a couple of people wrongfully accused me of being a lowballer...just so you know, I just got off the phone with a small business who was paying $40 a week for the mowing services. I stopped in there last week 'cause it's near my house and on the way home, and said "no offense, but last year I think you got ripped off...the guy was mowing your lawn in circles and following the contours of the obstacles, and with a residential Snapper machine, not very professional looking....do you mind if I ask what you paid for that? he then told me the $40 rate, and I explained to him how much better diagonal lines/straight lines would appear, and how critical the trimming around the trees and flowers is, and how that's standard when doing business with my start up company. He asked what the price was, and I told him $45, plus spring and fall cleanups, and he just called back to say sounds good and thanks for looking out for his property. That's what i was trying to convey, hope this helps explain what I can be about
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PPP The Second Time Around
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A comment for my critics
- Thread starter chevyman1
- Start date
olderthandirt
LawnSite Platinum Member
- Location
- here
"they we paying $40 a cut for what will take 1 person around 20 minutes to do....I walked around saw how small it was, told them $35, and signed the contract..."Your Quote, and now you just made that $5 back but you forgot to add all the time running around to just get back to even! And when the next newbie comes along and tell the guy the same thing you have been doing that he's being ripped off at $45 and he can do it for $40 you will lose that one also. So you keep bashing the competition and telling your potential customers that there being ripped off, what goes around comes around, becouse there some kid out there right now reading how you operate.
mac
mac
- Thread Starter
- #3
Sorry sir, but your response makes about as much sense as Howard Dean thinking he's going to win the presidential race...
I spent zero time running around, I stopped in and made the sale...I'll be honest with you dude, it if comes down to sales, myself versus someone else, 9 times outta 10, I'll win. And God forbid I tell the TRUTH to customers and look our for their properties. There is one HUGE rule to follow in sales, and that is, look out for your clients as if you work for them, not just trying to sell them stuff and walk away. I was disgusted all summer when I drove past this business and saw this ding dong mowing in circles and doing a poor job. This guy was impressed I took the time to solve his pain, and come up with a smart solution. That's called Sales account management, and most don't take the time to do it. Have a great day sir
I spent zero time running around, I stopped in and made the sale...I'll be honest with you dude, it if comes down to sales, myself versus someone else, 9 times outta 10, I'll win. And God forbid I tell the TRUTH to customers and look our for their properties. There is one HUGE rule to follow in sales, and that is, look out for your clients as if you work for them, not just trying to sell them stuff and walk away. I was disgusted all summer when I drove past this business and saw this ding dong mowing in circles and doing a poor job. This guy was impressed I took the time to solve his pain, and come up with a smart solution. That's called Sales account management, and most don't take the time to do it. Have a great day sir
olderthandirt
LawnSite Platinum Member
- Location
- here
Last comment on this issue. You stopped in and told a potential,customer that YOU thought that he was being ripped off, infering that the guy was to stupid to know he was getting ripped off. That is not how sales work. Again you asked what he was paying, It does not matter what he was paying, if you believe that you can do a better job you set your own price. What if he had been paying $50 a mow? You don't know, so now your doing it for less than he was paying! Don't be so nieve to believe that all your potential customers are going to tell you the truth. If the guy was in such pain over the quility of the service he was recieving and you run a proffesional quility company The man would have called YOU last yr. Read some of these post these guys are booked for the yr there not out chasing customers and bashing the competition. Set your own price, do quility work and let the customers come to you. Thats how you sales works.
Mac
Mac
J&R
LawnSite Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia-Chattanooga
If you do top quality work and dependable the customer will come to you.
James Cormier
LawnSite Bronze Member
- Location
- Ma
Chevman.....Why dont you let us know where you are and what is the name of your business?
You gave advise to others that it is okay to pay employee's cash and dont claim all your income, cause as you put it...everone's doing it.
Maybe thats your advantage over your others cause you cheat the system that we all adhear to. Matter of fact I know that's it.
Try paying taxes,on all your income,and your employee's proper insurances,unemployment, WC and see how you do.
If there were less people like you our business would be much better off. Because that company you say is ripping off the customer is most likely doing a legit business and just getting buy because of cheaters like you.
Again tell us where you do business, maybe we can get together to help you budget how to do things right
Jim
You gave advise to others that it is okay to pay employee's cash and dont claim all your income, cause as you put it...everone's doing it.
Maybe thats your advantage over your others cause you cheat the system that we all adhear to. Matter of fact I know that's it.
Try paying taxes,on all your income,and your employee's proper insurances,unemployment, WC and see how you do.
If there were less people like you our business would be much better off. Because that company you say is ripping off the customer is most likely doing a legit business and just getting buy because of cheaters like you.
Again tell us where you do business, maybe we can get together to help you budget how to do things right
Jim
crawdad
LawnSite Bronze Member
- Location
- Crawdad Holler, TN
No one ever looked good by making someone else look bad.
As Mac said, some customers will lie about how much they were paying.
PS
You've still got time to get a Ford before spring!
Crawdad
As Mac said, some customers will lie about how much they were paying.
PS
You've still got time to get a Ford before spring!
Crawdad
- Thread Starter
- #9
haha, thanks Crawdad, but no Ford will ever drive me around! James Cormier, you need to understand something sir...I have a full time sales job, this lawn business right now is a side venture....this company is in new, and since it's on the side, it's cool to keep some money under the table. One of my friends might work for me 20 hrs a week or more, and that's how he's getting paid. I'll keep most on the books, but not all. I agree with you that if this is my full time deal, keep it all legal is the way to go. But this is a 40-60 account side business right now, and thus that's how I'm going to work it. I don't feel it's appropriate to give you my information or company name, you are simply looking to try and attack a good guy like me. If you really want the info, you can beg me
James Cormier
LawnSite Bronze Member
- Location
- Ma
Then you cant compete against full time legit business, Next time you go meet your customer be honest with them and tell them this
"this lawn business right now is a side venture....this company is in new, and since it's on the side, it's cool to keep some money under the table. One of my friends might work for me 20 hrs a week or more, and that's how he's getting paid. I'll keep most on the books, but not all."
Then let the customer deciede if the want a full time insured legit business doing there lawn for $40.00 or a part time person doing shady business practices doing it for $35.00.
You stated in past post you are honest with your customers right?
"this lawn business right now is a side venture....this company is in new, and since it's on the side, it's cool to keep some money under the table. One of my friends might work for me 20 hrs a week or more, and that's how he's getting paid. I'll keep most on the books, but not all."
Then let the customer deciede if the want a full time insured legit business doing there lawn for $40.00 or a part time person doing shady business practices doing it for $35.00.
You stated in past post you are honest with your customers right?