The Green Industry's Resource Center

MOturkey · #91 01-04-2013, 12:17 PM

Thirty calls a day for several months each year? I didn't get thirty calls this entire season, and, no, I'm not jealous. My question is twofold. One, why would you continue to advertise heavily ("tons of fliers") when you are turning down work, and, assuming you are courteous enough to reply to each of the calls, how do you possibly find time to do so? If it took only 3 minutes to respond to each call and politely inform the caller that you are not taking new accounts at this time, but appreciate the inquiry, etc, that is 1 1/2 hours a day. For nothing! Perhaps this makes sense to you, but it doesn't to me.

smallstripesnc · #92 01-04-2013, 05:09 PM

I don't market at all anymore. I actually don't call any of them back because I don't have the time in the day during the lawn season. If a spot opens up in my schedule I'll call some back. Also a lot of people who call just want to check pricing and want to see what all I offer and turn away when I tell them I only do weekly service and don't offer bi-weekly. I tell them the reasons but they still don't care.

I may market heavily this year in certain areas so I can "trim the fat" in my schedule and get accounts that are higher end and will pay more.

Darryl G · #93 01-04-2013, 08:07 PM

Sigh...just blowing people off is not the way to run a business. I'm unsubscribing, you're doing so many things wrong in my opinion that I can't take it anymore.

Brucelawns · #94 01-04-2013, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darryl G

Sigh...just blowing people off is not the way to run a business. I'm unsubscribing, you're doing so many things wrong in my opinion that I can't take it anymore.

I know man. This guy has alot to learn. Some guys have tried to give him a little advice but it sounds like he knows more than he really does.

When you don't return a call do you think those people will ever call you back to do any work at their property? Or if you don't show up for an appointment? And when you don't return a call for someone to do a job at their property and give you money to do it you are creating a bad reputation and losing lots of money. I don't know how many times I've heard a customer tell me that I was the first business to answer their phone after calling numerous other business's. Do you think I'll win that bid when I show up on time? What blowing people off really means is that you are not prepared enough or aren't professional enough to service them and you just don't care or are to lazy. Is it really that hard to call someone back?

cpllawncare · #95 01-04-2013, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yardguy28

30 calls a day. not me. I'd be happy with 1 call a day. I hate taking phone calls. I'd rather hire someone to do all the office work before hiring a helper in the field. I'd rather stay in the field all day, leave the phone calls, estimates and paperwork to someone else.

That's why your solo! and won't ever grow.

yardguy28 · #96 01-05-2013, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

That's why your solo! and won't ever grow.

yep......

right where I want to be......

orangemower · #97 01-05-2013, 08:31 AM

Total BS about the 30 calls a day crap. Ain't no way a small business will receive on average, a call every 45min or so, 24hrs a day for 3 months. Complete and total BS. I've gotten ALL my work load from WOM and I can honestly say that there is no way you are a solo operation and receiving 30 calls a day off WOM. Craigslist you say? That's only going to increase the number of calls that are wasting your time. You're full of it and everyone on here knows it now.

orangemower · #98 01-05-2013, 09:24 AM

Lets do the math a little more realistic like. Your average work day is 8-10hrs. So by that number, you're getting on average, 3 calls an hr. each working day, 7 days a week for 3 months. This just does not happen. Then to think we'd believe it is even worse on your part.

smallstripesnc · #99 01-06-2013, 02:05 PM

I really don't care if you believe me or not. I'm not here to prove myself or to be "better" than anyone. I marketed my butt off and was a lowballer last season and thats why I got so many calls. I posted multiple times a day on craigslist starting January 1st last season, went to tons of neighborhoods putting out fliers starting February 1st and I had a few really good clients that really helped spread the word. I advertise I don't do contracts, and its a flat rate $25 for under 1/2 acre and THATS why I got so many calls. I did get myself into some lawns that were worth much more than $25 but the majority of the lawns I felt $25 was fair.

As far as not returning calls and not following up with every voicemail. It was impossible for me to do while trying to work at the same time.

orangemower · #**100** 01-06-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallstripesnc

I really don't care if you believe me or not. I'm not here to prove myself or to be "better" than anyone. I marketed my butt off and was a lowballer last season and thats why I got so many calls. I posted multiple times a day on craigslist starting January 1st last season, went to tons of neighborhoods putting out fliers starting February 1st and I had a few really good clients that really helped spread the word. I advertise I don't do contracts, and its a flat rate $25 for under 1/2 acre and THATS why I got so many calls. I did get myself into some lawns that were worth much more than $25 but the majority of the lawns I felt $25 was fair.

As far as not returning calls and not following up with every voicemail. It was impossible for me to do while trying to work at the same time.

You shouldn't have led the consumer along that you could do lawns so cheap. You totally did it azz backwards by lowballing the area. All you did was give the consumer a taste of cheap, below market prices. Now they think everyone should be that cheap. You definitely tarnished more then you shined.

About the 30 calls, you never said you were/are a lowballing scrub. That explains a lot. Had you went about it the right way, you would have made close to the same money the first year by pricing services correctly and having less work load. It's not about getting as many lawns to service as possible in one year. You should be trying to build your business at a pace that allows you to stay in control and grow to a goal. You can't reach that goal over night or in the first year. It's obvious you don't have a business plan drawn up if you went out and lowballed your area. I don't want to hear about it being "my first year" so I had to do what it took. That's "winging" it and is like going down a dark road with no lights and hope you don't run into something.