DO A GREAT, THOROUGH JOB!!!!!!!! So many mowers see the green dollar signs, and want to hurry up , get done, so "it seems" as if they make more money per hour. I agree you have to be fast, but more importantly, you have to be GOOD! Don't be cheap. Buy uniforms, WEAR THEM, be professional, and don't "pull the wool over peoples eyes". Some people are not very bright, but the majority of them know better, and know when you are trying to pull something. Approach it from a different standpoint. Think of it as a art picture you are selling. You want it to be the best of your ability. Do the job right. Don't cut corners etc. There are alot of guys out there doing this, and customers have no reason to choose you. They are most likely to choose a reputable company, not one who is out for the money. The point here is that this is two-fold. Although at first it takes more time, and effort, people will notice. They will... And they will want to be associated with your company. You will have more customers than you know what to do with, and more profitable ones at that. And, you will be able to feel good about what you have achieved. Trust me on this one. Get the $ out of your head. And do the job quick, and right, and have the "making it look good" be the most important part. This year we traded all of our vehicles, and trailers, in on new enclosed models, with matching trucks, and the phone is ringing off the hook from lawn mowing, to irrigation, to complete designs and installation, to everything. We are booking into next year. People are even calling to see if we are hiring! If you are just trying to make a few bucks, OK. But still do a good job. But if want to go big, then GO BIG! When you are sitting in the pool, enjoying your freedom as a business owner, remember who told you this. People don't like to be taken advantage of, and the ones with the money, know that you pay a few more bucks, and get quality work. Be so good that you make the policy and rules, and if the customer doesn't agree, then YOU will not work for them. Best of Luck Grasscape, Incorporated [Edited by Grasscape Inc on 08-27-2000 at 11:46 AM]
And again, remember. A satisfied customer may tell 3 people while an UNsatisfied customer will tell 6.
Great advice! I must agree this is the best and most correct approach to building a great business. bdemir
Excellent commentary on customer service. We are refocusing on customer service for the next two years. Clients have told us communication is the key factor in our relationships with them. I tell them we will not be low price. I just landed $ 36K in new work yesterday. Client wanted communication and I called the job site foremen on the radio and he came over then and meet the client and we signed the contract. 2 hours later in the office, I went through and ran account analysis on some suspect accounts. Looked at them from profitablity, slow pay and how much care the clients required. 60 days, your gone. Not making 15 % net profit, your gone. Whiney compliner in the above catogories, your gone. Called them, sent them cancellation notices, and told the slow pays that are 60 -120 days out, that if I didn't have their money in 5 days, we're filing in small claims. We will take care of our good paying clients, we will solicit poorly maintained properties and we will charge more for that service.
