How perinoid can a customer be???!!!

[grassman50]

Today i got bitched at because my employee that i have working for me accidentley hit the string line trimmer on the gutter and made a loud noise. I want you guys to be honest with me cause this cumtomer is so mean, she is almost harrassing me and my employees. It is a very nice lawn that i mow for $25.00. Its not that big, probably 10,000 sq. ft. or so, which takes like 15 minutes or so on a ZTR. SHe is ALWAYS at home, sitting there waiting for me to come. when i mow the front lawn she peeks out her blinds out the front door and stares at me the ENTIRE TIME. THEN she runs to the back lawn and watches me go back there. Last month she asked me if i could spray her lawn for dandelions. I said sure, it would be $40.00 for the entire lawn. She remarks with this horrilbe sassy voice and look on her face "WHAT do you think i am doing, paying for your braces"!!! Cause i had braces at the time. I just thought, what a MEAN B***H!! Then a couple of weeks ago we had rain for like five days straight and it was saturday when it cleared up, i usully cut her on thursdays, but it has been raining for so long i coulnt, so i came saturday cause it was supposed to rain again for the next two days after sunday, so it would be like two weeks that she wouldnt have her lawn cut. she came out yelling so loud cause it was damp and it pressed down the grass and looked bad. Trust me, it looked good for the conditions!!! And then the next week, i send my employee out to the back lawn with the ZTR and she comes roaring out of the house about how fast he was going. She come walking up really fast to me, and was like, "That guy is worthless that you have working for you. " " HE is good for NOTHING!!" I dont understand people, they always want something for nothing. I finally blew up in her face and said, "FINE, you know what, go and write me a check for the two lawn cuts that you owe me and you can find some high schooler with a miejer push mower that will clump it to hell and probably end up putting round up on your lawn for a weed killer. I was so mad, i didnt even finish cutting her lawn, i put all my stuff in the trailer, and went up to the door to get my money and she said, well, i didnt want to find someone else... and then i said i hope she finds someone that will do a better job. then she is like... well, can you still do it? and i was like thanks... but no thanks. and walked off. Maybe i should have finished the lawn,, i dont think she knows that i didnt finish it, but i was just really mad at the time. She is a TRUE NAG!!

[Eric ELM]

You did the right thing in my opinion. I've dropped customers that were not nearly that bad. ;)

[KDJ]

Well I would raise the price from 25.00 to 35.00
And if that didn't work I would raise it from 35.00
to 45.00 get my drift. But tell her in person and enjoy
life!!!

[grassyfras]

You are my true hero. You should be proud to stick up to a customer like that. I hate getting pushed around for little things like that. Way to go. The only thing i would of done was kept the job after the lady asked me to and probbly finished cutting her lawn. Tell her no more bitching.

[walker-talker]

I had a lady that wanted her lawn mowed every 2 weeks, but I was on a "call me when you want it mowed basis". It had been 2 weeks and she wanted it mowed 1.5 to 2 inches high. The grass/weed ratio was about 5/95. I mowed it as she wished and it clumped. I was already giving her a break on the price because she gave me a sad story about being on medication. She bitched me out because it clumped. Needless to say, I never returned her calls again. I did not go through nearly what you did. You did the right thing by letting her go.

[lawnboy82]

I have had customers much more paranoid than you have described. Don't worry about it, you will run into plenty more people like that during the life of your business, and just in your life period.

[Shady Brook]

I had a customer like that, not quite so cruel, but very particular. She used to walk behind the guy who mowed it before me to inspect his job.

Well, we now have an understanding, she leaves me alone, and I do a good job. If she is not satisfied, she can find someone else. We have no problems now.

I would not blame you for quitting her, but if you are willing to try her, you could just tell her the rules. I will mow on my terms, I am a professional, I will be treated like one, and my employees will be as well. If you have any concerns, you may speak to me before or after the job, and you will speak to me with respect!

Some of those old girls are used to fighting to get what they want, especially widow's. I think they are afraid of being taken advantage of in other areas of life, so come off like a monster. She probably likes you, and fears finding someone else who may not put up with her, or take advantage of her. Enough psycobabble.

Jay

[Lawn Dog2001]

You did the right thing in dropping her. But I like KDJ's suggestion as well. Now that you have put this lady in her place, she might realize that she needs to knock off the BS if she wants to keep you on the job. That gives you an opening to raise your price, and continue to service her with less hassle.

[XOFMOT]

GRASSMAN50,

Right now I'm in the circumstance you "WERE" in. One of my first customers (think she was the 4th), is miss penny pincher. "Well, If you do that, is that included in your weekly charge?" a remark she always says when I point out things to be addressed. She asked me last week to cut down a small tree next to her house (3" dia x 15' Birch). Sure I said, I will cut it down, and remove it from your property for $50.00...I then had to call 911, I thought she died when I told her $50.00.....I hate to loose a customer, but I will be nice and finish out the season for her (only about 2 more visits) and then GOOD BYE!
(oh, by the way, I did NOT cut the tree, she said wait till spring)

[lawnboy82]

I wish my paranoid customers were that good. I had one guy who you had to call his house from outside before you could go on the property because of the dogs. He wouldn't let me send anyone else over there to do the work. There was other stuff too, but that guy was a real whacko, amongst other stuff. I have worked for MANY crazy people in the past, and let me tell you it makes for some very interesting dinner conversation.

[Runner]

Grassman, You did the exact right thing. There is just WAY too much work out there to put up with all the hassle. One of the main things about this, is that you are supposed to enJOY the work. Not be stared at and scrutinized constantly. And Xofmot, let's face it, you're NOT the kid down the street, cutting it for rollerskating money. And this ISn't freakin' 1967! So the 1967 PRICES are OUT!;) Let them KNOW that!:)

[dlandscaping]

i have a client he is a state rep. you would think he would spend a little money for his lawn nope. i did his lawn once last year, some how he got a price of $20 per cut even beforei saw the lawn, good ole dad talking at the bar (this guy is a bartender too). so i go to the house, he has the biggest lawn on the street, it is triple what some other houses are.it hasnt been cut in a month. i only have a 21 toro and i fit all my stuff in an enclosed encoline van, how i do not know. i mow it, takes me about an hr. then he has a fence around his yard because he has a pool, i start trimming there, that took 30+min and blowing another 10 min. all in all a waste of my time. it was also about 90 degrees out so he says ill give you $30 because it was so hot out. i say fine and that i will be back in two weeks to mow it again. he says fine. two weeks later i come he says it doesnt need to be cut (which it did) and that he wants me to do leaves in the fall. about 3 weeks later i know the leaves are down he tells me he did them himself (not true). he asks my dad at the bar i i would remove brush. he says sure and it would be about $50. it turned out to be about 100 worth of work and he still complained i didnt get it all out and good ole dad says we will do more. he also said to clear out a few leaves which was the entire fall cleanup that he got for free. also he gets free fertilizing twice thanks to good ole dad. one time when we showed up to cut it, it had been done already, but no trimming, missed spots and clumps (he did it himself) it has now been 7weeks since i cut his lawn. it is like hay and in some places over 12 inches high and he says it dont need i am thinking of dropping him. you would think that people who make over $80ka year would pay a little better. sorry for a long post its been a long day.

[Runner]

It sounds to me like the morning after "Good ole' dad" is quoting all these great prices as the drinks are coming over the bar, that "Good ole' dad" should be out there backing them up with the work! Tell dad you're too busy to be doing work for free. If he wants to go do it for that, he can.:blob3:

[Albemarle Lawn]

It doesn't improve with age, so paranoids are not like fine wine.

In fact, regarding most paranoids, the older they get, the better they WERE!!!

They must be dropped. You can try to be nice to them, but you must be firm and set boundaries. If all you want to do is work and not be bothered, drop the paranoid like a crash diet.

Ken

[GreenQuest Lawn]

You did the right thing!!

I have a feeling I would have blew up sooner than you did.

When i worked for a LC we had some customers like that, finally they had to be told to stay in the house and leave the guys alone.

Lifes too short to put up with that.

[geogunn]

:(sorryguys, I gotta disagree. unless you are covered up the ole bat deserves a break.

she is persnickity and hateful because she is old and guarding the million bucks stuck in the matress.

she apologised to you in her own way.

we all hate being treated like this.

I say give the ole bat a call and ask if she needs anything, PROVIDED, that the money was ok to begin with.

and please remind me that I said this the next time I complain about mowing for an ole bat!:p

GEO

[casey]

These days I'll drop a customer if they look at me funny.
Back when I started I'd pick up their dry cleaning if they asked.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by casey
These days I'll drop a customer if they look at me funny.
Back when I started I'd pick up their dry cleaning if they asked.

LMAO..http://www.unionturf.com/rofl.gif

[65hoss]

When I read the first post I had to check who wrote it. I first thought it was another lawnboy82 post. haha.

Life is too short to be miserable. Not to mention, its your biz, so drop the junk.

[Craig Turf Management]

Don't you just hate people like that? I wouldn't mow that property for twice the price you were getting. I got into this line of work as a way to relieve stress. If it's not fun, why bother. In my opinion, you did the right thing by walking. I hope that you walked straight to the bank and cashed her check.
She can be replaced!!
Take care, Bill Craig

[bubble boy]

dlandscaping-you cant continue to let dad run your biz-i assume he is not your partner.

youre only thinking of dropping him?

DO IT.

i really cant believe you let that situation go on as far as it has, but i see in your profile your 15.

put an end to the insanity and take it as a learning experience.

[awm]

my sympathies grassman.think u hit it right . they can be very perinoid. and it will get worse probably. i try the, get stern approach before i let one know im gone.sometimes they turn into model customers ,sometimes not. in any case i wouldnt keep a customer that i dreaded. think geo pointed out some things to consider tho.
but sometimes it aint easy being easy.later now

[cos]

I got in a shouting match with a new customer like that. Thsi lady was unrealistic. Sometimes there are people out there that thrive on stuff like that. The old, "The customer is always right theory" Like it was said here, "Drop 'em and live life"

[CommercialCuts]

Way to go!!! I dropped a $1000.00 a month customer for this very reason. Bit>>ed and threw at fit every time we showed up, so i finally told her to find someone else. You no what, I don't miss that $1000.00 at all. In this business you have to put up with alot sometimes, but when the time is over its over!!!!!!!!!!!:blob4:

[summitgroundskeeping]

Ya I know what you went through. I have a lady that is even worse (WAY WORSE) than yours. I talked about her a little bit before. If you want to know what makes her so bad, just ask, and I'll tell everyone (may take it's own thread though).
P.S. this is her last season I do her lawn because I'm dropping her.

[landscapeman]

To: Summit grounds keeping. Yeah, i want to know about the customer that you are talking about.

[ADLAWNCUTTERS]

i know what your going threw. i know i shouldn.t admitted but
when i was a young lad ,years ago me and my guys use to drink
a lot of iced tea and fertilize her ripen tomatoes in her garden and giggle while doing it.i wasa bad boy.;)

[casey]

[i]. It is a very nice lawn that i mow for $25.00. "WHAT do you think i am doing, paying for your braces"!!! Cause i had braces at the time. I just thought, what a MEAN B***H!![/B]

Hope you get your braces off soon;)

[PRECISION LC]

i had a friend of mine,. give me four smaller yards in a older neighborhood. there each 25, and i can do them all i like 1 1/2 hours. he was using a 21, and spending half the day there. when i fist aquired the accounts i went to talk to each customer and tell them that i will be here on a weekly basis, i will bill you at the end of the month, and so on. the forst week it went fine , they each came out to watch me buzz around there yards pointing out little things to watchout for, ect. it went ok for a while then they started to moan and groan about how much they were papying, because it takes me 20min a yard vs. my friend a hour a peice. one lady called me and said that i will call you when i want it mowed again, i said fine. she called about a week later and said it would be ready any time, i told here that i was pusy now so it will be a day or two, she said fine. i showd up two days later and as soon as i showed up she started to get upset, wondering where i have been, and why i havent been there yet, a very unhappy lady. this went on and on and i went about my business. i told here that i am very busy now and it is hard for me to fit her my schedule, since i am a one man crew and a full time student. she calls about a week later again and said its ready, i told here again that i wouldnt be able to get there for a couple days, and she started to rant and rave, and i told here to just cut me a check for what ive done that month and to find another lco.
i am happy i dont have to deal with here moaning every week now.