What to do??

[spin2098]

And here is the situation. I have a lawn that I have been cutting for years now. At first I cut it with my walk behind but the walk-behind was slowing me down with my other jobs so I always brought the zeros. I started cutting this lawn with the zero and personally I think it looks great. However this yard is in the upper class neighbor of Pittsburgh and anyone who reads this from Pittsburgh can narrow it down to 3 or 4 of the areas I am talking about. Anyway the guy asks me to start push mowing his yard. With my zero it took me 30 minutes and I was done charged 35.00 for it. Now it is taken my guys and 1 hr to 1 hr and 15mins to cut it. I can't charge this guy 35.00 anymore. We also have to double cut with the push mowers since he has a treated lawn. This will stop now since the spring rush is gone. How much would you guys up this price? I also cut his business but the whole month of May that is how long it took us 1 hrs 15mins. How high would you increase. I am thinking 60.00 is that unreal?

[GravelyGuy]

I had that same problem years ago when I got my first ZTR. Customers with smaller lawns really prefer the pushmower and get spoiled. Why can't you go back to the walkbehind? Or are you refering the the pushmower as a walkbehind?

[LouisianaLawnboy]

Tell him it's either the ZTR or 80.00.

[spin2098]

Well I have since sold my walkbehind I just had no use for it amymore. So that is why all I have is the pushmower now.

[GravelyGuy]

I wouldn't jack his price way up or your guaranteed to lose the account to someone who has only a pushmower and willing to do it for cheap. Instead try asking him exactly what he's not pleased with and try to work with him. You can normally persuade people, sometimes it's jsut small things that upset them.

[kaferhaus]

I woldn't worry over losing a 35 buck job. tell him it's the ztr or the price doubles

[LouisianaLawnboy]

Originally Posted by GravelyGuy

I wouldn't jack his price way up or your guaranteed to lose the account to someone who has only a pushmower and willing to do it for cheap. Instead try asking him exactly what he's not pleased with and try to work with him. You can normally persuade people, sometimes it's jsut small things that upset them.

That would be the way to do it if you want to keep the account.

[Alpha Property]

the problem is you've already cut it for a month for $35... so you can't raise the price without informing him, send him this invoice and explain that for $35 you really only have about 15-20min that you can spend at that house before you start losing money and if he wants to continue with the small push mowers the price will have to reflect the amount of time spent on site

[spin2098]

Maybe I should have explained better. That 1hr 15min is a double cut. I never had to double cut with the zero once an done it looked great. But the push mowers don't have the same power as the zero. At the beginning of May I was on the property personally and called him at the office. I talked to his wife and told her that with us push mowing we have to double cut and will have to charge. I will find out tomorrow how long it really takes once the guys get back to the shop. So 35.00 for the first cut and another 25.00 for the double cut is that un reasonable. Hey if people want to pour the fertilizer on then they need to understand.

[Hawg City Lawns]

personally i would say $45.00 to $55.00 if nicer neighborhood lean toward the higher price