Getting Rid of Customer

[MRK]

Hi everyone, Happy New Year from Australia - Heatwave 'down under' 100 degrees tomorrow. Appreciate if you could assist - Maybe someone has had a similar issue. Up till mid 2011 I worked in an office and helped a friend out by mowing her lawn on a regular basis. I no longer work in the office and want to tell her (in the kindest possible way) that I am unable to assist with cutting her lawn anymore. I did her lawn for free to help her out because she is unable to push a lawn mower. I do not want to offend her in any way. Many thanks in advance MRK

[CHEESE2009]

Lawn care business tips

The best possible way to go about this, would to be completely honest with her. Explain to her that you are out of the office, and are planning on focusing on lawn maintenance which means your hands are pretty tied. You need to begin to charge her in order to make your own personal ends meet and put food on the table for yourself and family. I wrote this while extremely intoxicated, I think I did pretty good. I shall check back tomorrow sometime... Is she hot?

[nnyparts]

Just be honest with her. People really appreciate that. I would put myself in her shoes and tell her what you would like to hear if she was doing your mowing. Maybe give her a discount for her being a preferred customer and in turn she maybe your best advertiser on getting word out.

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by nnyparts

Maybe give her a discount for her being a preferred customer and in turn she maybe your best advertiser on getting word out.

From experience, these clients run their mouths about how they receive some sort of discount from me which makes it difficult to charge their friends more, they don't listen when I tell them to keep the price I give them to themselves.


You could always send her a letter, perhaps keep away from the confrontation?

[TiedemanLLC]

I would just phone her or call her and be completely honest with her. I think she will understand.

If she gets upset at you, then it is better that you found out the type of character she is now, instead of finding it out later down the road.

I have found the best understanding from clients that I have to cut or cancel is being honest. Whether we are no longer servicing the area anymore, or cutting a particular service, they appreciate my honestly.

Also, feel free to help her out by mentioning some other companies or individuals that may do the work for her. She will appreciate that you did some leg work for her by mentioning others.

[SECTLANDSCAPING]

you got some good responses above if that doesnt work tell her to kick rocks. lol

seriously though the electric mowers are super light and might work for her.

[turf&tree]

In the states we have robotic mowers. Just run a wire around the yard perimeter and let the little guy loose. I believe home depot sells them. That might be an option for her.
I agree with all the posters that say just be honest with her.

[Steve]

Welcome to our forum!

Are you looking to start a lawn care business now that you are out of the office work? Does she live in an area that you would like to service? Can you put a yard sign up on her lawn to promote your new lawn care business?

Could she give you a testimonial that you could use on your marketing to other people that live in her neighborhood?

[MRK]

Hi everyone,
Thank you all for your assistance and comments.
I worked in an office with this lady and offered to mow her small lawn because she does not have the strength to operate a lawn mower.
I have not worked in that office for some months and am in the process of building up a lawn mowing business.
She lives appox 35 miles from me and fuel expenses are high especially because I was doing her lawn for free.
Although I do not have many lawn mowing customers (as yet) I want to tell her in a very nice way that I am unable to assist her anymore with her lawn care.
MRK

[Steve]

I wonder if it would be worthwhile to put some feelers out to local organizations to see if someone else in the area could offer to help her out? Maybe put an ad on craigslist to see if someone could help?

Or maybe even send an email to a local church?