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Charging for getting up dog poop/debris.

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proline32

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Ok, I have a new policy this year, customers with dogs are starting to really piss me off..... I asked them to get up the crap prior to my comming out to mow, never happens. I get tired of either getting up the crap or cleaning it off my tools, So, I sent out a letter today informing customers that I am going to charge them $8.00 just for getting up dog poop prior to mowing, this price will also apply to customers who leave debris all over the yard like kids toys, bikes, lumber, you name it... I have asked people to pick up stuff to no avail and I am tired of loosing an hour a day to stuff like this, The customers has a months notice that this will start on may 1st that I start to charge extra.

Does this sound out of line?
Also I am informing all new customers of the policy prior to my giving them an estimate.
 
#2 ·
Most of our customers are very courtious. However we have a couple of customers that have so much poop it is insane. If I want to shovel SH__ I will go to our stable.

We sent a letter last year to both and one responded quickly. The other I have charged an addition $15 once or twice a month and she pays with no complaints.

Some people are just lazy


Kevin Total Landscaping

:mad:
 
#3 ·
I think we all have, or have had, a few customers like that. I normally will pick up a FEW things in yard (except dog piles) as part of their service. If it becomes excessive, then it's time to talk to them. Some will work with you and some won't. The ones that won't usually don't last very long. We are in the MOWING business. Some people are just plain slobs.
 
#5 ·
My pet pieve is people that leave hoses out. Several years ago I "mulched" my neighbors hose because I was tired of having to stop and roll it up. He never said a word about it and has never left it out again.
 
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#7 ·
We got tired of the same. Dropped one customer who refused to clean up after his two 100 lb English labs - who left 5 lb piles.

We had a customer who didn't pick up the debris at all in their back yard - even off the patio, beds, lawn - anything. We went and bought them a little trash can, baggies, scooper, etc. They never touched it, but paid the premium price for us to buy the supplies.

We started charging $60 per hour for poop scooping with a 10 or 15 min minimum depending on how bad it is. We do this with several of our customers who refuse to clean up. Others that we haven't brough the hammer down on yet, we sometimes skip and leave a note letting them know we couldn't service the back yard due to excessive dog debris. This will usually work - but if it doesn't, we start charging the $60 per hour.

I thought the $60 per hour at first would be punitive - now I think I should make it $120 per hour.

There are dog doo services around here that provide the service. So we also will mention these services that come one or twice a week to do the dirty work for the customer.
 
#8 ·
Send out a letter to offending parties, stating, due to high demand your will now be offering yard cleanups for only $XXX. State there is no need to respond, the additional service will be billed to them anytime you feel the yard needs to be cleaned up prior to mowing. Don't threaten your customer, just let him decide by cleaning up the yard themselves or you will do it for them at agreed to price. I can't imagine Walmart or McDonalds sitting around complaining of customers not cleaning up their table after eating or returning shopping carts to the corrals. Just make it worth your time and think of it as another income flow.
 
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#9 ·
I tell all my jobs are bid "mow ready- ie: all must be picked up" Most are good but there are always a few. The worst are apts. Management doesn't care.
I have one where one apt. in paticular always had toys,blankets and once broken glass. Always great for trimming and kids playing I say. Well I mowed around a bike for about a month. It straddled the walkway and the lawn. They apparently stepped around it rather that move it. About week five I put it in the dumpster which is emptied the same day I mow. The bike hasn't been a problem since and I believe nobody knows it is gone:angry:
 
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proline32
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