Full service customers

[jrs.landscaping]

Contract services are:

Mow/trim (26 mowings)
fert @ 3 apps
pre em/veg control 1x
mulch 1x
pruning/trimming 1-2x
Dethatch 1x
Spring/Fall cleanups

all other services are offered over and above the contract rates. Our contracts are invoiced monthly and spread over 6 months.

[herler]

Yeah we tried that, I found it appeared customers had trouble deciding which service because no two yards are alike so nothing ever fit their needs to a tee, unfortunately a confused customer who can not decide in short order will go elsewhere, nobody likes to feel confused by choices, apparently it made perfect sense to us but not to them, so then the ones who did decide were few and far in between, long story short it totally reduced our sales.

So nowadays we simply let the customer dictate to us what it is they would like, and I don't play with those #1 through #6 "menus" anymore.

[headz77]

This seems to vary greatly by region. Here in the Norrhwest we do 42 mow, edge, blow, weed removal visits and 3-5 leaf pickup visits in the fall/winter. I include 5 ferts. Everything else is extra. We charge the same amount every month of the year.
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[orangemower]

Originally Posted by Glenn Lawn Care

Mine includes mow, trim, edge, blow, fert/squirt and trimming shrubs if the customers want it. For some reason my customers like their shrubs over grown. I have ask several times this year and last if they wanted me to trim them and they always say they will get around to it, but they never do!

Still haven't got the hint? If they really cared they would have already done it or paid you to do it. They aren't full service to me.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by grassmasterswilson

No I'd probably start with a basic level of mowing, leaf cleanup, pruning, and weed/fert. Although I'd like to include aeration, seeding, grub, disease, etc it might be better to charge it extra or add it in if the customer wants it.

I have every type of customer from per cuts, per application, prepay, monthly(mowing only, mowing and apps, and mowing, apps, seeding). I'd love to get everyone on the same plan, but i can't afford to lose business.

What I need to do is figure out some little things that might make a full service program more inviting. Maybe include some freebies(either free or bundled in the mow price) like pine cones/sticks picked up out of the beds, round up in the beds, etc.

Freebies to a customer is like crack to a crack head. They get addicted and want more freebies. Never give your work away. Now that's not to say some bartering isn't worthy depending on what the circumstances are in the deal.

[yardguy28]

my full service includes regular mowings, bagging as needed, shrub pruning, generally twice a season, mulch once a season, a spring clean up and fall clean ups.

the way I sell it is to use the fact that full service allows me to fully take care of the lawn so the client doesn't have to worry about it. like with the bagging as needed. when I show up to a full service account if it needs bagged I bag it and charge accordingly no questions asked. with a basic client I can't bag it without there ok or I bag it and not charge the extra amount.

still 90% of my business is basic service with clients getting the other services ala carte.