tiedeman
04-01-2006, 02:41 AM
Ok, now this may sound really weird, and goes beyond all of my beliefs, but listen to what I have to say:
When I first started out, I never had customers sign contracts at all. *I actually marketed the fact that I didn't require customers to sign anything. *I just gave them a price and we went on word is the bond.
Well, after about 4 years in the business I started to use contracts, and I still use contracts for my regular lawn maintenance customers. *I would never start to work on their property until a contract was signed. *Over the years, I really have never had to use the contract either in regards to a customer dispute. * *
Now this is the part that kind of gets interesting: *In the past, whenever I did estimates for new customers they had to sign a contract. *I would present them the price, and then the contract. *I would say around 70% of them, would say something like, "Well, I will have to read over the contract, and get back with you." *Well guess what, I hardly ever heard back from them. *
So this year with the application customers, only my returning customers from last year I asked for them to sign a contract. But all of my new customers lately I have just been giving them the 15 Point Analysis of their lawn and the price, but not making them sign anything. *So far, I have landed 100% of the estimates that I have given. *Could it be the contract thing is related? *How many of these customers would I actually have if I required them to have a contract?
When I first started out, I never had customers sign contracts at all. *I actually marketed the fact that I didn't require customers to sign anything. *I just gave them a price and we went on word is the bond.
Well, after about 4 years in the business I started to use contracts, and I still use contracts for my regular lawn maintenance customers. *I would never start to work on their property until a contract was signed. *Over the years, I really have never had to use the contract either in regards to a customer dispute. * *
Now this is the part that kind of gets interesting: *In the past, whenever I did estimates for new customers they had to sign a contract. *I would present them the price, and then the contract. *I would say around 70% of them, would say something like, "Well, I will have to read over the contract, and get back with you." *Well guess what, I hardly ever heard back from them. *
So this year with the application customers, only my returning customers from last year I asked for them to sign a contract. But all of my new customers lately I have just been giving them the 15 Point Analysis of their lawn and the price, but not making them sign anything. *So far, I have landed 100% of the estimates that I have given. *Could it be the contract thing is related? *How many of these customers would I actually have if I required them to have a contract?