Just say no!!!!!!

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

I've run into a problem, if you want to call it a problem, this spring. I'm a solo lco and have all the accounts I need or want. Problem is the neighbors see me out working and want me to price their yard. Most of these yards are cupcake accounts and I'm pricing them very high. People aren't flinching at the prices. More like, "when can you start". I don't have it in me to turn them down because I'm already in the hood and the mowing is easy. I guess I need to learn how to say no. I don't want to expand, been there, done that. I guess I'll just have to grunt it out this season and then drop the undesirable accounts next spring. Anyone else running into this "problem" this year????

LAWNS AND MOWER

[AK Lawn]

Sounds like a real problem, lol. TOO MANY clients, i wish i was in your shoes, but it really isn't a bad thing and is good when you have so much bus. that you only keep the good one, just remember that if you have to much drop them sooner than later, your quality might go down, good luck. Really h\appy to hear that some people do not have to worry about clients. But if any thing is true this is the best prob. you can have, keep on keepin on'
AK Lawn

[CLM1103]

I have basically the same thing. I just price the new ones for more then raise prices on the lower ones to match. I will lose a couple of the lower priced ones but more than make up for it with the new ones at a higher price. Good luck!

[mdb landscaping]

why wait till the end of the season to weed out the bad ones? take on lawns you want to maintain, and drop the customers you dont like.

[Toroguy]

Your obviously doing something right!

mbd and CLM have valid points.

[TLS]

This is nothing new for me. Been "full" for the last 20years. Sometimes "fuller" than I want to be, sometimes just right. When I was still in H.S. I actually had a waiting list!

To get rid of the "undesireables" I just mail them a letter in Feb explaining that thier price will raise to $XX.xx (a lot more $) a cut due to increased business expenses. If they take it, its well worth it for that PITA lawn! If they say "NO WAY", then that leaves this slot open for a new cupcake lawn. It all works out in the end.

[LawnLad]

A successful contractor told me once... "If you've got more work than you can handle, you're not charging enough!"

Raise your prices to a satisfactory level. Just make sure you maintain the quality that they originally singled you out for - nothing worse than having a customer leave you because of unmet expectations due to failure to perform.

[Bunton Guy]

Hmmm what part of NC are you in ? Throw em my way if your near Charlotte lol.

[MuskTurfKing]

Sounds like your doing good work if you have to fight em off with a stick, if you bid a lawn and it's not up to par, just bid HIGH, and if you don't get it, no sweat, if ya do, great. You CAN'T lose!

Hank

[awm]

i try to avoid mowing my neighbors.they always expected special treatment. an example,SO U GONNA MOW THOSE FOLKS ON THE LIST BEFORE MY LAWN. DONT OUR BEING NEIGHBORS, COUNT FOR SOMETHING.NOT

[Sean Adams]

Higher prices means higher expectations. It is said on lawnsite so often when talking about clients choosing lowball bidders over their more established business - "I tell them you get what you pay for..." That works both ways. If bidding on accounts you don't need or can't handle with high prices is working, that is fine. But these clients will quickly expect "to get what they pay for". It is one thing to be tagged as incompetent, or unreliable, or even too expensive. But if you get labeled as all of the above, word can travel fast, and that can be deadly in a competitive area. It appears that you do very good work or you wouldn't have so many interested prospects willing to pay a higher price - which is great. Do you have employees? If not, have you considered the possibility? Just curious. Still sounds like a nice position to be in.

Sean Adams

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

Originally posted by mdb landscaping
why wait till the end of the season to weed out the bad ones? take on lawns you want to maintain, and drop the customers you dont like.

I just don't feel right dumping a customer 3 weeks into the mowing season. I wouldn't want this done to myself. Plus, most of the undesirable accounts are customers that are good as gold. I would almost want to mow an undesirable acct with a great customer, than mow a cupcake acct with a PITA customer.

LAWNLAD- I have a pretty good idea what other lco's charge in my area, and my prices as a whole, are higher than theirs. This spring I raised the price of a bitchy acct 40% in hopes that he would drop me. He didn't even flinch!!!

Thanks for all the encouragement!!!

LAWNS AND MOWER

[scott's turf]

Why not hire someone PT to work with you and make a lot more money. You have the business, take advantage of it. Work smarter not harder. If you work with someone you can keep an eye on them. I can't see too many headaches doing it that way.

[CLM1103]

Sean...I work solo and want to keep it that way. I am the only one responsible for quality that way.

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

Originally posted by scott's turf
Why not hire someone PT to work with you and make a lot more money. You have the business, take advantage of it. Work smarter not harder. If you work with someone you can keep an eye on them. I can't see too many headaches doing it that way.

On average my operation consists of 80% mowing and 20% weedeating. If I was to hire help, I would need to get another walk-behind, trade in my van for a truck so I could pull a trailer with 2 walk-behinds, etc.... Been there, done that. Like CLM1103 said, I enjoy working solo. Wouldn't want it any other way. Like the name of this thread states, I just need to learn to 'JUST SAY NO' to new accts. Gots to get mowing!!!!!!!!

LAWNS AND MOWER