Lawn care customer?

[LawnsRUsInc.]

What do you guys do for lawn care, season contract/proposals or just a per time charge for residential and commercial?

[Shuter]

I have no contracts. Most of my customers have been with me for years. I see no need for contracts with the customer base that I have. If I start commerical work I may use a contract. I bill all customers at the end of the month for mowing.

I will use a contract for landscaping work. That way it spells out exactly what is going to be done, why, when, and for how much.

[NYRookie]

I give proposals in the spring on mowing/trimming. I ad on extra's like hedge trimming, mulch, planting, etc., if the customer requests. My prices are for a per visit. In the early season, 4-5 times/month. Later on 2-3 times/month. I bill them monthly. One thing to be sure of is to specify a spring cleanup price, to clean up all the **** out of the lawn before your mower finds it. I have 1 place that I spend about 2 hours on my tractor york raking out the stones from snowplowing. Also specify that the price is for existing lawn. You will find that some commercial accounts do construction projects during the summer and they leave a mess. They then ask you to trim a rough area that you used to mow in 5 minutes, but now takes 20 minutes to trim. Tell them that you'll give them a price to fix it. This is why I require contracts with all my commercial accounts.

Hopes this helps.

[Randy Scott]

This season, 100% on contracts. If they won't commit, I won't service them. I'm not an "on call" service. When they think they don't want their grass cut they can just tell me to skip this week. I gave in to a couple people like that last year and will not this year. There are plenty of guys that will go without contracts, but not me any more. It's a waste of my time and money. There is only so many weeks out of the year to make a living and I want them booked solid!

[LawnsRUsInc.]

Makes sense Randy,

I was just curious on how some others were going about with it. Alot of people had a probelm with the proposal/contract but i am with you on thst iam not the plumber. I hate going to somones lawn and by the time they come out to tell me they dont want it i am already 1/2 the way done. And then what i have paid my guys to go out to cut the lawn and someone is going to tell me know. I have now lost money (big time). Alot of people, new and old are just like i dont like it like this. What do you base your proposals off of i did it 24 (weeks) X lets say $40 = $960 fair or not fair. And i have it broken down into 6 monthly payments of $160 and that starts may 1st and ends oct 1st. This deal covers them for the whole season.

Jason

[Mykster]

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung/sauer/angry-smiley-014.gif


I'm going to try contracts this year for all new customers. We'll see how it goes. Present customers will not obligated to sign.

[LawnsRUsInc.]

understood MYKSTER,

But some times its the ones that screw you over. I this customer for 3 years and then last year they started up with the ow i dont think it neads it. It just gets to me 2 million dollar home and your complaining about a darn $50. Oh well.

Jason

[LCAmerica2]

I find that contracts scare customers because they have to commet for somtimes 2 or 3 years. At least that is what i come across.