what's included in your stop and what makes you stand out

[grassmasterswilson]

so for you full service guys. I'm assuming you take the estimated number of mows + 2-3 prune stops+ fert/weed control? Take the total and divide by 12?

You then take care of all that needs to be done?

Right now I just do mowing and apps on a schedule. Then prune if the customer asks me too. I'm not a big fan of pruning but it goes with the job. Maybe I can leave that out for now and see what happens. The propblem I run into is that alot of people here like to pay as they go.

[nolatoolguy]

The thing that makes me unique is that there is no such thing as a "normal stop". I dont just mow an blow. I go the extra mile to do what the customer wants an what needs to be done to make the property look good. Each job I do is custom to that acount.

I can do alot from the weeding, to the rototilling, light tree triming, stump removal, chirstmas lights hung, planting etc. And if its something to large or out of my expertise I can refer her to someone good who can do it.

Aside from just the serivices I offer I show up on time, greet them take a minute to talk to them my one acount is a older person who we sit for twenty minutes an have cookies an talk an she often tells me every week how different things were back in her day. I just let her talk.

Aside from that when I do have a small crew with me I assure that no one will smoke on thier property an there is no cursing what so ever. And yes I have got rid of a guy who swore like a sailor.

I dont just mow I do what fits that customer best.

[Eric's Lawnservice]

There is nothing wrong with pay as you go on projects... as long as they pay!
shrub work, mulch, aerating, gutters, weed control, etc. is what I am hoping to up sale to the customer while I am mowing their lawn the first time. Wrap it all up in a nice monthly payment.

[pollak1322]

I always do the normal mow, blow, and go but I always edge and weed wack, pick up sticks if necessary, pull large weeds in beds, and whatever else the customer asks. Most of the people I mow for also have me do all their pruning, mulching, seasonal cleanups, any tree work I'm able to handle and any other odd jobs around their homes.

[SNAPPER MAN]

What I do to make me stand out is I bag all grass (and take it with me), blow out flowerbeds, pull weeds, and trim hedges for the same price most people charge for mow, blow, and go.
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[siclmn]

Some of you say that you "blow out flowerbed's", if I did that I would blow all the bark that I put down on to the lawn. What does "blow out flowerbed's" mean and how do you do it?
Oh, do you shoot the grass into the flower bed's and then try to blow it out?
Is that what you mean?

[SNAPPER MAN]

Originally Posted by siclmn

Some of you say that you "blow out flowerbed's", if I did that I would blow all the bark that I put down on to the lawn. What does "blow out flowerbed's" mean and how do you do it?
Oh, do you shoot the grass into the flower bed's and then try to blow it out?
Is that what you mean?

when we blow out the flowerbeds we blow out all the leaves that are in them every week. A little mulch comes out every time but I don't really care because then the customer needs mulch again. On most of our higher end accounts we mulch twice a year. This is the way most of the seasonded landscapers do it here. Way way faster than raking the flowerbeds.
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[Mowerboy04]

i find the little things go along way. On garbage day we will pick up the garbage cans and bring them up to the house and set them by the garage door. If the garden hose is out in the grass instead of just kicking it off to the side we will rap it up neatly on the hook or where its suppose to go. Bring up news papers to the front door if there at the bottom of the drive way. And of corse always having a smile and being polite to the customers. Plus i keep recored of things like customers names, there pets names kids names, so if i run in to them i can address them/there kids/pets by name. Just the little things that help.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by grassmasterswilson

so for you full service guys. I'm assuming you take the estimated number of mows + 2-3 prune stops+ fert/weed control? Take the total and divide by 12?

You then take care of all that needs to be done?

Right now I just do mowing and apps on a schedule. Then prune if the customer asks me too. I'm not a big fan of pruning but it goes with the job. Maybe I can leave that out for now and see what happens. The problem I run into is that alot of people here like to pay as they go.

I'm working on all my customers to go to this. Thing is, most of them have been with me from the start so there's a trust built up between us that I know they will pay during the months I'm not having to do anything. First year and even second to third year customers don't get offered this payment plan. Those first few years are "feeler" years to me. Once I know and feel comfortable I offer it to them. They usually bite because they can spread out the entire seasonal service costs over 12 months instead of the 8-9 months.

There's nothing wrong with pay as you go services. The thing is, you need to first offer the services. I'm swamped with work to the point I'm getting dizzy. I probably won't get caught up for at least 2 months if not longer. All this work I have comes from only 12 clients. Thing is, all but 2 are full service customers. The other 10 have enough work (for the most part) to keep me going most of the summer. I only mow grass 2 days a week. I gross just under $900. Then the rest of the work each week comes in to about the same. So I'm all but doubling my income off of full service type work. In no way am I a mow,trim and blow company. I'm on a 7k job about half way through it and got a call from a full service customer that out of the blue called and said quote "I think it's time to weed, treat and mulch the beds, the wife said to do it and you know what that means" and I told him it will get wrote in on the schedule for 3 weeks from now and he said whenever you can get started just let me know and I'll cut a check. 13+ yards of mulch plus fresh beds edges will = 2k. Yep, a good $150+ a yard installed. Diversity will take you places.

[BestImpressions99]

One thing that sounds more like blowing smoke and using rose colored glasses is I tell potential clients I'm bidding on that I don't charge for blowing and trimming. Yes I know that I do ultimately make the money that makes it worth my while but to roll it into one charge instead of charging all together for 3 aspects of the same job makes the customer feel better about what you're providing them. I have one client who wants extra things done (that while I am charging for them) and she doesn't make that much money to get it all done at once. I'm spreading it out and working with her. Also if the customer doesn't necessarily NEED to have the lawn cut, do some trimming and then do a walk around the yard, pick up branches, trim back low branches, etc. Yes, you charge for cutting the lawn that week but what the customer sees is that you're doing more than just "cutting the lawn" for them.