need advice on christmas letter

[ronslawncare]

im sending christmas cards out soon and magnets with them but i was thinking of printing out a letter to each of my customers that only wanted biweekly maintenance.i wanted to send them a letter saying im very pleased to have u as a customer but im only provideding weekly maintenance next year a once a month billing fee for your convience. the only problem with that i have about 40 customers for lawns and 20 of them are biweekly the other is weekly .so i might loose alot of customers .any suggestions on how do this or should i not even do this .and what exactly should i say

[TLS]

I think that this is a bad idea. Christmas is a real tight money time of year for a lot of people. Simply call them in the spring and discuss why you want to switch them to weekly. This way it will be too late for them to call anyone else! Doing this now is simply not good. Wish them the best of a Holiday Season and leave it at that.

[ronslawncare]

i understand what your saying but in the spring do you think i should do this or just keep them on

[TLS]

Tell them in the Spring (about 1 week before cutting starts) that you will have to take care of them weekly this year. This way its too late for them to go elsewhere. 75% should just give in and stay(if your lucky!) with you. By doing this now:

1) It pisses them off right before the holidays

2) Gives them a chance to get another service.


Just wait till last minute and I hope this doesn't screw up your '01 planning.

But definately don't tell them with a note in their Christmas Card!!!

[Bluegrass Lawn Service]

I agree with Dixie1 Christmas season is not the time. I notify my clients of changes just a few weeks before the season starts. Like price increases or changes in mowing schedule.
I also agree with you magnets and Christmas Cards. I give out Calendars that you hang on the wall. Most of my clients like them very much. They usually have animals,flowers, or food recipes.

[Runner]

Exactly! Tom hit the nail right on the head! We mentioned something like this in a previous thread. And as far as giving prices, discussing schedule, or any other "business", leave it out of the Christmas card. That's about as tacky as it gets. If you're going to send a card, send it personally. Christmas is a time of Christ not of commercial. (I know it's a little hard to tell these days) A personal touch will go alot farther.:)

[bob]

Send them all Christmas cards. Then in Febuary swing the ax on the ones you don't want!

[thelawnguy]

I'm going with bobs approach. All my christmas cards went out this morning, the letter giving the no-profit accounts the gate will go out in February.

[ronslawncare]

you guys are all right they would think im a ahole nobody has to tell me about christmas and christ im a 100 percent italion and in my house religion is takened very seriously .but sometimes you are right every1 forgets the true meaning of christmas that would be very tacky .i thank god for this forum see im very religous....

[Greenkeepers]

Good Idea Ron-

You don't want to tick anyone off at Christmas time. We usually wait until early Feb. to send out our renewal notices. Also we send out a survey at the beginning of the year to get an idea of what people think and who is planning on leaving.

[lawrence stone]

Originally posted by thelawnguy
I'm going with bobs approach. All my christmas cards went out this morning, the letter giving the no-profit accounts the gate will go out in February.

Just send them a 8 month equal installment contract with full service to make it worth your while. They will return at a higher price once they go thru a few scrubs.

[ant]

ron i would let it go till 2001 ,by the way were did you get the magnets?
anthony

[ronslawncare]

i made them my self at office max i got my business cards done .they sell a 100 pack of magnet tape that fits the average business card .i didnt do mine yet i have 43 lawn customers and about another hundred customers for leaves /hedges/gutters/and i dont no if i want to send them magnets ive been debating on it i would love to have them for more than one time visits a year so maybe i wont be cheap and send them one 2 lol. more stamps, more christmas cards, more magnets= more customers i hope.

[JVS]

Hello....Now is NOT the time to give out any type of "bad news" . Send a new contract right around the middle to end of Janurary . I eliminate the "dead bead" bimonthlys myself but the few I retain here's what I do so I do not lose money. I do not know if you provide anything else for your clients. But lets assume its mowing only seasonal... no chemicals /clean-ups. Do what I do as a suggestion. I charge a flat montly rate for seasonal mowing /service visits (paid in advance)..let me explain. Its based on the amount of services I anticipate Mid-April thru the end of September. We do not cut lawns past September 30th if they do not sign up with our leaf program. So lets say its 18 weeks for next season (2001). I would take their cost which we charge $45 per/visit ( we charge a minium of $45 for bimonthly visits) and anticipate 18 visits. That 810 (plus tax or any dumping fee you may charge) divide that by 6 ( 6 months April-Sept) For your example you would ask your bimontly clients your new payment shecdule for the 2001 season is $135 (plus any tax and hauling fees)a month April thru September. Payments are due on the 1st of the month for seasonal mowing service. This does 2 things : helps your cash flow and eliminates any headaches from any "dog" that says in the middle of August "oh don't come this week come next week". This way your charging a flat rate for monthly service if theres nothing to cut, edge, blow the sidewalks be creative but show up and if there are any "problems" you explain this is your stop/labor charges, They should have givien a 48 hour advance notice since your prior visit was 10 + days ago...no keeping up with well there were 3 visits May 2 in June ect.. Also ALL of OUR BIMONTHLY ARE CUT ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY NO EXCEPTION. I provide the similiar for weekly mowings but thats based on 26 weeks with an addionnal 4 in the fall..
Let me know what you think.

Joe
@ Jvslandscape@aol.com

[Scraper]

Just a thought...don't send "Christmas Cards" send "Holiday Cards" as you don't want to offend non-Christian clients. That is unless you're absolutely certain they are Christian.