Like most of us, I have been confronted with loss of clients this year. I should be happy that my total sales will not decrease this year, it is hard to swallow that my sales will not increase as they had every year for the past 10. The customers I lost were strictly maintenance. There was no hope of upselling additional services. These cleints either had 90% weeds, fertilized their own turf giving us a hay pasture to cut each week or refused to irrigate the lawn. In short they were only concerned about not doing the work themselves and not getting notices from the HOA. They opted to go with the guy driving a pickup with a Wally World mower in the back of it. I have seen flyers on my customers doors for as low as $15.00 for work I'm charging $35.00. Filling the gaps left has been slow this year, but each new customer I have added I have sold a service bundle to. Minimally I have sold all a package of mowing plus fert/weed control. Next year that will be the minimum service level available. No more "mow only" service. Those that may be insistent on a "mow only" service will be priced out as if they were sold the minimum service bundle. Sometimes a less than robust economy can put a positive spin on your business for next year. At least that's how I'm looking at it.
I feel that its a good idea to weed out the problem areas for you. That is what we are doing next year. We are putting in a smaller mile radius service area to save on drive time and fuel. We are only going to do work within a 12 mile radius. Now we are doing it in about 25 miles. You just need to look at what works for you and what is better for the business. I think that it's a great idea of what you're doing.
Best of luck to you but it sounds like you have everything covered. No sense in keeping the accounts that you really cant continue to sell to. As you pointed out this will help you get new customers and make more revenue off of one client. Gravely_Man
