TIPS, Do's and Don'ts tips for the new guy

[zspeed130]

Good points! I lost money not having business cards and now they have made me lots!

So far as safety goes I even keep a tourniquet ( and my phone) in my pocket when I am using something like a chainsaw. You never know !

Z
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[manofire12]

Thanks rockpoppy. I am looking at the new Snapper Pro's. I can not make up my mind on the 28 or 36 HP Briggs or the 25 HP Kawi. Any thoughts on these three motors. The 28 Briggs is the Vangard motor and the 36 is the "Big Block"

[rockpoppy]

Originally Posted by cuttin-to-the-Max

lol im not looking at 47 pages of text so i apologize if this has been said already.
DONT BE AFRAID TO WALK AWAY FROM A CUSTOMER/ JOB where SOMEONE WANTS YOU TO LOWBALL So if you know the lawn is 20 bucks DONT tell them you will do it for 10

Great advice and I might add, neighbors talk, so a low ball bid to one could p!ss off another. Stay true to your pricing and you can avoid this.
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[josh mows]

hi im new to lawnsite and im trying to start a lawn care service and was wondering ware would be a good place to start im from mn and never ran a business before and i dont know ware to begin any help would be grate thanks

[Federal Lawn Company]

Originally Posted by josh mows

hi im new to lawnsite and im trying to start a lawn care service and was wondering ware would be a good place to start im from mn and never ran a business before and i dont know ware to begin any help would be grate thanks

There are so many great folks on here that are LOADED with valuable info and tips. Go here
http://www.lawnsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=58 for a start.

You can learn so much...and it's interesting to see how resourceful folks are. I've learned so much info from here...especially when I started out. Good luck!

--David

[StanWilhite]

Originally Posted by josh mows

hi im new to lawnsite and im trying to start a lawn care service and was wondering ware would be a good place to start im from mn and never ran a business before and i dont know ware to begin any help would be grate thanks

Please don't take this the wrong way, but the first thing I think you should do is to make sure your spelling and grammar are correct when dealing with potential customers. People draw a lot of conclusions when you misspell or use incorrect grammar. It doesn't make for a good first impression....and you only have one shot at that.

Good luck with your business!
Stan

[Mowmoney2013]

Originally Posted by Eric ELM

1) Engage your clutch at the lowest possible rpm's and still not kill your engine. I have seen so many guys start their engines and rev them wide open and engage their clutches. Big no no unless you like to replace them. Basically operate it like your truck. Can you imagine dropping it in gear at full rpm's? Or dropping the clutch at full rpm's? This stretches out the belts on mowers with hand clutch machines or electric clutches.

2) Disengage your clutch at an idle, most electric clutches act as a brake.

3) Let your engine warm up a bit before running it at full rpm's.

4) Let it cool down a bit before shutting down.

5) Don't shut it off at full rpm's.

6) Keep an extra set of belts and blades with you at all times, sure saves a trip to the shop or dealer. Down time sucks.

7) Don't slide a gas can across a plastic bed liner. It causes static electricity.

8) Be safe and keep safety features in place.

This is a few, but does anyone have other things to add?

I wish that could be taped to my employees forehead!

[sgbotsford]

Whew! Lots of good advice.

Comments:

Water vs sugar'd drinks: Pure water doesn't absorb as fast in the gut as does water with some sugar in it. 7% sugar works out to half strength for most things. I like to put a single can of OJ in a 1 gallon thermos. Buy gatorade powder, but dilute it with more water than they say. Cool water is better than cold.

Foot protection. Here in Canada you can get boots that are 'crush resitant' but not steel toes. They will take the same impacts, but aren't nearly as cold. I prefer the nylong top boots for summer use, as they are cooler, and years as a canoe guide I really don't care if my feet are wet.

Shin protection: In really hot weather employees like shorts. But as some one pointed out shorts plus weed-eater can be painful. So as a option, use chaps or shinguards. The shinguards used by orienteering nuts work great. (These guys go through brush at a dead run...)

Spare parts. Never buy one of anything. If you found you needed it, buy 2. One is in stock either in your truck or your shop. (Ok, maybe not for the 24 Hp engine...)

A friend of mine has a sign on his table saw: "Count fingers after every use" It drives home the point with humour.

I keep several spare fleeces and jackets and raincoats in my truck. I hire a lot of high school help, and they are often under dressed. Also work gloves.

If you are in a hot climate, try very loose long sleave light weight white clothing.

[jsslawncare]

What happened to all of the people that first posted 12 yrs ago?

[sgbotsford]

The guy who started the thread has shuffled off this mortal coil, gone to the happy landscape place in the sky where mowers never break down, gas is under a buck a gallon, and all customers are nice and bring out lemonade and cookies at 3:00 on hot days.

Of the remaining:

A good fraction are out mowing lawns and otherwise earning their biscuits.

Some have quit the business. Lawn service companies have a short lifespan.

Some have lost interest in the forum. They forgot their login or their password, and it wasn't worth the bother.

Most forums have a 6 month half life for members. Of a thousand who join, 250 are still active a year later, 60 two years later, 15 three years later and so on. Half drop out every 6 months.

In the batch of posts just on this page, we have 1 guy from 2006, one from 2009.