[Woody82986]

This season, instead of doing a true 10 day mowing schedule for the clients that want a 10 day schedule, I am thinking I will do a Tuesday-Friday 10 day schedule. What I mean is, week one you will mow on Tuesday, week 2 you mow on Friday, week 3 there is no mow and week4 you mow on Tuesday again. It actually works out to be a 10 day-11 day schedule but it is the only way I can see getting a set 10 day schedule inbetween Monday and Friday without working on Saturday or Sunday. I want to keep Saturday and Sunday as off days or extra work days if I get behind this season. Does this sound alright to you guys or should I stay with a true 10 day schedule?

 

[Andyinchville]

I don't do 10 day schedules because the 10th say falls on a different day every time.....I have some costomers that want that but I tell then I only have 1 week or 2 week (2 week has surcharge because of the tall grass in between mowings)
. I tell some that we can start off at a 1 week schedule then fall back to 2 week schedule if / when grass starts to slow down.Hope this helps.

Andrew

 

[Turfdude]

I offered this years ago ( but did Monday/Thursday). For lots of reasons, I quickly ditched this and gave everyone a set mowing day and changed to weekly service. IMHO 10 day lawns will kill you, especially if you have a heavy week and get a lot of rain, or a 3-day weekend due to a holiday.

 

[rodfather]

Every 10 days? Nope. I don't need the aggravation. Like Td said, everyone gets a set mowing day which is adhered to the best of our control.

 

[lawnlubber]

I set a weekly schedule for all who want that. Any requests for other than weekly I tell people to call me before each service. I can usually get to it within a day or two but weekly scheduled customers receive priority. I set aside a block of time in my daily schedule to handle these jobs or work on add-ons like mulch. It is a nice way to bring in those who are hesitant about the price.

 

[Tharrell]

They just want to beat you out of some money. In their minds, there are 3-10 day periods in a month. See it for what it is. Cut when the turf needs it but charge on a monthly basis.

 

[tiedeman]

I want everybody to repeat this phrase:

cut as needed or when needed decided by yourself, not the customer.

 

[Runner]

Exactly! I don't do the "10 day" thing, or the "every other week" thing. If it's up to me, and it happens,.. ok. But, then, it's MY doing. My fault,.. and they are not charged extra for the longer grass. Weekly schedule always works best.

 

[lawnagent]

Originally posted by tiedeman
I want everybody to repeat this phrase:

cut as needed or when needed decided by yourself, not the customer.

AMEN BROTHER!!

I have 2 every other days mowings that I have had since 1992. I quit taking on any new ones that were not once a week 4 years ago. One of the better moves I have made in the biz. Its weekly or none for me.

 

[jajwrigh]

I definately cut as I see fit! I know that my judgement will keep the yard looking good so I don't worry!

 

[Navig8r]

I did a couple 2 weekers and a couple of 10 day'ers last year. this year it's every week or someone else can do it.... with only one exception... a friends father who will stay as 10 days or weekly as growth allows..... only leaving him at 10 day sched for a favor to him and to allow some flexibility in my schedule.

 

[kris]

Hope you take the advice given in the above posts... Our first year of maintenance we had 2 or 3 of thoses every 10 day BS. Never again.

 

[proenterprises]

Man, why would you ever do those to yourself. Its a hassle just to figure out what day your going to show up. I would say either every week, or every other week. If they want every other week, i would charge 150% of what the job is worth to make up for the extra work.

I would ditch these 10 day accounts, or move them to 2 weeks. It will be easier for you in the end.

LOL whats the deal with people that want it cut every 10 days

 

[kris]

For myself it was because I just didnt know any better... been doing the construction side of Landscaping for a long long time and when the maintenance division started I was as green as the grass we were mowing.(should have seen how some of those first year jobs costed out LOL!)
What a scheduling nightmare. I suppose if every one of your accounts was every 10 day it could be done but there is also the extra work involved from longer grass. Geez...the thought of doing that again sends shivers down my spine.

 

[Woody82986]

You guys must not have an imagination because all of my ten day routes work perfectly into my schedule and rain doesn't affect it any more than a 7 day cut. I don't know if you guys realize this or not but sometimes grass doesn't need to be cut every 7 days. These lawns that I go 10 days on are lawns that I recommended they go on a 10 day schedule. I didn't ask the question, "would you do it this way or do you like a 10 day schedule?" I asked if the 10 day-11 day schedule seems like it will be okay or if I should just go ahead and stick to a true 10 day schedule? There are only two choices for an answer here guys, either the 10 day-11 day schedule sounds fine or stick to a true 10 day schedule.

 

[1MajorTom]

Here you go Locutus, this post is for you. I cracked up laughing reading your other post about the moderators.

I say there are too many variables just to start telling the members to turn away 10 day cuts.

Just starting in the business? Going fulltime? Don't be so quick to turn the 10 day customer away. You will need them in the beginning.

Don't assume that you can't turn a 10 day account into a weekly one. I know.. Because we have converted at least 10 of our customers into weekly ones when they had intially said "only every 10 days." These now are really good accounts.

We currently have three 10 day accounts. All 3 are side by side. $105.00 per time. $315.00 per month for 6 hours per month. We'll take that. We follow the 10 day, 11 day schedule. Mondays and Thursdays. Works well for us for these accounts.

One thing to consider is the amount of growth the lawn gets every 10 days. Not every lawn can go as long as 10 days without being cut sooner.
And 10 day customers aren't that hard to manage especially if you use the Monday Thursday scheduling.

Sure we always push for weekly, but will consider the 10 day client if the situation is right. Cause we like the opportunity in converting them into a weekly.

 

[Woody82986]

Thanks for an answer that actually helps a little

 

[specialtylc]

I dont do many residentials but 90% of the ones I do, have sprinkler systems and are fertilized regularly. So they all need mowed every week. Dont most of your customers have sprinkler systems?

 

[Woody82986]

Yes, most do, but the one's that I have on a 10 day schedule don't have systems.

 

[TXLAWNBOY]

I am relatively new to the biz and have been trying to figure out a way to schedule my 10 day customers. I am one who is not to crazy about taking on 10 day customers but like I said I am in the building faze of the biz and need every acct. I can get. This Mon/Thurs. or Tues/Fri. sounds like a good plan to me and I think it's one I'm going to try.