Vacation

[ron mexico75]

So Im getting ready to go away for a week. I don't have a crew and do all the work myself. My question is; what do you guys do or what would you recommend I do?

Should I cut it a little shorter then normal on the visit before I leave? Do you just cut it regular and then deal with the extra height 2 weeks later?

What about payment? Since I will be "skipping" a visit would the follow up be considered a double cut? Or, do you just suck it up as a missed week and deal with the extra growth?

[JB1]

back in them days, i either waited till the gass wasn't hardly growing and went then, or i didn't take a vacation.

[Dave does lawns]

Originally Posted by ron mexico75

So Im getting ready to go away for a week. I don't have a crew and do all the work myself. My question is; what do you guys do or what would you recommend I do?

Should I cut it a little shorter then normal on the visit before I leave? Do you just cut it regular and then deal with the extra height 2 weeks later?

What about payment? Since I will be "skipping" a visit would the follow up be considered a double cut? Or, do you just suck it up as a missed week and deal with the extra growth?

I just went away last week myself.

What I did was I worked two days ahead of schedule before I left, then came back 4 days later, and spent 2 days working with 3 other guys, (friends) to finish up and then went back to join the family camping.

Yes, sadly it took 4 of us to do 3 days work in 2 days
Yes it sucked to have to come back, but thankfully we were only camping 2 hours away.

I also am able to pull this stuff off because my customers are given a day to be mowed, however they all understand that sometimes I may be a day or two early or late due to weather, breakdowns or vacation, lol. I am sure if I abused this then many would have issues with it, however so far I have never had issues.

Hope this helps you brainstorm a solution for yourself.

BTW if i was your customer and you skipped me, or missed me one week for any reason and tried charging me more for a double cut I would find someone else. I think that double cut prices are a way of dealing with problem customers only. You know the ones who say don't come this week, or don't come till I call you, etc...

[ron mexico75]

Originally Posted by Dave does lawns

I just went away last week myself.

What I did was I worked two days ahead of schedule before I left, then came back 4 days later, and spent 2 days working with 3 other guys, (friends) to finish up and then went back to join the family camping.

Yes, sadly it took 4 of us to do 3 days work in 2 days
Yes it sucked to have to come back, but thankfully we were only camping 2 hours away.

I also am able to pull this stuff off because my customers are given a day to be mowed, however they all understand that sometimes I may be a day or two early or late due to weather, breakdowns or vacation, lol. I am sure if I abused this then many would have issues with it, however so far I have never had issues.

Hope this helps you brainstorm a solution for yourself.

BTW if i was your customer and you skipped me, or missed me one week for any reason and tried charging me more for a double cut I would find someone else. I think that double cut prices are a way of dealing with problem customers only. You know the ones who say don't come this week, or don't come till I call you, etc...

Yeah makes sense I guess. I will be 350 miles away so no coming back until vacation is over. I guess I'll just deal with it taking longer the following week. Its the last week in August so the grass is growing as slow as its going to be growing around here. Really no other options.

I plan on telling everyone though that I will be out of town. I don't want them thinking I just forgot or skipped them.

[fireman gus]

Have been in is business for 30+ years. I have never taken a vacation during the mowing season. All my trips have been in late November, after last yard has had the final application of weed control.

[knox gsl]

I will do a long weekend as my mowing in Tues Wed an Thur for a reason. There is no skipping to go have fun, that's after the leaves are cleaned up.

[ron mexico75]

Yeah I hear you all about waiting for vacations. This is a family beach vacation so can't really put it off. I'll just have to suck it up and probably double cut or bag the extra growth. Not too big a deal but was just wondering what others did.

[charmill26]

Let the clients know that you know will call you with a heart attack when they didn't get their lawn mowed that week that you will be gone for a week and will be back on schedule the week after. Why would you charge extra because you're away for a week? Double cut, bag or not I don't see why that would reflect a price change for them or not. You took the vacation not them so I feel like thats all on you

[ron mexico75]

Originally Posted by charmill26

Let the clients know that you know will call you with a heart attack when they didn't get their lawn mowed that week that you will be gone for a week and will be back on schedule the week after. Why would you charge extra because you're away for a week? Double cut, bag or not I don't see why that would reflect a price change for them or not. You took the vacation not them so I feel like thats all on you

Yeah I am going to let everyne know.

I was just asking if anyone would charge. Its a week Im not going to be there but I am doing the work of 2 weeks when I get back for a day I would have shown up regularly.

I don't have an issue, I was just wondering what others did.

I am letting everyone know of my absense and let it go at that.

[kawasaki guy]

i just cut the grass to the normal height and just take the extra time the next week to cut the higher stuff and only charge for one cutting. i don't charge for the vaca week.