tiedeman
05-07-2006, 07:30 PM
Man, the last 10 days have been nothing but a headache for me with the application side of the business, while the lawn maintenance side is picking up and I am actually taking on more lawn maintenance customers (even though I am trying to get out of it...I think).
I specifically tell all of my application customers up front that I can not 100% take care of their weeds. *They all know that I use granular products. *There are two customers that are becoming a pain in my side, one in particular. *
She called around the 28th of April, complaining about all the dandelions in her lawn. *I informed her that i was going to be at her place on the 2nd, for her next round of application, but if she wanted me too I would stop over and check up on her lawn. *I went over there, and there was 5 dandelions there. *The funny thing I looked over her entire lawn, and it looked the best that it had ever looked...ever. *But to please her, I spot sprayed for those five dandelions, and then on the 2nd of May, I did the actual application. *Well, 2 days later I get a phone call from her complaining about the dandelions. *I just sat there listening to the answering machine and shaking my head telling my wife, "Heck, I just did the application 48hrs ago, she expects results that fast?" I am not evening bothering calling back. *I have been going out of my way for her the last 2 years, and I am done. * Her lawn looks amazing compared to when I took it over. *
The second customer calls up questioning whether I actually did an application on the lawn because of how fast it took me. *It was an approx 12,000 sq ft lawn, and my broadcast spearder spreads approx 10 feet across. *The lawn took me like 8 mins and she is complaining that I wasn't there enough. *The way she talked she even questioned whether I applied something on her lawn since she still has weeds. *I just applied her product on the 2nd as well. *It's funny of how fast these people think results will happen. *And with this customer in particular I remember I made a point up front to her that it would take multiple applications to see any great results. *The reason that I made this point is because two years ago she only had me do one application for dandelions (which believe it or not, did an amazing job) and she wasn't happy with it. One other thing, I give this lady a $4 discount off from the price.
I was talking with my wife and telling her, "Maybe going into strictly application is not a great idea."
I specifically tell all of my application customers up front that I can not 100% take care of their weeds. *They all know that I use granular products. *There are two customers that are becoming a pain in my side, one in particular. *
She called around the 28th of April, complaining about all the dandelions in her lawn. *I informed her that i was going to be at her place on the 2nd, for her next round of application, but if she wanted me too I would stop over and check up on her lawn. *I went over there, and there was 5 dandelions there. *The funny thing I looked over her entire lawn, and it looked the best that it had ever looked...ever. *But to please her, I spot sprayed for those five dandelions, and then on the 2nd of May, I did the actual application. *Well, 2 days later I get a phone call from her complaining about the dandelions. *I just sat there listening to the answering machine and shaking my head telling my wife, "Heck, I just did the application 48hrs ago, she expects results that fast?" I am not evening bothering calling back. *I have been going out of my way for her the last 2 years, and I am done. * Her lawn looks amazing compared to when I took it over. *
The second customer calls up questioning whether I actually did an application on the lawn because of how fast it took me. *It was an approx 12,000 sq ft lawn, and my broadcast spearder spreads approx 10 feet across. *The lawn took me like 8 mins and she is complaining that I wasn't there enough. *The way she talked she even questioned whether I applied something on her lawn since she still has weeds. *I just applied her product on the 2nd as well. *It's funny of how fast these people think results will happen. *And with this customer in particular I remember I made a point up front to her that it would take multiple applications to see any great results. *The reason that I made this point is because two years ago she only had me do one application for dandelions (which believe it or not, did an amazing job) and she wasn't happy with it. One other thing, I give this lady a $4 discount off from the price.
I was talking with my wife and telling her, "Maybe going into strictly application is not a great idea."