[rcreech]

Every year no matter how much I prepare or think I am ready I get really nervous!

This will only be my 6th season...but it seems like I get nervous every season. Do you long time veterans get nervous?

Just like I have been farming my whole life and I am always nervous before planting.

Am I just a nervous person or is it natural?

How are prepays and renewals coming in for ya'll?

So far it is way too early for me to tell...but no real bad news yet! :drinkup:

 

[sprayboy]

I usually get nervous every year also. My 15th year.
I think it just means you care about your customers and your business.

So far my cxl rate is 3%.
Various reasons, mostly old folks wanting to cut back and people that have sold their homes.

Waiting for the bottom to fall out though.

 

[americanlawn]

Hey buddy -- I'm the same way. So many variables we cannot control. About the only time I am not nervous is in the summer and only if we're at least a week ahead of schedule.

We're currently "right on" regarding prepays,and "right on" regarding total renewals (about 67% so far).

We just hired a new applicator who shows promise. Clean cut, smart, and well mannered. He was in the Air Force, and he recently got his pesticide license. Hope he works out. But we still need to hire another applicator, and time is running out.

Talked to my brother last night. He's also concerned cuz he runs the family farm (corn/soybeans). Still has heavy snow cover, then wet spring, late start, smaller yield, less profit, etc.

Two main things that concern me:
1) weather
2) employees

I trust the equipment & trucks, and I know the fertilizer will be there, but it will definitely be a late start for us this year -- this means paying more overtime and pissing off customers who are not at the head of the list.

My 2 cents

 

[tlg]

Nervous? More like anxious. After being in this industry for so many years I have to say I have been through it all. Really no point in being nervous as things tend have a way of working out if you work hard and smart. The weather is and always will be the biggest issue to deal with. Especially trying to get that first application down. The work always gets done.


After the last two years of being in business nothing should make any of us nervous anymore. With a near depression economy working against us at every front we should all be strong enough to deal with anything from now on. Cancels for this year are running much below what they were for the last two years. Like they would be in a normal year. Up sells are lagging a bit but appear to be normal again. Prepays always amaze me has they have always been consistent even in bad economic times. We run an average 68% prepay on our customers. This year looks as good as any other. The lawn fertilizing business as always been somewhat recession proof IMO. Most people want a green weed free lawn and they " DON"T " want to do it themselves. I think were looking at a great year.

 

[SeedPro]

Not to nervous. Little bit I guess. I'm going to load the spray rig in the truck tomorrow so it's there ready to go when trees need done, and going to pick up three pallets of product. Maybe some weed control as well. I have to take stock. Then bringing the Z home to test and make sure it's overwintered well.

Pre pays are coming in nicely, and my retention rate is 95% at the moment. I only get about 30% that pre pay which is fine for me. I don't want a whole lot more than that, and last year my retention rate was 80% because of the economy and gloomy outlook. My normal trackable rate is 94-96% so right now I am pleased.

What am nervous about is doubling my marketing pieces that are going out and while I know I will get a good response....I fear I may get a great response and be overwhelmed. I'm sending out 274,000 pieces over 8 weeks.

I already have 12 new sales, half of which are good tree care accounts.

Hope everyone has a good season

 

[RABBITMAN11]

about 30 percent prepays in and sold 10
so far. Lost three so doing good. Hope for a great year.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[jasontimm]

nervous...very, 9th year, and all 9 years have been very good...thats why i'm nervous every year, thinking the good is gonna end (all good things come to an end)???? i hope not, but i think being nervous makes us better by being more careful, and customer friendly. Its when you get cocky and overly confident when i think one would start having problems.- (JMO) I wish all fellow green guys a great season!!!

 

[lawn king]

Im about to start my 32nd season, no worries. That pre season jitters stops after a decade or so.

 

[grass4gas]

Rod,

I believe and this includes myself, the day or two after you send out your renewals is when you start to get a little nervous. So many reasons these days to lose customers. I still go through it, and this year begins my 20th season.

You can give the best service to each and everyone of them...but if they are looking to cut back, or worse, lost their job, well there isn't anything that "we" can do about it. And for me, that is where the nervousness comes in.

Last year, the first week after sending out my renewals, I lost around 15% of my customers due to the economy. This year, only 2 customers, and this is after 6 weeks from when my renewals went out. What a difference a year makes.

Even though I don't know you personally, you come across as a stand up guy, which your customers should realize as well. Sounds like your company is growing pretty well, and if I can offer any advise, it would be to not grow so fast that you lose control, and your service slips. That is when I would begin to get nervous about retaining customers.

As mentioned above, you all have a great year.:drinkup: :drinkup: :drinkup:

Jack

 

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

Every year no matter how much I prepare or think I am ready I get really nervous!

This will only be my 6th season...but it seems like I get nervous every season. Do you long time veterans get nervous?

Just like I have been farming my whole life and I am always nervous before planting.

Am I just a nervous person or is it natural?

How are prepays and renewals coming in for ya'll?

So far it is way too early for me to tell...but no real bad news yet! :drinkup:

Anxious here too. For me, its just getting back in the 'groove' and getting used to doing everything again. And, anxious to see what new customers will roll in. Cause I know after May, there are FEW new customers, the push starts pretty darn soon.

 

[tlg]

Not to nervous. Little bit I guess. I'm going to load the spray rig in the truck tomorrow so it's there ready to go when trees need done, and going to pick up three pallets of product. Maybe some weed control as well. I have to take stock. Then bringing the Z home to test and make sure it's overwintered well.

Pre pays are coming in nicely, and my retention rate is 95% at the moment. I only get about 30% that pre pay which is fine for me. I don't want a whole lot more than that, and last year my retention rate was 80% because of the economy and gloomy outlook. My normal trackable rate is 94-96% so right now I am pleased.

What am nervous about is doubling my marketing pieces that are going out and while I know I will get a good response....I fear I may get a great response and be overwhelmed. I'm sending out 274,000 pieces over 8 weeks.

I already have 12 new sales, half of which are good tree care accounts.

Hope everyone has a good season

Why do you think your prepay percentage is only at 30%??? Why would you not want it higher??

 

[SeedPro]

Why do you think your prepay percentage is only at 30%??? Why would you not want it higher??

To tell you the truth that's one % number I don't track regularly. I guessed it's about thirty percent, and I don't want it higher than that by much because i make more money billing individual applications and treatments.

I garner enough cash flow in Spring with the people that send in a pre payment and I pay cash for equipment and product. I offer 5% pre pay.

My average customer is worth 400 a year also so maybe it's a lot of money to part with all at once for the ones that don't take advantage of the offer...I dunno.

 

[txgrassguy]

Nervous, for what?
Deal with the problems/issues as they arise, manage your client's service properly and relax.
Being nervous means you feel you should have done something different, so either enact a change or stop worrying about all the little things.
Either way, other than the professionalism you offer, essentially everything else is beyond your immediate control so why worry?
Besides, worrying too much makes you older than your years.

 

[Rayholio]

Yeah.. The day after I send out my pre-pays, I always start to stress... this year was odd, because we had more pre-pays than ever before.. and then I got nervous that I had collected so much money before the season even began! Well, I spent most of that money on direct mailings, and I'm experiencing growth like never before, and the only thing I'm worried about now is weather... which is probably how it SHOULD be..

 

[SeedPro]

Why do you think your prepay percentage is only at 30%??? Why would you not want it higher??

I just took an accounting of my pre pays that I currently have in house and it's actually 19% right now. More coming in every day and I imagine it will be 30% at the end of the day but I also expect to have 125 more new sales this year.

it sort of astonishes me...and makes me feel good, but probably the same percentage of new sales pre pay as well.

 

[americanlawn]

Today was a good day for us. Placed an ad on craigslist last night to fill an open position. Between 9:00 a.m. and noon today, we had 12 individuals stop in and apply. I'm guessing by tomorrow, we'll have close to 20 applicants to chose from (I wish I could hire them all cuz they all need an income). We will hire two employees (in case one doesn't work out during the season). So this takes one load off my back, cuz we'll be able to make up for lost time due to a late start.

Like others have mentioned, things always work out (one way or another), but I still worry. Too many variables I cannot control.

I wish the very best for all. :usflag::canadaflag:

 

[lawnlandscape]

Going to retake my applicators test tomorrow, and I am feeling very nervous about this year. Not just about the test, but just in general. I have not felt this nervous in quite a while.

 

[bare spot]

see i'm not alone on being a little nervous (see it ramping up as season gets closer) but got a category test tomorrow to so adding to it little tonight.

 

[ted putnam]

Today was a good day for us. Placed an ad on craigslist last night to fill an open position. Between 9:00 a.m. and noon today, we had 12 individuals stop in and apply. I'm guessing by tomorrow, we'll have close to 20 applicants to chose from (I wish I could hire them all cuz they all need an income). We will hire two employees (in case one doesn't work out during the season). So this takes one load off my back, cuz we'll be able to make up for lost time due to a late start.

Like others have mentioned, things always work out (one way or another), but I still worry. Too many variables I cannot control.

I wish the very best for all. :usflag::canadaflag:

I've had more people call me or come up to me or one of my guys out in the field looking for work this past year than ever before. I wish I could help more. It's really sad. My business is thriving (Thank God). Construction trades have taken a beating with the economy and the weather we've had the past 2 months. One of my customers is or I should say was a professional Bass fisherman. Lives in a nice house and did pretty well. He told me today that Land O Lakes was his major sponsor. They, along with other major companies have pulled the plug on programs of this sort.

 

[Rayholio]

You know.. There is a pattern to this thing.. Excited about new years.. Nervous at pre-pay mailing.. excited again as treatments begin.. 'normal' just doing the work by july, and by the end of august I wish I could quit for good.. Then somehow by newyears, I'm all excited again!

I FEAR the day that I don't have these emotions for the business.. I would call that 'burn-out'..

So embrace the ebbs and flows.. it lets you know your business is still alive, and you're still in the game.