New customer agreement

[brianlooft]

How do most of you handle signing up new customers? Do you go for a full year agreement or contract? Do you take a deposit? Can they switch service mid-season?
And how do you bill?

[Green Pastures]

Annual contracts.

Bill monthly.

I take a deposit if the monthly is high but I bill a month ahead anyway. For exapmle they must pay at least one payment when we sign the contract. This way I'm always working off my debt to them NOT the other way around.

I've never had to take anyone to collections in 8 years in business.....

[DLAWNS]

I do annual contracts. I don't take a deposit except on bigger landscape jobs. I bill monthly.

[shane mapes]

i just this year started to make sure every customer sign a one year contract . this is something that i have not done regularly until a few months ago.

[fertguy2008]

bill early and bill often.
Bill at the beginning of the month due by the 15th
never get behind 60 days

[Grits]

We bill on the 15th for the next months services. No payment received by the 1st = no service until payment has been received. So there is no way to have people owing you money for services rendered.
Also on a 10 month billing system for the average cuts per year. We just started it this year and it, suprisingly, has been happily accepted by nearly all existing clients.

[brianlooft]

Do most people usually go for spring and fall clean-ups in their contract?

[shane mapes]

Do most people usually go for spring and fall clean-ups in their contract?

we don't have the true 4 seasons here in northern cal. so we maintain all year long . a few customers will let their lawns go and then we will at that point do clean ups..