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$25 in me to death in new jersey

8K views 86 replies 34 participants last post by  bobbygedd 
#1 ·
well, this is the last straw. i dont know why people are stuck on the price of $25 per cut. a few days ago i did a quote on a few properties, these were all nieghbors that use the same service. they are all unhappy with thier current service, i quoted them $35 per cut, and i blew their socks off. they want me to match thier "other guy". i said, "u want the same service, or better?" well, they want better, and showed me invoices of $25 per cut, including tax! im at $35, plus tax. i did not get the customers. these are very high end properties. why are u guys screwing yourselves, and me too? if i see any lawn service, without pest numbers on the truck, i WILL report you, anonymously, for suspition of applying pesticides, i will also report u to the state for not collecting sales tax, or paying it, and then of course, there is the irs. this is war, im tired of your ****!
 
#2 ·
Bobby,I feel and share the anger you have. I hate to say it,but most landscapers are ***holes when it comes to pricing and they only hurt the industry as a whole. I wish there were an industry standard for square footage so these fools could not hurt the rest of us so much. Listen,if I think these low ballers are idiots,don't they know the customer must think the same thing? Labor in any field is expensive and we should charge accordingly.
 
#3 ·
Bobby - No pesticide number on my truck, but I'm in CT. Do you want my plate number and the phone number to DEP? Need the phone number for the state Dept. of revenue service.

Come on, don't be a jerk. Just because someone doesn't have pest. #'s on their truck doesn't mean anything. And some services include (and pay) tax in their price.

Why do you always have to blame someone else? You come across as a hot head who has a hard time getting along with just about everyone. Could that have anything to do your problems?

Geez, you post about 6 topics a week about all the problems you have in dealing with people. Chill out and take an anger management course or something. I'm getting tired of all the whinning!
 
#5 ·
no problem, tell it to the judge. no numbers? i paid for mine. the people in this industry are keeping themselves at rock bottom prices! sure, let me have the info, ill rat u out tommorow morning. i couldnt care less what u think. time to start getting rid of the rif raf in this business. i pay for my license, i keep my records, i have everything im supposed to. i pay my accountant, and my taxes. ill rat out anyone i see. wanna confront me? lets roll! im tired of competing with people who like being poor
 
#9 ·
well, maybe after paying enough in fines, these guys will be forced to charge legit fees. what a shame, people with such good work ethic, who take so much pride in thier work, charging peanuts. im doing just fine, but really trying to grow this year, and it seems the only way to do it, is to work cheap.
 
#12 ·
Bobby - Look it up.

Last I knew you don't need a pesticide license if you neither apply nor sub someone to. I do neither.

And for the record, I didn't have to pay the taxes I mentioned because after spending $60K in vehicles and equipment, I showed a loss for the year...thus no tax due.

I think I've made my point.

Darryl
 
#13 ·
"showed a loss" daryl? where do u live, in a cardboard box? u r eating daily, arent u? cmon man, cut the ****. im not rattin u out, but everyone in my eyesight in nj, beware
 
#16 ·
No box, no *****. I live in a small cape on 34 acres of riverfront property (1/2 mile frontage). I support a wife and 2 kids. Maybe I have other income? Ever think of that?

Also, I took the bonus 30% depreciation in Bush's 9/11 recovery plan which helped a bunch with bringing my lawncare business income to below 0.

CT taxes services too.
 
#17 ·
In most states there is a service tax that must be added to your total charges for that customer. It sucks , but that is what the government wants. There are a lot of LCO's that dont know this around here. When I am talking to them about charging service tax, they look at me like i am crazy. But they will find out the hard way when they have to pay 5 years of service tax at once plus a huge penalty and interest.

Lasher
 
#19 ·
Bobby you need to get a life! A person in this free country can charge anything they want for their services. If you don't like it well that is just too bad. Honestly the only thing you will accomplish is to give you and your business a bad name. I know if someone were to do what you are suggesting I would personally take it upon myself to put them out of business. I would do everyone of your accounts for FREE! One more thing please tell me why you think $35 is a fair price to you when it seems too high to others. Seems to me that you may be trying to high ball them because they live in a nice area. That is as bad as a low baller.

I gave an estimate to a one building condo the other day. Board was not happy with service, employees did not speak English, and the owner never called them back. I told them $425.00 per month. The other company was charging $200.00 per month. I thanked them and told them that maybe they needed to get used to that type of service. They asked me if I could meet the guys price and I told them no. He has his lic. pays ins., taxes and employees about 30 people. So you figure it out.

By the way just because you have no pest lic. on the side of your truck does not mean that you do pests. Maybe some just want to mow and go. If I were you I would be concerned about them investigating you as they will know who you are whether you tell them your name or not.

Bottom line, move on.
 
#20 ·
When people become so fixed on what the competition is doing, they lose touch with what their own companies are doing. I have a niche and know how to exploit it. bobbyged, I am glad that you are on the up and up. You don't have to worry about the i.r.s. or the pesticide police. Whenever I quote 10 bucks over a competitor, I still get the contract about half the time. I am selling a service I believe in and present it as such. Not all people are best at handling the value for the money customer relations. If you are large in enough to hire a salesperson, that might be something to consider.
It seems you certainly have your ducks in a row as far your business numbers are concerned, but taking a second, third, fourth and fifth look might reveal if your are employees are not performing up to snuff, therefore increasing overtime and the prices you need to quote in order to recover operational costs???

Good luck.
 
#22 ·
You take down a few sc$mb bags,They get to talkin.Somebody
knows somebody that "HEARD" it was you. Now there gonna
do stuff to you that will suck.Believe me ,I'm a real Thinker and when somebody double crosses me,they get some wild stuff happen to them for years.MIND YER BIZ,not theirs:dizzy:
 
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