Ever trade accounts?

[DitchDr]

Last week I was taking a break sipping some water and updating the route on my lap top when someone knocks on my window..

Low and behold it is a budy of mine. I get out we talk for a little while and come to find out we do work in the same nieghborhhods. Our prices are pretty much the same, and we offr the same services.. We talked about a neighborhood in Hanahan, it is acros town from where I usualy mow.. He tells me he has 8 accounts in one place, same place i have 2 accounts in. Then tells me he has one account in the neighborhood. So we got to talking. the one he was willing to trade me pays 65.00 per mow, cash no questions asked and usualy gets a spring clean up. The 2 I have in Hanahan pay 35 each and the money is always waiting on me.. Long story short I trade him my 2 for his one. I am loosing 5 dollars in gross, but making it up in not having to spend 30 min getting to that side of town.

SO is this normal? Have you ever done it?

Yes we called each of the customers and all were ok with it.

[J&A Lawn Care]

yea that would be a win win situation for both of you.I do the same thing with a buddy of mine also but make sure you can 100% trust the person cause money is the evil of the world.I have seen people do some unthinkable things to make a dollar

[ryde307]

We do it all the time with 2 other companies that I know. We dont completley trade contract for contract but we basically sub eachother the work and it's a wash in the end most of the time. That way you still keep in contact with your own customers and do billing for those accounts.

[Disgruntled_Veteran]

There is a larger company that I am friends with the owner and he throws me a few accounts every now and then when he is booked up . I have done this once and so far its all worked out.. I am always on my P's and Q's , like you said you should always becareful when doing this but If your friends with the guy should not be an issue..

[taprlawncare]

not a bad idea, and makes sense. Only downfall I would say is now other people won't see you doing work in that other part of town anymore. Maybe there will be less of a chance of you picking up more business in that area. I suppose it is a good thing tho, less distance to travel, save on gas, etc.

[tradeyouraccounts]

Buying selling and trading your accounts your customer base makes sense to make a more profitable service route. There are some common procedures normally taken during account transactions. You can find more info here http://www.tradeyouraccounts.com/thingstonote.aspx