My friend Karl told me that he lost a lawn because the old woman that lives there told him he was too fast! She didn't complain about the quaity of work. I guess she'd been happier if he used a 21". I use to cut this lawn before I gave it to him . Its a $20 lawn, takes 15 minutes.
Hey Bob I used to have a bunch of yards in a retirement area. A long time ago my wife worked with me. She would Snap the front yards and then talk with the customers till we finished. When she stopped working with me, I knoticed a sharp falloff in tips and end of the year gifts. I think sometimes the highlite of there day may be when you pull up outside.
AS BOBBY'S WIFE, I FELT IT IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY HIS LAST #$$@-*&^% STATEMENT . AFTER TALKING TO THE CUSTOMERS THEN CLEANING THE BEDS, THEN VAC. THEN BLOWING, BOB WOULD FINISH THE WEED-EATING AND WE'D LEAVE. JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
I had a customer that used to tell me that I cut her lawn to quickly and that the price should be lower. If remember correctly, I said, "If I took dancing lessons I would do a little dance for you, but your $20 isn't a drop in the bucket to pay for my machinery." Needless to say she found another sucker to cut it probably for cheaper. I believe I red in the paper around that same time, LANDSCAPER JUMPS OFF BRIDGE (kiddin of course about the bridge part), but I now know, now that as I grow older in the business that customers like that really ain't worth the trouble. Best Wishes
BOB Homeowners don't have a clue on what things cost like fuel,maintenance,labor,cost to run your company, and so on. I run fast with hydros and velkes. Some people think you charge $45.00 to cut there lawn you should be there for 45 mins with a crew of 3. That is BULL #### I have my bottom line that I have to meet and if the job looks good and the workers look and act professional who cares if takes 10 mins.
Been there many times . Somehow people seem to think that when you do a job for x # of dollars that that is what you take to the bank . If it is done fast by their standards then you are stealing from them . It seems no matter how businesslike you run things they act like we arn't really a business. I don't have time to educate everyone as to how much I have in expenses . I would like to make copies of my tax returns and pass them out . I have told a few that my books are open to them and please come take a look and show me how to cut costs enough to give them a cheaper price. Best thing to do with these folk is cut'em loose asap.
LOL @ Charles. It is pretty sad when you are judged by how much time you spend on a customers lawn and not the finished product. I really believe there is a group of people that would rather see you "earn your money" than have a decent looking lawn.
If you own a 5000 dollar mower, and cut a lawn for 30 dollars, buy a 10,000 mower so you can cut it for 10 or fifteen dollars. Or better yet, buy a 40,000 dollar mower so you can cut it for a couple of bucks!
Bob, I had the same thing happen to me except that I lost 2 accounts at one stop.Two wealthy neighbors who thought that because I didn`t spend a half a day there that they couldn`t justify the expense.I smiled,said its been real,loaded up the mowers and went on. I found accounts to replace them and didn`t miss a beat.Life is too short to justify my costs to customers. Mow on, Dave
