Worst Day Ever

[CHEESE2009]

Mission = 1 large fall cleanup Problems - No trailer, No backpack blower, No Lawn Mower, No workers. Equipment/supplies = Hand held blower, rake, contractor garbage bags, truck. So usually this job would take maybe an hour + 30 mins, give or take. The problem was, it took me from 9am - 4:30pm = 7 & a half hours. I used 30+ COMPACTED friggen garbage bags, had to make 4 trips home & back to drop em' off, not including making an extra trip just to fit my tools lol. A few bags got to ride shotgun with me & blocked my view out the window lmfao. I also had to pick up more bags, & gas. One worker has the flu, the other stood in front of me and just said, "I feel like crap today, sorry" douche! So I didn't eat all day, & I couldn't, I was panicking trying to get the work done lol... I can't believe how awful the day went... Lawn mower, wouldn't fit in the truck I used... Backpack blower was with my stepfather (lol) typical... I even drove around just to consider it relaxing... I was so exhausted, I hate squirls now, forget about slowing down, I will step on the gas when they are in my path! Another thing... I finally finished the back yard, when I saw the front yard it looked untouched lmfao... I just left it, took my money and that's that! I also got beat up by a swing set. I tried blowing out around it and through the swing out of my way & caught it with my face. All I kept thinking was, what a waste of time... Having a mower would make this job so SIMPLE! Less bags would be used also! How are your cleanups going? Overall, I'm doing pretty well... just this big disaster ruined my streak lol...

[picframer]

Lawn care business tips

Leaf clean up is shut down as the leaves are buried under a freak, uncalled for snow storm yesterday, we are going to need some nice weather/rain to even consider being able to get to it this fall and the leaves here for the most part are still on the trees, that is the real issue and has never happened before that I know of. Looks to me like leaf cleanup will be a spring project for us.

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Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[CHEESE2009]

that kinda sucks

I can imagine the mess now...

Well, at least it might be warmer? Though I find I work better on the cooler days.

Well, you can start advertising spring cleanups hardcore when the snow melts away. I'm sure you'll get 3x more clients!

[Steve]

What happened to that great trailer you were working on and painting up?

Originally Posted by Steve

What happened to that great trailer you were working on and painting up?

I was wondering the same thing! So do tell Breezy Boy!

[CHEESE2009]

LMAO.

I got rid of it ....

It took up so much space & the way I've been driving lately, good thing too.

It didn't have any brakes itself, & if I were to do any sudden movements it would have slid right into my side. Very dangerous trailer.

I also thought that I wouldn't dump the leaves during fall, that I'd just leave them with the customer in bags... but then I said ehhh nah that's not good service.... lol

I also thought I'd get another trailer by now, but we're so close to winter so it was put on hold.

And I was also about to buy some fancy Breeze sweaters, but I can't afford $300.00 right now, my money disappeared lmao... aka I had too much fun this season.

The sweaters are more important than a trailer, man they look nice.. I want them.. jk, I will have a new trailer by April.

[Steve]

What do you look forwards to now for next season? What are you looking to do different or change?

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by Steve

What do you look forwards to now for next season? What are you looking to do different or change?

I'm going to start off with some fancy new business cards. And ring every damn doorbell I can with an estimate ready when they answer. Instead of charging by the square foot, I'll have set amounts.

$65-$100.00/month.

If the job/lawn is worth less than $65.00/month, I'll be sure to add in minor favors, like maybe I'll trim a few shrubs when the busy days fade away. Though I will not go under $65.00 (most the lawns I have are $75-80/month range)

If the job would cost the customer more than $100.00 he/she will be charged more, that's when I'd probably charge by the square foot, or I'd give the customer my highest price that I think is suitable.

Next spring I will not stop advertising, I will make sure that I will NEVER have free time, LOL. Doing so will make the year AFTER even easier.

As for fall, things are good. I wouldn't change what I do, though I could have advertised a bit more, I was slacking... (Dead Frontier) dammit. lol.
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Next year my track sheets will have the dates & the time of when I did a job, so the customer doesn't scam me out of my hard work, "you didn't show up before" but with my new sheet, it says I did. I will write notes beside them if I think the customer will give me a hard time, so I can refresh his/her/my own memory.

Oh, & I think I'll have a nastier attitude, no more Mr. nice guy. Customers are all trying to find a way out of paying me, allllllllllll the time.

So now, they pay BEFORE I do the work (always), and if they miss a payment for some lame excuse, I will say too bad. I am DONE chasing customers, that is a full time job I'm not interested in.

[Steve]

What marketing strategy do you feel worked best for you this past year?