Explaining Different Stripe Patterns to Customers

WisecarverLawnCare · Apr 29, 2014

I have a handful of customers both residential and commercial that insist on mowing the lawn in the same stripe pattern every week. After a few mows this year already I can tell this may be issue since I have already been asked to cut in the same pattern every week. This came after I cut in a different direction on my most recent mows. I don't know if its because of different types of grass, temp., land layout, etc. but I have always learned to cut in different directions/patterns to keep from damaging the grass. Told my few customers that and apparently that wasn't good enough. Does anyone have a better way to answer this or should I just let it go and mow the same pattern every time.
Thanks

scag2015 · Apr 29, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
I have a handful of customers both residential and commercial that insist on mowing the lawn in the same stripe pattern every week. After a few mows this year already I can tell this may be issue since I have already been asked to cut in the same pattern every week. This came after I cut in a different direction on my most recent mows. I don't know if its because of different types of grass, temp., land layout, etc. but I have always learned to cut in different directions/patterns to keep from damaging the grass. Told my few customers that and apparently that wasn't good enough. Does anyone have a better way to answer this or should I just let it go and mow the same pattern every time.
Thanks

It creates ruts also, talk to them again on a more " defiant answer" term and see if they are set with that look for them or offer to try out a couple others and also that (if kept up with) will stop making ruts etc.
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WisecarverLawnCare · Apr 29, 2014

scag2015 said:
It creates ruts also, talk to them again on a more " defiant answer" term and see if they are set with that look for them or offer to try out a couple others and also that (if kept up with) will stop making ruts etc.
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Yes it does, forgot to mention that one as well. I want the account holder happy, but I also want too do a good job throughout the season. I don't want to deal with losing an account at the end of the year and future accounts because the client wasn't happy with the lawn at the end of the year because of ruts and damaged lawns. Then they tell so and so, and on and on until the company name is tarnished over something I said in the first place some people, I swear. :hammerhead:

herler · Apr 29, 2014

It takes practice to lay down a good stripe pattern.
And more practice to put down a nice cross pattern.
Yes, the cross pattern has to look just as good.

But wait until you have it down and your customers trained to do things your way...
And one day you forget to switch patterns, and they call you to ask if you could please switch back and forth every cut.

scag2015 · Apr 29, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
Yes it does, forgot to mention that one as well. I want the account holder happy, but I also want too do a good job throughout the season. I don't want to deal with losing an account at the end of the year and future accounts because the client wasn't happy with the lawn at the end of the year because of ruts and damaged lawns. Then they tell so and so, and on and on until the company name is tarnished over something I said in the first place some people, I swear. :hammerhead:

Yeah your exactly right!, so I'd ask them and be a little "oh though I'd mention this" you know come across something like that. And if there stuck on what they have kept shortly explain what it can do to the grass. But I guess what it boils down to is , the customer is right even when he's wrong

so if they do want to keep it just tell them these are the results that would happen the the turf, so if they did not like those ruts etc that come you could politely tell them that's what I was telling you. Then maybe they will let you switch it up , or like I said above^^ then your reputation should not be faded through that customer or others hopefully

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OakNut · Apr 29, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
Yes it does, forgot to mention that one as well. I want the account holder happy, but I also want too do a good job throughout the season. I don't want to deal with losing an account at the end of the year and future accounts because the client wasn't happy with the lawn at the end of the year because of ruts and damaged lawns. Then they tell so and so, and on and on until the company name is tarnished over something I said in the first place some people, I swear. :hammerhead:

Sounds like you already understand the problem and what to do about it.

If they don't want to compromise, it may be in your best interest to move on.
The customer is NOT always right and in the end, do you want to lose one customer, or potentially several.

This is the same as the "cut it shorter next time" idiots. "Oh, sure. I'll scalp your lawn and make it look like crap and then you drop me and nobody else will hire me because your lawn looks like crap."
Buh - bye.

M&L · Apr 29, 2014

You can offset your patern by a few inches every time or change the angle by a few degrees. Might make for an extra pass here and there, but prevents rutting and losing a client.

A house in my neighbor hood gets cut about every 5 days. The guy goes in the exact same spots every time. Grass is green, but it looks like a fluted column. I cut mine just as often, but I either adjust the amount of overlap on my second peritemter pass, or change the angle by about 5degrees. No ruts and the stripe patern always "looks" the same

Or grind the pattern is and sub out a Top dressing. Just make sure to explain that part of the bill up front.
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WisecarverLawnCare · Apr 29, 2014

OakNut said:
Sounds like you already understand the problem and what to do about it.

If they don't want to compromise, it may be in your best interest to move on.
The customer is NOT always right and in the end, do you want to lose one customer, or potentially several.

This is the same as the "cut it shorter next time" idiots. "Oh, sure. I'll scalp your lawn and make it look like crap and then you drop me and nobody else will hire me because your lawn looks like crap."
Buh - bye.

Yea I have these "cut it short guys" also. Most of them want to get away with bi-weekly cuts and ask to have it cut at 2 inches. some guy even wanted an inch and a half tall cut. I wouldn't do it.

scag2015 · Apr 30, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
Yea I have these "cut it short guys" also. Most of them want to get away with bi-weekly cuts and ask to have it cut at 2 inches. some guy even wanted an inch and a half tall cut. I wouldn't do it.

Yep me too! Even had a customer ask that today!

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WisecarverLawnCare · Apr 30, 2014

scag2015 said:
Yep me too! Even had a customer ask that today!
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Some People.:hammerhead::hammerhead::hammerhead:

scag2015 · Apr 30, 2014

OakNut said:
Sounds like you already understand the problem and what to do about it.

If they don't want to compromise, it may be in your best interest to move on.
The customer is NOT always right and in the end, do you want to lose one customer, or potentially several.

This is the same as the "cut it shorter next time" idiots. "Oh, sure. I'll scalp your lawn and make it look like crap and then you drop me and nobody else will hire me because your lawn looks like crap."
Buh - bye.

Yes seems like he's got it just needs to do it

and my quote "customer is always right even when he's wrong" you're correct, there mostly always wrong

I'm not saying to damage their property by doing what they said to do, defiantly more of a light seance of taking the customers option, but for best service explain to them the health way/proper way to do things

Why I put the quote (as and example) I have a great customer I've done for quite a few years great guy loves to have everything looking great and has great grass etc. says one time to me cut a 3" (fescue) (which on such nice fescue and other fescue lawns I actually cut around 4") but his grass was about 12" (he let it grow a lot before he wanted to do first cut) (he likes to call for the first time) but he said he knows that I should be using the rule of thirds. So something did not add up

so I cut at 7" then down to about 3.5

well I guess that was a long uneasily post but anyways

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scag2015 · Apr 30, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
Some People.:hammerhead::hammerhead::hammerhead:

Yep

!! Crazy too, same guy has ALL weeds and sometimes he prizes his lawn and want it cut perfectly, then sometime he wants it bi weekly and just scalp it so it does not grow back fast

? Yeah

, kind of funny, I deal with them generally how most of you'll do, keep the same height then ask customer is that better? Generally there like, oh yeah much better

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WisecarverLawnCare · Apr 30, 2014

scag2015 said:
Yep!! Crazy too, same guy has ALL weeds and sometimes he prizes his lawn and want it cut perfectly, then sometime he wants it bi weekly and just scalp it so it does not grow back fast? Yeah, kind of funny, I deal with them generally how most of you'll do, keep the same height then ask customer is that better? Generally there like, oh yeah much better
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Yes, I have pulled that move more than once with a couple clients :clapping:.
I feel like I need to write up a guide or some good information on how things should be properly done to hand out to new clients from now on. And take it to a few of my current ones as well. Just to eliminate confusing down the road.

scag2015 · Apr 30, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
Yes, I have pulled that move more than once with a couple clients :clapping:.
I feel like I need to write up a guide or some good information on how things should be properly done to hand out to new clients from now on. And take it to a few of my current ones as well. Just to eliminate confusing down the road.

Yeah that a great idea!

never really thought of that, that would really be cool!

make them really professional ( like your cards and flyers etc.) I think that would definatly impress customers a lot more, you giving them a little booklet of how your yard is going to be serviced properly and with care

great idea!!

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WisecarverLawnCare · Apr 30, 2014

scag2015 said:
Yeah that a great idea! never really thought of that, that would really be cool! make them really professional ( like your cards and flyers etc.) I think that would definatly impress customers a lot more, you giving them a little booklet of how your yard is going to be serviced properly and with care great idea!!
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Yep, it would be the same to us as buying a new mower and having a manual explaining how to operate it and how to properly care for it.

scag2015 · Apr 30, 2014

WisecarverLawnCare said:
Yep, it would be the same to us as buying a new mower and having a manual explaining how to operate it and how to properly care for it.

Yeah exactly

, and for me properly take care of equipment is big

I'm crazy on clean equipment, blow off after every use, then wipe down at end of the day

defiantly keep track of maintenance , always check oil (learned that the hard way

) etc.

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guybrushthreepwood · Apr 30, 2014

M&L said:
You can offset your patern by a few inches every time or change the angle by a few degrees. Might make for an extra pass here and there, but prevents rutting and losing a client.
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This.

First you should try explaining a little more to the customer that it's not a good idea to mow the same pattern every week.
If that doesn't work, and they still insist, just offset it by a few inches. You won't have to worry about rutting, and I highly doubt the customer would even notice.
If they still complain: A. Do some more explaining or B. Run away!
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Groomer · Apr 30, 2014

never had a customer ask or demand the same cut pattern.

M&L · Apr 30, 2014

Groomer said:
never had a customer ask or demand the same cut pattern.

So much of the nice :laughing:

That one lawn is probably the total SqFt of 15 of the house I do
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Explaining Different Stripe Patterns to Customers

WisecarverLawnCare

scag2015

WisecarverLawnCare

herler

scag2015

OakNut

M&L

WisecarverLawnCare

scag2015

WisecarverLawnCare

scag2015

scag2015

WisecarverLawnCare

scag2015

WisecarverLawnCare

scag2015

guybrushthreepwood

Groomer

M&L

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