Mylawnquote.com is now FREE for a basic listing!

[coolluv]

Originally Posted by Duekster

I am not going to be as harsh but I do agree. I did pick up a client off AL. I decided what the hey, I will ask a few of my clients to give me a review.

It seems AL then contacts them for the sake of verifying the review and to sell them a subscription to the service. If they do not buy the service then AL does not include their scores on my rank.

At least AL does do national advertisements on TV and radio. It does seem to be part of their model though to get the contractors to give them some leads via badges, and asking for reviews.

This program seems to be the same type model without the heavy advertisements. I kind of like the idea of generating a quote for the tire kickers.

My experience however tells me that face to face meetings are needed to develop relationships. Significant quotes should always be presented in person.

What I learned in the short few years that I have been in business is that it is all about your relationship with the customer. You are selling yourself and your business and they are buying you and your business. I agree completely with what you said. Scumbags and Cheap @ss customers don't want a relationship with a reputable business...they want a job done cheap by whoever is stupid enough to do it.

The right kind of customer wants a professional business to perform the jobs that they either have no clue about or just don't have the time to do themselves and they value the concept of having a reliable, clean, professional on their property to perform the services they need.

Scumbags don't care if you show up with a push mower strapped to the back of your Honda...as long as the work is done for the lowball price they want to pay. My experience has been that you cannot build a good profitable business on those types of customers. Non payment issues, bogus complaints to get out of not paying or getting a bill reduction.

No loyalty from month to month or year to year. Constant up and downs from cancellations or request to skip cuts.....and on and on and on.

NO THANKS.

Dave...

[Duekster]

Having said that, this is a nice tool. Or it could be a nice estimating tool for contractors. say I am bidding a 18 AC apartment complex.

I would like to spend 20 mins measuring grass area, the length of items to be line trimmed, hedges to be trimmed and then get that data into spread sheet with cost estimates I can define....

I would still go to the site and meet the manager discuss service needs, walk the property and such but I could be well informed prior to arriving. I could then start reviewing and negotiating from a position of strength (knowledge).

I told someone on another thread to bid high and I meant it. If they want your service they will negotiate. All you have to do is write up the proposal. I hate writing propsals unless I already know the scope and price. I do not have to know the exact price but I need to know I am pretty much getting the job at a good fair price when I go through the effort.

Having said that, I use Google Earth like this but there is much hand work to be done.

[Mylawnquote]

Duekster is correct.

Leaving everything else aside, whether you like the lead generation and ease of collecting payment aspect of the site behind, with our service you can literally estimate a clients property in minutes, select from a list of your services, all with full detailed explanations and pricing, number of visits, etc....have the total estimate automatically calculated based on your service prices OR a flat out number you decide on...and then simply enter the customer's email address and have the quote sent directly to the customer...all in less than 2 minutes.

AND the customer can pay you directly via the quote you sent them AND you can track to see if they even looked at your quote.

certainly, there has to be some value in that : )

-luke

[Duekster]

Originally Posted by Mylawnquote

Duekster is correct.

Leaving everything else aside, whether you like the lead generation and ease of collecting payment aspect of the site behind, with our service you can literally estimate a clients property in minutes, select from a list of your services, all with full detailed explanations and pricing, number of visits, etc....have the total estimate automatically calculated based on your service prices OR a flat out number you decide on...and then simply enter the customer's email address and have the quote sent directly to the customer...all in less than 2 minutes.

AND the customer can pay you directly via the quote you sent them AND you can track to see if they even looked at your quote.

certainly, there has to be some value in that : )

-luke

I think I was nice but not that nice.

I did not see how to do all the things I mentioned.

[Mylawnquote]

I implore anyone who is interested to have one of our reps contact you and guide you through a demo of the service and answer any questions you may have.

If anyone is interested, you may schedule a 1 on 1 demo by going here:

http://mylawnquote.com/Demo.aspx

and clicking on the Provider button.

[Duekster]

Originally Posted by Mylawnquote

I implore anyone who is interested to have one of our reps contact you and guide you through a demo of the service and answer any questions you may have.

If anyone is interested, you may schedule a 1 on 1 demo by going here:

http://mylawnquote.com/Demo.aspx

and clicking on the Provider button.

I might set up a time to learn how it can be used to estimate better than what I can do on Google Earth or DCAD.

If it does some neat stuff, I will say so ... if not then I will tell you so on the side.

Programming is hard.

I told you my interest in it all ready.

[coolluv]

Too early for me to type a bunch of questions but...How many states are you in right now? How many major city?
How many service providers do you have signed up as of now? What kind of advertising are you doing in each area?

That's enough for now.

Dave...

[coolluv]

Coffee kicking in now.

I'm assuming you can see the customers property from an aerial view...how recent or updated is the view?

I just don't see how you can give a quote without seeing the property in person. What if they only want the landscaping pruned and trimmed up. How do you know what the landscaping looks like? What plant material they have? Some will wait until its out of control or they get a letter from the HOA.

What if its a call for fert and squirt. How do you give an accurate quote for that without seeing the condition of the lawn?


I guess if your just a mow, blow and go it may work Ok but your still taking a risk. What if you agree on a price and then show up and its a foot tall?

What if that fence they just built doesn't show up on the aerial and now you have to use a push mower in the backyard?

Just too many unknowns.

Dave...

[Duekster]

Originally Posted by coolluv

Coffee kicking in now.

I'm assuming you can see the customers property from an aerial view...how recent or updated is the view?

I just don't see how you can give a quote without seeing the property in person. What if they only want the landscaping pruned and trimmed up. How do you know what the landscaping looks like? What plant material they have? Some will wait until its out of control or they get a letter from the HOA.

What if its a call for fert and squirt. How do you give an accurate quote for that without seeing the condition of the lawn?


I guess if your just a mow, blow and go it may work Ok but your still taking a risk. What if you agree on a price and then show up and its a foot tall?

What if that fence they just built doesn't show up on the aerial and now you have to use a push mower in the backyard?

Just too many unknowns.

Dave...

This is why I sadi the value is not in how it is being marketed.
The value would be as an estimating tool.

I know roofers have one

[coolluv]

Originally Posted by Duekster

This is why I sadi the value is not in how it is being marketed.
The value would be as an estimating tool.

I know roofers have one

Local GIS info is free with a measuring tool for free.

Dave...