Dont let your equipment be an excuse to not do a great Job!

[Ric]

Client also likes to talk to the owner of the business not a hired laborer... Personal touch something big companies cannot deliver

Personal touch and talking to the clients comes at the time when your hired to do the job, discussing with the owner what he expects and wants done. During the time frame that your doing the job personal touch comes with the detail work involved in the job and what the yard looks like or what you leave when done. The problem with your theory of the clients wanting to talk to the owner is the fact 99% of the owners that I cut for are not even home, there at work doing there job the way you should be doing yours for them, that's what your being paid for.

 

[exotion]

Personal touch and talking to the clients comes at the time when your hired to do the job, discussing with the owner what he expects and wants done. During the time frame that your doing the job personal touch comes with the detail work involved in the job and what the yard looks like or what you leave when done. The problem with your theory of the clients wanting to talk to the owner is the fact 99% of the owners that I cut for are not even home, there at work doing there job the way you should be doing yours for them, that's what your being paid for.

A good portion of my customers maybe 10-15 a week are retired and bored and sometimes lonely. Most of them will come out to talk to me every week 5-10 mins each and ill gladly do that for them. I learn interesting things, talk about my family and stuff. They feel like I am part of their family and that makes for a real loyal customer. A few of them get invited to my Christmas party.

I have a couple customers who leave a wheel barrow or bucket of weeds or trimmings from their shrub beds so they don't have to pay to throw them away.

A lot of customers have specific instructions or things they want me to do. More than happy to do them for no additional charge unless it takes more than a few mins.

Few of my customers text me regularly I am their friend now. I've helped them move to a new place on my own time, or helped them with projects. I've loaned some tools to some customers and even helped one remodel a bathroom.

I invite some of the retired folk out to breakfast or lunch and a nearby food joint (no I don't pay for them) and they love it.

Guess what I don't make as much as you and I don't care I don't want either but I bet I have more loyal customers :/ all the while my yards generally look 200% better then the guy with 30000$ worth of equipment on his trailer

 

[Ric]

A good portion of my customers maybe 10-15 a week are retired and bored and sometimes lonely. Most of them will come out to talk to me every week 5-10 mins each and ill gladly do that for them. I learn interesting things, talk about my family and stuff. They feel like I am part of their family and that makes for a real loyal customer. A few of them get invited to my Christmas party.
I have a couple customers who leave a wheel barrow or bucket of weeds or trimmings from their shrub beds so they don't have to pay to throw them away.
A lot of customers have specific instructions or things they want me to do. More than happy to do them for no additional charge unless it takes more than a few mins.
Few of my customers text me regularly I am their friend now. I've helped them move to a new place on my own time, or helped them with projects. I've loaned some tools to some customers and even helped one remodel a bathroom.
I invite some of the retired folk out to breakfast or lunch and a nearby food joint (no I don't pay for them) and they love it.
Guess what I don't make as much as you and I don't care I don't want either but I bet I have more loyal customers :/ all the while my yards generally look 200% better then the guy with 30000$ worth of equipment on his trailer

I guess if you want to run a charity instead of a business you can gain there loyalty the way your doing but I make it a rule never to become friends with clients. What I do for my clients is strictly business. If I were to do what you're doing talking to clients 5 and 10 minutes each it would cost me well over $200 a week and I can't afford to throw that kind of money away.
Your wheel barrow or bucket of weeds or trimmings from their shrub beds you pick up so they don't have to pay to throw them away is a poor practice, they should be leaving that debris for the garbage guys or trash collection and I'm neither one of those. If I do extras for clients they are charged accordingly and they expect to be, I never do something for nothing it's bad business.
If a client wants something or a special cut for a special occasion they have my email and three different phone numbers to contact me with, sorry I don't text. As far as loyal clients go, the clients I started with eight years ago along with the ones that I've added over that time frame I still have, I've never lost a client because I wasn't doing the job that I was hired to do.

 

[LoCo86]

I guess if you want to run a charity instead of a business you can gain there loyalty the way your doing but I make it a rule never to become friends with clients. What I do for my clients is strictly business. If I were to do what you're doing talking to clients 5 and 10 minutes each it would cost me well over $200 a week and I can't afford to throw that kind of money away. Your wheel barrow or bucket of weeds or trimmings from their shrub beds you pick up so they don't have to pay to throw them away is a poor practice, they should be leaving that debris for the garbage guys or trash collection and I'm neither one of those. If I do extras for clients they are charged accordingly and they expect to be, I never do something for nothing it's bad business. If a client wants something or a special cut for a special occasion they have my email and three different phone numbers to contact me with, sorry I don't text. As far as loyal clients go, the clients I started with eight years ago along with the ones that I've added over that time frame I still have, I've never lost a client because I wasn't doing the job that I was hired to do.

What if an old lady ask you to take her garbage can to the curb? Do you charge her $5? No you do it. Cause you don't want to look like a jerk to the client. But if then again you don't want them asking you to do little things all the time. You just have to know how to ride that line of providing good customer service or getting taken advantage of.

 

[Ric]

What if an old lady ask you to take her garbage can to the curb? Do you charge her $5? No you do it. Cause you don't want to look like a jerk to the client. But if then again you don't want them asking you to do little things all the time. You just have to know how to ride that line of providing good customer service or getting taken advantage of.

Exactly you have to know where to draw line when providing good customer service and or getting taken advantage of because people will take advantage if you let them. First it's the garbage can to the curb then something else and the list goes on and the next thing you know your spending time doing these odd jobs for all your clients and that time adds up and that time could be spent at the end of the day mowing another 6 to 8 lawns where you'll make money that you need for the business which is what your supposed to be providing in the first place.

 

[Lawnboy18]

It's all right to help put the garbage bag to the curb (I did it once, because the lady caouldn't breeze without a machine and her hose isn't long enough to go to the driveway). But, if I have to do any extra work I charge for it. Not running charity here and in business there are no friends.

For the texting thing, welcome to technology you wold folks! Much faster then phoning and leaving a message then you don't answer back because you are mowing. I just text when I need payment or client texts me if I have to skip a week (too dry). Nothing else.

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

my PR person is a 21 year old female, that works as a waitress. she works on Saturdays for a few hours stopping by 20-30 customers houses and putting/passing out post cards in the area. I give her a route similar to how I plan the service route. she cost me all of $50 a week.

there's a thousand ways to skin a cat. I prefer my method you prefer yours. taking someone's trash out, ect doesn't constitute quality. if what you are doing is working and you are growing and making more money then great. if not then maybe you should re asses how you do business.

 

[Lawnboy18]

my PR person is a 21 year old female, that works as a waitress. she works on Saturdays for a few hours stopping by 20-30 customers houses and putting/passing out post cards in the area. I give her a route similar to how I plan the service route. she cost me all of $50 a week.

there's a thousand ways to skin a cat. I prefer my method you prefer yours. taking someone's trash out, ect doesn't constitute quality. if what you are doing is working and you are growing and making more money then great. if not then maybe you should re asses how you do business.

How often does she do that and what is written on the postcards if I may ask?

The garbage thing only happened once.

I would like to see what you would say if one day a person for who you mow the lawn for that is in very bad health would ask you if you could put her garbage bag to the driveway and hear you say no to that. I would wan't to be there and see what would happen next!

I am growing and making money. I think I am doing good for my age.

 

[Elendil]

Speaking strictly from a customer perspective:

When I hire someone to do work for me, whether it is a one time job or an ongoing service, I do not expect nor do I want a "relationship" with them. I want to keep it business. I don't expect anything other than what I am paying for. I want them to keep their mouth shut and I will not bother them with any small talk. It goes without saying that if I am happy with their work, I will be happy to recommend them to friends and family. The opposite is also true. However, I do not want to be bugged about making referrals.

Don't misunderstand, I have the utmost respect for those that I hire to do work for me. If we are having a cup of coffee at the local diner, I'll chit chat all you like, but I can best show my respect for them by not wasting their time while on the job and I ask they do the same for me.

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

obviously if they're in "bad health" we'd do the Christian thing and set their trash out. like Ric stated there's a line. we offer contracted packages that would include landscape maintenance, leaf removal, ect, but those are all paid services. I don't have a single customer not on a contract. I even have myself on contract and pay my business. that keeps my taxes clean and all my equipment is 100% business.

as for the post cards that depends on the season, some are just advertising, then the seasonal stuff like spring clean up, turf treatments, leaf removal, snow removal, holiday cards with lawn services listed. I have them made locally but have used sites like vista print in the past.

the PR young lady works no less then 2 Saturdays a month some months every Saturday. its a little extra money for her cheaper then stamps for me and still adds that personal touch. customers will respect that you are there to do a job and not bother them. sure I'll give the old guy/gal a couple minutes to chat while the trailer is getting loaded or we're finishing up. but I almost always say politely I don't have a lot of time today to chat we've got a lot to do today. they get it, we're busy and a business that needs to stay moving to make money. we haven't lost a residential customer in 4 years that's current on their bill, moved out of the area or hasn't passed away. what I'm doing is working and we pick up new accounts almost weekly.