Ever feel like you are being watched?

[idrissa]

We did a job for this guy yesterday. Originally he wanted the leaves, lawn treated, and edging done. I quoted him $450.00 and he was fine with it. Cool, so on the day before I called him to let him know that we would be there the next day and it was like we were in negotiations again. He was like, "So, so, how much for just the leaves, and then what about dethatching the lawn"? So, I quoted him and and when things began to get mundane I eventually just told him I was booked and probably wouldn't be able to do it now. He quickly changed his demeanor because at that point he lost control. So I quoted him @240 for mow, dethatching and edging along with a few minor task. He was fine with that and said he would do everything else. Good grief Charlie Brown!!!!I scheduled him 2 weeks later. I go there that morning because he called to go over the details. He now wants the leaves, lawn treatment and all this other stuff. I quote him 450.00 just to get it over with...It was ago. We get there and he runs outside to tell me he's busy. GREAT!
As soon as we start he comes out and stays out. My guys began discretely tellingme that they are uncomfortable, and so was I. We spent 4 grueling hours under heavy surveillance, literally. He watched us mow line for line, edge from fist shovel to last dirt toss, and dethatch. He started sweeping up before we even finished. He went and started raking the thatch and just making more work for us. My wife told not to do any jobs for this guy. I should have listened. Anyone else I would have charge them big time, but unfortunately, I knew this guy. Know wonder he has contractor issues.

:nono:NEVER AGAIN:nono::hammerhead:

[P.Services]

i think i am going to have a job like that on tuesday, he is going to be home and just seems like the type to keep saying "hey while you guys are here can you just do that real quick, it wont be much work". i said i will have the job done in one day and he's all "but but but thats a lot of work and i paid a lot of money, i want you guys to be on site for a few days at least" no sir in out done gone. and 2nd check before i start.

[hef37087]

I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago. The lady and I walked her entire house and she told me exactly how far to cut things and which tree limbs she wanted cut. When I got there she came out and stayed the whole time. It was a Wed. evening and she even skipped church to stay. She started in telling me "don't forget this...and can you cut a little more off this one?". I was so pissed. I finally finished and she called me back the next year to do it again and I told her that I have done this for 13 yrs. and didn't need a babysitter to trim her shrubs and she needed to find someone else.

[topsites]

LOL that's exactly what I'm talking about when I say some act like they're buying a Mercedes SLK-530 over a dang lawn mowing...
Yeah I get that too, it frustrates me to tears somedays.

These may just be the kind that can't be pleased, but I don't know.

[RhettMan]

What i want to know is how do you get 450 dollars for leaves lawn and edgeing, i mow blow and edge for $30 avg. It would take me 15 yards to get $450, not to mention every customer assures me that their "last guy" did it all for $25 and my prices are high ???

[P.Services]

it doesnt really bug me i guess, i dont care if people watch because im always going to do my best work if im being watched or not. its when they ask me to do other things or add a little extra to my job that bugs me. thats why they get a complete list before we start including everything we are going to do down to how we will clean up after.

[shovelracer]

You are always being watched. I get lots of these cause no one else wants to be bothered. The process is real simple. First you charge a good premium, then you have a detailed list of work to be done an thats all you do until it is done. When contract is finished and you are paid then you reset the clock and start again. I have several of these that we service a few times a year.

One is so bad that two guys quit on the job and a few others would call out when we where going there. I always had to remind them that they where getting paid and that they usually got hefty tips as well. Although they can get on your nerves, no one else will service these people so you must charge well for your time. One lady easily spent 20K last year in simple garden maintenance.

There is an account we maintain that the lady will follow you around the house looking out the windows through the blinds. When you look up real quick you'll see the blinds move, but you must be sly or real fast to catch it. As long as she stays inside Im cool with it. She'll also call and leave messages on my cell while she is watching me from 20 feet away. I used to get mad, but now I just laugh and deal with the husband.

I have a lot of patience and tolerance, so Id rather listen to some crazy rant about UFOs and the government conspiracies for 2 times the price over some doctor or VP trying to knock me down $100 on a 20 yards of mulch.

[topsites]

I guess you're right shovel...
My problem is, I have never had one who would actually pay without complaint AND keep me around.
They pay once maybe 2-3 times and they may or may not say anything but that's the end of it...
It does fix the problem but it also hurts business and in more ways than one.

A lot of times what I do is start the clock before the truck even comes to a complete stop.
If nothing happens then all goes as planned and the charge comes to the usual.
If they want to come outside and start up with it that's fine as well, just keep dealing with it and keep on getting it.
At the end charge them $1 / min and thank you.

And for those who like to call in between I got a change order form all ready,
it's $30 to change the order and add that on to the rest and get their siggie and lalala...

But it never works, it's always over right then and there.
I might get paid once or twice out of these ordeals but sooner or later it stops.
Maybe it is that I'm looking at it as an ordeal, but that's because I've been through it so many times, too...
My attitude changes when I know I'm getting PAID so that can't be it,
and I'm certainly not always arrogant and frustrated...

So what am I doing wrong?

[topsites]

I got another one for you...

Customers who think their lawn is like a car...
You know, you wash a car so it looks nice, right?
Yeah, so you mow the lawn and it does the same thing...

And they will call me to have the lawn mowed OFF schedule.
That is, before the regularly scheduled date...

It would be all fine and dandy Except for ONE problem: A lawn is a plant...
You can NOT cut it every 3-4 days, it will wither and die...
You can NOT cut it any time but AS needed...

Then when it gets all yellow who is at fault?

Maybe I'm just stupid...

[dwlah]

I try to get to my aunts house while shes at the beauty shop (late thurs AM)
when I dont she will follow me around
She will ask me everytime did you edge the driveway while Im still on the mower sometimes I dont even get the mower off the trailer:hammerhead:
I have to remind her the mower flings stuff out at speed it would be better if she went inside and fixed me some ice water

[Gardens55]

If you are doing a good job then you don't need to worry about somebody watching you work. Having said that I know what you mean, it is much easier when you are left to get on with it without feeling like you are constantly being judged.

[AI Inc]

When they say" well I can only be there on tuesday" I replay, "ok , we have you on the scedule for wednesday"

[rachael24]

If you are doing a good job then you don't need to worry about somebody watching you work. Having said that I know what you mean, it is much easier when you are left to get on with it without feeling like you are constantly being judged.

Thats my thought exactly.

[mngrassguy]

I just suck it up and deal with it. Weather I like it or not, it's just the nature of the business. Safety is a whole different ball game. When ever I'm using power equipment I ask them to wait inside. My big pet peeve is when people allow their kids/pets to play in the yard while I'm there and I have to stop and knock on the door...

I bill per hour inc talk time and I tell people that up front. If they want to pay me $70.00/man hour to chat....COOL

Some of my older "retired" clients just hire me so someone comes to visit once a week!!!

[idrissa]

I forgot to mention that when I started edging with the weedwacker I had to tell him several times to please back away. It got the fact that he cameso close that he was getting hit with debris, several times. I feel that if you want a job done that you usually do yourself, don't critique me if you really want to do it yourself. While having a surgery you don't wake up out of anestesia and say,"hey doc, is that my appendix you're taking out, why did you have to cut me open? You are right, charge them!!!!!!!!!

[One_Man_Army]

I usually tell people that because of my insurance they are not allowed to be around me while using my mower or other power equipment. Even though thats not a requirement by my insurance company....I don't want to even have the possibility of a personal injury claim :dizzy: For example, a local management company (very large) lost over 3 million because one of their men that was trimming wound up shooting a rock into a kids chest and breaking his sternum <--- (spelling?). Moral of the story is NEVER be afraid to tell a customer to back off or else you could wind up losing everything over one rock.....

[DoetschOutdoor]

Man I used to have so many old people that would be peeking through the windows...from the moment you pull up, the blinds start swaying and it just makes you a little uncomfortable somtimes. Now I just stare right back at them. My favorite is cutting 5 houses on a golf course and watching the golfers. They stare at me like they have never seen a mower and so when they are teeing off, I stop what Im doing and glare at them for a few good seconds. Amazing how many guys either cant take people watching them or just suck at golf.

[txgrassguy]

I have a simple rule, if you are not an employee, you can't be on my job site.
Period.
Customers whom wish to observe have to do it away from the job site, they can peep all they want from the porch, from inside, even from behind a shuttered window while playing with themselves, I don't care at all.
But step foot on the grounds while maintenance is in operation EVERYTHING comes to a screeching halt.
I have walked from more than one site due to intrusive actions by a customer. In fact I have written in my estimates that only company authorized personnel are allowed on the site while work is in progress.

[Charles]

I tell people, I charge more if they stand in the yard and watch me. That usually does the trick. I had one lady who came out and told me to mow one area in a particular direction. I said that will be $5 more for each cut for that advice and every since its been $5 dollars added on to the original estimate:laugh:

[warren piece]

I did the finish plumbing on Joe Montana's remodel of his basement in his house in Kansas City when he was with The Chiefs. Never saw him or the wife though, just the contractor who originally bid the job.

[gorknoids]

Something to put into the mix here..... I was foreman on a major install many years ago, and the maintenance guys showed up. The homeowner was out of town. It was hot, and they got to work. When they were about halfway done, one of the guys went to the edge of the pool, laid on his belly, and hung upside-down in the pool for 10 seconds or so.
I told him to knock it off, and he said "Why, he isn't here?" Then I showed him the security cameras, and explained to him that the guy could be in the Sahara, and as long as he had a satellite link, he could watch the place 24/7.

[Gardens55]

Thats one way to make sure people do a good job!

[SuperDuty335]

I have people follow me around while working quite often (land surveying). While it doesn't bother me now, it used to really get on my nerves. Just recently, however I got a little agitated with this guy. We were surveying a 50 acre tract that was to be subdivided into three lots that runs along a ridge that eventually becomes a mountain. Needless to say the back of the property goes straight up in elevation for about 2000' feet and it's nothing but thick mountain laurel. Well, we (3 man crew) began cutting a line up the mountain with our usual bush axes in hand. In the mean time the guy tells me we were the second choice for the job. I shrugged off his comment and one of my guys jokingly responded with "we'll take second place." All is good. Later on, with sweat pouring we cut for a few hundred feet at what I though was a good pace when the guy has the nerve to say to me the last surveying company he hired didn't seem to take as long as we were... alright I'm a pretty cool guy but that struck a wrong note with me. I never said another word to the guy and we put in a full 12 hours that day and dragged his hind end with us the whole time.:laugh:

[Gardens55]

I never said another word to the guy and we put in a full 12 hours that day and dragged his hind end with us the whole time.:laugh:

Was he not bored following you around for 12 hours? What an idiot!

[SuperDuty335]

He just sort of walked along with us all day. It's not particularly exciting or fascinating work for someone just hanging around...unless they are retired with nothing better to do??

[04superduty]

when i did sprinkler work i had some customers follow me around. if i liked them i would make sure they didnt get wet. if they got om my nerves or were just a PITA, i would forget to tell them about the rotor behind them that is going to get them. would take them long of getting blasted with water to leave me alone.
the worst ones to deal with were the old people. i have had them follow from head to head, watching all the work i do. that gets old quick.

[THEGOLDPRO]

i used to mow a yard for a guy who used to hide in the bushes and watch me mow. it was the funniest thing i have ever seen.

[LushGreenLawn]

What i want to know is how do you get 450 dollars for leaves lawn and edgeing, i mow blow and edge for $30 avg. It would take me 15 yards to get $450, not to mention every customer assures me that their "last guy" did it all for $25 and my prices are high ???

Anybody who would move leaves for $25 should have their head examined.

[RyKR]

I haven't had the displeasure of being watched while I mow, but I used to get watched while working on cars. I would bring a customers car into the bay and get it up on the lift, turn around, and there was the customer. It didn't matter to some customers how many times I told them that they weren't allowed in the shop they wouldn't leave, or they would back away and then start to creep back in. I finally would just sit down and refuse to work until they stopped baby sitting me or I would start working on someone else's car.

Not all of the watchers were bad. There were a couple of old guys and gals that just wanted me to walk them through what I was doing to the car. Of if it was going to be a long repair, they just wanted company. It gets real boring in an auto shop lobby.

It was the "I used to be a mechanic" guys that got annoying.:gunsfirin:gunsfirin:gunsfirin

[BrIONwoshMunky]

i used to mow a yard for a guy who used to hide in the bushes and watch me mow. it was the funniest thing i have ever seen.

That is an awesome anecdote!

I used to work for a contractor that had a joke rate sign. It read:
"$25/hr if we do the work
$35/hr if you start and we finish
$45/hr if you help"

I laughed at that sign so much.

[Gardens55]

i used to mow a yard for a guy who used to hide in the bushes and watch me mow. it was the funniest thing i have ever seen.

And the most boring thing he had ever seen!

[2fatguyslawncare]

I was aerating a property yesterday, and the homeowner started aerating with one of those two prong, hand operated push in core aerator... I said to him... "Glad you don't have to do all 15,000 sq ft with that huh?" He laughed and handed me my $300 check and went back inside.

Hey, does anyone else have a large amount of widows/divorced women for clients?

Seems prevalent...

Love this business. Been having great results with our restoration jobs. I was pretty nervous, being new and never dared to check with my customers... just told them to call if they had any questions. I have done 15 restorations so far this season. Last week I had a call from a woman who said we did her neighbors yard and it looked awesome. I drove by, and it DID look awesome! I have since checked on the rest, and except for a couple they look great. The two that don't have also not mowed, trimmed or otherwise care for their property so I figure they did not water properly either.

Lot of fun, great money and we are on track to pay off our initial 12K investment in year one. I guess the name has worked out for us after all.

Leroy ~ 2 Fat Guys Lawn Care

[mattfromNY]

I have an old lady that actually brings out a diagram of where each flower/ each color/ each type needs to go... then she measures with a ruler to be sure they are all correct. Then she brings out a picture of how the yew and hemlock bushes need to look. The picture was taken back in the '50s and everything looks (almost) EXACTLY as it did then.
She is 85 years old, and a super cool old lady. I kid her about her pictures and diagrams, and how she's the most 'particular' customer I have. Never had any problems with her in 3 years, work for her every week, and dont mind for a minute that she looks 'under' my shoulder (she's only about 5 feet tall).
I've found that sometimes when customers get really picky, I joke about sitting back with a beer and watching them show me how to do it. Usually they get the point and back off a little.