Decisions... lol

[CHEESE2009]

I get a phone call from an elderly lady. This lady spent 20 minutes bad mouthing another company, and she was trying to convince me she wasn't cheap.. she said something along the lines; "He charged me for work I asked him not to do, because my grass didn't need cutting at the time". bla bla bla bla. Anyway, I was able to get her address and phone number, but this old lady was so riled up on the phone that she hung-up on me once I was able to get a word in!!! - What I would have loved to say to her IF she didn't hangup on me for no reason LOL; You will be charged for the complete month regardless if you want us to show up or not. This is a business. - ANYWAY, I don't think I will do business with this lady, she sounds like a problem. Not sure if I should trust her, or the guy she fired. It's not like I'd give her a discount which I'm sure she wanted from the other guy... Old people.... Why do you suck the life out of me?

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

"He charged me for work I asked him not to do, because my grass didn't need cutting at the time". Did she say how often she wanted her lawn cut? Or was it she would call you when she was ready?

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[kdexpd]

This reminds me of a few years back when we had our 14" snow storm. It took me 20 minutes just to get to the neighbor's driveway to get my 4-wheeler and trailer. I got a call from one of my customers (who isn't a customer anymore) demanding I show up immediately and clear his drive. I explained to him that the city crews haven't even been out to do the streets yet and I was having difficulty getting my equipment to the street, let alone down the street...and I have a 1 ton dually 4x4. He freaked out and told me he had a doctor's appointment (not an emergency) that he had to get to on time. At this point he's annoying me, so I asked how he planned to get down the street once I cleared his driveway. He said the city crews would be by and he'd get out. HAHA! So I told him I would work my way to him but that I had other customers on the list ahead of him who had already called. That pissed him off even more apparently. It wasn't an hour later he calls me back. He says I owe him the $25 I would have charged hime to do the drive. When I asked him what for he got all pissed off and began cursing me and said he had to hire someone else to come do his driveway. The guy's a freakin' nutcase! He thought I had to pay him back because he had to hire someone else...??? WTF?? After he called me everything but a white boy, I got him good and told him I have appreciated his business for the last 2 years and I wish him all the best and to have a WONDERFUL day. Just before I could hit the "end" button I heard a scream " F YOU!!!!" LMAO!! Some people are freaking crazy!! By the way...It took the city crews 3 days to clear all the streets in town..it took them 2 to get to his street. I'd love to have heard how much he was gonna charge the city!

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by Steve

Did she say how often she wanted her lawn cut? Or was it she would call you when she was ready?

I told her it was weekly service, ... whatever else she said went in one of my ears and out the other.

As we figured out before, Steve, the elderly are not for me. LOL, talking to them kills me a little inside.

My Company
25% work
75% humoring the elderly

[kdexpd]

"You know yer getting old when you start having dry dreams and wet farts"

[Steve]

75% humoring the elderly

I can picture it now.

"Scott I just got a motorcycle, would you like to go on a ride with me?"

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

Originally Posted by Steve

I can picture it now.

"Scott I just got a motorcycle, would you like to go on a ride with me?"

hey that guy is cool. I would ride with him.

I have a customer that calls when needed. Its real annoying but no matter what I say to him its always the same. If I have him scheduled its a "It doesnt need to be cut" If I dont its " whenever your free come by". Hes a good guy and good payer so I put up with it.

[Hedgemaster]

Did she use the term "fixed income" at any point?

That's always an indicator to

[stevef1201]

Why? They call, I go and give an estimate (written), they ask how often I cut and I tell them every week. "Oh well what if it doesnt need cutting", I tell them I am here every week, I mow, trim, edge, and blow off. This goes around two or three time, then they figure out that I am not here to save them money, I am here to provide a service. That service is for them to never have to worry about thier yard, it not how many times I cut the grass, its how many times they have to worry about the grass being cut. If they dont seem to understand I tell here is my estimate, I have another customer to go see, feel free to call if you want me to take care of your yard.
7 times out of 10 they call me back agree to pay the monthly rate and everything is fine, the others usually call me 2 or 3 months later because the guy they have doesnt show up/ do a good job/ yadda/ yadda/ yadda/, then I charge them 10 more a month then the original estimate.