Getting customers on schedule

[winkie61]

I have seasonal and annual contracts that I had made last November. My problem is getting my existing customers to sign a contract that starts the season on April 1 2010 thru Nov 30 2010 for seasonal customers. I tried calling them and letting them know that I was starting service on 1 Apr and some of them said I'll call you when I need the service. I need to start everyone on 1 Apr so that I can have everyone on a route using my gopher software. This will also save on gas for me and I can have an organized schedule. Does anyone have any ideas?

[CHEESE2009]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by winkie61 so that I can have everyone on a route I'm in the same boat. It's hard to schedule your days without knowing who your customers are. I have people who are supposed to call me, & it makes a big impact on my routes. I don't want to tell people they will have my service on X day of the week, only to switch them to Y day of the week after I receive these phone calls. It's a pain in the neck for sure. But give it a week or two into your service & take it from there. Schedule your existing customers for now. HERE is an idea. On another thread I have been posting my flyers progress. If you noticed, I put an "EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT", hoping that will get clients to agree to my service a.s.a.p! With no time wasted. Try that??

[Steve]

There is a lot of information on the forum and the blog on this.

Here is one article

How to keep your lawn care customers all year long.

Have you thought about getting your customers on an annual contract where they pay a 12 month budgeted rate. So when the new year comes, they simply keep paying and you just show up when you need to?

Some members seem to do this and it works for them.

What's your thoughts on this?

[winkie61]

Originally Posted by Steve

There is a lot of information on the forum and the blog on this.

Here is one article

How to keep your lawn care customers all year long.

Have you thought about getting your customers on an annual contract where they pay a 12 month budgeted rate. So when the new year comes, they simply keep paying and you just show up when you need to?

Some members seem to do this and it works for them.

What's your thoughts on this?

Steve last year what I did was call every client to see about getting them on schedule and some agreed to be scheduled and others said in a couple of weeks and they ended up calling before the two weeks were up. I'm just trying to get people to agree with a time schedule and get them on a contract. Im trying to be professional about the business and the service.
I agree with you Steve, That's what I'm trying to do but here in NC near Ft Bragg customers are trying to hold on to their monies. I have to try and convince them of the value of an annual service. I have annual and seasonal contracts just for this reason. I'm going to try and turn all my customers into annual contracts. I've already gotten two customers to agree.

[J-Rod]

I would go ahead and make the schedule out the same way you would if these customers had agreed to the start date. If they haven't called by the day you are in their area then skip over them and spend the rest of the day trying to pick up accounts. When they call needing service look on the schedule and give them the date you will be back in that area.
I know business can be hard to come by but customers trying to save a dollar by waiting one more week are customers I would rather not deal with.

[winkie61]

Originally Posted by J-Rod

I would go ahead and make the schedule out the same way you would if these customers had agreed to the start date. If they haven't called by the day you are in their area then skip over them and spend the rest of the day trying to pick up accounts. When they call needing service look on the schedule and give them the date you will be back in that area.
I know business can be hard to come by but customers trying to save a dollar by waiting one more week are customers I would rather not deal with.

I like that idea and I think that is what I'll do is turn this into a positive.
Thanx, for the help J-Rod

[Steve]

Also we have seen in other posts and in some contracts, self renewing contracts where you show up next year unless they advise you otherwise.

That could make things easier as well.