old ladys.... how annoying

[lildog132]

I really can't stand little old lady's anymore.... for a couple of reasons

1) They complain about the big commerical WB every second and wish you would mow with a small traditional 21" mower.

2) They never pay alot of $$$

3) they talk to you forever, I have this old lady that talks to me for 30-45 minutes every time. she probally walks up to me about 3 times while mowing her lawn and gabs on for about 15 minutes.

If there's any old lady's reading this, please learn from this and do the opposite.

Any other people annoyed with old lady's?

[Live4Mowin']

theyre not really a problem for me. i agree with you about number three but one and two arent really problems for me.

[Rustic Goat]

Not that every older person can be appeased, neither can many younger types, you'll learn I hope that your attitude goes a long way positive or negative in all one on one contacts.
If you act nice, friendly, interested, and genuinely wanting to do a good job, it'll be percieved that way.
Many folks are still not used to seeing large mowing machines. Some that have, have had bad experiences with their operators not knowing how to use them properly.
Patience on your part will help a great deal.

I DO NOT mean this as a cut, you are far too young yourself to be putting any group down because of their age. With your own maturing, you will learn everyone has their own personality to be dealt with.

[EJK2352]

I too don't have a problem w/ 1 or 2, but 3 oh yes!!!! I try to limit it to a couple of minutes if I can. You have to remember that some of these widows are all alone, and just want somebody to talk to.

[xpnd]

Originally posted by lildog132
I really can't stand little old lady's anymore.... for a couple of reasons

1) They complain about the big commerical WB every second and wish you would mow with a small traditional 21" mower.

2) They never pay alot of $$$

3) they talk to you forever, I have this old lady that talks to me for 30-45 minutes every time. she probally walks up to me about 3 times while mowing her lawn and gabs on for about 15 minutes.


If there's any old lady's reading this, please learn from this and do the opposite.

Any other people annoyed with old lady's?

1. If you are rutting the lawn or creating a grain in the turf every week because the area can only be cut in one direction due to size or layout they have a right to complain.

2. Why would you do the same amount of work for less money simply because of their age? My philosophy is if I can discount a "senior's" lawn and still make money then I should be able to discount everyones' lawn and make money. If there is another business that gives discounts for seniors they can have them all, do the same amount of work in a day as I, and make 3, 5, or whatever percent less a day than I do.

3. You can only be abused if you let yourself be abused. A quick curt, "Sorry, I have work to do and if we stand here talking your lawn won't look the way it should," is all that is necessary. Once the equipment is running the customer or kids or neighbor kids can not be in the immediate vicinity. If they refuse to go in the house or leave, we stop work and leave. This business is inherently dangerous to us, I don't need the additional liability of injuring a bystander. I have insurance, I just do everything possible so I don't have to use it. If they get you when you are loading up, simply continue loading get in the truck and say, " I need to get to the next job," and then leave them standing there. This is a business not a "Welcome Wagon" society.

[MDMowing]

I have a couple of yards that are older folks. This one, the elderly lady calls when she needs it cut. She loves to talk. ( Lord, how she loves to talk...) I know that time is money, but sometimes it pays to visit for a bit. If you listen to them sometimes you can learn a lot. After all these folks have been around a few more years than we have. By listening and I truely mean listen, this is good for business. It is good customer relations.

Like EJK2352 said "You have to remember that some of these widows are all alone, and just want somebody to talk to."

Yes this old lady would rather we did her yard with the 21" push mower. But as I explained to her, we have so many yards and so little time. It takes us half the time to do the job with a mower that is three times the size of the push. We quarantee satisfaction to all of our customers, or we'll cut it again. I did let her know if she wnated it pushed mowed we would but it would cost more. She decided that the big one was fine.

Just take time with your customers, and do a good job. Then they'll pay the price it takes to do to job.





:D

[Cooper Landscaping]

xpnd-
you're really not into that customer relations thing much are you? lol I'm JK

As for old ladies- Ive got two of them. They both are widows and love to talk. Most of the time i have time to talk because i don't have a full schedule, and I love to. They're really nice people and i haven't had them complain about the "big mower" In fact one of them marvels over it lol. The way I see it- if you're nice to the people and take a little time out of your schedule to talk to the old ladies, you're bound to make them happy and possibly get some more work, especially considering the fact that old ladies seem to have a network similar to us landscapers have Lawnsite lol. If you find it too hard to cut down on the talking time maybe try to change your schedule around so the old lady is last and you've got some time to talk. Just my $.02

-Coop

[AL Inc]

I agree with Rustic Goat. You learn in business that you must deal with many different personalities. Personally, I would rather deal with the older clients I have than some of the young people.
I see people my age buying houses for $500K and up. Where that money comes from I can only imagine, but their parents come to mind. They are mostly impossible to please and have a problem paying on time (I guess I would too, with a $3-4K a month mortgage.)

I just laugh at these people, they have nice houses but no furniture inside. I'll let some else deal with that BS.

[Bluesteel]

I’ve had ol’ladies hint to me, “Don’t you have anything else but that big ol’thing?” Earlier this year, one decided she wanted me to catch the grass and then rake what was left over. Slight problem, her yard was 2.5 freaking acres!!! Canned.

If you need the work, you have to grit your teeth. But once you reach the point of becoming selective, there are things to watch out for. First of all, why do they need a new Lawn Service? Of course it’s NEVER their fault, there was something wrong with all 8 of the guys she’s used in the last 4 years. LOL

There’s a ton of stuff that happens when you first meet a prospective client. Certainly you want to give them the impression you’re approachable, but make a conscious effort to focus 100% of your conversation on the work, even if it makes you seem shallow or dense. If you start listening to personal problems (even a little bit) from the start, you’re training them to relate to you in that way, and it WILL get worse over time. In addition to the other excellent suggestions above, I like to sneak off after I’m done and call them from the mobile phone. Most get the hint pretty quick.

As far as the dollars are concerned, they’re just another client. Either they can afford to pay or not. If you’re into charity, that’s great; but my expenses cost real money. I’m out to make as much money as possible and I’ve never done that working for poor people. Best to avoid cheap people (no matter the age, sex, profession, etc.) and focus on profitable accounts. In stead of working on a marginal account and struggling with myself to maintain my quality standard, I’d rather spend the time looking for moneymakers. If you need those low yield accounts for now, keep looking for something to replace them.

Some people just don’t say yes to an agreement unless they think they’re getting a bargain. Yet ANOTHER reason to bid high. Lets say you’d like to make $50 for mowing. DO NOT quote $50. Ask for $60, you might just get it! But if they’re cheap, now you’ve got room to negotiate. You can grudgingly go down to $55, and then act like you’re getting taken advantage of to mow for $50. They’ll feel like they’re getting their bargain and you’ll be making a profit, just don’t let yourself smile until you’ve driven away. And be prepared to drive away forever. In any business, success is achieved by seeking profit and walking away from bad deals.

An older customer wanted me to fix several sprinkler heads at a house they’re selling. The lawn guy at the old house just kept hitting them. After fixing the heads, I ask if they’d like me to mow that house as well. It’s about a $250k house on a small corner lot, but it has a sidewalk, circle drive, and another driveway to the garage, so it would be a lot of edging. I bid $45. Their eyes flashed and told me the other guy was charging $30! Then they gave it to me at $45.

[barnard]

Over 75 % of my customers are little old ladys they are my bread and butter. Itry too be as respectful of them as I would my mother. Some times a few of them try my patience. One try it more than others. But-- Ihave picked-up good wellpaying customers from her referals. If they are complete PITAS I don't service them. Otherwise I try my best to please them.

[bobbygedd]

some are nice, some are a pain im the b.u.t.t . if i think they are broke, i give them a break, yes, believe it or not, i do have a heart, its as big as a pinhead, but its there. but, if i can clearly see that they can afford to pay, they get overcharged, just like the rest of my clients. being old is not a ticket to jerk people around, i would have said to $10 granny, "its $25, do u hear me? $25! if i have to say it again, its $27, can u hear me now? just pay, and i will let go of your arm"

[FrankenScagMachines]

Originally posted by Cooper Landscaping
xpnd-
you're really not into that customer relations thing much are you? lol I'm JK

I second that, but I'm not just kidding.
I've found that poor customer relations is one of the major reasons I get work, because as you see looking at my signature pic, I try very hard to be friendly with my customers and make small talk chat but they all know I've got better things to do then sit there, so if they wanna talk a couple minutes I will make time but they're considerate in return and do not hog me. Some are just lonely. Half of my customers are never home when I come and 1/4 I never see when they're home, the other 1/4 don't bother me much.
But I work very hard on the customer relations. I answer the phone and return messages ASAP, unlike other companies who do not return them at all and never pick up the phone. I will work with the customer if there is something they don't like.

I had a couple old ladies like lildog complained about but they went as fast as they came :D

[Precision Lawn Care]

Little old ladies are a sizable part of our business. It has been my experience being nice to them has brought me more exra work than the small bother they can sometimes cause.

[NCSULandscaper]

We had a few homes that we did work for liitle old ladies and they never caused us a problem. I figured one day i will be old and hope that people will have respect for me so i give respect to them and talk with them everytime i go by the house to check on things. Good customer relations are the key to a sucessful business no matter who they are.

[bob]

I'm down to only 2 residential custmers and one,s an elderly lady. Shes great. Never complains.Pays fast. No problems. But she is the exception. I've had plenty of them who think that your just sittting at home waiting for them to call you. I call this the fire company symptom. They call and expect you to run over to their house like the fire department on a call. When they start going senial, thats when its time to say goodbye.

[mike9497]

i only take care of 2 old lady's.one is just aw some always gives me extra work here and there.she doesn't mind big mowers.she talks to me when im done with the job for 5 or 10 mins.pay is great also with tons of extra work.now the other one is a pain.comes out and talks for sometimes a hour.then she asks why i cut the lawn every week.why i charge 100 + for clean ups.she wanted her shrubs done and i told her when i was there mowing that i would take care of it during the week. i have a guy that just trims shrubs so i put her in for that week.well after i left she called up and said i didn't do the shrubs and she didn't understand why.so some are good and some are bad i guess lol.

[GreenMachine102]

Personally, I cut for several old ladies, and love them Why?

1.) They are nice

2.) And they are the very first to pay on time, I'm not there 2 seconds before they are out the door to pay me!!!:p :D

[Tvov]

We have one customer who we have been mowing for about 4 years now. The husband passed away last winter, and now the widow is impossible to please. Last week my guys spent 3 times longer than usual, mowing SLOW, extra trimming, extra cleanup blowing. She was still not satisfied. I have talked to her, explained we are doing the best we can, and that if she wanted us to continue mowing until she could find another LCO, I would do that. She said she wanted us to continue to mow.

I told my guys to continue with the "normal" mowing, and just be polite if and when she comes out to talk to them.

We've decided that we simply cannot please her, and if she keeps up the complaining, I will ask her to find another LCO.

I've found that when customers or a spouse of a customer passes away, things change, sometimes drastically. I don't have a set policy, I try to take each change as they happen.

[mike9497]

Tvov

very true i agree with you.im having that problem right now to.

[C & T]

I have this one old women who does nothing put cause me down time, so I crank up the throttle, put the hearing protectors on and away I go.

In the begining I would tolerate the questions week after week, but then she is telling me to mow parts of her neigbors property because he's also old, and would I weed out the flower beds, could I tie up her rose bushes, why does the mower leave lines in the grass, why are you using such a big mower, can you move my car before you mow, etc...

She is not paying me, her three sons are on alternating weeks ($40.00 for about a half an hours work). Contract say's weekly mow, trim and cleanup. That's all they want. They will do the rest. That expression "give an inch they take a yard" applies to her. I would do these 10 to 20 minute jobs for nothing (because she is old) but the giving doesn't put gas in my mower. I honestly try to stay away from old PITA's unless the money is really good to make me turn the other cheek.

[tiedeman]

I actually dropped one old lady at the beginning of season, yes before the season actually began, because she was already complaining about stuff

[Ajays]

You have to value the customer and treat them like you want to be treated. I have several elderly clients and over the years have had to learn to deal with them. I have even had yelling matches with a few of them. Sometimes the elderly can be like children and you have to explain things to them because they are so set in their ways. It all comes down to the bottom line(this is something I've learned)the customer is king. If you want to grow a business, you don't drop or let go of clients. You can always replace cliets but you aren't going to build a business replacing clients you've lost.

[dlandscaping]

THis is MATT, pats brother, we had an old lady who always wanted her front yard done with a smaller mower, saying the bigger mower would hurt the grass. Tried explaining the big mower is fine but she said no. Whenever mowing her yard, she called us over and talked to us for 10 min while giving us the money. Then after we finished she'd call us over again. We were schreduled to do her bushes on saturday and because we did her neighbors bushes first. she started bit*hing. We came over saturday at 5 o'clock and because it was past noon she said "You were supposed to be here on saturday and its too late to be saturday" Pat tried explaining to her its still saturday at 5. She went totally crazy and so we dropped her. Now she is on her 4th lco in 2.5 years.

[lildog132]

i like younger or middle aged customers alot more, they appreciate your work your doing, and they know that you have better things to do then just chat, and they have better things also.

[wacamaster]

I do my buddys clean-ups for him and he gave me a $100 clean-up for an old dying lady. She had a month left at most. He said BE VERY VERY NICE. Anyway, I end up spending 3 hours with 1 other guy to do this clean-up and I was running the exmark ultravac system. I should've easily gotten $300 for the job. I go up to the door and she says she not satisfied and the job is only worth $50. I bit my lip hard and took my $50 and went on my way. Ended up losing money. Worst person I ever worked for.

[jeff_0]

i had this one lady that talked to me for about a 1/2 hr on the phone then a hr when i got there to look at the job.. she said she couldn't afford the price i gave but wanted to talk for another half hr..

another one told me the last guy cut her yard for $30 and she wants me to do it for the same price.. of course i told her i couldn't

[maple city]

We have tried to get my husband's grandmother's account since we started. She had been with the same LCO for 12 years and wouldn't drop them. They got out of the biz. this year, so we are mowing Grandma, who turned 83 today. I really love her, but she talks WAY too much. A half an hour every time we mow. Also, she won't stay in the house! She watches us the whole time. Try to trim 1 foot away from Grandma in the lawn chair. Then she tries to help...we did her edging which was overgorwn by about 4 inches. So we have all the mess from the edging to clean up and she won't quit helping us. My husband finally tells her the phone is ringing so she'll go inside.

Anyway, I generally like older customers, and I do like Grandma, just don't like to talk when I'm on a tight schedule.

I will tell you that it doesn't hurt to take 5 or 10 minutes to talk to your older customers. They will recommend you to their friends.

Also, you need to remember, that a lot of them are on a fixed income, and some of them lived through the depression, and the prices we charge are a LOT of money to them. They want to feel like they are getting their money's worth, and I can't balme them for that.

[MDMowing]

I have learned in the ten years I have done this line of work, NEVER mow for FAMILY! That's all I'm saying.:dizzy:

[Scraper]

Just remember....someday you'll be old too.

[lildog132]

yes i will be old someday, and i'll remember not to waste people's time so much.

[xpnd]

Originally posted by FrankenScagMachines
I second that, but I'm not just kidding.
.....so if they wanna talk a couple minutes I will make time but they're considerate in return and do not hog me...... :D

First customer relations: I don't know them, I don't want to know them, nor do I want to know about their latest ache and pain or what their children or grandchildren are doing. Once you get on a personal level with a customer you have problems either with unpaid extras or late payments. Bottom line is a reduced profit margin.

Second "What is a couple minutes?" I had a very difficult time demonstrating this aspect to my crew. They were wasting time, not working efficiently, ect. Out of sheer frustration, when they were finished with the job at hand, I came out of the truck, clicked a stop watch, and then waited an additional 2 minutes at every job on the morning route. Bottom line we didn't get to lunch until 2:00pm. Bottom line 2 minutes unnecessary time at every job is I hour (4 man hours) a day on my route. Over the course of the week it is 5 hours or 20 man hours. I don't know about anyone else but I am not willing to spend an additional 5 UNPAID hours a week or 20 by the end of the month.

Bottom line it is all about bottom line. I am glad there are people out there like you that don't understand this and take these pitas so I don't have to deal with them.

[GraZZmaZter]

Just remember .... ALL of us are going to be old some day and im sure my feelings will get hurt than, if some punk kid is being rude because i just want to talk.

Dont be mean to older people. What we all read about in history books ..... THEY HAVE LIVED THROUGH, and surely can teach you more from their experiences than from any book.

Personally i like to talk to old people. I like to hear their stories and what made the world how it is today.

You can polietly tell them your in a hurry if you sincerely are and most will understand.

I think if you are mean to seniors you need to be smacked right in your mouth, and do community service at a retirement home to learn some RESPECT.

[Grassmechanic]

GraZZmaZter - you are right on. I always spend a few minutes with my customers, no matter how busy I am. Good customer relations leads to more good customers. That 5 min. or so has turned into a great investment for me. It also allows you to point out other things in the yard to the owner that may need attention = more $$$ for you. I never bite the hand that feeds.

Mike

[battags]

Originally posted by lildog132

3) they talk to you forever, I have this old lady that talks to me for 30-45 minutes every time. she probally walks up to me about 3 times while mowing her lawn and gabs on for about 15 minutes.



I have one like that. TALK, TALK, TALK!! Nice as could be, though. She's widowed and is lonley. I stop by on my slow days just to talk to her. I did find out (by talking to her) that she is gone on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 3pm at some group she attends. If I'm busy with jobs I make sure I'm there between those hours!!!

Brian

[Rustic Goat]

Some of you characters, STOP WATCHES!
Why don't you just rip your crews tongues out and screw bolts into their ears.
Your crews sound like they are being run just like the corporate b.s. structures I walked out on after 30 years.
Numerous clients I am working for, I know I'm the one they've chosen, not because of price, but because of quality care not only on their lawns but also a human they can at least speak with. Yeah, we often chat about things other than lawn, you don't have to stand there until every word has been spoken. Make it obvious that you're busy, keep moving, and pleasantly say good bye when you leave.
It's called controlling the situation.
Can't tell you how many times I've replaced what the customers call '15 minute crews', they drive up, unload, buzz around for 15 minutes, and leave.
Guess that's what you mega lawn 'care' guys want/like.
Heck, I know most of my clients kids names, and the dog's too. I make a special point of getting to know the dogs, they have sharp teeth, and sometimes better personalities.
Don't y'all go gettin' all huffy, if military attitude works for you, fine, I know I wouldn't take the b.s. it sounds like your people have to deal with, you don't pay enough.
You ought to hook up with the man that wants his crews to buy their own equipment, from him no less.

Lildog, at the least, you're a young dog, patience, appreciation, and care will hopefully be yours some day. The way you generalize and talk about 'little old ladys' most of them might even think of you as just another young punk with a lawn mower.
Maybe if we appreciate our clients in a manner we would like to be appreciated, we would notice a better 'work place'.
Rant, rant, rant . . . . . . .

[lildog132]

you got it all wrong, yes im still young, and I'm not some little punk kid, like how you made me seem. Even though I talk about these old lady's behind their back Im never am impolite to them while talking, thats why I put up talking to them forever, and I smile and act nice the whole time. so don't be thinking im some "punk kid". I don't think any little punk kid would have the initiative to be mowing the way I do. All im saying is it gets on my nerves sometimes...

[Rustic Goat]

lildog,
If you'll read my earlier post, I didn't say you were or weren't anything. I suggested that's what the customers you refer to might be thinking.

quote from lildog
yes i will be old someday, and i'll remember not to waste people's time so much.

You are assuming a lot of things because of your age and/or attitude. NO ONE knows what shape they will be in when and IF they have a chance to get 'old', or what they will or won't remember or say.

What I'm trying to say to you is have some patience and kindness. Talking behind someones back and then putting on another attitude in person is called being two faced.
You're still carrying an attitude that is taking a lot of your energy unnecessarily.
I don't mean any of this as an attack on you or any put down.

[bscill]

The biggest complaint that the older lady has with me is the size of the mower (60" ZTR) on her lawn. She says that it doesn't cut as good as her old 36" riding mower does. She always ask me to go over the front lawn twice because she thinks that I miss grass with this mower. She does pay the extra for it, but it sometimes takes an act from congress to get it.

[the scaper]

i look at it like this , i'm in business to provide a quality service and make a few bucks profit by days end. you know the old saying, "time is money" well if customer is taking my time, customer is taking my money and i'm just not gonna be able provide a quality service if this is happening. so if a customer wants to talk or take my time it pretty much needs to be about a paying project they would like for me to do. dont get me wrong, no one likes to chit chat with old folks more than me , however, when i'm on the clock doing my business, paying the help, trying to get the job done right and meet my schedule, i do NOT have time to waste. the bottom line is either customer is a pita or customer is not a pita, it makes no differance to me what their age, color, gender, religion, or national origins (well mabey) are. either they are a good (profitable) customer or they are a pita who is wasting my time. pitas dont last long with me. :)

[windmill]

Old customers, I've got lots of those, they love to talk and so do I. Does it cost me money? Probably, but then it also saves me money and makes me money. It saves me money because i usually get coffee and a snack while talking (don't have to go to the coffee shop or take along a lunch) and makes me money because of referrals. Once you've got them out talk them and they'll begin avoiding you, :D :D . Works for me.:)