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The real client complaints.

6K views 38 replies 18 participants last post by  gcbailey 
#1 ·
Noticed a lot of threads about client complaints.

Perhaps a lot of these complaints are due to you not doing your job?

Perhaps the thinking of I own my own business and have no boss" when in fact each of your clients are your boss?

I do realize there are PITA clients, but if you didn't know any better and came on lawnsite every client is a raging b*tch that want's your blood for sacrifice for missing a blade of grass.

Perhaps the reality is too many of you have gotten too big for your britches and forget that people are paying THEIR money to do a service on THEIR property and unless their request is that you mow their lawn in a pink tutu with a silver lined halo and a unicorn hood ornament on your mower their requests are actually genuine and need more of a response than to nod your head and then come to lawnsite to complain about how demanding they are.

Keep doing what you're doing tho...it's great....................for me....

when I get a client that had another lawn company before me? The biggest complaint is "The last guy had an attitude." A flag goes up, but it quickly goes down when I simply do my job correctly each week....and if they do ask for an additional service I explain that additional services are scheduled on a separate day and billed separately.......and their response is "great as long as it gets done"......A lot of you would have hopped on here complaining "My client expects me to do this and this and this and this and this for free!!!!!!! and when I'm there mowing when I don't have time!!!! grrrrr!!!" When they simply wanted something else done and didn't expect it to be done that day or for free.

Assuming is a b*tch.

Especially to the bottom line and customer retention and satisfaction.
 
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#27 ·
Problem is when you get real busy you rush through the properties, and things get over grown real quick.

I don't get many compliants but people notice things aren't done and your rushing throught the properties.

Ive been working my rear end off this week at my high end homes, my hoourley "rate " this week is close to Mcdonalds.
 
#28 ·
Problem is when you get real busy you rush through the properties, and things get over grown real quick.

I don't get many compliants but people notice things aren't done and your rushing throught the properties.

Ive been working my rear end off this week at my high end homes, my hoourley "rate " this week is close to Mcdonalds.
I'm tracking at only $53 an hour this month. Productivity is down. I blame beer.
 
#30 ·
I don't drink while working, so Beer is not a problem.:drinkup:

Tomarrow Ill be working on larryinalabams overgrown mess, but he don't care if you have a few beers while working :drinkup:
Gotta mow mine today too. There's 20 minutes I'll never get back.
 
#31 ·
I've heard attitude problem twice, which is surprising considering how big of a$$holes many of my local competitors are.

It's mostly unreliable, and "I don't like that the guys who show up can't speak english." Not in a racist way, but the language barrier and not being able to relay requests.
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#32 · (Edited)
My personal opinion is that the vast majority of the time the LCO and property owner doesn't lay down a set of ground rules and expectations up front. A lot of LCOs will give a price but then a homeowner doesn't fully lay out what all they want done so the LCO ends up doing more work at a lower price thus causing them to get frustrated and do sloppy work or just quit altogether.
This is true but do you have any idea how long that would take?
We're talking HOURS, once we get into nit picking I've got a list a hundred or a thousand long in ways of how I do things and what I expect, I'm sure my customers would have it the same. No way, I can't deal wasting even one hour of time with back and forth "well this is this and that is that" nonsense, however maybe a little bit of testing the waters... I can't see that hurting because certainly I do like to cover a FEW things (just not all), and I DO recommend developing an EAR ... You have to learn how to read between the lines, certain things the other side says (and this can work for both sides) should tip you off as to whether this is going to be a working relationship, or not.

Other than that there's always going to be a little bit of those 1-2 or 3-4 cuts and it didn't work out, there's also going to be those where you knew it wouldn't work but the other side insisted that it would deals.

Always, just have to deal with it best we can, there's no avoiding the headaches altogether, I don't think... But testing the waters a little bit and reading between the lines, that can certainly help avoid potential trouble.

Btw...
I'm gonna LMAO if I hear of some landscaper who went out there gave an estimate, and then proceeded to turn on the outdoor water faucet so as to get a sample of water for testing, or a homeowner for that matter.
 
#33 ·
I do realize there are PITA clients, but if you didn't know any better and came on lawnsite every client is a raging b*tch that want's your blood for sacrifice for missing a blade of grass.
I don't think people try to even act like every client is a PITA, but I think we all have those 2-3 on our list and business owners just like to come to a lawn care community to blow off some steam I guess. Even if you get rid of those customers, a couple of PITA customers always seem to find their way to your mowing list. Some still pay well, but you dread going every week.
 
#34 ·
what i hate is when you mow a person's yard for 1 or 2 seasons and everything has been smooth sailing then all of a sudden they start complaining about stuff and want you to mow it shorter or something along those lines?

it's like if it's been ok for the past 2 years why change anything now?

people just don't make any sense.
 
#35 ·
what i hate is when you mow a person's yard for 1 or 2 seasons and everything has been smooth sailing then all of a sudden they start complaining about stuff and want you to mow it shorter or something along those lines?

it's like if it's been ok for the past 2 years why change anything now?

people just don't make any sense.
I totally agree. This happens to me sometimes.
 
#37 ·
We don't raise the height, its too hard to keep raising and lowering for every customer. It sucks to lose a customer, but ones like this are certainly not good for me and not one I want. I'd rather let someone else deal with her.

My best customers are the ones who don't complain!
I change the height a lot. I may cut the front yard at one height and the back at a different height on some yards. I don't move the deck wheels on my zero turn. I still get a smooth , even cut
 
#38 ·
I change the height a lot. I may cut the front yard at one height and the back at a different height on some yards. I don't move the deck wheels on my zero turn. I still get a smooth , even cut
I do the same thing. Not a lot, but obviously the height will change with different grass types. I have changed from front to back on the same yard as well. Just depends on how thick, etc...I never change my deck wheels either. They are set so I can cut low. The only problem is if you are cutting under 2" you start having weight on your deck wheels and will wear them out. Anything under 1.75 inches I tell them my mower won't let me go any lower and explain the situation with the anti-scalp rollers.
 
#39 ·
This is true but do you have any idea how long that would take?
We're talking HOURS, once we get into nit picking I've got a list a hundred or a thousand long in ways of how I do things and what I expect, I'm sure my customers would have it the same. No way, I can't deal wasting even one hour of time with back and forth "well this is this and that is that" nonsense, however maybe a little bit of testing the waters... I can't see that hurting because certainly I do like to cover a FEW things (just not all), and I DO recommend developing an EAR ... You have to learn how to read between the lines, certain things the other side says (and this can work for both sides) should tip you off as to whether this is going to be a working relationship, or not.
Your exactly right to an extent, but again, you have to know your clients. In your average $150k-$200k cookie cutter subdivision there isn't going to be too many ground rules to lay out unless there is some ornamental shrubs or trees that get attention once in a while. In all honesty going from 3.5" on Mr. Jones to 3" on Mr. Smith is probably about it, unless one wants striping done one way vs. another.

However, when you get into your acreage estates with houses going for $600k+ it should be well worth your time to spend an hour or so getting to know your clients and their needs. When you are talking about $250+ weekly and upwards of $7k+ yearly on a residential homeowner, if you don't have time to listen to someone nit picking then you need to reassess what type(s) of clients you want.

To my company the clients who think they are (and who actually are) upscale are worth my time to take to listen and meet their needs for turnkey lawn care. When they have 10 acres and only want 2 acres cut weekly, 5 acres cut every other week and the rest brush hogged 1 time a month, driveways and walked edged every other week, etc... As long as they are willing to pay I'm willing to take the time with my guys to get it done.

But again, what type(s) of clients do you want to cater to and how much money you get off a client are you willing to listen to their "complaints".
 
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