Your weekly cut price is $____. Your first cut, due to length, bagging, etc. will be $$$____. I cut weekly from ______to _______ From_____to______I cut every 10 to 14 days, depends on temerature, rain, etc.

People always will try to get one over on you. I just laugh now. I've been doing it so long, there's nothing new. I love the one you described. Come give me an estimate. I'll wait three weeks and then have him come over and mow. Wow, I'll save some money, and he must be stupid. :clapping:

 

Our companies pricing and billing for new customers:

Example only

First cut price: $80

Monthly fee: $160.00

WE ALWAYS charge double for the first cut for ANY new customer that signs up with us after May 15.

Our estimates all include "Estimate good until April 30".

You are allowing this to happen by billing by the cut. If you do this, you open the door to interpretation. The customer is given a per cut price and thinks they can skip a cut and only have to pay for the following cut. Only bill per month. If the customer asks you to skip (which they wont) they still pay. Explain that it is better to pay monthly and as a bonus, the two months that have 5 weeks, they will receive those FREE. Usually works.

 

This area here in SW Missouri is 4-5 years new to us and alot of folks here seem to have no problem saying anything to get you to come out and then dump on you. I need some help with getting over the see you in 10 days or I'll call you when I need it cut again I thought about charging for montly lawn maint and not by the cut to get around all this. Help

Where in SW Missouri are you located? That monthly thing sounds like a good idea. You can weed out your cheapskates that way too.

 

Racer, get use to hearing that. Its everywhere. I had a call lastyear. Went ot give a bid. Grass was already 6" high. Told her the clean-up cut is $100. Of course, "I need to talk to my hubby".. A month later she calls and says the "Hubby" says its ok. I asked her if it has been cut since our last talk. "NO" I said the price WILL NOT be the same. Went to re-bid and I told her to hire someone with a bush hog to mow it first. It was 2' tall.. Havent heard from her since.

 

I cut one of those two weeks ago... A lady works with my mom wanted me to cut her yard for her husband cause he had not had time to do it. I went and looked at it and told her it would be $100 she said that is fine to come by and get my money at work, I cut it and made it look great, got there to get my money and it was cash!!! . She called me back to tell me what a good job I did and that her mom was gonna need somebody to cut her 2 acre yard this summer so I am probly gonna get it. So sometimes it pays to do the ones you dont want to do.

 

Our companies pricing and billing for new customers:

Example only

First cut price: $80

Monthly fee: $160.00

WE ALWAYS charge double for the first cut for ANY new customer that signs up with us after May 15.

Our estimates all include "Estimate good until April 30".

You are allowing this to happen by billing by the cut. If you do this, you open the door to interpretation. The customer is given a per cut price and thinks they can skip a cut and only have to pay for the following cut. Only bill per month. If the customer asks you to skip (which they wont) they still pay. Explain that it is better to pay monthly and as a bonus, the two months that have 5 weeks, they will receive those FREE. Usually works.

im assuming you only charge double for the first cut for ANY new customer only if it hasnt been cut yet! if not, id dissagree with this. you charge what the work requires. if it hasnt been cut yet and it hasnt grown, i have a few late starting lawns, you charge a regular cut. if it hasnt been done, it think tall and wet, you charge the fair price for your time and then get them on a weekly schedule for a normal price.

as far as your scenario, it sounds like the customers are walking over you, you took the time to make it perfect without charging extra. so, the customer thinks they can go longer and you will still put extra time in making it look good, which will save the customer weekly fees. i would be polite and upfront, telling them if its not doneweekly the price is at least doubled because of the extra time it takes and you feel you have been taken advantage of. this will show them you arent taking their crap and standing up for yourself.

 

Joplin area. The lady that called and told me not to come by is getting billed anyway. I have thought about it alot and I was very clear that I come every week until Dec. 1. I told her I try and cut only twice in July but that depends as each year is different. I feel the extra work done still puts me way behind the game as it is and to make things worse I was next door today doing another customer and her lawn needed mowed big time. It will be very tall in another week if it warms up. Starting to think the folks around here aren't doling any of this intentionally but are just plain stupid :hammerhead: . I understand this area is one of the lowest paying areas in the midwest but my equipment costs the same regardless of location and the other overhead isn't much different.
THis lady is going to make me work twice as hard next week. Should I do it for the same price? I thought if I charged to mow or not it would stop that. I know most of the other lco put up with it so I know I will say goodbye to a few of my new customers if I charge no matter what but if I don't folks around here have NO morales and will just continue to take advantage of me I guess. I guess with the old standby customers I've got are really class folks all around. Kind of odd but not one of them have lived here more than a few years. I'm about ready to ask if they are from here orginally when they call for the first time and if they are just hang up,lol.

 

oh dear...

- You can't cut lawns weekly, come June you'll burn them to a crisp.
> Look, how often did you cut your own grass before you became an Lco?
> Did you, when you became an Lco, forget how often most lawns need cutting? Reason I ask is, I did.
> Only a few irrigated chemlawns might need weekly cuts, they'd have to be super fertilized and kept damp most of the time, on top of sustained 80 degree days with 50 degree nights.
> The rest I put on 8-10, 10-12, and 12-14 day schedules.

No, you do not let the customer dictate when you cut their grass, but insist on cutting it weekly and they will fight you.
Fight back, and they're gone.
Ok, you figured as much, but you are right.

So, adjust your mind to cutting grass like every 8-10 or every 10-12 days, for most non-treated / non-irrigated lawns. You can do 8-10 for most right now, but once it warms up if you cut it too often they will turn patchy and then they will burn. If you burn one, you're done cutting because it won't come back for 1-2 months (if it ever does).
Best way is to relax, and if you see one with patches, don't cut it again and delay all your cuts immediately.
Either way, once you relax your aggressive weekly cut schedule, I think you will find your customers to be more pleasant

- When I give an estimate, I want a yes or no from the customer, and unless they say YES then the default answer is No, it's that simple.
> We have to think about / will call you = No.
> What's the matter, my price not good enough?
Ok, no problem, thanks for letting me off the hook. (no don't say that lol, but you get my drift).

- Tall grass = double price.
> IF the customer delays your cut, meaning you went out to cut it and it really needed it and the customer stops you (or they call when they know dang well it needs it), then you increase the price if it's really tall.
> But for this to work, YOU have to KNOW when it needs it, and 'weekly regardless' is not the answer. As a rule, it can be ankle height but not much more, but it ought to look at least a bit scraggly. Yeah, you know, some growth.
> You can not do this if it's your own fault that you're late cutting, only if the customer delays you, and then it is a trick because most don't want to pay.

One more thing: today I cut all lawns with what I call a standard double cut. Yup, twice over the whole thing.
But my first year that seemed ridiculous, still I learned to cut at least some sections twice (the worst parts).
This helps a lot with the clumping and the streaking, makes it look better.

The other thing is tolerance... Unfortunately, hard-nosed as we'd all like to be, if you're not at least somewhat tolerant then you will have no customers. Between being hard-nosed and tolerant there exists a balance, finding this happy medium is the answer, I wish you luck.

I hope that helps, hope I wasn't too hard on ya, I went through this same mess early on, but it evens out in short order, it's actually a minor headache in the grand scheme of things, you'll be fine.

 

oh dear...

- You can't cut lawns weekly, come June you'll burn them to a crisp.
> Look, how often did you cut your own grass before you became an Lco?
> Did you, when you became an Lco, forget how often most lawns need cutting? Reason I ask is, I did.
> Only a few irrigated chemlawns might need weekly cuts, they'd have to be super fertilized and kept damp most of the time, on top of sustained 80 degree days with 50 degree nights.
> The rest I put on 8-10, 10-12, and 12-14 day schedules.

No, you do not let the customer dictate when you cut their grass, but insist on cutting it weekly and they will fight you.
Fight back, and they're gone.
Ok, you figured as much, but you are right.

So, adjust your mind to cutting grass like every 8-10 or every 10-12 days, for most non-treated / non-irrigated lawns. You can do 8-10 for most right now, but once it warms up if you cut it too often they will turn patchy and then they will burn. If you burn one, you're done cutting because it won't come back for 1-2 months (if it ever does).
Best way is to relax, and if you see one with patches, don't cut it again and delay all your cuts immediately.
Either way, once you relax your aggressive weekly cut schedule, I think you will find your customers to be more pleasant

- When I give an estimate, I want a yes or no from the customer, and unless they say YES then the default answer is No, it's that simple.
> We have to think about / will call you = No.
> What's the matter, my price not good enough?
Ok, no problem, thanks for letting me off the hook. (no don't say that lol, but you get my drift).

- Tall grass = double price.
> IF the customer delays your cut, meaning you went out to cut it and it really needed it and the customer stops you (or they call when they know dang well it needs it), then you increase the price if it's really tall.
> But for this to work, YOU have to KNOW when it needs it, and 'weekly regardless' is not the answer. As a rule, it can be ankle height but not much more, but it ought to look at least a bit scraggly. Yeah, you know, some growth.
> You can not do this if it's your own fault that you're late cutting, only if the customer delays you, and then it is a trick because most don't want to pay.

One more thing: today I cut all lawns with what I call a standard double cut. Yup, twice over the whole thing.
But my first year that seemed ridiculous, still I learned to cut at least some sections twice (the worst parts).
This helps a lot with the clumping and the streaking, makes it look better.

The other thing is tolerance... Unfortunately, hard-nosed as we'd all like to be, if you're not at least somewhat tolerant then you will have no customers. Between being hard-nosed and tolerant there exists a balance, finding this happy medium is the answer, I wish you luck.

I hope that helps, hope I wasn't too hard on ya, I went through this same mess early on, but it evens out in short order, it's actually a minor headache in the grand scheme of things, you'll be fine.

Do they not install inrrigation systems in Virginia? If I were to say I won't cut your lawn every week, I would be crap out of a lot of clients.

I recently began stating verbally and in writing that my estimates were good for 48 hrs from the time given. That gives the client plenty of time to "talk it over with the spouse" or to basically mull over the deal. After the 48 hrs, if they want me to cut, the price has obviously gone up for the first cut unless the lawn has been recently cut within 5-7 days.

 

oh dear...

- You can't cut lawns weekly, come June you'll burn them to a crisp.
> Look, how often did you cut your own grass before you became an Lco?
> Did you, when you became an Lco, forget how often most lawns need cutting? Reason I ask is, I did.
> Only a few irrigated chemlawns might need weekly cuts, they'd have to be super fertilized and kept damp most of the time, on top of sustained 80 degree days with 50 degree nights.
> The rest I put on 8-10, 10-12, and 12-14 day schedules.

No, you do not let the customer dictate when you cut their grass, but insist on cutting it weekly and they will fight you.
Fight back, and they're gone.
Ok, you figured as much, but you are right.

So, adjust your mind to cutting grass like every 8-10 or every 10-12 days, for most non-treated / non-irrigated lawns. You can do 8-10 for most right now, but once it warms up if you cut it too often they will turn patchy and then they will burn. If you burn one, you're done cutting because it won't come back for 1-2 months (if it ever does).
Best way is to relax, and if you see one with patches, don't cut it again and delay all your cuts immediately.
Either way, once you relax your aggressive weekly cut schedule, I think you will find your customers to be more pleasant

- When I give an estimate, I want a yes or no from the customer, and unless they say YES then the default answer is No, it's that simple.
> We have to think about / will call you = No.
> What's the matter, my price not good enough?
Ok, no problem, thanks for letting me off the hook. (no don't say that lol, but you get my drift).

- Tall grass = double price.
> IF the customer delays your cut, meaning you went out to cut it and it really needed it and the customer stops you (or they call when they know dang well it needs it), then you increase the price if it's really tall.
> But for this to work, YOU have to KNOW when it needs it, and 'weekly regardless' is not the answer. As a rule, it can be ankle height but not much more, but it ought to look at least a bit scraggly. Yeah, you know, some growth.
> You can not do this if it's your own fault that you're late cutting, only if the customer delays you, and then it is a trick because most don't want to pay.

One more thing: today I cut all lawns with what I call a standard double cut. Yup, twice over the whole thing.
But my first year that seemed ridiculous, still I learned to cut at least some sections twice (the worst parts).
This helps a lot with the clumping and the streaking, makes it look better.

The other thing is tolerance... Unfortunately, hard-nosed as we'd all like to be, if you're not at least somewhat tolerant then you will have no customers. Between being hard-nosed and tolerant there exists a balance, finding this happy medium is the answer, I wish you luck.

I hope that helps, hope I wasn't too hard on ya, I went through this same mess early on, but it evens out in short order, it's actually a minor headache in the grand scheme of things, you'll be fine.

The trouble I'm having is all the new folks I've got this year well at least some of them. I missed 3 mowing last year April 1 to Dec 1. If the grass doesn't really need cut I do something else such as Trim that low branch or whatever else I'd been asked to do. The payments don't stop on my equipment you know. In my area you don't have a very long window of just needing cut right before you cut it. It is growing like crazy or not much it seems. If I don't get to charge extra for when it's growing out of hand and it takes twice as long then seems like I should get to coast on the easy weeks. It's going to be cold here for several days and I bet that same lady will call and want me to put off another week. She has taken up a spot on my route this season that someone could have been paying for and that is another reason it is hard to just not mow on time. Her Dads house will be 4 weeks since we mowed his. Any takers on how tall that will be??

 

oh dear...

- You can't cut lawns weekly, come June you'll burn them to a crisp.
> Look, how often did you cut your own grass before you became an Lco?
> Did you, when you became an Lco, forget how often most lawns need cutting? Reason I ask is, I did.
> Only a few irrigated chemlawns might need weekly cuts, they'd have to be super fertilized and kept damp most of the time, on top of sustained 80 degree days with 50 degree nights.
> The rest I put on 8-10, 10-12, and 12-14 day schedules.

No, you do not let the customer dictate when you cut their grass, but insist on cutting it weekly and they will fight you.
Fight back, and they're gone.
Ok, you figured as much, but you are right.

So, adjust your mind to cutting grass like every 8-10 or every 10-12 days, for most non-treated / non-irrigated lawns. You can do 8-10 for most right now, but once it warms up if you cut it too often they will turn patchy and then they will burn. If you burn one, you're done cutting because it won't come back for 1-2 months (if it ever does).
Best way is to relax, and if you see one with patches, don't cut it again and delay all your cuts immediately.
Either way, once you relax your aggressive weekly cut schedule, I think you will find your customers to be more pleasant

- When I give an estimate, I want a yes or no from the customer, and unless they say YES then the default answer is No, it's that simple.
> We have to think about / will call you = No.
> What's the matter, my price not good enough?
Ok, no problem, thanks for letting me off the hook. (no don't say that lol, but you get my drift).

- Tall grass = double price.
> IF the customer delays your cut, meaning you went out to cut it and it really needed it and the customer stops you (or they call when they know dang well it needs it), then you increase the price if it's really tall.
> But for this to work, YOU have to KNOW when it needs it, and 'weekly regardless' is not the answer. As a rule, it can be ankle height but not much more, but it ought to look at least a bit scraggly. Yeah, you know, some growth.
> You can not do this if it's your own fault that you're late cutting, only if the customer delays you, and then it is a trick because most don't want to pay.

One more thing: today I cut all lawns with what I call a standard double cut. Yup, twice over the whole thing.
But my first year that seemed ridiculous, still I learned to cut at least some sections twice (the worst parts).
This helps a lot with the clumping and the streaking, makes it look better.

The other thing is tolerance... Unfortunately, hard-nosed as we'd all like to be, if you're not at least somewhat tolerant then you will have no customers. Between being hard-nosed and tolerant there exists a balance, finding this happy medium is the answer, I wish you luck.

I hope that helps, hope I wasn't too hard on ya, I went through this same mess early on, but it evens out in short order, it's actually a minor headache in the grand scheme of things, you'll be fine.

I love the south and the warm season grasses.