[wissel_landscaping]

A friend of mine owns a lawn care co. and he called me saturday to bail him out ask if i would cut one of his accounts, so i cut it took me 2 hours the property manager comes out and tells me he's sick of nothing getting done there and he wants brian (my friend) gone. he said i did a very nice job and offered the account to me it pays $5,500 a year 36 cuts a year he says if i want it its mine i could be in by thursday there is also 2 other properties that come with it the 3 together is about $20 G's a year i would like to have these accounts but brian is a friend he is most likely gone no matter what. should i accept the accounts and piss off a friend or should i leave it alone and let someone else have them?

P.S he's not a real close friend

 

[dvmcmrhp52]

Tread lightly here.Great opportunity but I'm not sure it is worth it.

 

[work_it]

I'd be in like flynn! $$$ talks. If your friend is that lousy that his clients are seeking new lco's then it's his fault. Just explain to him that the manager is going to fire him anyway due to his horrible service. If he gets mad at you for capitalizing on his mistakes there's not much you can do about that. Tell him sorry but you can't turn down such a great opportunity.

 

[Gr grass n Hi tides]

Loyalty is a word leaping out at me here. You've got a potential account that is going behind it's current LCO's back. On the other hand you have a friend who came to you in a moment of need.

You might be able to win-win here if you approach your friend and tell him what the situation is. If he sees that he's history then he might be happy you get the account. If he goes back & does what needs to be done to make the client happy then in my mind you've done the right thing & I'm sure it will be better in the long run.

Now, if this call came to you blind that's another thing.

 

[promower]

With that kind of money I would take it. Your friend would get over I would anyway. This may teach your friend a valuable lesson anyway. It's not like you went up the property manager and said you could take over and save him a little money.

 

[rotgg]

would u want someone to do that to u ?

 

[pinnacle]

Lousy or not your friend may be but thats beside the point.

Give the property manager a referal to anouther lco altogether.(might be a guy you just seen driving around)Tell him that you would love to take the job but theres not enough room in your schedule till mabey next season. And to give you a ring arfter the tender for the lco that you refered runs out.
And at next season you will be next cab of the rank.

You arn't dogging ya mate this way and at the same time the property manager gets to see that your proactive and keen to do his job but you don't have room at the moment. I could almost garentee that youll have that job next season.

Sounds like a good account.
Good luck with it

 

[wissel_landscaping]

no i wouldnt want someone to do it to me. but i didnt do it to him he did it to himself, the property manager came to me. i have bailed him out in the past and i have told him you have to do this and you have to do that to keep these people happy. the curbs look like he hasnt blown them all year, the concrete is in need of a nice edge, the trees need the lower branches prunned, the beds are full of weeds, there is dead shrubs that need to be removed and a estimate givin for planting new shrubs. the manager says theres money in the buget to get it done right. it looks like he cuts, blows, and goes. the manager said i can take it for $5,500 for the rest of this year then bump it up to my price next year as long as its getting done right. i told the manager i would think about it and get back to him.

 

[wissel_landscaping]

pinnacle
good point i may just do that.

 

[work_it]

Once again, good advice pinnacle. I like the approach even though you're rolling the dice. Good friends are hard to find. It's easy for me to say "take the account" since I'm not in his boots. Honestly, it is one heck of a nut twister , and I would have a hard time deciding.

 

[fblandscape]

Talk to your friend who's account it is. Ask him what he thinks before you go to the client. A good friend is a lot more important than a couple of bucks.

 

[Turf Medic]

What was that guy's name that got the 30 pieces of silver?

I would approach my friend and ask if he even wants the account since he seems to be having trouble getting the work done. And if not offer him a few dollars for it, if he wants to keep it, walk away. Real friendships can last forever but, business agreements can be gone tomorrow. Isn't any customer's money worth one of my friends.

 

[Runner]

It's really pretty cut & dry here, and it really shouldn't even have to be brought up as an issue. It's simply like this. You tell the manager of this place. "It's like this. Due to a conflict of interest, I really can't take take on this property, (as much as I would like to) because I exercice a certain standard of ethics as a professional. I was simply asked to come in and fill in temporarily to help a FRIEND and associate out, and it would be within our best interest if I didn't take this account on."
I've done it on several occasions, and I'll KEEP ON doing it as long as I live. Work is not as hard to come by as good friends, and you can go a long way in this field with good reputation. I've gone in and helped friends on their accounts, whether it be to fill in for a sick or injured, or to co-op to help with a clean-up and such. I've had people have the audacity to ask me right in front of these other lco's what I would charge. I tell them all the same thing. If you even THINK of taking on this job, I hope you will not expect the respect from both of these parties that you will recieve for NOT taking on this task. This is the real deal of professionalism. Heck with the "dog eat dog" attitude that some have over a lousy mowing account. That stuff's for the amateurs. Your work sounds to me like you cross the line of quality toward the better side, so you PROBbably already know this.

 

[work_it]

Another thing that comes to mind is talk to your friend and explain the situation. Ask him if he would be interested in letting you have the account for a weekly percentage. Offer him 10% to 15% which would only be $550 or $825 (respectfully), and explain to him that he's already loosing the account. At least that way both of you will benifit financially, plus you won't loose a good friend. If the manager asks you can tell him that you were able to work it out with your friend. That way you'll also maintain his respect.

 

[PPLMike]

Well, I would tell the customer that I cannot take on that account without speaking to my friend. Explain to him the situation that you have explained to us -- and that you would feel very disloyal if you were to go behind his back and steal his account. He should respect you for this. Tell your friend the situation, explain to him that the customer is unhappy with his work and he will be fired regardless of whether or not you take on the account. Ask him very nicely if it would ruin your friendship if you were to take over that account.

He may be very upset, if he's going to be losing 20 gs of income a year. Weigh it. Ethically I might not do it, even if I didn't know the person I was filling in for. If he was a great friend, I definitely would not. Like you said, he's not a good friend. If you'd rather be bringing in 20 thousand a year than having his friendship, make that decision.

The ethics of this decision makes it tough. It up to you to do what you feel is right, or to forego it for money. I'm not sure what I would do.

 

[Dr. Mow]

who needs friends

 

[promower]

lol Dr. Mow. Actually I like the approach of work-it. Sounds like he is going to lose the account regardless if you take it, so I guess if were the other guy I would get some cash from it and give it to a friend.

 

[Runner]

I have to say, I agree - completely. That is, if it is a sure thing he is going to lose it (which it doesn't sound too promoising for this guy). Definitely talk it over with this guy, and see what he says, and how it would affect future relations with him. If it seems as if it would cause problems,....let it go. I agree fully with Pro, that the approach of Workit is well thought.

 

[Soupy]

Talk to your friend and tell him what you were told. Tell him to handle it how ever he wants, but if he loses the account and the guy calls you to take over that you can't pass it up. Explain to him that you hope he can work things out with this guy, but if not why let someonelse have it.

 

[Rustic Goat]

PPL is offering the best approach IMO.
No need to lose a friend, no need to turn down the job.
Speak with friend first, explaining customers approaching you, if he gets angry at that, so be it.
Customer should be the one terminating friends outfit, once that's done, he can hire you.
In speaking with friend first, you may learn some things about this account that are not yet obvious to you, certain demands, do's and don'ts, difficult pay, etc. Find out before getting neck deep.