbehind sitting on the trailer doing nothing when it could be working, but, atleast I have them to use when I need them. It's pretty nice not dealing with all the headaches that go with the whole employee thing, too. Major relief, and the money to stress and hassle ratio is MORE than worth it.

[LJ lawn]

come on now,3/4 of a mil a year and this guy does'nt make any profit? where the heck is all the money going?

[Runner]

He doesn't do it on his mowing. It's all in his spraying, landscape installations, irrigation, and plowing. I'm TRYing to get him ON here, but I don't think he's been on yet. I think I'll give him a call.

[Double D]

I'm with Lee on this on--I am part-time and happen to to be more expensive than anyone else in the area. How can some of you guys tell Bobby he needs to quite his full time job, do you know anything about his situation. I would never quit my FT job, insurance, 401K, pension, things I can not do without. Randy, some of us don't quit our FT job's because we make a sh*t wad more money doing it than running a lawn service. Sheppard, what if you were making the kind of money you are bragging about making in a month in one week? Would you be so sure to say you have to quit your FT job. I did'nt think so. Grapevine, I think I am living proof that you can have it both ways. I don't feel like I have to take every account that comes along. I can pick and choose. I can charge what I feel my service is worth (more than the FT LCO's in this area). No crappy service or lowball prices here. BTW, fully insured and pay all the taxes. I am with the other guys, if you have something constructive to add--great, if not maybe we can have an off-topic forum for complaining.

[LJ lawn]

man ,it would be quite an evening if we were all to actually get in a room (physically)together.

[geogunn]

bobby--there is no excuse for being in this business and not being reliable. period. this is the "service industry". not the "when it's convenient for me industry".

don't I recall another thread where you posted that you made a great deal of money on your first job? perhaps it would be fairer to you customers if you were not in this biz.

I'm not trying to be mean spirited by my response. you asked for opinions. good luck to you.

GEO

[JimLewis]

I am with geogunn, Randy Scott and Sheppard. Either get in or get out. If you're doing this PT you are kidding yourself. I jumped in after 2 weeks. Some people aren't as aggressive as me. That's fine. But permenantly part time? Come on. If you are PT for any long period of time you either have no guts, no faith in yourself, or are just one of those sickos who makes plenty of money at your job but just mows lawns for kicks.

Double D, I am sorry to have to object but I don't buy the 401K, health insurance, and pension B.S. These are things corporations dangle in front of you to make you think you need them. The truth is if you make enough money, you can get these things on your own or maybe even subvert the need for them. My grandfather and uncle both owned their own [nursery] businesses for decades and both retired very well off without the need for a pension or 401K and they were always able to afford their own health insurance.

A guy in my area built up his lawn care company to one of the biggest in the state and just sold it to TrueGreen a few years ago for 13 million. There's your pension, baby!

So, Double D. Either you are doing this PT because you really don't make all that much money at your FT job OR you just mow lawns for kicks when you could be out riding jet skis and taking trips to tropical places. Which is it?

[wolfnkirk]

Go apply for your pesticide license and offer fert, insect, and weed control. It's easier, more profitable, less overhead, and more manageable. Where mowers are lucky with 200 accounts, I have a total of 4 people, including myself, maintaining 1100 accounts in 3 years and growing by 50 a month. And I only sale the accounts! I have to maintain 3 vans, several spreaders, and backpack sprayers....thats it. This is cake compared to most ventures!

[bobbygedd]

well, i asked for advice, and thank u folks who gave me some. the main question was, can u get a bad rep, then rebuild and get a good one, or is it that once u made a bad name for yurself, yur wiped out? as for randy, and some of u others, if u saw my post i asked for advise, not wise a** comments!i make very good money at my ft time, and have no intention of leaving till i can match its income including benefits, paid vac, sick days etc. glad u remember some of my past comments, though some r better forgotten. like i said, we all have our own ideas about what good money is, if u r satisfied with your 20-30-40, 000 net, well then good for u. to me thats chump change. and... if im ruining this business for u, get out or do something about it! i am totally legit, licensed, insured, collect and pay state, fed tax, and so on. this is america, i am a tax paying, law abiding citicen(who cant spell), and i have as much right to this business as u do! many businesses large and small have thier problems during growing and development periods, im sure ill work through mine and come out on top. my customers have told me the horror stories of their last services, who were full time services, u know, peeing in the bushes, can of bud in thier hand , nasty foul mouthed, running mower into side of house and ruining aluminum siding(then denying it), running over lights, and on and on and on. i dont do crap like that. and, if u were able to leave yur full time job for your lawn service before it was profitable, u must have had nothing to lose, probly makin crap money, or sent yur wife out to work to make up for it. or, maybe u r living with yur mommy and daddy, and have no bills, i dont know. my wife dont work, she raises our kids. so, now that im rambling on, im gonna go. thanx again

[geogunn]

bobby--the reason that you post hit home with me and apparently several others is that BOTH YOU and you customers admit that you are undependable!

and that is exactly where I got my start. picking up buisness from people that use a service that was undependable. most of the time all I had to do is show up on time the day that I said I'd be there and the job was mine! it is still happening today.

read between the lines of the "wise a** comments"!

we're all saying, "NO BOBBY! AS LONG AS YOU KEEP DOING BUSINESS LIKE YOU ARE NOW, YOUR REPUTATION IS GOING TO SUCK!"

and again, I am not trying to be hurtfull, but you asked twice. good luck.

GEO

[Grapevine]

I know plenty of guys that do this on the side. They of course have to pay taxes in their 9-5 jobs, but the mowing is all cash, and any employees (helpers) all get cash. To say you pay state, Fed and on top of that a 14% self employment tax along with commercial liability and workers comp if you have any employees, I just don't buy it.

[lawnperfections]

Bobby - Scheduling & reliability is everything. I'm a part-timer and have over 35 regular customers and do $2500 to $3000( yes, I pay taxes) a month. I also have a very good paying job that I had considered leaving and going full-time, no longer considering. I like it better pt. I owe it all to a scheduling, tight route (all 35 in a 1 mile radius)and making my customers a priority. I cut in the rain, late into the evening and on Sundays if its necessary.

Try talking to your customers when you start there service. Let them know you have a full time job and that lawn care is your passion and you are trying to build to the point of going full time. Let them know that it is your commitment to them to provide the very best service, then back it up, no excuses.

wolfnkirk - Its nice to see someone from Jax on the site. What's the name of your service. My customers are constantly asking about a good service.

[bobbygedd]

grapevine, buy it, cus its true! i do pay taxes, and am fully legit, not because i think its fair to pay more taxes than others, but because i dont want to go to prison over it. like i said, id love to go full time, but what came first, the chicken or the egg? u see i need the customers first before i leave my job, but i cant build the customers, because of my job, so round and round we go. and my rep does suck, but i need to fix that. ill have to downsize, and only take on new customers close to the ones i have. thanx

[Double D]

JimLewis, if you must know, I mow lawns for stress relief. AHHH, I feel much better. Just got through with a couple lawns this morning. I think some of you full timer's are starting to have Part-time envy. Like I said before, you CAN have it both ways. I get tired of reading about this jumping in with both feet BS. Trust me, if you jumped in after two weeks, that tells me you did not have to leave very much behind. When you sell YOUR company to Trugreen, let me know--I would like to come to the party. Regards

[bobbygedd]

yea, what he said

[jjfehr]

HOW TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS WHILE WORKING FULL_TIME SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!!!

Do you have any friends that you can trust to provide good service to your clients, that could also use a part-time job?
You said that you had some accounts left, hire someone that you can trust, pay him the net profit on the accounts, and in the mean time you should be out getting more accounts because you are not mowing! Follow so far? Repeat this cycle until you are sitting where you want to be net profit wise. When you are patying your employees as much as you want to make, quit your ft job if you choose and start making some money.
You arn't going to make a profit during this growth phase of your business however, the way you are going, it doesn't sound like you will make anything in a short while if you service is that poor!
Remember the old saying: It takes money to make money!
Good luck to you and your business!
When you are a retail store you need to have the best prices in town, but when you market yourself as a SERVICE, you don't really need the best prices, but you better provide the best SERVICE!

[lawnworker]

whats with all this showing up on the same day every day stuff about? In my area when the lawns get dry many can be spread out to 8,9,or10 days.In my opinion as long as the cut looks good afterwards most residential people are happy.MR Lewis when you are in the middle of a draught you come every 7 days like clockwork no matter what?I think my customer like it when i spread out the visits a little it saves them a little cash since i bill fee per service.Maybey i should change my ways but no one has complained yet.

[JimLewis]

In Oregon we don't have droughts. At least not the kind other states do. Plus, 95% of the clients I work for have irrigation systems so their lawn grows every week regardless of rain.

It obviously depends on your area and circumstances. In my area, being reliable means coming once every 7 days. In other areas it may mean 10 days. Point is; set up something people can depend on and keep your word. The guy who started this post was admittedly having problems with being reliable. I was just giving him an example of what we do that works. If coming every 10 days works for your area, hey great! I don't care. Just be regular and keep your word.

The nice thing about coming every 7 days is my crews get used to the exact same schedule each week. They know they'll be doing the same 20 or so lawns this Friday as they did last Friday. It makes scheduling a breeze.