What would make your job easier?

[LawnTeam]

What could the front office and administration do to make your job easier? If you don't have front office staff pretend you do and let me know what thos things would be. thanks a bunch! I ask this because it's my main job function. What questions do you wish you had the answers to before heading out for an estimate? what are your pet peaves? And, what makes your day?

[Godslapper]

Lawn care business tips

Man, this is above my pay grade. 1. What time is lunch ? 2. Are you paying ? 3. Will the first job interfear with lunch ? 4. Is there any chance I can get a bonus ? 5. How long will this take and will we get lunch on time ? 6. Girls by the pool. Right after lunch.

[LawnTeam]

LOL! I think your brother applied for a job today. hehehehe

[CHEESE2009]

What could the front office and administration do to make your job easier? If you don't have front office staff pretend you do and let me know what thos things would be.

Extra things, they could make routine calls to clients, just to show that we actually care about their business... Honestly, when I get home the last thing I want to do is speak to a client, and that's not good. However, calling a client and asking them how they like our service can open up Pandora's box, especially if they are the cheap ones looking for freebies.

They can also call clients who have yet to pay, harass them for me.

What questions do you wish you had the answers to before heading out for an estimate?
Answers for ignorant people who just don't understand the plain and simple answer I've already given them.

I suppose when I tell a client I can't do a job for them because I didn't bring the right equipment, they say, "Why don't you use mine?"... Every time I decline they probably think less of me.

what are your pet peaves?
Everything.

Clients who talk.

Clients who don't pay on time.

Clients who don't pick up after themselves and leave their lawn a mess, and clients who bundle up branches and place several piles all over the lawn thinking I'm going to take them with me...

When clients call me, and call me several times in a row.

When I get a phone call from an untraceable number.

When I get a request for service without getting an address.

When my guy restrings a trimmer the wrong way

When my guys doing something for 5 minutes that only takes a few seconds..

When my guy runs the blower when I just started trimming, I wish he'd listen and just WAIT, and not waste fuel.

When my guy grabs the blower, when he should grab the other trimmer and help me get the job done.

When my guy has to restring the trimmer every lawn, when I only need to restring once every a blue moon. ... then he trash talks the trimmer.

And, what makes your day?
When my guy does a good job and is actually more than just nice company.

When a client tells me not to cut their lawn.

When I deposit checks.

When the day is over.

When I'm not thinking about work.

[Steve]

They can also call clients who have yet to pay, harass them for me.

I think when you have someone calling, even the act of someone paying enough attention to call, can get late payers to pay.


Also, what about marketing? Maybe keeping the ads on craigslist updated. Maybe do some seo stuff? Help with a blog on the company website?

[LawnTeam]

Great input! I work with a great group of guys who are super talented and work their butts off. Not sure how they do it when it's hot as hell out.
They really deserve to have someone pick up the slack.

[LawnBoy0311]

Communication. Don't stress me out more than I already am. Collection phone calls and advertising are ALWAYS a plus for me.


Your employees are the front lines of the company. They know a lot more than you think they do. Have them fill out a survey...you'd be amazed at what they say. Keep the survey simple so they will fill it out. Ask what they like and don't like about the job. Or what can be done to get the job done faster? Maybe its as easy as an extra gas can.

[Lopes Lawn Care]

cheese, i think you and i have the same customers. This one lady leaves little piles of sticks everywhere for me to pick up. there's a cliff in her backyard which is at the end of her grass line that she can simply walk to to get rid of debri (that's where i throw stuff). She says she can't pick up the twigs herself, then insted of paying me to trimmer a bush in the backyard, she gets up on a ladder with a trimmer and does it herself. Health problems my ***. Laziness is more like it.

This week she left a yard full of chairs and stuff all over the place for me to move then asked me to weedwack all the clover heads in the yard cause of a party she was having. oh and my guy is a moron too. just can't get the trimmer thing right. sits indian style on a lawn while changing string. wow. haha