Getting Rid Of Customers Who Don't Water!

3218 Views 39 Replies 18 Participants Last post by GLAN, Jul 29, 2003

PetalsandPines

Discussion Starter · Jul 17, 2003

I am sick and tired of hearing it...Can you skip the mowing this week? Why don't you water it? I am metered, I don't want to spend the money......In other words.....You want to use me in the Spring and Fall when the grass is growing out of control, yet during the summer, it is convenient for you not to water because your too cheap to pay for mowing.....So I am supposed to just hang out and do nothing! ARRRGGGHGHHHHHHH! IS THERE AN ANSWER TO THIS ANYBODY??? How about a form letter to politely tell the customer, listen...your wasting my time, water your lawn, or I am dropping your ASH next year to fill your spot with someone who cares about the lawn:blob2: :blob2: :blob2:

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

walker-talker

· #2 · Jul 17, 2003

Simple, continue adding to your client base until you can start weeding out the less desirables.

MATT

PetalsandPines

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 17, 2003

After 10 years.....I still haven't mastered the art of cheapskate detection with the first impression.....Especially in the Spring when things are lush.

tiedeman

· #4 · Jul 18, 2003

I still run into the problem of people that don't water year after year. I have one lady in particular that spends close to $500 a year on a fertilization program and her lawn looks like ---- because she doesn't water it

bastalker

· #5 · Jul 18, 2003

Yeah, then ya got the customers that want it cut at 2", so it will burn up quicker. Mention the fact the the grass will burn, and you get a reply..."thats ok, I want it to" hmmmm...

I look at it this way, money is money, and as long as I am cuttin em, I am making money.

But!!!! If they dont care about thier yard, I bet they will get the mow, blow, and go from me, cause I wont really care about it either.

So was it worth $30 for 10-15 minutes of my time. You bet it was.

When I get overwelmed with clients, they will be the first to get the boot.

in the mean time....payup

:drinkup:

Lawn Tek

· #6 · Jul 18, 2003

I would have 0 customers , nobody irrigates here . Water availabilty not a problem 90 mille long lake in my back door .

jason r.

· #7 · Jul 18, 2003

I'd only have 3 customers left. Only have one that has a sprinkler system. our summers are probably different than those up north. We get afternoon t storms just about everyday all summer long and the humidity stays around 90% +.

SpudsM15

· #8 · Jul 18, 2003

I started a thread about the same topic the otherday.
I was thinking that for these kind of people what i am going to do is, nicely explain to them that when its raining everyday and the grass is 2 ft. tall that i'm going to charge them extra for the added time spent there, but in return in the summer months i will come bi-weekly...

I thought i had loyal customers that would let me make some money this year after this ruff season!
I thought wrong

bastalker

· #9 · Jul 18, 2003

yeah jason up here July an August are pretty dry. The grass turns that dull brown color, and unless the HO has got a irrigation system, it is a bi weekly cut for most. Monthly for a couple. But I dont really wanna drive 10 miles one way more than once a month anyways.

Pull up the shorts, and double knot the shoes come September. Its about 3 months of all hell breakin loose...Cuttin every 4 days for some places...

Those cut when they call customers...God love em.....No problem..Be there in a couple of days when everything else is caught up. I dont have a problem, they dont have a problem...payup :drinkup:

mtdman

· #10 · Jul 18, 2003

Here's an idea: Start pushing aerations to your non-watering customers. It's not terribly expensive to do, and a regular areation will help to create a well developed root system on a lawn that will keep the lawn living and growing better during drier weather. Better root system == better ability to find the water in the soil. You can sell it to them as a way of cutting down on the need to water, and the lawns will grow better. Everyone wins. The lawns I did this spring are doing great this year. I aerated my next door neighbor. He told me the other day he wasn't sure if he should say thanks for getting his yard to grow so well this year, or punch me because now he has to mow every week.

Try it. Can't hurt.

Otherwise, I agree, it's hard to detect the non-watering type in the spring. I like to remind people a couple of times throughout the year it's easier and cheaper to water the lawn for 20 minutes a day a few times a week than to have me renovate a dead lawn in September. Which has happened frequently the past few years. AND around here at least, outdoor watering meters are available that separates the outdoor watering from indoor water usage, so people aren't charged sewage rates on watering outside, which I point out.

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ZX12R

· #11 · Jul 18, 2003

I do not run into that problem. I get paid by the month no matter how many times I am there. If I skip a week here and there,it makes up for the times I had to double cut in the spring. When a customer complains,make them aware of it,the good ones will understand. It all evens out in the end.

Live4Mowin'

· #12 · Jul 18, 2003

I have a customer just like that.

I almost want to say Im coming every week whether its long or not.

MacLawnCo

· #13 · Jul 18, 2003

selling aerations is a great idea, but how about selling irrigation systems. If you dont do irrigation, sub it out and tack on some for you.

mtdman

· #14 · Jul 18, 2003

Originally posted by MacLawnCo
selling aerations is a great idea, but how about selling irrigation systems. If you dont do irrigation, sub it out and tack on some for you.

That's another solution, especially if you can find someone who you can work with that does do it. But if they don't wanna water, are they going to want an irrigation system?

MacLawnCo

· #15 · Jul 18, 2003

Originally posted by mtdmaster
But if they don't wanna water, are they going to want an irrigation system?

In that case, try to sell them a well too. again, find a contractor to partner up with you and tack on some for you.

EJK2352

· #16 · Jul 18, 2003

Otherwise, I agree, it's hard to detect the non-watering type in the spring. I like to remind people a couple of times throughout the year it's easier and cheaper to water the lawn for 20 minutes a day a few times a week than to have me renovate a dead lawn in September. Which has happened frequently the past few years. AND around here at least, outdoor watering meters are available that separates the outdoor watering from indoor water usage, so people aren't charged sewage rates on watering outside, which I point out. [/B][/QUOTE]

Water is really expensive around here. Most people don't have or want irrigation due to the high cost of the water. I have a few that have wells and irrigation, but they are afraid running their wells dry. Renovating the lawns is cheaper than what they spend on water or re-drilling a dried up well. I treat 200 non-irrigated lawns and only 12 needed any renovation after last years nasty drought.

Green Pastures

· #17 · Jul 18, 2003

CONTRACTS

My customers pay me the same amount monthly, every month, all year, no matter how often I come.

When will you guy's learn that this is the only way to do business.

mtdman

· #18 · Jul 18, 2003

Originally posted by Green Pastures
CONTRACTS

My customers pay me the same amount monthly, every month, all year, no matter how often I come.

When will you guy's learn that this is the only way to do business.

Contracts are made to be broken, as they say. Do you really spend time suing your customers if they don't pay? What course of action do you have if a customer doesn't pay, or gets upset about paying for work you haven't done?

See the "What to do" thread for more discussion of this.

EJK2352

· #19 · Jul 18, 2003

Originally posted by Green Pastures
CONTRACTS

My customers pay me the same amount monthly, every month, all year, no matter how often I come.

When will you guy's learn that this is the only way to do business.

Yea right!!! Tried to do the monthly contract thing and people said no thanks. Every LCO around here works on a per cut basis. Same thing with snow, all are per push. Weather is just too variable here. Last year we were in a big time drought, this year I haven't skipped a weekly mowing since the first week of April.

bastalker

· #20 · Jul 18, 2003

CONTRACTS???????

couldn't live with myself if I charged people for not doin anything..

I stress if your yard dont need cut, I'm not wastin my time cuttin it!! And I am damn sure not goin to waste your money. Kinda get respect that way...

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