[rookiemower]

i have 7 residential accounts all within 2-3 blocks of each other well some pos came trough with thier fliers this late in the season and had a set price of $15 dollars for every lawn one of my customers gave it to me:angry: i was pissing mad no everyone thinks im charging to much, these lawns are not that big but most are fenced and would require 36" decks and lots of trimming around fences all this a#* did was destroy next seasons prices because everyone thinks they can get there cuts EXTREMELY cheap luckly no one has really said anything though. some guys just dont get it they dont realize how setting prices so low ruins it for them and others because potential customers think we for nothing:angry:

 

[rookiemower]

sorry work for nothing

 

[dvmcmrhp52]

So what are you charging?

 

[rookiemower]

20 25 30 which is is about right but 15 no matter how fast you cut is a bad price no matter what the volume

 

[dvmcmrhp52]

Just explain quality versus cheap,blah,blah,blah.Explain to them that you get what you pay for in life.If they decide that fifteen is where they want to be then you don't want them as customers any way.
Sounds like someone knows you started in the business and they don't want the competition so the're trying to buy you out of it.

 

[J&R]

Do you have Liability and Works Comp Ins. If so tell your customers you have all this Ins. Thats way your cost is more and have them ask the other guy if he has insurance.

 

[lawnman_scott]

Your profile says your in Chcago suburbs. I dont think that one guy putting out flyers for cheap lawncare will do all that much to prices in general. I am quite amussed when i see flyers like that.

 

[Gr grass n Hi tides]

Forget him. Just stay the course, do good work & watch as he doesn't last the rest of the year and you pick up his accounts.

 

[Lawnalternatives]

I will not drop my trailer gate for any less than $20. I don't care if there are only three blades of grass to cut!

Wisdom comes through knowledge, not through age.

 

[Moguy]

In time those same customers that chose to pay for a cheaper service will call you and want to fix the "quality" cut those people provide.

 

[fivestarlawnken]

Stick to yyour guns and keep mowing along===explain your outfit and quality compared to someone who will be fly by night . This will possibly weed out cheap customers. Wouldnt worry.

 

[work_it]

When they realize they've lost quality for a cheap price they'll call you back. Good opportunity to raise your prices. When they ask why the increase tell them:

1) You have already filled the slot and have to work them into an already full schedule.
2) Since the dramatic rise in gas prices you've been forced to raise you prices to compensate.
3) You had them locked into a certain rate for the year until they screwed it up. Who's fault is that?

If they come back great, if they don't..........great! Either way, you win. Don't ever compromise what you value your work and time at. If you do, your customers will start setting your prices for you whenever they want.

 

[maple city]

I wouldn't worry too much. The guy charging those prices won't last. Even if he manages to get a couple of your accounts, the customers will lose out in the end. Then when they are begging you to come back to cut for them, jack up the rate!

 

[Scag48]

Keep your prices the same. Once the competitor realizes how much more you are making per hour or yard, however you want to look at it, they too will raise their prices to your standards.

 

[John Gamba]

Last week i called a cus to tell her i will be doing the lawn. Its been two weeks and it needed to get done. Well she told me it didnt need it BEING TWO WEEKS and she just bought a new car.Well now she has to fined someone to mow a blow HAVE FUN.

So let the other guy bust his------ and you start working on better customers or even commercial.
John

 

[TRex]

Not to sound bad but I cut two of my neighbors lawns and I priced one at $20 weekly and I offered to trim the hedges and remove some branches that fell a few months earlier just so they would let me cut it because it was about a foot high and was attracting bugs to the area and I had to look at it every day and I knew I couldn't go much higher because they are single income with one kid and one in the oven. Plus they are neighbors. The guys that cut it one time before me unloaded dads mower and didn't edge or trim for the same $20. It used to take me 30 min. with my 21" now with my new 36" Exmark it only takes me 20 min. and it looks pretty darn good at $1 a min.

 

[Gravely_Man]

This is a problem that you will have to deal with as long as you stay in this business. People want the best of everything but only a few understand that you must pay for quality and dependability. You are in this line of work to make money.


Gravely_Man

 

[GLAN]

^ right


This is part of being in the business.

As far as why you charge more money, now provided you have all the licenses and insurance and the employee federaly mandated benefits.

You explain that you operate a legitimate business. You carry the necessary licenses and insurance to be in business. And that having that insurance takes the liability away from the home owner. If an employee gets injured, they can go after the home owners insurance. If you break a window, they are covered under your insurance and so on........


Also that if they hired a contractor to install a new roof. Or a plumber to install a new hot water heater. You would expect and want them to be licensed and insured

 

[John Gamba]

People you can explain till your blue in the face about the insurance and all that goes along with it. It wont matter 'your in competition with 10 year olds with bubble mowers'
John
Oh like i said move on to bigger and better accounts or you will be competing with bubble mowers the rest or your career.

 

[65hoss]

Since you are a rookie, maybe somebody thinks the same about you. Its real simple, if someone wants to find someone cheaper they can. Always will. You need to focus on your business and not worry about these types of guys. They all go out of business about as fast as they take customers.

Let this guy get several customers, he will get to busy to continue taking customers. He will not have enough money to pay for expansion so your problem is solved.