What a Christmas gift...

[lawnjockey]

I recieved a letter in the mail today that the verbal contract i had with a local garden center has been terminated. I mow 2 sites for them for 2 years. One was a paid per mow and the other was 12 mo. The contract was of course for the 12 mo. The contract was up on Oct. 1 . I approached the owner about it and he said we did not have to write up another one , that verbal would be good..Well in the past we have helped each other out with jobs. It has been a good relationship. They bought a lazer to mow at the garden center and have started mowing some lawns so I guess what they are wanting to do is to save $$$ and do it themselves...and screw a good friend...
I wouldn't be too upset if it were March, but this was money I was counting on through the winter... What now? :confused:

[bubble boy]

that sucks but you should just move on. is this one accounbt going to break you for the winter?

i wouldnt say they "screwed" you. with a verbal how do you figure they felt any obligation for twelve months?

and friend? business is business. been fired by friends, dumped friends. never gets personal.

we use written contracts and people still opt out. i just move on, can't win em all.

[MacLawnCo]

McDonalds is always hiring. :)

[Mueller Landscape Inc]

I don't know why you guys put your customers on a 12 month payment cycle when your season is 8 or 9 months. I know that makes the monthly payment lower for the customer, but who wants to pay when nothing is being done. If I were in that part of the country, I would split their monthly payments for the actual season and not stretch them over 12 months. Then I would budget my cash flow.

[cajuncutter]

It works really well for me here in Louisiana John. I do feel guilty during those months we do nothing so I make at least one visit per month and this shows the customer that we think of them. Usually they ask why we are there and I just reply with something like we just want to make sure everything is in order and is looking nice. Perhapse at one time or another they think about paying for nothing being done but they do know that the payment is low and that they are paying for services already performed. They also know they never have to call us wondering where we are. We did not miss one week on any of our accounts, so I guess where I am going with this is that they can rely on us. We are always there for the customer!! Also Lawnjockey too bad you are not in Louisiana verbal here is as good as written on paper. Every account I have is verbal and I have never had one problem. I am looking for wood as I type.

[devildog]

Thats just biz, move on. With regards... devildog

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

Originally posted by Mueller Landscape Co
I don't know why you guys put your customers on a 12 month payment cycle when your season is 8 or 9 months. I know that makes the monthly payment lower for the customer, but who wants to pay when nothing is being done. If I were in that part of the country, I would split their monthly payments for the actual season and not stretch them over 12 months. Then I would budget my cash flow.
I do a 12 month payment plan for my larger accounts, BUT I'm still charging ala carte for my services. Most of my plans run from April til March or Jan til Dec. What I do is get a ballpark figure of what they spend in a year (mowing,fert.,fall and spring cleanups, etc...) and divide that figure by 12 months. Once I'm through with the fall cleanups, I'll total up what my services cost them for the season and then adjust the last few monthly payments up or down as needed. I'll go 4 months without visiting there property, but still receive my monthly checks. This plan works great with POA's (Property Owner Associations).

[walker-talker]

LawnJockey, if they just terminated your business then they did not screw you. That is just business. If you lowered their monthly payments and spread them over a 12 month period and that 12 month cycle is not up yet, then they screwed you out of some money and I would address this problem.

MATT

[Scraper]

I just started with 12 month payment plans as well. So far so good. If I could only convert more. Nothing to do with budgeting, but it sure helps knowing what's going to keep coming each month while I whittle away the time until spring.

[goose]

If you start a contract in April and they let you go inOctober then they are going to owe you money ,likewise if you start in October and they let you go in March you are going to owe them money. About 50% of my customers are 52 visits , the rest 38 . Just let them know up front its not like a bill from the cable company , its more like an installment payment. We bill at the beginning of the month and give them until the 15th to pay.Of course some want to pay at the end of the month after we do the work .But I stand on my pay by the 15th rule. Some might even say they want to make sure we do the work , but I tell them I have to do the work and trust them to pay, so we meet in the middle , the 15th.Of course they left you just like Coach Fran left our football team high and dry.
A football tradition w/o a coach , please help us in Bama
Goose

[Nick]

I get payment first of the month and charge for late payers. If they terminated a contract you are still owed for services rendered.

[TaylorLawn]

I guess if there is one good reason to live down south is the fact that lawn maintenance is constant through the entire year, no snow, just leaves, leaves, leaves.....I actually enjoy the twelve month payment plan for my commercial accounts, that is positive cash flow through the slower months....and all of my residentials are visited a minimum of once a month, and many call and have it done prior to Thanksgiving or Christmas etc. I tend to reap the benefits of all of that once a week work in the growing months during this time of the year when I am only visiting them once every four weeks but recieve the same pay check....just a thought. ET