my own equipment

[greenman]

I had a call from a woman the other day in response to my fall flyers. She needs her lawn done from time to time when her hubby goes out of town. Anyway, during the conversation she said, "Do you have your own equipment or do you need to use mine"? Do you know how hard it was to keep from busting out laughing? Anyone else ever had that question pop up?:D

[The Lawn Choupique]

The smart thing to do would have been to just use her equipment.

[ranger520]

I have been asked this question a couple of times this year.

[greenman]

Originally posted by The Lawn Choupique
The smart thing to do would have been to just use her equipment.

She had a broke down curved-shaft trimmer, a push mower, an electric bower, and 11,200 sq ft of lawn. Yeah whatever:rolleyes:

But I guess even it would've taken 3 hrs with her stuff, I still would've made money. :eek:, but then I wouldn't have been able to get to the other two lawns and make even more money.

[anythinglawns]

I have had two customers that insist that at least twice per year that use there mowers. Both had nice John Deer riders so it was not too bad. It still took longer than if I used my own. They both paid a little extra for me to do it. Both customers where widows and the JDs where there husbands. They wanted them to run time to time to run out gas and keep them from sitting and detererating.

[65hoss]

Originally posted by greenman
I had a call from a woman the other day in response to my fall flyers. She needs her lawn done from time to time when her hubby goes out of town. Anyway, during the conversation she said, "Do you have your own equipment or do you need to use mine"? Do you know how hard it was to keep from busting out laughing? Anyone else ever had that question pop up?:D


Actually its not really funny. There was something wrong in the marketing and communication process. She is thinking your a cheap laborer, not a "Pro".

Also, if you take this "on call" status with her, you better not quote her a firm price right now. She could call you when it hasn't been mowed in a month, or just last week. Dealing with these situations is a potiential problems.

[crawdad]

I get this every now and then, especially for shrub work. They say "I have some hedge trimmers." I reply to the effect that I only use my own equipment, and the reason why is evident when I show up with my Stihl gas powered trimmers.
Crawdad

[KLMlawn]

Ok, here is one ... how about when you show up to do an estimate and find that the only access to the back yard is a 30" gate open up to 6K sq.ft. of lawn???
You politely tell the customer that they either have to make arrangements to give you access to the back yard or find another company due to the fact that your machines just will not fit thru a 30" gate.
Their responce is ... "Well my lawnmower fit thru the gate with no problem, it is in the garage, you can use that..."

[Got Grass?]

Once when I was doing a cleanup with my mowers on the trailer I had a guy drive up & ask me if I had my own mowers. "Well Duh" I actually said to the guy. He then said he was "blind in one eye & loosing site in the other". At first I felt bad for the guy untill I relized I sould be more afraid for everyone else on the road. Scarey

Seems like almost every time I get asked for hedge trimming they tell me they have "eletric clippers" or ask if I need an outlet & extention cords. Amazing the look on peoples faces when I tell them I have my own "GAS powerd" hedge trimmers.

[greenman]

65hoss- maybe there was something wrong with the communication or marketing, I dont know. Anyway,I done the job with my equipment. I also talked to her about the "on-call" status.

[LawnPro in NC]

I have had that several times. I show up give a price and finnish in record time. They say something like it takes me 3 hrs. to do that. I need a mower like that.