Tip Of The Day - 12/2/05 - Getting Cancelled Customers Back

[yrdandgardenhandyman]

Originally Posted by bobbygedd

give us a detailed example, of how one of you, have done this

I'd like to see this myself. If it truly works, it could revolutionize the sales part of the biz.

[bobbygedd]

ok, i have this customer who cancelled me. she said i was unreliable. first of all, she was not a good customer to begin with. she committed to a weekly mowing service, then would call me off when she thought it didn't need it. then, when it rained, she wanted me to be at her house first day it stopped. she paid her bill late EVERY SINGLE MONTH that she was on with us. her lawn takes less than 6 minutes total to service, for $30. i'd love to have her back, but: need her to commit to a weekly service, and stick to it this time. need her to understand that after 2 weeks of rain, she isn't first on the list. need her to pay on time. customer #2- cancelled me because he said i wasn't bagging his lawn, when he did pay for bagging. i cut it with a 21", with a catcher on, and did an imaculate job. he claims he gets grass on his feet when he walks on the lawn, tracks it in the house, and it's ruining his $9,000 carpetting. i say there isn't a blade of grass left on that lawn. how can i get him back? #3- she cancelled me because she says i didn't put down lime, but charged her for it. i use pelletized lime, and she watches from her window. i applied a 50 lb bag over 2,000 sq feet. she claims she couldn't see the pellets on the ground, and accused me of charging, without applying. she's 80 yrs old. i demanded payment, and got it. she cancelled. how do i get her back? thank you

[yrdandgardenhandyman]

Originally Posted by bobbygedd

ok, i have this customer who cancelled me. she said i was unreliable. first of all, she was not a good customer to begin with. she committed to a weekly mowing service, then would call me off when she thought it didn't need it. then, when it rained, she wanted me to be at her house first day it stopped. she paid her bill late EVERY SINGLE MONTH that she was on with us. her lawn takes less than 6 minutes total to service, for $30. i'd love to have her back, but: need her to commit to a weekly service, and stick to it this time. need her to understand that after 2 weeks of rain, she isn't first on the list. need her to pay on time. customer #2- cancelled me because he said i wasn't bagging his lawn, when he did pay for bagging. i cut it with a 21", with a catcher on, and did an imaculate job. he claims he gets grass on his feet when he walks on the lawn, tracks it in the house, and it's ruining his $9,000 carpetting. i say there isn't a blade of grass left on that lawn. how can i get him back? #3- she cancelled me because she says i didn't put down lime, but charged her for it. i use pelletized lime, and she watches from her window. i applied a 50 lb bag over 2,000 sq feet. she claims she couldn't see the pellets on the ground, and accused me of charging, without applying. she's 80 yrs old. i demanded payment, and got it. she cancelled. how do i get her back? thank you

How in the world did you even let these, "cream of the crop" clients get away? Go back, offer them all 5 free mows. at their convenience. That should get them back, set a pattern and put you on the road to a great bankruptcy.
No sir. I don't think I'd really want them back. Most clients I lose, I'm always better off.

[J&R]

The ONLY way i would take a costumer back is with a 50% increase in price.

[ed2hess]

TruGreen comes to EVERY one of our commericial properties each year and tells them that they will guarantee that they will beat the present bid. Obviously that takes away any thoughts that we have of raising these properties.

[Envy Lawn Service]

Bobby, glad I finally got an email notification today when Ed posted.
I never came back to this thread before now as I had assumed it died...

Originally Posted by bobbygedd

ok, i have this customer who cancelled me. she said i was unreliable. first of all, she was not a good customer to begin with. she committed to a weekly mowing service, then would call me off when she thought it didn't need it. then, when it rained, she wanted me to be at her house first day it stopped. she paid her bill late EVERY SINGLE MONTH that she was on with us. her lawn takes less than 6 minutes total to service, for $30. i'd love to have her back, but: need her to commit to a weekly service, and stick to it this time. need her to understand that after 2 weeks of rain, she isn't first on the list. need her to pay on time. customer #2- cancelled me because he said i wasn't bagging his lawn, when he did pay for bagging. i cut it with a 21", with a catcher on, and did an imaculate job. he claims he gets grass on his feet when he walks on the lawn, tracks it in the house, and it's ruining his $9,000 carpetting. i say there isn't a blade of grass left on that lawn. how can i get him back? #3- she cancelled me because she says i didn't put down lime, but charged her for it. i use pelletized lime, and she watches from her window. i applied a 50 lb bag over 2,000 sq feet. she claims she couldn't see the pellets on the ground, and accused me of charging, without applying. she's 80 yrs old. i demanded payment, and got it. she cancelled. how do i get her back? thank you

Really Bobby I can't see why you would want any of the 3 back. But to each their own and it's not for me to judge. So basically, you would have to go back on these 3 accounts and do some fact finding. Frankly, I think the first thing you are going to have to find out is WHY THEY REALLY CANCELED.

This is not easy to do because often people don't really want to tell the straight of it. But I can give you some conversation approach angles you can use to find out one way or the other if you are really serious about reclaiming these 3 customers.

But my guess is that these 3 were just looking for an excuse to use.
My guess on the real reasons...

#1) Could not afford you or felt she deserved priority service for paying $30 for 6 minutes.

#2) Just an excuse or unreasonable expectations. Sorry, bagged or not, walk in grass and you will get grass on your feet, especially when you walk in the morning dew to get the paper. Complain to the paper boy...

#3) Just an excuse, felt you overcharged for lime app, or honestly "pre-senile"

[YardPro]

i would think that most of the re acquisitions are becuase the service provider they had after cancelling the "big Boy" was not really any better than the "big boy" was....

how many times have you gone somewhere and had crappy service and swore you would never go back... only to start going back months later??????

happens a lot at fast food places in particular.

[YardPro]

Originally Posted by bobbygedd

ok, i have this customer who cancelled me. she said i was unreliable. first of all, she was not a good customer to begin with. she committed to a weekly mowing service, then would call me off when she thought it didn't need it. then, when it rained, she wanted me to be at her house first day it stopped. she paid her bill late EVERY SINGLE MONTH that she was on with us. her lawn takes less than 6 minutes total to service, for $30. i'd love to have her back, but: need her to commit to a weekly service, and stick to it this time. need her to understand that after 2 weeks of rain, she isn't first on the list. need her to pay on time. customer #2- cancelled me because he said i wasn't bagging his lawn, when he did pay for bagging. i cut it with a 21", with a catcher on, and did an imaculate job. he claims he gets grass on his feet when he walks on the lawn, tracks it in the house, and it's ruining his $9,000 carpetting. i say there isn't a blade of grass left on that lawn. how can i get him back? #3- she cancelled me because she says i didn't put down lime, but charged her for it. i use pelletized lime, and she watches from her window. i applied a 50 lb bag over 2,000 sq feet. she claims she couldn't see the pellets on the ground, and accused me of charging, without applying. she's 80 yrs old. i demanded payment, and got it. she cancelled. how do i get her back? thank you

well bobby you have come on here multiple times and confessed fo not applying the fert/grub control.. etc.. to pita customers after they have paid for it.. so your credibility on that one is questionable...

there will absolutely still be grass clippings on the lawn even with bagging with a 21...just not as many....