Help a newbie w/ideas on business...

[clemsonfan69]

I plan on doing mostly residential properties. Whats the best route via contracts?

Monthly, 6-Month, Annual?
- Sub categories of Weekly maintainence, or Bi-Weekly

What about per-cut? Anyone go this route to pick up extra cash?

**PS:Just so ya know, my 'routine' per yard is: Mowing, Weedeating, Edging and Cleanup (ie. Blower to clean off driveways).

-CJ

[walker-talker]

Most will agree, price per cut/visit and bill at end of month. The others work a 12 month contract. Add estimated amount of cuts X fee = TOTAL. Divide TOTAL by 12 months and there ya go.

Good luck

[tiedeman]

I do both per cut and 12 month flat rate. By 2006 I want all customers to be on a flat rate plan

[Expert Lawns]

I charge per cut and bill monthly. Helps cut down on paperwork, mailing, stamps etc. It also helps me to stay organized

[tiedeman]

I should had made myself more clear, I send out invoices each month, with either the number of times they were serviced that month, or if it is a flat rate

I used to send out every 3 to 3 1/2 weeks, but that started to get costly and take up too much time with repeated billing over and over again.

[Lux Lawn]

I have 95% of my customers on a flat rate and the other 5 are by the cut and send out invoices once a month.

[Bushwhacked]

Is it hard collecting on those invoices, especially just starting out? I'm really leary about mowing for a month and then waiting another week to get paid.
:realmad:

[lafrance4078]

I'm with Whacked, this year I am going to 100% flat rate with either 6,9,or 12 month payment options. I hope it works. Contracts are very detailed. I will be sure to let everyone know what happened at the end of the next season.

[tonygreek]

for the 12 month billers, have you experienced any problems with slow payers during the winter months, ala "outta sight, outta mind"?

tony
(who after 125+ posts has finally asked a question. i use the search feature A LOT...)

[Expert Lawns]

I billed every 2 weeks when I first started out. You need the capital as soon as possible at the beginning of your new venture. Another thing I did when I started was to stick with residentials for the first year. It taught me a lot about customer service and what it means to service people properly (being dependable, honest, customer relations). Then take that with you when you go in to speak with the owner or manager of a commercial property.

[tiedeman]

for the 12 month billers, have you experienced any problems with slow payers during the winter months, ala "outta sight, outta mind"?

tony
(who after 125+ posts has finally asked a question. i use the search feature A LOT...)

congrats tony:) :blob3:

[HOOLIE]

Overall I've noticed the guys from Florida tend to bill on a flat-rate, 12-month plan much more than the northern guys, since you have work year-round or close to it.

[Team Gopher]

Hi Tony,

for the 12 month billers, have you experienced any problems with slow payers during the winter months, ala "outta sight, outta mind"?

You could also consider offering services to those customers during the winter months so you aren't out of sight.

[tonygreek]

nope, i'm never out of sight. i have one of the more unusual reasons for starting the lco. besides giving my nephew a head-start on operating a business (he's a landscape arch major), it's to drive business to and from my other home services businesses. just by getting advertising going for fall clean-ups and snow removal, i've driven approx. $20k worth of gutter replacement business to one of the other companies. that's been my strategy from day 1, and will continue to be the priority. my companies, except for roofing, handle just about every exterior service there is.

tony

[K.Carothers]

I have 95% of my customers on a flat rate and the other 5 are by the cut and send out invoices once a month.
I charge by the cut. My only concern with the flat rate is when it rains and you skip the customer that week. How do you over come that obstacle with the customer. Do they feel ripped off?