What to do with 2 week customers?

[mikec280]

Another option is get more two week clients so you have the same amount of customers every day and you keep everyone happy

Yeah I was thinking the same thing as well. The more I think about it and getting others opinions, I would never risk losing my customers I have so I will just add more customers and move along.

 

[LoCo86]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing as well. The more I think about it and getting others opinions, I would never risk losing my customers I have so I will just add more customers and move along.

That's probably the best solution right now until you build up your client list. Then you can give the ultimatum of either having weekly service or none at all. Like I said earlier people who have weekly lawn service done will be more susceptible to having other services done. Which means more money in one location.

 

[Ric]

Hi I'm new to this forum and have found very useful info on here.

I have 26 customers and all but 3, want their yards cut every 2 weeks. I would prefer to cut more often to make more profit. How without being an *** could I do this and what do you guys do in cases of this with your business?
I'm just trying to find ways(along with adding more customers) to make more profit.

The thing about the lawncare business is the fact that time is money and with doing Bi-weekly cuts your spending to much time to make any decent money. With the growing rates of grass in season, It takes more time to do bi-weekly cuts, it takes more gas to do bi-weekly cuts so unless your willing to charge twice your regular cutting rate you'll end up on the losing end because you'll never cover your bottom line at the end of the year and show very little profit and without a profit margin your business can't be maintained. If you want to keep the Bi-weekly clients please do but do yourself a favor and don't take anymore because in doing so your only hurting yourself.

 

[exotion]

The thing about the lawncare business is the fact that time is money and with doing Bi-weekly cuts your spending to much time to make any decent money. With the growing rates of grass in season, It takes more time to do bi-weekly cuts, it takes more gas to do bi-weekly cuts so unless your willing to charge twice your regular cutting rate you'll end up on the losing end because you'll never cover your bottom line at the end of the year and show very little profit and without a profit margin your business can't be maintained. If you want to keep the Bi-weekly clients please do but do yourself a favor and don't take anymore because in doing so your only hurting yourself.

So say one of my weekly customers pays me 25 dollars and I am there for 20 ish mins if that customer was a bi monthly customer I would charge 35 dollars and would probably take 30 mins there is a profit loss but if I had 15 weekly customers at 25 dollars a day I would be making 375 a day vs 15 bi monthly customers at 35 each a day I would be making 525 a day seems more profitable in the end to me....

 

[Ric]

So say one of my weekly customers pays me 25 dollars and I am there for 20 ish mins if that customer was a bi monthly customer I would charge 35 dollars and would probably take 30 mins there is a profit loss but if I had 15 weekly customers at 25 dollars a day I would be making 375 a day vs 15 bi monthly customers at 35 each a day I would be making 525 a day seems more profitable in the end to me....

That would be fine if it worked but it doesn't, because your 30 minute lawn turns into 40 because it will end up taking you that long to mow twice the amount of grass and take care of or remove twice the grass that you'll have on the weekly say nothing of using twice the amount of gas and wear and tear on your equipment and the money your spending on your vehicle getting to and from the job to do the job, so your profit just went out the window. Besides that you have to sell the bi-weekly for 35 to the client, which you can't do when they find out what your charging the guy down the road they will want the same rate. Remember a good majority of the time bi-weekly accounts are people who don't care about there lawns and don't want to pay for lawn care and if your in the business you don't need those accounts.

 

[BR Lawn]

Hi I'm new to this forum and have found very useful info on here.

I have 26 customers and all but 3, want their yards cut every 2 weeks. I would prefer to cut more often to make more profit. How without being an *** could I do this and what do you guys do in cases of this with your business?
I'm just trying to find ways(along with adding more customers) to make more profit.

I add them, but I charge higher per service than the weekly service clients (sample weekly $80 a month, bi weekly $55) and I don't offer them the perks of weekly clients, I charge them extra for the services if they want them. I explain the benefits of the weekly care and explain the perks of weekly care i.e. more consistent root growth, weed control, fertilizing and weed spraying included etc. Most will convert to weekly if you show the benefits and the cost difference. Currently I have 20% bi weekly and they are all on non premium days (ie mon tues. only!)

 

[wjjones]

I would say explain to them that you can make it look nicer if you cut it weekly, because the grass gets too long, but then you said it is fine after 2 weeks. Maybe have some sort of discount/offer if they switch over to weekly, but make sure you still make enough money from that service.

Thats what I do, and I have to turn away new customers by word of mouth travels fast. You have to make sure your not shorting yourself though.

 

[wjjones]

I would be charging by the cut and billing by the month. What ever your weekly cuts are I'd double that rate for the bi-weekly cuts and explain to them that you can't do it or charge like you were because your not covering your overhead. I personally stay away from bi-weekly cuts because you don't make any money to start with and there more of a PITA than what there worth. All my lawns are weekly, I just tell Bi-weekly people nicely sorry you'll have to find someone else.

Thats true because most of the time you have to run over it atleast twice to get it to look right which is more time, and fuel adding to your cost. I am cutting 2 loose next year because they have a hole digging turdlize spreading dog that is destroying the back yard, and my machine. Plus their grass grows like mad, and its like mowing a hay field at the 2 week mark. They refuse to do weekly so I am going to let them find someone else. If your a new outfit you hate to loose business but in the long run you will spend more than its worth to keep them happy. Just tell them what the price will be weekly, and they will except it, or move on there will be other yards.

 

[Ric]

Thats true because most of the time you have to run over it atleast twice to get it to look right which is more time, and fuel adding to your cost. I am cutting 2 loose next year because they have a hole digging turdlize spreading dog that is destroying the back yard, and my machine. Plus their grass grows like mad, and its like mowing a hay field at the 2 week mark. They refuse to do weekly so I am going to let them find someone else. If your a new outfit you hate to loose business but in the long run you will spend more than its worth to keep them happy. Just tell them what the price will be weekly, and they will except it, or move on there will be other yards.

If you do the bi-weekly thing I think you need to consider your mowing schedule and how much your making in that hour. Say your doing three lawns per hour at say $17.50 a cut, that's 52.50 per hour your making, that should be your bi-weekly per cut rate. If your Bi-weekly client doesn't like the rate tell them to find someone else and walk away. As far as I can see you can't afford to do it for any less and make money.

 

[exotion]

If you do the bi-weekly thing I think you need to consider your mowing schedule and how much your making in that hour. Say your doing three lawns per hour at say $17.50 a cut, that's 52.50 per hour your making, that should be your bi-weekly per cut rate. If your Bi-weekly client doesn't like the rate tell them to find someone else and walk away. As far as I can see you can't afford to do it for any less and make money.

Definately. All my bi monthly customers know if the grass grows to much that I have to run it over again I charge an overgrowth fee because that second time through while may not take as long as the first time still takes time and time is money. The fee is usually an extra 10 dollars this fee has made a few of those customers to move to weekly mowing as it was cheaper in the long run