Looking for Someone

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We have a member from Bridgewater I believe, I had a call from a private community that is in Deep Cove which is outside my service area and for lawn mowing and garden maintenance it's too far to travel, the president of the association is really after me but I don't want the work but there is someone on here that is fairly close to this and if you can PM me asap I will send the details. From what the prospect said on the phone yesterday, it's a group of Cape Cods on the Ocean in a private community that was built last year, that being the case there should be a ton of work.

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Andy
Halifax, Nova Scotia

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

I wish I had a better way of tracking where members are from in order to pass on such information.

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Originally Posted by Steve

I wish I had a better way of tracking where members are from in order to pass on such information.

I really wish I could remember who it was as this is a sweet contract and she called me again today, she sounds like a really nice lady and they sound like nice places, it sounds like a private retirement community on the Ocean which doesn't surprise me as this area is very rich, it's just too far and we honestly do not need the work that far out.

I think it's a Mike on here but I can't honestly remember which is a real drag as I suspect the contract is worth quite a few thousand dollars based on our conversations and she can't find a company she is comfortable with and herd of ours through a friend in an area that we do.

[CHEESE2009]

Don't wanna assemble another crew?

Get a couple of your foreman together with a rookie, maybe?

That sounds like a nice piece of pie!

[picframer]

Originally Posted by CHEESE2009

Don't wanna assemble another crew?

Get a couple of your foreman together with a rookie, maybe?

That sounds like a nice piece of pie!

No, it's an hours drive and a little, we have turned away almost fifty grand in work this year outside our service area mainly excavation but this one is landscaping, lawn and garden care.

It's simply too expensive to haul the gear, maintenance, paying staff while traveling etc. I understand we could add that to the quote but this is also highway driving, my insurance is tied to milage and doing jobs this far away drives up all costs.

I would rather give it to someone in the area to look after, I would even finance someone to get started but I just don't have the time this year, something i am considering in 2011 is setting up operations outside in key areas, probably two to start and see how it goes, this is a key area as it's rich retirement people all along the south shore, a lot of new construction and the people have the money to pay for quality work.

[Steve]

I would rather give it to someone in the area to look after, I would even finance someone to get started but I just don't have the time this year, something i am considering in 2011 is setting up operations outside in key areas, probably two to start and see how it goes, this is a key area as it's rich retirement people all along the south shore, a lot of new construction and the people have the money to pay for quality work.

In a situation where you want to expand to an area outside your immediate service area, what's the best way to go about that? Do you find there are multiple options you could choose from?

I bet others at times have had to confront this.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

In a situation where you want to expand to an area outside your immediate service area, what's the best way to go about that? Do you find there are multiple options you could choose from?

I bet others at times have had to confront this.

I don't know the answer yet, I generally avoid referring prospects because if there is a problem they make it your problem. I thought about setting up a franchise and a turn key operation and that is still on the burner and I may do that.

We run into it a lot, clients live here but have a summer home 2 hours+ away and assume you will do work there and I know I have upset a few when I say that we can't, then you have clients that think they can buy your travel but I honestly do not want to sit in a truck 4+ hours a day driving.

I know on the excavation and landscaping side it's desperate hard finding a good company, I know this not only from personal experience but constant feedback from clients.

For now, I just have to turn it away but this lady above is getting under my skin as she is calling me twice a day and doesn't understand the word no, that is an issue in itself when dealing with these upper end clients and can be tough to manage.