Another blower complaint!

[sheppard]

Can you beleive this? A customer, whom I have been doing for 3 months runs up to me and says "Stop! Stop! Stop!". I take out my ear plugs and smile politely... the lady (men never do this) says "I did not know you use gasoline blowers! I do not allow them! I'll rake my yard myself". Then she starts to walk away. I gently ask her to wait and offer to rake the leaves or use an electric blower (do not want to loose her yet- much better to dump her on my time table). Any body have a customer say anything remotely like this?

Cordially,
Sheppard

[mdb landscaping]

just drop her and pick up a different account where you can use gas blowers. thats the dumbest thing ive heard of. sounds like shes pro enviornment or something.

[65hoss]

Nope, I never have had anyone do this. Wouldn't tolerate it. Its my way or no way. That's why I own the biz and started it in the 1st place. If they don't like my way they can find someone else or do it themselves.

[CSRA Landscaping]

... not really. I don't really know that I'd be as graceful about it as you were, Sheppard. I'd have probably gotten into an argument, sadly enough. How did it turn out? Any chance of having that order rescinded?

[TGCummings]

I'm with Hoss on this one. I would explain to her that I'll use the best equipment for the job everytime and, most likely, wish her luck as I left.

I admire you patience, though. ;)

[XOFMOT]

So.......How do you cut her lawn?

[lee b]

XOFMOT, my question exactly.

[GrassMaster]

Hello Everybody:

If you like Pain Keep her. If she's one of them Gas Blower Freaks & it took her 3 Months to figure out you run them. She doesn't sound like her belt is going through all her belt loops!

Just my Thoughts, No Pain No Gain!

[kutnkru]

Shep

You still have lots of time to replace her spot on your maintenance route. I realize that things are slwoing down but surely not coming to an end.

Solicit her area like wild fire and when she misses your work she will just have to pay more for your quality reputable services. ;)

Kris

[Green Care]

Who is she to tell you what to use as long as the job is getting done. I wouldn't care if you used a snow blower. drop her!!!!!!

[Fine Lines Lawn]

Big thumbs down on her... that's the silliest thing I've ever heard.

[Dochere]

Next she'll ask you to cut with a push reel mower. What the hell does she think your mower has on it? One of those big hampster wheels with a rodent running in it? Dump her.

[General Grounds]

:blob3: i'm a firm believer, for ever one you drop there's two waitin, pick up the neighbors on both sides and BLOW your brains out she'll go nuts.T:p

[gusbuster]

This is such a big problem, but not with my own clients. It's always the neighbors who complain. I always find out later that they're the Pain of the block.

As far as this complaint goes, on my own clients, take it or leave it attitude. Do you know of any lawn care company that uses hand or manual tools and is successful????

Drop her!

Just out of curiosity though, if you have a chance, ask her the reason she doesn't like the machine. Too much noise? Dust? Educate this poor soul that
1. If she's worried abut noise pollution, ask her what kind of cleaners, drain chems ect... those are more dangerous than they seem due to mis-use
2. If she's worried about dust pollution...
A. She should be wearing a filter when outdoor. You see the dust caused by a blower because of concentration but not the air born pollutants.
B. A drive to the grocery store causes more pollution than the exhaust and dust blown by blowers. Cars and trucks win by default due to the engine size and volume of fuel burnt by vehicles.

Just my two cents
John

[GLS]

I had these two old ladies (neighbors) call me up to mow their lawn. I go over their and they expect me to use ELECTRIC push mowers and SCISSORS to trim the grass. I laughed and then left.

[keifer]

What is the prob just dont blow. Charge the same plus it will take less time.

[HOMER]

OK boy's, start the clock.................I got it stuck up her azz and now we're gonna see how long it'll take her to pop!:cry:

I wouldn't hesitate to let this one go.

[65hoss]

I've had 2 leaf job calls today. BOTH asked me to give them a ballpark figure. I refused of course.

Both also said, "can you give me a price for raking leaves?" RAKING? haha.

[kutnkru]

Hoss

Just tell 'em that the raking is partly what you do when you are cleaning up once you've finished the job to ensure that the curbside is clean as a whistle. :D

Then see if they still want that quote for the rest of the clean-up.

Kris

[65hoss]

:D Rake?? What's a RAKE? :D

[Scotlawncare]

Rake? We don't need no stinking Rake!

[Currier]

I'd say kutnkru nailed it... try to get several accounts around her area. Drop her and her happy little comfy ideas about what the media says must be right about 2 cycle equip.... Do a sweet job (like you always do I'm sure) on her neighbors and then either be too busy to reinstate her or graciously accept her back at the new year's prices.:)

And then sympathize :) "yes maam how bout if I only run it at half throttle" Make her feel happy and soothe her terrible guilt. Or better yet, let her rake the junk. Heck you might want to mention that the trimmer is also pretty nasty exhaust waste. You might even buy her a pair of the old grass shears to use. No trimming. No blowing. Just require her to keep the trimming neat:)

[Scag48]

Yeah, I have a customer that come up to me once and told me to quit using my blower. It was a guy, (kinda funny) and his wife doesn't give a rip! I use my trimmer more and it's just as loud. Here's what he said:

"Turn that damn thing off! It's too damn loud! They should be banned! I'll sweep the sidewalk so you don't have to use that loud thing!"

Funny thing is I only run it for like 30 seconds just to blow of their entryway sidewalk and I don't even run it at full throttle! These people are so weird. :rolleyes:

[GrassChopper]

Originally posted by 65hoss
:D Rake?? What's a RAKE? :D

It's what you use to put all your money in a pile!

:D

[sheppard]

Yep, this lady is missing some of the dots on her dice! Never thought enviros used their brain anyhow... I'll drop her when I pick up 1 or 2 in her area.

Sheppard

[MOW ED]

Tell her to move to Toronto with Casey.

:(

[Charles]

I agree with the myway or the hyway. F her and the broom she came out of the door riding

[65hoss]

Originally posted by GrassChopper


It's what you use to put all your money in a pile!

:D

Why do you think I bought the Redmax blower? :p

[Bill Davis]

I had a woman tell me something like this but that it scared her cats to death when i ran my two sthils and that i could borrow her broom or rake. I said no thanks and left.

[KerryB]

I dont understand. Does she walk or drive a car? Doesnt she know that our equipment is regulated by the gov. (exhaust) They regulate the emissions on blowers just like everything else.
I guess her hair spray and her car and furnace in her house dont pollute.
Bye the way I like the wheel mouse setup. lol
I guess after growing up raking a 1 1/2 acre yard full of pinestraw has jaded me towards rakes. Let her go as fast as you can.

[G & S LANDSCAPING SERVICE]

Sell her on total organic lawn care ,and fertlizers, and charge dearly, Who knows it might get some new wealthy tree hugging customers, charge by the hour.I can rake lawns fo $80.00 per hour.

[sheppard]

As a matter of fact this ladt told me (yesterday) that she was returning from the hair dresser when she saw me "running that gas blower". She went on to say that some of here windows were down and there was no wind so all the fumes congregated in her house! "It's different when you mow- you move around alot." Oh well, she pays on time and is somewhat pleasant. I'll keep her untill I can replace her with two!

Cordially,

Sheppard

[casey]

Be careful who you or where you blow dust .
I heard our blower ban movement got started because a couple lazy LCO's accidentally blew dust on the wrong people. If your working in rich areas also avoid blowing before 9 am.