New client retention

[danzig]

I must be getting every oddball in the neighborhood this year. Most of my new clients are very eccentric and it is hard to read them. I always do a good job and i always mow on the same day. I have lost a few people but i have heard that these clients go through 3 or 4 lco's a year. What is your retention rate on new clients? I feel i'am lucky to keep 60% of my new residential clients.

[Toroguy]

If they are expecting a Genie in a bottle I will not be a fit for their demands. By discussing the service and schedule with them prior to beginning, you can determine-and they can determine, if it will be a Love Connection.

No Love Connection, no service, no customer turnover.

A Love Connection=95% or more retention.

[yorkpaddy]

I totally agre. I dumped a new client yesterday, it was a $35 lawn (she wanted it bagged), that took me a half hour, because I could tell she was too picky. And I picked up a lawn today for $25, that's about 1.5 to 2 times as big, but I don't have to bag it, and I can tell they like me. Having quality customers is what its all about

[proline32]

We all know the routine that we go thru getting new customers, this is why it's important to keep the good ones. It cost way less to retain a good customer versus obtaining new ones, it is really hard to tell what customers are like nowdays, You can go do an estimate and they seem great and then BAM, they are the worst in the world. I generally will sent a letter to potential customers who I just don't "feel" good about, Informing them that they don't meet my service profile and thank you for calling me. I think a lot more phone time is always in order to pre qualify the potential client. It's certainly a lot cheaper to talk to them on the phone versus driving out and not getting a good vibe.