you speak with your client on monday morning. you arrange to aerate thier property on thursday. they understand the sprinkler heads must be marked. they agree it will be done. you arrive thursday to aerate. the heads are not marked. there is no way i am going to walk around with the client and mark the heads, so why should i even knock on the door? i drive off. this aeration is part of a pre paid seasonal fert program. it's all paid for. i most definitely will require to be paid additional fees for my wasted trip over there today, as well as a rescheduling fee. my intentions are to demand this additional fee be paid at time of my next visit there to aerate. if they argue the point, i will simply keep the entire pre paid fees, as reasonable compensation for my wasted trip over, and my wasted phonecalls, as well as lost wages due to having to reschedule. how do YOU handle this situation?
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scenerio # 4,157
- Thread starter bobbygedd
- Start date
NNJLandman
LawnSite Bronze Member
- Location
- North Jersey
Bobby next time i have to call customers about extra charges or talk to them about extra services, will you come and stand next to me.
Jeff
Jeff
DFW Area Landscaper
LawnSite Silver Member
- Location
- DFW, TX
Don't offer aeration for this very reason. I could sell a lot of it. People call all the time to ask about it. If I pushed, I could sell a lot of it. But the PITA associated with sprinkler systems...just not worth it. Also, 95% of the demand for this is in the spring when everybody wants their beds cleaned out and their trees pruned and their shrubs trimmed and they want their chemical done today. We've got all the work we need in the spring when this product would sell.
Nobody's gonna want to pay what it's really worth by the time you figure ALL your costs due to sprinkler systems. My estimation is that you should be charging at least twice as much to aerate an irrigated lawn as you do an unirrigated lawn.
How much time will you waste trying to find the part you broke on their sprinkler system? Thanks, but no thanks.
Bermuda lawns don't really need it any way...unless there is a lot of foot traffic. If that is the case, we tell them to call someone else.
Later,
DFW Area Landscaper
Nobody's gonna want to pay what it's really worth by the time you figure ALL your costs due to sprinkler systems. My estimation is that you should be charging at least twice as much to aerate an irrigated lawn as you do an unirrigated lawn.
How much time will you waste trying to find the part you broke on their sprinkler system? Thanks, but no thanks.
Bermuda lawns don't really need it any way...unless there is a lot of foot traffic. If that is the case, we tell them to call someone else.
Later,
DFW Area Landscaper
I say you call them up, tell them the problem and notify them that you are going to charge them a travel fee for the wasted trip over. Then tell them, that they need to set a date in stone of when to do the sprinkler heads. Or you could give them the option of, you marking the sprinkler heads for an additional charge
I would do it anyway and watch out for the sprinkler heads.That are usually in a certain pattern and in rows with mabey a few in the center.Easy to do without causing yourself and your customer all those extra problems for something so simple.
Or I would mark them myself and charge the customer accordingly for it and then do the work.I'm there anyway aren't I?I am not going to waste all that time them charge my customer for it no way.
Or I would mark them myself and charge the customer accordingly for it and then do the work.I'm there anyway aren't I?I am not going to waste all that time them charge my customer for it no way.
Ol'time Lawncare
LawnSite Senior Member
- Location
- NJ
If you talked to them on Monday and they were not marked on Thursday... then why can't you mark them out and bill her for the work... after all she is your client and you should no were her heads are ... right? the return fee is perfectly understandable!!!
that could be a new business venture for you bobby 
But seriously guys, I agree with bobby on this one. You need to charge according. Yes, you can go the extra mile and do extra things for customers here and there, such as bringing up their trash can or newspaper, helping them unload groceries from their car, but when you and the customer set a day and date of when a service was supposed to be performed and the customer fell through without calling up and telling you that he didn't mark them, then the customer should have to pay a fee.
But seriously guys, I agree with bobby on this one. You need to charge according. Yes, you can go the extra mile and do extra things for customers here and there, such as bringing up their trash can or newspaper, helping them unload groceries from their car, but when you and the customer set a day and date of when a service was supposed to be performed and the customer fell through without calling up and telling you that he didn't mark them, then the customer should have to pay a fee.
Nosmo
LawnSite Bronze Member
- Location
- Muskogee, Oklahoma
Monday morning both of you agreed on Thursday and the sprinkler heads would be marked.
Scenario #4,157A -- After talking to you your customer had a stroke and is now in a coma. You were the last person the customer talked to and none of the other family members knew about marking the sprinklers or you were coming on Thursday.
Bobby call the customer's number and find out why the sprinklers were not marked. For all we know the coma may be over and a permanent sleep may have begun.
Nosmo
Scenario #4,157A -- After talking to you your customer had a stroke and is now in a coma. You were the last person the customer talked to and none of the other family members knew about marking the sprinklers or you were coming on Thursday.
Bobby call the customer's number and find out why the sprinklers were not marked. For all we know the coma may be over and a permanent sleep may have begun.
Nosmo