Customer Visits

mortonslawn · #1 02-03-2010, 07:35 AM

I was reading through some of the old posts on here, and I know there are a lot of new people just starting out. I just wanted to throw out a few ideas that I currently do and have done in the past for these people.

First off, every visit I do at each customer's house, after the job is complete, I ALWAYS leave a paper there so they know I was there, and the job was done. I have seen people say that their customers won't pay if they don't think you were there, and there was no proof. When I first started working, I started this because it would let them know what was done, the date, the company logo on the top. Even if I took their trash can back to where they usually keep it (after the trash man came), I would put that on there as well. This way, they know the job was done and they can look at their lawn and the paper and match it up. Even if they don't have weed control, and they have like 2 weeds that were making the bed look ugly, I would just pull them.

Another thing you can do, is go to an office supply store, like Staples, Office Depot, or whatever you have in your neck of the woods, and get some paper with a nice trim around it, like flowers, leaves, grass around the edges. Let your customers know what services are being offered as they come up. For instance, when I get ready to do leaf removal, I'll get some paper with leaves around the edges, and put on there something about leaf removal. Then I also remind them that the referral program is still on (it always is). I can send some expamples if anyone would like to see them. What I do so I don't waste the paper is print it out on a regular piece of paper, and put the leaf paper in front of it. If I can see my text in the middle of the leaf paper when held up to the light, I can print it on the leaf paper. For Spring, I use paper with flowers around the edges. They have many different kinds of paper. Fund raisers, you can get one with balloons and confetti all over it. Pretty cool. It's better than sending your customers a plain piece of paper.

Also, you can get colored paper, and print all your customer's PAID receipts on their favorite colored paper. People really love that I do this, because all the invoices are on white paper, and their paid receipts are colored. This makes it easier to find as well.

Just a few short ideas that aren't too costly that make a difference. Just trying to help!

mortonslawn · #2 02-03-2010, 08:26 AM

Lawn care business tips

I just uploaded these so people can get an idea of what I mean. These are nice.

Attached Images

Sample Letter.jpg (809.2 KB, 1164 views)

Attached Files

Customer Sheets.doc (24.5 KB, 2073 views)

Steve · #3 02-03-2010, 09:33 AM

Very interesting and thank you.

When you drop this job complete letter off, do you leave it in the mailbox? Stick it in the door? Or what is best?

Also if you are promoting a special that day, do you fold the two together and stick them in the door? What is the best way to handle this?

mortonslawn · #4 02-03-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

When you drop this job complete letter off, do you leave it in the mailbox? Stick it in the door? Or what is best?

The best thing to do is ask the customer. Just let them know that you're dropping off the paper each visit. Some customers will let you put it in their mailbox, as others would rather you put it in their door.

Quote:

Also if you are promoting a special that day, do you fold the two together and stick them in the door? What is the best way to handle this?

My specials usually are for a whole month. What I do is put it on my pretty paper, and mail it to them with one of their invoices or receipts. If they don't have any invoices or receipts, I just mail it alone.

Steve · #5 02-03-2010, 09:45 AM

Quote:

My specials usually are for a whole month. What I do is put it on my pretty paper, and mail it to them with one of their invoices or receipts. If they don't have any invoices or receipts, I just mail it alone.

This brings up another interesting point.

A while back we had a discussion on here about sending marketing material along with an invoice and one member was saying that it's a bad idea. The view was, when a person is writing out a check for services, they usually aren't in a mood to give you even more money.

What's your opinion on this? Does it matter or no?

mortonslawn · #6 02-03-2010, 09:58 AM

It depends really on your work and your customer. If the customer really likes what you do for them, then they'll want more service from you. Like I said before, one of my customers asked me where I was before so he didn't have to do all that hard work. I think it's okay. It lets them know what you're doing in the next month/season. Maybe they won't need the service, but someone they know may, and they might give it to another person, and there's your next referral/customer. If they really like your work, they'll refer you. That's my opinion.

Steve · #7 02-03-2010, 10:25 AM

That's great insight.

I was wondering, do you think a custom printed post-it note would be worthwhile to use that could act as a receipt of sorts that you were there? Maybe you could have a few checkboxes on it and a memo area. Then you could just stick it to the front door or window?

mortonslawn · #8 02-03-2010, 11:51 AM

I don't know about post-its. Sometimes they don't stick, and I'd be worried that they would come off or blow away, and then the customer won't get it.

Bob E · #9 02-03-2010, 01:58 PM

Hi, guys.

We used pre-printed post-it notes when we did fertilizer applications for 1000+ retirement home communities and it saved alot of time filling out blank forms (2-3 hrs per day). We never had much problem with them not sticking. Very convenient.

Steve · #10 02-03-2010, 11:02 PM

Hi Bob,

Where would you stick them? What information did you include on them?

Do you have a picture of what they look like?

Customer Visits

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