Sub-contracting

What is your opinion on sub-contracting out snow removal services to another company? Is it worth the hassle and time? Is that the only way to go any more to make a decent profit?

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

I know some companies that do this and make it work. It's tough though because you are dealing with people and human nature. Will the person be there? Are they reliable? It makes me think of that company Symbiot. Didn't they do something like this on a larger scale and run into huge problems?

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I agree. I think that it would be great to just sub-contract work out and just handle the paperwork. The only problem is getting paid from people. I feel in order to really make decent money from sub-contracting, you would need a lot of them.

[Steve]

Isn't it amazing how you aren't just snowplowing, you have to almost run an entirely different business which is bill collecting?

It makes you wish they could all pay on credit card.

I know, but then you have to worry about losing around 3% from the sale because they are being paid by credit card.

[Billz]

I make all seasonal people pay half by 11-15 and the rest by 1-15...the per plow customers I make pay 5 pushes up front, and bill them every 2 weeks afterwards. They have 2 weeks to pay, or I start skipping them. I do have a couple exceptions I always let pay me in April, but only a couple.