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Being Played?????

5K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  MOturkey 
#1 ·
Just wondering what others take on this situation would be. As briefly as possible, I'll explain what happened.

Have known a guy about 15 years, same age as our oldest daughter. He went into the mowing business on the side a couple of years ago. Called and asked my advice before doing so. I've thrown a little business his way, sold him a couple of accounts I had bought that I didn't want to service, (for what I paid for them), loaned him a trimmer for a few days when his broke down, etc. Plus, I'm planning on downsizing more in the future, and figured he would be the one I either sell, or possibly, give the accounts to.

He's called and checked with me a couple of times when accounts I had serviced in the past came up for bid, and I always told him what I had been charging, and to go for it, because I wasn't interested in trying to get them back. I mow a vacant lot for "Mrs. C". It is a once a month mow, as per her instructions. Previous guy mowed it every 3 weeks. I raised it $5 when she did so. Last winter, I decided if I was only going to mow it once a month, I was going to raise the price another $10. Sent her a letter, half expecting her to cancel, but she didn't.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend called and asked if I mowed the lot. I told him I did. He said he mows several yards in Mrs. C's neighborhood, and she had him do her sister-in-laws since she was out of town, and was going to have him do some cleanup work for her. When she was talking to him, she asked him to give her a bid on the vacant lot she owns, and he guessed from what she said, that I was mowing it. I told him what I was charging, and about the raising of the price, and that I had half expected her to cancel service because she is known to be a bit on the tight side, but she hadn't. Figured that would be the end of it.

Well, a couple of nights ago, he calls and asks if I had heard from Mrs. C. I told him that I hadn't. He then told me he had "goofed up", and gave her a bid that was $5 less than what I was charging, and she told him to start doing it next month. He told me what he thought I said I was charging, which wasn't even close, and wasn't even the price the previous LCO had charged her 3 years ago for service every 3 weeks. I really didn't know what to say, but told him not to worry about it. He apologized profusely, but after I hung up the phone, I just couldn't get it out of my mind.

Losing the account is no big deal. I'm planning on dropping more before next year, and being monthly, it just doesn't amount to much revenue, hence my raising the price enough to make it worthwhile. I also don't know why he would have intentionally underbid, because it won't make him much either, plus his mower is not a commercial model, so he's going to have a devil of a time mowing it only monthly when it is raining regularly. The only possible scenario I can come up with is that he thinks he's going to get more business from Mrs. C, and that mowing the lot cheaper earns some brownie points.

However, I know what I told him, and found out later that he had also talked to my wife, and she gave him the current price as well. He stopped by and talked to me Saturday, telling me he had "really screwed up", etc, but I'm just getting this bad vibe. Again, it is not the money, but the principle of the thing. I would not have given her any type of bid, higher or lower, if the situation were reversed. I would have simply declined, probably telling her that I was friends with her current provider, and I would not try to undercut him, or, for that matter, anyone else. I've actually done this a few times in the past.

At the best, I think he lacks character for going ahead and taking the account, even if it was a mistake. At the worst, I feel I can't trust him now, and hesitate to do him any favors in the future. Just wondering what someone else would make of this, if it were them.
 
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#4 ·
Yes, it sounds like he worked you over on this one, especially since he also verified the price with your wife. That's two people telling him the same information, which he then conveniently forgot as he "accidentally" stole his "friend's" business. If you'd like to maintain the friendship, or some semblance of it, I would keep him at arm's length via future business-related responses that are as vague as can be. Or inflate future pricing questions by 40%. lol
 
#8 ·
its business and some will do what ever and justify it as "its not personal its business". He's been getting your thoughts using your equipment and NOW knows your pricing plans probably alot more than you think. I'd be watching out for this person. Next year you may not have to quit some accounts because He will probably do that for you. He'll use the excuse that you said you were downsizing/dropping less profitable accounts and underbid you on every property that falls into the same price point.

I feel your pain the guy down the road from Me under bid every house within walking distance of us. So I know how you feel, he used Me to get started.
 
#9 ·
I have a guy was that way
I help in out selling him mower parts at dealer price
We agreed, We wouldn't bid on each other stuff.
Until one year I lost 5 bids to him. The funny part is He is paying retail rate for his blades and other stuff now and not from me either. I ended up getting 3 of the 5 back he keep the other 2 they suck.
Then I had 2 kids getting in mowing business and they told me face to face they wasn't going target my stuff but they told other LCO that they going knock me out of business.
 
#10 ·
sounds to me that he figured based on what you had told him about the accoun if he undercut you and you lost it that you wouldn't really be bothered by it. I wouldnt' give him any useful information in the future. Bottom line here is if he is really a friend, he would have refused to give her a price on the mowing from the start. no gray area there.
 
#11 ·
I'm going against the grain here. Did you talk to Mrs. C? It could be that she manipulated him into a cheap price by telling him she had a bunch of work she will need done soon. Just her saying that could have triggered him to cut her a cheap price. Maybe you should call Mrs. C. and have a talk with her. Explain that the young man that is doing the lot is someone close and that you don't appreciate her taking advantage of him. There's always two sides to the story.
 
#12 ·
I'm going against the grain here. Did you talk to Mrs. C? It could be that she manipulated him into a cheap price by telling him she had a bunch of work she will need done soon. Just her saying that could have triggered him to cut her a cheap price. Maybe you should call Mrs. C. and have a talk with her. Explain that the young man that is doing the lot is someone close and that you don't appreciate her taking advantage of him. There's always two sides to the story.
Well, she may have "manipulated" him, but that doesn't mean he had to take the job. I declined one job years ago after mowing it one time, then finding out that another guy had been mowing it for more than I had charged. He ended up not going back, but I still didn't take the account until 2 years later when he went out of the business.

I do plan to talk to Mrs. C, but am waiting for her to contact me to cancel service. As to how much she'll tell me, I don't have a clue. As for the price difference, this will save her a whopping $30 a year or so.
 
#14 ·
I agree with all that has been said and feel you have already answered the questions in your head and really don't want advice. So here is my advice that you don't want, shut up, and don't talk to others about price or your business. If you do talk to others as in friends or competition I think you know the result now.
 
#15 ·
he's probably just desparate for work. we all are when we first go full time. its a very unsteady point of a business. i wouldnt make much of it. jsut dont give out your prices to him anymore. if he is smart he will see that as a sign that he took advantage and will learn from it. if not. he will screw up again and you cant feel bad at that time when you cut ties with him.

just my thoughts
 
#16 ·
You should find out how Mrs.c says this went down. I have a neighbor that became my workout buddy and a good friendship developed; our families go out to the movies together etc. There is a guy that I have known for years that mows for a living, when I started up he looked worried, and I told him not to worry that I would not go after any of his accounts. He got a stone in the eye and could not cut my neighbors property so sent his brother to do it. They were not happy! They asked me to do it I said No, and explained why. They told me about the eye injury, so I said ok, I will do it. I went in cut, edged, trimmed, and blew off their sidewalks patio etc. They were amazed at how fast and thorough we were, and said that they wanted me to do it from then on. I said I couldn't do it and they said we are the ones paying, and it was their decision. I now have the account and apologized to the other guy. He only has a push mower, homelite trimmer, and a rake! I guess I am bad then.
 
#17 ·
I can see why they'd do what they did after you gouged that poor lady, in all honesty did it really take that much longer, you couldn't have raised your blades just a little so it would have taken you the same time as usual, how would you feel if your car mechanic charged you $200 extra for tires because you waited until one or more was dang near racing slicks and not because it truly costs an extra $200 but just to teach you 'the cheapo' a lesson, hell you even said you expected her to drop you so now you're surprised?

And that's just the TIP of the iceberg I wanted to unload but I can see you've had enough grass cutting for a bit.
 
#19 ·
They were amazed at how fast and thorough we were, and said that they wanted me to do it from then on. I said I couldn't do it and they said we are the ones paying, and it was their decision. I now have the account and apologized to the other guy. He only has a push mower, homelite trimmer, and a rake! I guess I am bad then.
They may have been the ones paying, but do they own you? You still could have declined to work for them. If they hired someone else, that is their right.
 
#20 ·
he's probably just desparate for work. we all are when we first go full time. its a very unsteady point of a business. i wouldnt make much of it. jsut dont give out your prices to him anymore. if he is smart he will see that as a sign that he took advantage and will learn from it. if not. he will screw up again and you cant feel bad at that time when you cut ties with him.

just my thoughts
Actually, he isn't. Mowing isn't a full time gig for him, as he is self-employed in another line of work as well.
 
#23 ·
I can see why they'd do what they did after you gouged that poor lady, in all honesty did it really take that much longer, you couldn't have raised your blades just a little so it would have taken you the same time as usual, how would you feel if your car mechanic charged you $200 extra for tires because you waited until one or more was dang near racing slicks and not because it truly costs an extra $200 but just to teach you 'the cheapo' a lesson, hell you even said you expected her to drop you so now you're surprised?

And that's just the TIP of the iceberg I wanted to unload but I can see you've had enough grass cutting for a bit.
Herler, sometimes you just make no sense at all. What makes you think I "gouged" that "poor" lady? I intentionally never mentioned the actual price on the job, because it really wasn't relevant, but, if you must know, I raised her price from $30 to $40. In an average year, the lot gets mowed 5 or 6 times, so if you call charging someone $60 more per year gouging, then, well, I suppose I am guilty as charged.

And, if you think it doesn't take longer to mow an account only once a month during the peak growing season, then you haven't cut much grass, but even that wasn't my primary reason for raising the price. It is just as much trouble, and costs me just as much money to invoice someone for $30 a month, as it does for $500. I decided, that to me, it just wasn't worth messing with for $180 or so a year.

Also, the original post wasn't about "Mrs. C", it was about someone I considered a friend that I had helped in the past, and planned to help more in the future, putting what you now know, is only a few bucks, ahead of our friendship. I said I wouldn't be surprised if the customer dropped me, I didn't say I wouldn't be surprised if a friend took the account by undercutting my price.
 
#24 ·
I agree with all that has been said and feel you have already answered the questions in your head and really don't want advice. So here is my advice that you don't want, shut up, and don't talk to others about price or your business. If you do talk to others as in friends or competition I think you know the result now.
Oh, I know you are right, this isn't my first rodeo, and I had already answered my questions in my own mind, I just wanted to se if others not close to the situation would agree.
 
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