Will fly-by-nighters eventually

[Steve]

Interesting article that poses a tough question.

Do you wonder if fly-by-nighters will eventually ruin this profession?

Green thumb honesty (http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/articles/2006/08/19/villages/villages01.txt) - Ed Wise wonders if fly-by-nighters will eventually ruin his profession.

“I’m afraid one day people will think all landscapers are thieves, like they think all lawyers are dishonest and all cops eat doughnuts,” said Wise, owner of Cange’s Nursery on County Road 466, near the intersection of Rolling Acres Road.

Wise is too busy to give rival landscapers much thought. He’s seen them come, and he’s seen them go, during 20-plus years of beautifying yards in The Villages.

“One day they have a landscaping service sign on their truck, then the next week it’s a plumbing sign, and then a roofing company sign,” Wise said.

http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/content/articles/2006/08/19/villages/villages01.jpg

[tiedeman]

That is why I think that there should be a license system in place for each state and/or city.

But I personally have notice that there are considerabley less fly by nights out there. I have hardly seen any new companies this year. There are only like 5 companies around here right now that do things and they pretty much have the market wrapped up. Now a few years ago, there were probably close to 10-15 companies (whether licensed or fly by nights).

The funny thing is that the fly by nights usually only last until about June, and then they realize how much time, effort, and money it is to run a business and to maintain customers properties.

I have had approx 5 customers come back to me this year after they moved on in previous years. They usually moved onto to someone cheaper, but they come back and when they come back they always give two reasons:
1. They want better quality
2. They want someone reliable to show up every week